The Government's War on Cameras!

Who will watch the watchers? In a world of ubiquitous, hand-held digital cameras, that's not an abstract philosophical question. Police everywhere are cracking down on citizens using cameras to capture breaking news and law enforcement in action.

In 2009, police arrested blogger and freelance photographer Antonio Musumeci on the steps of a New York federal courthouse. His alleged crime? Unauthorized photography on federal property.

Police cuffed and arrested Musumeci, ultimately issuing him a citation. With the help of the New York Civil Liberties Union, he forced a settlement in which the federal government agreed to issue a memo acknowledging that it is totally legal to film or photograph on federal property.

Although the legal right to film on federal property now seems to be firmly established, many other questions about public photography still remain and place journalists and citizens in harm's way. Can you record a police encounter? Can you film on city or state property? What are a photographer's rights in so-called public spaces?

These questions will remain unanswered until a case reaches the Supreme Court, says UCLA Law Professor Eugene Volokh, founder of the popular law blog The Volokh Conspiracy. Until then, it's up to people to know their rights and test the limits of free speech, even at the risk of harassment and arrest.

Who will watch the watchers? All of us, it turns out, but only if we're willing to fight for our rights.

Produced by Hawk Jensen and Zach Weissmueller. Camera by Jim Epstein and Jensen. About 7.30 minutes.

Go to http://reason.com/blog/2011/05/26/reasontv-the-governments-war for links and more articles, including Reason magazine's January 2011 cover story, "The War on Cameras" and the companion piece "How to Record the Cops."

Go to http://reason.tv for downloadable versions of the video and subscribe to Reason.tv's YouTube channel to receive automatic notification when new material goes live.

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[nightsongs1970]

I worked in law enforcement for about five years until I couldn't stand it any longer. The public needs to know that cops are not 'heroes' or any of that other BS. Most are thugs of below average intelligence who couldn't care less about the Constitution or the citizens they are supposed to serve.

[1djFlashboogie]

@nightsongs1970 ...Having been in law enforcement, and a Special Agent with an Inspector General's Office who oversaw police, I FULLY agree!! The vast majority of the public really has no clue as to how often police violate citizen's rights.

[anime1973]

police give up the right to privacy when they wear a badge that regularly has them saying "anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law"

[KYKIN44]

The police are armed and retarded they all are overpayed under worked and most of them are fat so fat that they cannot do their jobs so all they got to resort to is brutality or to shoot you becase after 1 minute of work they are exhausted as hell they will shoot you and put that back up gun in your hand. It is obvious that the police are the enemy of the people they are all armed and retarded and overplay they will do any thing to keep their job even kill you police armed and retarded

[Lessons4Morons]

I guess it was a good outcome. But, it kind of seems like allot of wasted time esp. when you consider that the person was arrested. In my opinion the cops should never get away with something by claiming ignorance of the law or because they did not intend to break the law etc. It's too damn easy to act like an absolute moron and get away with basically anything you've done. Ever watch CSPAN? Ever notice people who are F-ing lawyers and/or experts in their field being interviewed and wonder wtf?

[MadMikeBee]

Cops just hate the fact that their illegal activities can hit the web now!

[MrSleeps]

great story, shit is still going to hell here in america.

[johnnycmajor]

We need our camera's to keep vigilant.

[gombagod]

The title should read :The govenment's war on (citezen's) cameras. After all, they want to spy on us.

[beggarz]

There is no better evidence of the need for individuals filming police than their reaction to it.