Camera phones at the movies, and their recommended use on TV
We recently went to see a movie (The Family Stone, which we quite enjoyed). Before entering the theatre itself we were all asked if we had mobile phones. For those who said yes, the devices were visually checked, and camera phones were taken away, to be held until the patron left the theatre. This is part of a continuing trend, which we have discussed in the past, of an increasing number of places that will not allow camera phones on their premises.
The list of places where camera phones are banned, or where they are vouchered, includes some movie theatres, health clubs, restaurants, schools, government facilities, and businesses. Indeed, we know of one mobile phone service provider that had an incident in their facility, and was considering a policy that would prohibit the camera phones they sell to their customers from being brought into their facilities.
Interestingly, one manufacturer of camera phones has turned this to their advantage, and has a television ad in which they show a young man rapidly advancing his career by taking compromising videos (yes, some cameras take videos as well as photos) at company events. Since blackmail and extortion have generally been frowned-upon by society at large, it is an interesting sign of the times that a company would consider advertising their mobile phones as being an appropriate tool for blackmail or extortion.