FBI Drags Google Glass Man From Theater on Piracy Fears - TorrentFreak
(This story has since been updated to state that it was Homeland Security that dragged this guy out of the cinema)
Google Glass is gradually building up steam worldwide. For those of you who don't know, Google Glass is wearable technology that displays images and information directly on to the lens of a pair of glasses worn by the user.
The reception to this tech has been mixed to say the least particularly with privacy concerns regarding the devices inbuilt camera. There are already establishments banning the wearing of Google Glass on the premises and a lady in San Diego was arrested and fined after she wore a pair whilst driving. But now the big guns have come out!
Last week, a Google Glass user and his wife decided to take a trip to their local AMC to check out Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. The man, who had attended the cinema a number of times while wearing the glasses, fitted with prescription lenses by the way, dutifully ensured the device was switched off before the screening commenced.
Approximately an hour into the film he was suddenly confronted by a kind gentleman who courteously shoved a badge into his face, pulled the Google Glasses off his face and demanded that he follow the gent outside. There he met a number of police and mall security officers and was escorted off to a little room for a quiet chat about being caught illegally taping a movie with the "federal service" agent he met in the cinema who refused to identify exactly where he was from.
This chat consisted of demands of who he was working for, who he was going to give the recording too and how much was Google paying him to wear the allegedly infringing device. When the man offered to show the agent that nothing had been recorded he was refused for fear that he would erase the evidence.
About three hours into this process some bright spark had the grand idea of bringing in a laptop and downloading the contents of the Google Glass's memory to preserve the evidence. At this point the "federal service" agents spent a short time viewing some family photos before finally letting the man go.
Don't feel too bad, he did get a couple of free tickets so he could return to the cinema another time to finish watching the movie.
I assume that someone who actually knew what Google Glass looked like took it upon themselves to report that a potential cam job could be happening upon sighting this man entering a cinema but can it really be said the response was anything other than woefully excessive. First up they did not give this guy the benefit of the doubt. Secondly, a reasonable response would have been for the manager to quietly approach the man during the pre-movie waffle and ask him to take off the glasses, right? Anyone?
*sigh*
Nope, obviously this potential, totally unproven, act of copyright infringement must be reported to the highest available authorities as soon as possible to ensure an aggressive, definitive response. Seriously, Homeland Security? I had a look on the About DHS page and they are very clear that their "vital mission" is "to secure the nation from the many threats we face". Yep, so vital that they divert agents and resources to descend on a man like a truckload of bricks for the slightest possibility that he is recording an apparently mediocre movie.
I really wanted to put a snappy little joke at the end of this story, or even save it for review as a potential Clever Geek of The Week award but I am afraid it is just too far beyond the realms of any reasonable expectations!
Hold on people, this whole copyright debacle is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
(This story has since been updated to state that it was Homeland Security that dragged this guy out of the cinema)
Google Glass is gradually building up steam worldwide. For those of you who don't know, Google Glass is wearable technology that displays images and information directly on to the lens of a pair of glasses worn by the user.
The reception to this tech has been mixed to say the least particularly with privacy concerns regarding the devices inbuilt camera. There are already establishments banning the wearing of Google Glass on the premises and a lady in San Diego was arrested and fined after she wore a pair whilst driving. But now the big guns have come out!
Last week, a Google Glass user and his wife decided to take a trip to their local AMC to check out Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. The man, who had attended the cinema a number of times while wearing the glasses, fitted with prescription lenses by the way, dutifully ensured the device was switched off before the screening commenced.
Approximately an hour into the film he was suddenly confronted by a kind gentleman who courteously shoved a badge into his face, pulled the Google Glasses off his face and demanded that he follow the gent outside. There he met a number of police and mall security officers and was escorted off to a little room for a quiet chat about being caught illegally taping a movie with the "federal service" agent he met in the cinema who refused to identify exactly where he was from.
This chat consisted of demands of who he was working for, who he was going to give the recording too and how much was Google paying him to wear the allegedly infringing device. When the man offered to show the agent that nothing had been recorded he was refused for fear that he would erase the evidence.
About three hours into this process some bright spark had the grand idea of bringing in a laptop and downloading the contents of the Google Glass's memory to preserve the evidence. At this point the "federal service" agents spent a short time viewing some family photos before finally letting the man go.
Don't feel too bad, he did get a couple of free tickets so he could return to the cinema another time to finish watching the movie.
I assume that someone who actually knew what Google Glass looked like took it upon themselves to report that a potential cam job could be happening upon sighting this man entering a cinema but can it really be said the response was anything other than woefully excessive. First up they did not give this guy the benefit of the doubt. Secondly, a reasonable response would have been for the manager to quietly approach the man during the pre-movie waffle and ask him to take off the glasses, right? Anyone?
*sigh*
Nope, obviously this potential, totally unproven, act of copyright infringement must be reported to the highest available authorities as soon as possible to ensure an aggressive, definitive response. Seriously, Homeland Security? I had a look on the About DHS page and they are very clear that their "vital mission" is "to secure the nation from the many threats we face". Yep, so vital that they divert agents and resources to descend on a man like a truckload of bricks for the slightest possibility that he is recording an apparently mediocre movie.
I really wanted to put a snappy little joke at the end of this story, or even save it for review as a potential Clever Geek of The Week award but I am afraid it is just too far beyond the realms of any reasonable expectations!
Hold on people, this whole copyright debacle is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
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