[IP] Is there any right to privacy?
Begin forwarded message:
From: Gene Spafford <spaf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 16, 2005 8:53:09 PM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [IP] Is there any right to privacy?
Driving a taxi in a major metropolitan area is a dangerous
occupation. The drivers don't know anything about the fares they
pick up, but they are often required by law to pick up any fare -- no
matter how suspicious or disreputable they appear. Then they are
supposed to drive them somewhere, that may be an abandoned area or
one with armed confederates. In most cities they are seldom
separated from their passengers or the street by bullet-proof
partitions -- and large caliber handguns shoot right through the seat
back. (Heck, some knives or ice picks go right through, too.) The
cab company charges a fairly high premium for the cab rental, and the
driver needs to pay for gasoline out of his/her pocket. Drivers also
generally need to fund their own insurance and retirement plans.
Their margin can be thin, or negative on bad days or when gas is
expensive. Throw in a robbery, someone using a stolen credit card,
or someone who jumps without paying, and the driver may be in the red
for days. It is not a particularly wonderful occupation.
If I were a cab driver, having a camera in place with a reasonably
visible sign to that effect might make me feel a little more
confident and might make some potential robbers a little less
hesitant. They could have clandestine cameras without a notice,
but that doesn't serve to deter the robbers and people who are going
to cut and run without paying the meter.
Of course, that says nothing about what else is done with the
pictures. If they are kept indefinitely or regularly turned over to
law enforcement with a warrant, I would find that disturbing.
However, I do not begrudge the taxi drivers seeking some additional
security for themselves.
One solution is to have a visible, posted policy about retention and
distribution (if any) of those photos. Having policy compliance
audited in some way would be good, too -- something that the cab
commission in the individual cities could pursue.
Of course, you can always rent a private car, take the bus, walk, or
seek a cab without a camera. But don't be so quick to condemn the
cabbies who are trying to make a living and stay unhurt in the
process. They probably don't understand the privacy concerns, just
as many reading this list probably haven't experienced the dangers of
driving a cab in a major city.
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