I enjoy photography. I’m not good at it, but the hobby is fun. I’ve been reading some rather disturbing stories of citizens being arrested for photographing or video recording the police. Apparently, wiretapping laws are being used to arrest and hold citizens. Of course, if the footage is favorable, then no arrests. But if the footage shows cops in a bad light, then arrest is what you get.
Making matters worse, is these charges are being upheld in court!
Interestingly, anyone can photograph or video record anyone else when out in public. If you go out in public, you automatically assume a lack of a certain amount of privacy, including having your picture taken.
Cops are out in public. They are public servants. By not being able to photograph or record them, why do they get additional rights than the public? Who will be there to speak up when it is a cop’s word against a citizen in court? If a cop is doing nothing wrong, why can’t they be recorded in public? Why can they record us?
So far, it sucks to be you in Illinois, Maryland, and Massachusetts.