Novel solution to camera phone privacy abuse: News from Sensaura

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The proliferation of camera phones has prompted widespread concern over privacy. But now two UK companies claim to have solved the issue of misuse of camera phone technology. Sensaura, the world's leading audio IP licensing firm and Iceberg Systems, a developer of Internet and mobile technology, have codeveloped a patent-pending technology platform called Safe Haven to enable the camera within a camera phone and other types of digital camera, to be disabled within a localised environment.

The widespread adoption of camera phones has provoked concern in recent months from a broad spectrum of society, ranging from child protection agencies in the fight against paedophilia, through to industrialists concerned over corporate theft.

"Digital camera technology, and in particular camera phones, are undoubtedly a fantastic product, but they are open to privacy abuse and so represent a social menace.

Sensaura and Iceberg Systems have now addressed this issue with Safe Haven by enabling cameras to be disabled", said Doug Balfour, Managing Director, Sensaura.

Safe Haven allows the camera functionality of the phone or other electronic devices to be disabled without affecting any other usage of the device.

Safe Haven works by transmitting a signal in a localised environment such as a school, swimming pool, office facility or factory, which disables the camera functionality of devices in the nearby environment.

Safe Haven enables digital cameras within a variety of electronic devices to be disabled including camera phones, camera PDAs, digital cameras and multipurpose MP3 players.

Sensaura and Iceberg Systems are currently in negotiation with the world's leading mobile handset manufacturers to implement the technology along with blue chip companies, organisations and governments worldwide.

Strategy Analytics, an international research and consulting firm specialising in high-tech markets, forecasts that a total of 800 million camera phones worldwide will be sold between 2003 to 2008.

"Privacy and security issues surrounding camera phones are a growing concern for consumer and corporate users.

Using technology such as Safe Haven to diminish localised privacy and security risks is a proactive option", said Neil Mawston, Senior Analyst, Global Wireless Practice, Strategy Analytics.

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Novel solution to camera phone privacy abuse

Two UK companies claim to have solved the issue of misuse of camera phone technology.