“A moviegoer wearing Google Glass was removed from an AMC Theater in Columbus, Ohio, and questioned for an hour by federal authorities before being released after they determined he wasn’t recording ‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,'” INFORUM reports.
“AMC responded on Tuesday, in a statement to TheWrap. ‘Movie theft is something we take very seriously, and our theater managers contact the Motion Picture Association of America anytime it’s suspected that someone may be illegally recording content on screen,’ a spokesman for the theater chain said. ‘While we’re huge fans of technology and innovation, wearing a device that has the capability to record video is not appropriate at the movie theatre. At AMC Easton 30 last weekend, a guest was questioned for possible movie theft after he was identified wearing a recording device during a film. The presence of this recording device prompted an investigation by the MPAA, which was on site. The MPAA then contacted Homeland Security, which oversees movie theft. The investigation determined the guest was not recording content.’ The interrogation went on for more than an hour, said the patron,” INFORUM reports.
“He said they gave him four free passes to another movie at AMC for his trouble. But he didn’t get an apology, and that made him mad,” INFORUM reports. “‘All he said was AMC called him, and he called the FBI. I would have been fine with ‘I’m sorry this happened, please accept our apologies.’ Four free passes just infuriated me.'”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “iPhoneEnvy” for the heads up.]
Guns are for yellow belly gutless cowards.
I’ll be sure to forward that to Davy Crockett, King Of The Wild Frontier.
I am amazed that so many people here think that the CITIZEN that was subjected to this interrogation was in the wrong.
It is not illegal to bring a recording device into a theater, it is illegal to use it to record a performance.
Our democracy is doomed if people think it is ok for state security services to interrogate someone like this with a presumption of guilt. If you think that this is an isolated incident, just look up homeland security abuse on the internet and you will find story after story of people (Americans) that have had massive problems (and lengthy interrogations) trying to come through customs into their home country. Homeland Security is out of control and everyone seems to think this is OK.
It is a shame that most Americans are too lazy to take the time to read the constitution and understand the extent to which the government has trampled on our rights with the justification that it is for our own protection. I’ll make it easy. You only have to read the first amendment. It is called the “Bill of Rights” for a reason.
One final note. It seems that the commenters here are so happy to see this person victimized because he was using a google product. I think the response would be quite different if he was dragged out because of holing an iPhone.
As you note, it is illegal to record a performance. It is legal to detain someone if there is probable cause to believe that they are committing a crime. I believe–and I think most people would agree–that having an operating camera capable of recording pointed directly towards the performance constitutes probable cause. An iPhone owner who pulled it out and pointed it at the screen would have–and should have–been treated the same. He would have been detained until an investigation determined that he had not been committing the crime that appeared to be occurring.
The margin between net profit and loss for most Hollywood films these days is the foreign gross. Cheap DVDs reproducing screenshots are a major threat to overseas profits. If the industry did not fight this, it would be replaced by Bollywood (which makes cheaper films hurt less by piracy).
Personally, I think it is a core function of government to protect us from criminals, including thieves. The only real alternative to the rule of law is the law of the jungle.
You have valid points, but I think that the mentality of our state security services has swung toward an automatic presumption of guilt, and their methods and tactics have been tailored accordingly. If you try to assert your rights, they assume that it mens you are guilty. They actually get offended that you may know your rights. God forbid any of them apologize for being wrong.
The core function of the government IS to protect us from criminals, but that doesn’t mean that they are allowed to treat EVERYONE like a criminal.
By the way, I spend a lot of time in China and Eastern Europe. The reason given for the restriction of rights in all cases is “security”.
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin