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A new patent filed by Apple has left many worried that it will be used to censor civilians, with it allowing iPhone cameras to be remotely disabled using special infrared sensors. With there being an increased incentive to record the behavior of police officers in the wake of multiple shootings, some now fear that authorities will soon be able to get their hands on technology that will prevent civilians from utilizing their iPhone’s camera.
The patent, first filed in 2009, now grants Apple the ability to create technology that can disable iPhone users’ cameras. The example given in the patent features a “RECORDING DISABLED” message appearing on an iPhone screen at a concert, with two infrared sensors emitting waves that block the device’s camera. However, as pointed out by the American Civil Liberties Union, if placed in the hands of authorities this technology could effectively prevent civilians from recording police behavior.
This issue is especially prevalent given this week’s events, in which two men have been shot and killed by police officers in thoroughly controversial circumstances. First Alton Sterling’s death at the hands of a police officer was caught on a smartphone, while the aftermath of Philando Castle being shot four times by another officer was streamed to Facebook Live by his girlfriend. These videos have sparked more intense debate surrounding the actions of US authorities, and without them, the monumentally questionable and fatal actions of these officers would have gone largely unnoticed.
Though the suggested application for this infrared technology is to prevent smartphone cameras from being used in concerts, movie theaters and the like, it isn’t a big leap to suggest that it could end up in the hands of the wrong people.
The ACLU agrees with this concern, writing: “If law enforcement gets a hold of this technology, it could be used to prevent individuals from recording traffic stops, arrests, and other interactions between law enforcement and the public. Depending on if and how Apple’s new patent becomes a technological reality, that’s a very real possibility.”
Tech companies file patents routinely, though Apple having routinely maintained this patent for the past seven years certainly suggests that the company is looking to utilize this technology in the future. Let’s hope that if this is implemented in a future iteration of the iPhone, the company will not allow it to be used to censor civilians.
