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this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2026
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Always assume you're being recorded in public because you are. You're not even talking about that: You're talking about preventing normal citizens from being able to record in public. Yet government will still have that power. That's exactly what's going on with Flock cameras.
You can regulate sales of hidden cameras in your country, but you can't stop their manufacture or general availability because they're literally designed to be undetectable. Anyone can buy them online and they always will be able to.
I could design my own PCB with a tiny CCD and put together a case with whatever lens I want. In your scenario, would I require a license to order such a PCB? Like it's a gun or something?
How would you even know that it's meant to be a camera for recording people? It could just be an environment monitoring sensor or a security device that sounds an alarm whenever it detects motion.
You brought up the practicality of things... What you propose is highly impractical.
I'm advocating for making it obvious when someone is and preventing data processing of individuals without their consent (that includes google photos ML/face recognition).
You can design and manufacture many illegal things and yet that's not common practice because if you get caught you'll get punished. E.g. you can make bombs at home and yet I don't see bombs being common outside.
In the scenario where you want to make your own camera you'd need to e.g. have to have a bright red led when it records. Or the camera modules being sold will already have that. That's it. Hiding one would be get you fined if used. Today you can physically put a recording device in someone's home, that's entirely illegal where I live and yet people just don't do that.
As for knowing you're always being recorded - unless you're a method actor or put in the effort you won't always keep that in mind the entire time you're outside. But I bet if a TV crew points their camera at you, you'll behave differently (or at least your awareness will change)