Cameras are ubiquitous β from the ones in our cellphones to the security cams in parking lots and shops.
And just when you thought it couldn't get harder to hide, live-streaming video is raising new questions about privacy. Streaming video cameras aren't new, but new apps have made it super easy to stream from a smartphone. Periscope is popular because it can be streamed on Twitter, which recently purchased the app. I turned it on in a parking lot in a mall in San Francisco. Patrons like Chris Kelley is a little surprised to learn he's being broadcast live on the Internet.
But Kelley simply smiles at the camera, laughs and waves, "Hi, Mom! Laughter aside, Kelley is a little bothered by this latest twist to social media and it does make him worry more about his privacy. But Kelley and most everyone else I spoke with was not freaked out. There was a bit of a sigh and a shrug. Because people are already used to cameras being just about everywhere, Periscope CEO and co-founder Kayvon Beykpour didn't think his app was going to be controversial.
But Periscope's live-streaming technology definitely ads a new twist. And privacy experts say we may not know yet what it means.
The first time I tried Periscope, I was lying in bed with my phone and I turned it on with the camera pointed at my bare feet. Suddenly, I realized that six people had tuned in to watch my naked toes live. And while that's uncomfortable for adults, Hughes says easy access to live streaming has the potential to be dangerous in the hands of teenagers. And teens can use Periscope β only minors below the age of 13 are prohibited from using the app. But, that doesn't mean that you can put anything up.
