FBI, movies, google glass

[SoM]

amurrrica

[obsidian]

What followed was over an hour of the ‘feds’ telling me I am not under arrest, and that this is a ‘voluntary interview’, but if I choose not to cooperate bad things may happen to me... They wanted to know who I am, where I live, where I work, how much I’m making, how many computers I have at home, why am I recording the movie, who am I going to give the recording to, why don’t I just give up the guy up the chain, ’cause they are not interested in me. Over and over and over again.

So a dozen+ cops were called to be corporate security guards for the MPAA to arrest a man who paid money to go watch a movie? They held a man who is not under arrest to conduct a "voluntary" interview while being under threat?

Amurricans are always so worried about "big gov'ment" taking away their rights, what they need to be worried about is big corporations who have all the same rights as an individual, but can't be arrested or penalized as an individual, and can lobby for the rewriting of laws to their favour. Large corporations are going to be death to both America and freedom to her people.


Then conquer we must, whenever it suits us just,
And this be our motto: "Increase the value of our trust."
And the copyright-spangled banner in profit shall wave
O'er the land of the oppressed and the home of the corporate empires!

[Eraser]

Ok, not a popular opinion here I guess, but someone needs to play devil's advocate here. Thing is, the reaction was outrageous, yes, but I couldn't blame a movie theater for blocking Google Glass in their theaters, simply because it's so hard to see if it is recording something. IMO, it was rather dumb of this person to think he could just walk in there with a camera mounted to his face (turned on or not) and not be kicked out.

Sure, the whole FBI/MPAA getting involved thing is ridiculous, but Google Glass users really need to be more aware of the (social) implications of wearing one. Similarly, society, companies and perhaps even governments need to adapt to the existence of such technology just as well, which, I should say, also means setting clear rules and guidelines for Glass wearers to follow.

[MKJ]

I think the issue is more about the effect and not the cause.

[SoM]

they were also prescription glasses

even is he recorded it would be like a shaky cam version, or do they have stabilization on em ?

[bitWISE]

I used to go to that theater all the time...

Now I have an even better reason to continue boycotting it.

[seremtan]

pretty much what Egayser said. it was a massive over-reaction by heavy-handed law enforcement, but on the other hand Google Glass is a stupid idea and he should have known better

[Ryoki]

“They wanted to know (...) why don’t I just give up the guy up the chain, ’cause they are not interested in me.

What

[Captain]

Was this guy running the interrogation?

[lvlshot]http://superiorpics.com/movie_pictures/mp/2008_Harold_and_Kumar_Escape_From_Guantanamo_Bay/2008_harold_and_kumar_escape_from_guantanamo_bay_002.jpg[/lvlshot]

[Mat Linnett]

And lo, unto the Earth was born a new breed of hipster twat: The Glasshole.

[seremtan]

"glasshole"

love it

[Κracus]

pretty much what Egayser said. it was a massive over-reaction by heavy-handed law enforcement, but on the other hand Google Glass is a stupid idea and he should have known better

Unless you know... he had a prescription lenses that he needs to use to be able to see which he did.

The reality is that he should sue whoever is responsible and they should be held accountable. The whole concept of detaining someone for possibly having recorded a movie is ludicrous and should be considered unacceptable in a free society.

[plained]

so now when i so to a movie i have to wear those stupid things?

[Eraser]

pretty much what Egayser said. it was a massive over-reaction by heavy-handed law enforcement, but on the other hand Google Glass is a stupid idea and he should have known better

Unless you know... he had a prescription lenses that he needs to use to be able to see which he did.

If I were in his shoes and I didn't have an alternative, I'd at least talk to theater personnel before sitting down and assuming it's ok. Yes, the risk is there they wouldn't let you in, but a 'glasshole' (lol) needs to take such things into account. What he did is, in the eyes of the less informed, not much different than holding up his phone, pointing it at the screen, starting the camera app but not actually press the record button. How do you think movie theater personnel would respond to that?

And that's what I meant with there needing to be clear rules surrounding such devices. It wouldn't surprise me if two years from now, many movie theaters officially ban Google Glass from their theaters. You can agree with the underlying reasoning behind such a measure or not, but truth is that it would hardly be surprising.

So back to this incident. Was the response excessive? Yes, very much so. Was a negative response from theater personnel to be expected? I'd say yes, very much so as well. I'd even go as far as to say that if this man was friendly requested to take off the glasses or leave the theater, people would go "oh, yeah, of course"

Btw, can't the Glass module be removed and clipped back on again when attached to regular prescription glasses? If so, then all the moron he is.

[Ryoki]

And lo, unto the Earth was born a new breed of hipster twat: The Glasshole.

Hah

[Don Carlos]

"glasshole"

love it

[MKJ]

http://penny-arcade.com/2013/06/14

[surgeon62]

Yeah, I smell an asshole (AKA Glasshole) ... Think about it. Homeland Security is not sitting at their Person of Interest machine looking for people going into theaters with Google Glass. I'm sure it's happened many times before this. Someone called them and for that to happen, a Glasshole had to royally piss someone off.

[EtUL]

Eh, if you're in a big city and seeing a new showing I don't think it's crazy for them to be watching for recording devices. Wearing one exposed on your face doesn't help.

[surgeon62]

Eh, if you're in a big city and seeing a new showing I don't think it's crazy for them to be watching for recording devices. Wearing one exposed on your face doesn't help.

Yeah, but do you call Homeland Security, or do you call the theatre manager?

[Plan B]

Better call Saul