Legal
‘Predictive Policing’ Isn’t In Science Fiction, It’s In Sacramento
Sacramento —like New York, Houston, Miami, St. Louis, and other cities before it— is looking at the next step: the launch in October of a ?real-time crime center,? a central location from which officers could monitor all their existing surveillance technologies, PODs included. The idea is that consolidating information about criminal activity —from stalking complaints to potential lone wolf terrorist attacks— would make law enforcement more effective at investigating and perhaps preventing some incidents. The process would also promote accountability and transparency at a time of rising tension between police and the black community, providing evidence of both police and suspect behavior during tense encounters, proponents say.
Does Snapchat?s Lenses Feature Violate Illinois? Biometrics Law?
An Illinois man has sued Snapchat for alleged violations of a state law that requires users to expressly consent to instances in which their biometric information is used. This is the second time a plaintiff has brought such a case under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). Last year, a Chicago man sued Facebook on similar claims.
Bavarian Data Protection Authority Issues Paper On Video Surveillance Under General Data Protection Regulation
On 6 July of this year, the Bavarian Data Protection Authority issued a brief guidance paper on video surveillance under the new European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). This short paper is the first issue within a series of non-binding guidance papers on selected topics in relation to the GDPR, which the Bavarian Data Protection Authority has planned to publish periodically. This is a significant step forward for EU countries to adopt a more uniformed approach to video surveillance retention policies.
MOBOTIX CORP Wins Patent Challenge Again
Following a request from MOBOTIX CORP to review the validity of U.S. Patent No. 6,975,220, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) ruled that the main claims of the patent are invalid and will be canceled.
Thorny Legal Issues Surrounding Body Cameras: From Privacy To Public Access
More and more law enforcement agencies across the country are outfitting their officers with body-worn video cameras and report better policing and public behavior as a result. But Jim Bueermann, president of the Police Foundation, a Washington, D.C. organization that helps improve policing through research and training, said ?There?s more we don?t know about the impact of body worn cameras than what we do know.? From privacy, public access, to cost.
World IP Video Surveillance And VSaaS Market Worth US$61.3 Billion By 2022
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the ?World IP Video Surveillance & VSaaS Market: Opportunities and Forecasts, 2015 ? 2022? report to their offering. According to a new report titled ?World IP Video Surveillance and VSaaS Market?, the global IP video surveillance and VSaaS market is expected to reach $61.3 billion by 2022. […]
How Police Body Cameras Change Our Perception Of Right And Wrong
There was something about the sudden, near-universal praise for police body cameras that rubbed Seth Stoughton the wrong way. A law professor at the University of South Carolina who has spent his career studying the regulation of law enforcement, Stoughton saw the potential of equipping thousands upon thousands of American police officers with cameras recording […]
Grand Jury Hands Down Indictments In Waffle House Sex Tape Case
A Fulton County grand jury has issued indictments against two Marietta attorneys and their client for their roles in the illegal videotaping of a sexual encounter between the client and a former Waffle House CEO.
Appeals Court: States Can Restrict Concealed Weapons
Americans have no Second Amendment right to carry concealed guns in public, a federal appeals court in California ruled on Thursday in a significant blow to gun-rights activists and gun owners in a large swath of the Western U.S. The San Francisco-based Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 7-4 ruling, upheld a California law requiring residents to show ?good cause? for carrying a concealed handgun. Under the California law, personal safety alone doesn’t qualify as good cause, which is defined by county sheriffs. The plaintiffs, gun owners seeking licenses to carry their weapons concealed, said the policies in San Diego and Yolo counties where they live violated their Second Amendment rights.
US Requires Drones to Be Registered
The U.S. Department of Transportation will require recreational drone operators to register their aircraft with the federal government. A new task force has been formed to determine which aircraft should be exempt from the registration The federal government will seek to register all drones, including the lighter, remote-controlled crafts favored by hobbyists, so it can track down any drone pilots who collide with other aircraft or violate rules for safe flights. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said recently the new rules will apply to hobbyists as well as commercial drone operators, who already register.
Workplace Biometric Technology Outpacing the Law
Whether they?re clocking in to work, trying to enter a secure room or driving a company car, many workers are finding that the procedures for these everyday workplace occurrences are changing. To improve efficiency, combat fraud, and boost employee health and safety, employers increasingly are adopting biometric devices. Biometric technology analyzes the unique characteristics of a person through his or her fingerprints, irises, retinas, hand geometry, facial patterns, voice patterns or DNA information.
PureTec Systems Announces New Patent for Video Analytics on PTZ Cameras
PureTech Systems Inc., an Arizona-based geospatial video analytics company, announced the issuance of a patent by the United States Patent Office – US Patent No 8,929,603 ?Autonomous Lock-On Target Tracking with Geospatial-Aware PTZ Cameras.? The newly awarded patent addresses PureTech Systems? technology growth in the area of utilizing video analytics on pan-tilt-zoom cameras whether stationary or on a mobile platform.
Viscount Patents QR Code-Powered Mobile Access Control Solution
Viscount recently patented a method of using QR codes for mobile-based access control. Viscount Systems has been awarded U.S. Patent 8941465 B2, outlining a system and method for physical access control using QR codes and mobile devices, as part of its Freedom Access Control Solution.
State Senator Wants New Mexico to Consider Biometrics to Curb Voter Fraud
New Mexico State Senator and Minority Whip Bill Payne requested the secretary of state to consider implementing biometric measures, such as iris scans and thumbprint recognition, to curb potential voter fraud in New Mexico’s state elections.
Negligent Security: When Is Crime Your Problem?
This valuable whitepaper, presented by the Federation of Defense and Corporate Council Winter Meeting in March of 2011, is still timely today and shared with the SecurityHive.com community to provide a better understanding on how our companies could be liable for large jury verdicts for not providing proper secure environments. Written by Richards H. Ford of Wicker, Smith, O’hara, McCoy, and Ford, P.A., a Florida law firm, this whitepaper showcases what negligent security conditions can cost an organization via a lawsuit.
N.J. Bill Would Ease Cops? Access to Private Videos
A New Jersey bill designed to make it easier for law enforcement to use private, outdoor video cameras in investigations was approved earlier this week by an Assembly panel. The legislation would let municipalities, through an ordinance, establish a registry that would allow any owner of a private outdoor video surveillance camera to voluntarily register the camera with the local police department.
Viscount Systems Awarded Patent to Increase Security for Schools and Business During Crisis Lockdowns
Viscount Systems (OTCQB:VSYS), a leading provider of IT-based security software and services, has been awarded its third U.S. patent for its Freedom Access Control solution, building on the technology?s already strong intellectual property foundation. U.S. Patent 8907763 B2 outlines the system and method for mustering individuals during an emergency using mobile devices.
IDEX Acquires Patents for Touch Fingerprint Sensors
Fingerprint sensor firm IDEX announced it has acquired a software algorithm and patents from Metadyne Software for US$4.5 million. IDEX said the acquisition will enable the company to deliver significantly improved security and user convenience for mass market fingerprint sensor solutions.
Massena NY Teamsters Agree on Language for Security Cameras
A dispute in Massena, NY, going back to August over the installation of cameras in the Town Hall has been settled. Town Supervisor Joseph D. Gray said that officials wanted to install cameras in public buildings to ensure the safety of employees as well as visitors. But Mickey S. Smith, business agent for the Teamsters Union Local 687, questioned why cameras would be put in areas not accessible to members of the public.
Oregon Lawmakers Propose Bill Allowing Body Cameras, Citizens Recording Police
Oregon lawmakers are working on a bill that would require the state’s police officers to wear small body cameras like the one modeled on a New York City police officer at a news conference, above. Recent high-profile police killings and the double murder of two New York City policemen have made body cameras for officers a popular idea that Oregon legislators are already moving on.