Subway Camera Ban Proposed
Today's New York Times reports the MTA is proposing a ban on all picture taking in the subways unless you have a special permit.

Since I take a lot of pictures in the subway with my treo 600 camera phone, this is of course interesting to me. The ban is proposed and even if it happens, it's months away. My initial thought is that this rule is silly - despite the fact the former Mayor Rudy Giuliani earlier this week testified that of the terror threats New York received before Sept. 11 (on average of one a day) his best guess was that when terrorists did strike again, it would be in the subways, bridges or tunnels.

The thing that makes it silly is that there are already too many pictures out there of the subways. Thousands of books, magazines, videos and even moblog Web sites are available to get pictures of the subway cars, stations and behind-the-scenes infrastructure. Plus, anyone could go out now before the ban and take all the pictures they want and send them off to their local terrorist agency. The system is 100 years old and change comes slowly. Any picture taken now - or 20 years ago in some cases - is probably as good as one taken a year from now.

Additionally, the Port Authority has banned picture taking at the entrances to its tunnels. However, they conveniently have still and live Web cam pictures available online for all to see.

Also, the NYT article fails to mention the MTA already prohibits video cameras in the subway - as I was clearly reminded when a film crew was interviewing me in March about last summer's blackout. The cops threw them out even though they had MTA permission. Plus, they'd been filming all morning before cops noticed them. So basically, any ban on cameras is going to be unenforceable.

And additionally, it's gong to make a subway ride feel really creepy. They'll have to put up "no camera" signs at every entrance, and it will just like posting a sign that states: "Warning, you are no entering a terrorist target."

I'd rant further, but I have to go catch a subway into Midtown.
- posted by Amy @ 5/21/2004 10:05:00 AM