A new decade has begun and along with major events that have transformed life on planet Earth, technology has increased. Cellular phones, also known as mobile phones or wireless phones, are a convenience for everyone. They are a necessity during emergency situations. However no one could have ever predicted that cell phones would be equipped with the wide array of accessories that they currently feature. For the past few years cell phone videos have been changing the world by identifying criminals and potential suspects.
Last summer millions of people around the globe were able to watch the dramatic and tragic events in Iran after the elections. Mahmood Ahmadinejad, the incumbent won the presidency in an election against Mir Hussein Mousavi. Many Iranians felt that the election was a fraud and demanded a recount. When the citizen’s demands were not met, they went to the streets in protest and organized demonstrations against the government. The chaos that followed with the police use of excessive force and the deaths of many protesters were caught on video phones and uploaded onto the internet. Iran is a closed society and it was not possible for Western news media to gain access of footage but the videos from civilian cell phones were able to give the entire world a glimpse of the atrocities.
In the United States many high school students who bullied other students have been caught in the act by cell phone videos. It has changed the way people react to crime. Instead of relying on the police or vigilante justice, a person only needs to be armed with a cell phone. The criminal acts can be recorded and put online in a matter of minutes. This has changed the laws in many states and how school officials design after school programs for teenage students.
This had been very helpful for police trying to identify suspects in open investigations. Canadian law enforcement has had some success with the identification of alleged suspects because civilians were willing to give the police videos recorded on the cell phones.
This phenomenon has also seen in more caution by North American police surrounding possible cases of police brutality. One year ago, on New Year’s morning, a California subway law enforcement official was recorded on a cell phone while using excessive force against an individual. The recording showed the officer standing over a twenty-one year old man who was handcuffed, lying face down and unarmed while the officer fired a round into the victim’s back. This event was recorded on four cell phone videos by separate individuals. The footage is conclusive and is currently being used in the case against the officer.
Street harassment is something that many women endure around the globe. Many women are sexually harassed while taking a bus, taxi, tram, train, or the subway each day on the way to work. It creates a climate of fear and it has been documented that it is a very common occurrence for women. The use of a recording device in a cell phone is changing this disrespectful behavior. It has also reduced the number of stalking incidents. Cell phone videos can be more a more effective deterrent against stalkers than a legal restraining order. Women are able to have control of the recording and delivering the video to the police. It compels the law to do something because the proof is in the cell phone.
In the United Kingdom there have been several incidents of brawls at pubs being recorded and used in litigation cases. Fighting while under the influence of drugs and alcohol can be uploaded onto the internet or given to legal authorities. This is an excellent way to prove who initiated a violent confrontation especially when both parties were too intoxicated to remember what happened.
Cell phone recording devices are changing the social nature of crime. It is changing the way criminals and victims interact with each other. Victims may not own firearms or be physically strong enough to fight back, but they can pick up a phone and record what is happening. This is why everyone should purchase a cell phone which can record videos and take photos. It is the best investment a person can make and it can save lives.
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