Camera Phones

Camera phones remind us that there is no substitute for mutual trust and respect. As information technology comes in even smaller packages, the world seems to grow smaller along with it. The mobile phone has shrunk, from being uncomfortable bludge that never quiet fitted the pockets into which it was thrust, to becoming a slimline object that is not as thick as the average wallet. Now it comes with a camera and internet access, too, …

…for misuse of the new technology. The camera phone is a reminder of how frail, and how indispensable, is the mutual respect that binds human communities. Tougher rules and new surveillance measures cannot entirely prevent misuse of an object that fits in the palm of the hand; we must rely on the willingness of people to respect the privacy of others. If that sense of respect begins to fade, tightening rules will not restore it.