“A movie-plot threat”
Posted by sepial at June 6th, 2008
Computer security expert Bruce Schneier makes a good case against the authorities harassing photographers for fear that they might be collecting images in order to plan terrorist attacks.
What is it with photographers these days? Are they really all terrorists, or does everyone just think they are?
Since 9/11, there has been an increasing war on photography. Photographers have been harrassed, questioned, detained, arrested or worse, and declared to be unwelcome. We’ve been repeatedly told to watch out for photographers, especially suspicious ones. Clearly any terrorist is going to first photograph his target, so vigilance is required.
Except that it’s nonsense. The 9/11 terrorists didn’t photograph anything. Nor did the London transport bombers, the Madrid subway bombers, or the liquid bombers arrested in 2006. Timothy McVeigh didn’t photograph the Oklahoma City Federal Building. The Unabomber didn’t photograph anything; neither did shoe-bomber Richard Reid. Photographs aren’t being found amongst the papers of Palestinian suicide bombers. The IRA wasn’t known for its photography. Even those manufactured terrorist plots that the US government likes to talk about — the Ft. Dix terrorists, the JFK airport bombers, the Miami 7, the Lackawanna 6 — no photography.
Given that real terrorists, and even wannabe terrorists, don’t seem to photograph anything, why is it such pervasive conventional wisdom that terrorists photograph their targets? Why are our fears so great that we have no choice but to be suspicious of any photographer?
Because it’s a movie-plot threat.
A movie-plot threat is a specific threat, vivid in our minds like the plot of a movie. You remember them from the months after the 9/11 attacks: anthrax spread from crop dusters, a contaminated milk supply, terrorist scuba divers armed with almanacs. Our imaginations run wild with detailed and specific threats, from the news, and from actual movies and television shows. These movie plots resonate in our minds and in the minds of others we talk to. And many of us get scared.
Terrorists taking pictures is a quintessential detail in any good movie. Of course it makes sense that terrorists will take pictures of their targets. They have to do reconnaissance, don’t they? We need 45 minutes of television action before the actual terrorist attack—90 minutes if it’s a movie—and a photography scene is just perfect. It’s our movie-plot terrorists that are photographers, even if the real-world ones are not.
The problem with movie-plot security is it only works if we guess the plot correctly. If we spend a zillion dollars defending Wimbledon and terrorists blow up a different sporting event, that’s money wasted. If we post guards all over the Underground and terrorists bomb a crowded shopping area, that’s also a waste. If we teach everyone to be alert for photographers, and terrorists don’t take photographs, we’ve wasted money and effort, and taught people to fear something they shouldn’t.
I have never come across any issues like this in Florida. We even do portraits and sessions in downtown Fort Myers near government buildings… However I have seen this on my visits to New York.
As a free society we can’t allow this type of fear to drive crazy decisions about photography or any part of our daily lives.
Great article and great site!
Hmmm… not sure how really bad a problem this is, seems like a few isolated incidents? I spend several hours a week shooting all over Las Vegas and have never had a problem like this… I’ve been thrown out of casinos for other reasons
but never thought of as a terrorist.
Yep, I went to DC on vacation a few months ago and was very rudely thrown out of the Lincoln and Jefferson monuments because I was using a tripod. Apparently terrorists are not only taking recon photos of their targets, but they’re also using $5,000 camera gear, tripods and wired shutter releases in an effort to get crisp sharp photos of their targets.
Hey man, get writing again!
The fact of the matter is that photography has become a DRAG those past few years.I have miles of model release forms in my draws. I loved going out taking pictures in the streets, NYC was fine but moved back to Paris and it is unbearable. You almost have to dress up like a tourist and disguise. Now being spotted as a professional photographer in public places in NYC is a NONO … Mall impossible, Subway very difficult and Penn Station almost impossible ! I just shoot when Iget commitioned to these days.
wedding photographer France
Maybe we might need to not look the part.
Sounds crazy.
Yeah, I’ve shot in a few city-owned buildings around town and haven’t run into this problem. Hopefully it stays that way! (knock on wood).
It’s probably worse here in Britain. Not only are photographers suspected of terrorism – if you’re seen in the vicinity of a school with a camera you’re automatically a paedophile.
What a screwed up society we live in.
I have never encountered this before. But it doesn’t surprise me! I have had corporations and security guards in L.A. prohibit me for commercial purposes because of permits and licensing issues but never because of terror. What a world! What a world!
Come back! Hope you post again soon!
When I was in Beijing in 2002, I brought my camera and the security guards would never let me photograph near any non-tourist building. The US and Canada feel just like this now. Are we becoming authoritarian or what?
In the UK, the police and security forces are being given more powers to stop photographers if they suspect they may be helping terrorists. Now you have to be cautious photographing policemen/women. In many aspects of life there is an over-reaction the the terrorist threat. Compared with other problems such as death through smoking, diet, roads etc., the threat from terrorism is actually tiny.
Such a shame that photography has become a threat to security. Even for wedding photographer, it can be difficult to get access to certain public places, which is a real downer for wedding couples looking for unique photos.
I hate seeing when people, on an individual level, or as a society, let fear control their actions. This usually leads to unnecessary problems for those involved. Just look at our economy. The only reason that the recession has gotten so bad is because of peoples fear.
I have had security guards try to kick me off public property – sidewalks – when I went photographing monuments and buildings in DC. It’s gone too far.
Its so hard to shoot people with the city as backdrop. I get harassed all the time! way lame.
people just dont like camera’s in public, worlds gone mad.
I find that clients appreciate the fact that I try to photograph in places that are ‘not allowed”…until we get kicked out.
Thanks for the article. I have never had a problem but will keep this in mind.
Just found your blog, great stuff.
About this article we don’t have issues like that in South Africa – yet.
Luckily I’ve never been stopped shooting anywhere accept the Getty Museum during an e-sesh!
We found it a problem when we went on holiday to Rome taking our DSLRs – we weren’t allowed to use the tripod in a number of places, and a few places would not let us take photos at all due to the ‘big cameras and lenses’.
wow….
The only thing I was stopped from shooting in NYC was the MAC store. I had to move my tripod from the top step to two steps down for commercial reasons. I got the shot though. Kind of a odd rule but I guess I understand it.
I haven’t had too much trouble with my camera, but this really just goes to show you how paranoid people have become. Photography is not the issue.
Good article. I have never had a problem but will keep this in mind.
Very nice point and right in the bull’s eye! Most of the people try to blame the first (and often the easiest) thing they spot. It creates tention that was never supposed to be…
This just summarises the state of society these days. Once we had a teacher from new zeland contact us, claiming she owns the copyright on images of a pile of sticks left by one of her students on the beach!!! What the hell is wrong with people?!