Virtual reality

[Joel S. Berson]

A University of Massachusetts Amherst police officer has filed a
civil lawsuit alleging that cameras recording officers' conversations
were installed in certain areas of the campus police station without
the officers' knowledge.  (Recording of conversations without the
consent of both parties, even in public places, is presently illegal
in Massachusetts, although I don't know if that has really been
tested to the supreme court of Massachusetts, let alone the
U.S.  Videotaping, on the other hand, not illegal in public places.)

Quoting the filing, the Boston Globe today reports that SIGNET
Electronic Systems, the university's service provider, has "virtually
removed the microphone and speakers from the system."

Does that mean "almost, nearly, not quite really"?  Well, no -- it
apparently means that software was used to turn off the
microphones.  Says the Globe, "The company [SIGNET] is now the sole
holder of the password required to change the camera settings,
according to the filing."

Of course, if they wanted to actually, instead of virtually, remove
the microphones, they could have used some non-virtual tools.

Joel

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