Say Cheese! ...But Not Without a Permit!

City May Seek Permit and Insurance for Many Kinds of Public Photography

Some tourists, amateur photographers, even would-be filmmakers hoping to make it big on YouTube could soon be forced to obtain a city permit and $1 million in liability insurance before taking pictures or filming on city property, including sidewalks.

New rules being considered by the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting would require any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and insurance.

The same requirements would apply to any group of five or more people who plan to use a tripod in a public location for more than 10 minutes, including the time it takes to set up the equipment.

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For the full text of the proposed rule, see this .pdf link.

I think it's remarkable that no one attended the hearing:

The film office held a public hearing on the proposed rules yesterday, but no one attended.

The article above continues:

“These rules will apply to a huge range of casual photography and filming, including tourists taking snapshots and people making short videos for YouTube,” said Christopher Dunn, the group’s associate legal director.

Mr. Dunn suggested that the city deliberately kept the language vague, and that as a result police would have broad discretion in enforcing the rules. In a letter sent to the film office this week, Mr. Dunn said the proposed rules would potentially apply to tourists in places like Times Square, Rockefeller Center or ground zero, “where people routinely congregate for more than half an hour and photograph or film.”

Oh, in case you are wondering why no one attended the hearing:



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This trend is really getting out of hand...

See, for example, this incident in Pennsylvania:

First Shot: Candid Camera

In May, Brian Kelly of Carlisle, Pa., was riding with a friend when the car he was in was pulled over by a local police officer. Kelly, an amateur videographer, had his video camera with him and decided to record the traffic stop.

The officer who pulled over the vehicle saw the camera and demanded Kelly hand it over. Kelly obliged. Soon after, six more police officers pulled up. They arrested Kelly on charges of violating an outdated Pennsylvania wiretapping law that forbids audio recordings of any second party without their permission. In this case, that party was the police officer.

Kelly was charged with a felony, spent 26 hours in jail, and faces up to 10 years in prison. All for merely recording a police officer, a public servant, while he was on the job.

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See some other examples:

Baltimore

Witnesses say phones confiscated

Seattle

Bystander taking photos of arrest with cellphone was pepper-sprayed and phone confiscated

There are half a dozen more stories like these, but you get the point.

You may want to rethink those camera phones!


[edit on 30-6-2007 by loam]

originally posted by loam:

Mr. Dunn suggested that the city deliberately kept the language vague, and that as a result police would have broad discretion in enforcing the rules.

originally posted by loam 'This trend is really getting out of hand... '

originally posted by loam

' Kelly was charged with a felony, spent 26 hours in jail, and faces up to 10 years in prison. All for merely recording a police officer, a public servant, while he was on the job.

Today, the US. Tomorrow, the world.

Since this also took place in NYC, I thought I'd add this here:

NYC Man Held for Reciting 1st Amendment

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What's going on in NYC?

You be the judge...

[edit on 4-7-2007 by loam]