Street photography faces an existential threat from new technology, so enjoy it while you still can
The backlash against invasive new technologies could herald sweeping privacy laws that could threaten legitimate street photography The post Street photography faces an existential threat from new technology, so enjoy it while you still can appeared first on Amateur Photographer .
Street photography, a century-old art form that documents social history through the lens, is facing an existential threat from new technology. The proliferation of smartglasses, such as Meta's product, poses a significant risk to the practice. These glasses feature cameras that can covertly take photos and videos of individuals without their consent and project a heads-up display onto the lenses, visible only to the wearer.
This not only violates privacy but also increases the likelihood of misuse, as demonstrated by instances of sexualized content and blackmail against unsuspecting victims. Critics argue that while these glasses may benefit blind and partially sighted individuals, they essentially serve as mass data collection and AI training devices for tech giants like Meta.
The backlash against smartglasses has already led to bans in various public spaces, including courts in England and Wales, and concerns about privacy have led to a hardening of attitudes towards photographing anyone in public without consent. This shift could spell the end of street photography, a genre already grappling with ethical issues related to consent and social media.
As more cases of misuse emerge, it is likely that the public will increasingly resist the idea of having their lives captured through the lens of strangers, ultimately leading to the decline of this important art form.
Written by urgent.news from Amateur Photographer's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
