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| Filmmakers and journalists ask camera companies to clasp encryption |
The Freedom of the Press Foundation is asking major
companies like Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fuji film to build encryption
features into their products in a new open letter published today. The letter was signed by over 150 filmmakers and photojournalists, including Citizen four director Laura Portraits.
Encryption has become an increasingly prominent (and hotly debated)
topic in the tech world over the last few years, especially with
respect to messaging apps and mobile phones in general. But while
encryption has become standard in those parts of our lives, camera and
memory card companies are well behind that curve, the FPF argues.
Portraits, who is on the board of directors for the FPF, somewhat famously had to destroy some of the SD cards she used when filming Edward Snow den for her Citizen four
documentary. While there are encrypted hard drives and even USB sticks,
cameras (and the memory cards they use) don’t have built-in file
protection. That means a journalist or filmmaker’s work is in jeopardy
if those things get confiscated at any point in the time between
shooting and storing those files.
“We work in some of the most dangerous parts of the
world, often attempting to uncover wrongdoing in the interests of
justice,” the letter reads. “On countless occasions, filmmakers and
photojournalists have seen their footage seized by authoritarian
governments or criminals all over the world. Because the contents of
their cameras are not and cannot be encrypted, there is no way to
protect any of the footage once it has been taken.
Nikon has issued a (rather boilerplate) statement in response to the letter:
For nearly 100 years, Nikon has provided the world’s professionals with superior cameras and NIKO lenses. We are committed to innovation and offering products that exceed expectations for image quality, durability and usability. We are constantly listening to the needs of an evolving market and considering photographer feedback, and we will continue to evaluate product features to best suit the needs of our users.
Fuji film has now also responded, saying “Fuji film
continually works to improve all aspects of its products, and always
welcomes feedback from photographers based on their experience.”
Olympus has now reached out to The Verge as
well. “Olympus is aware of the efforts of the 'Freedom of the Press
Foundation' with respect to the request for implementation of encryption
technology for photographic and video products,” the company says. “We
intend to study the matter more closely in order to make an informed
decision.”
We’ve reached out to the rest of these companies and will
update this story when they respond. In the meantime, here’s the full
letter: