March 13, 2006
Pictures snapped without consent: What can we do?
RECENTLY, a man attracted criminal sanctions for using a camera to
take pictures under a woman's skirt. With the rise in camera phones
and phones in-built with video-recording functions, the question of
the extent of one's right to privacy has assumed unprecedented
importance.
I am not referring to incidents where a person videotapes himself
or herself and this clip falls into the wrong hands. I am talking
about strangers taking pictures of others without their
consent.
I was travelling on a train recently when a man whipped out his
camera phone and aimed it in my direction. I had never seen anyone
SMS at that angle before so I grew a little suspicious. Sure
enough, when he later turned towards some secondary schoolgirls, I
could see from his phone screen that he was indeed taking
pictures.
Later, he squatted down beside a panel separating us and stared
blatantly at my chest. I used my file to block his view, but he
stood up, and just kept staring. I was afraid to move for fear that
he would follow me, and I felt safer sitting than standing.
He then whipped out his phone for the second time and tried to take
my picture again. I turned away quickly.
Before anyone starts pointing fingers and saying, 'She probably
asked for it with her dressing', I was dressed in an inconspicuous
loose-fitting T-shirt and jeans.
And this is not the first time I have had bad experiences on
trains. I no longer take the train during peak hours due to
incidents where I have been brushed inappropriately.
For the purposes of this letter, though, I will stick to my
complaint about pictures being taken without consent.
As a law student, I am all too aware that there exists no adequate
law on privacy that will prevent others from taking our
pictures.
However, with the advancement in the ability to manipulate and
transfer information, this concerns me a whole lot. What if a
photograph you had no knowledge of appears on the Internet? What if
it was digitally modified into an obscene photograph?
Under the current law, it appears that you have no proprietary
rights over even an image of yourself.
I was told that we may ask the person to delete the photograph from
his phone, but if he refuses, you have no further recourse, and
seizing the phone would place you at fault in the eyes of the
law.
The current situation is very frustrating as it appears that the
law is on the side of those men who pose a threat to females. And I
have absolutely no recourse against that man, except to write in
and warn other young women to be on their guard against such
weirdos, one of whom was last seen dressed in a yellow and green
cap, a yellow top, jeans and a haversack. He was in his late 30s,
with greasy tanned skin and was of average height and build.
Sim Khadijah Mohammed (Ms)
Wonder why did this minah bother to describe the guy? As if the guy
will wear the same clothes everyday.There are many late 30s with
greasy tanned skin of
average height and build. GALs,LOOKOUT FOR MALES OF AVERAGE HEIGHT
AND BUILD AND WITH GREASY TANNED SKIN,THEY ARE ALL
PERVERTS!!!
If she felt violated, why didn't she question that "prick"?
Don't tell me law student apprehensive in a MRT full of
people?
If she was confident..then her picture was being taken, get the MRT
staff to apprehend and seize his phone...
I've never read about someone so full of herself/himself. This is a
first...
Who does she thinks she is, Cindy Crawford?
If this is going to be a problem, let's ban camera phones like we
did chewing gum???
*shrugs* 
