Crackdown on Peeping Tom camera phones Council staff on alert over covert pictures

LOCAL authorities are cracking down on the use of mobile cameraphones amid growing concern over their possible abuse by PeepingToms.

Staff in leisure facilities across Scotland have been warned thatthe devices are being used for covert photography in public places.

They say a complete ban on the phones in public pools, ice rinksand recreation centres may have to be considered because, while theuse of fullsize cameras is easy to control, monitoring how phonesare being used is extremely difficult.

A spokesman for Unison Scotland, which has 150,000 members in thepublic sector, said: "Members who are likely to be the people whohave to enforce such a ban must be involved in developing any rulesso they have a greater chance of being enforceable.

Plus, any contingent security requirements must be resourced."

Managers at South Lanarkshire Council have warned personnel to beon the lookout for camera phone nuisances after youths were caughttaking pictures of a semi-clad woman in a changing room. The womanspotted the teenage boys trying to take pictures of her as she andher eight-year-old son got ready for a swimming class at the WaterPalace, in Hamilton.

The furious mother, in her forties, confronted the boys and stoodover them to make sure they deleted the pictures, before she made aformal complaint to staff. A sweep of the building was carried out,but the teenagers had already f led.

The police were informed.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "They must begetting these camera phones as Christmas presents, but they shouldhave realised how inappropriate it was for them to photograph womengetting changed.

"I'd never seen this happening before and hope I never see itagain."

A South Lanarkshire Council spokeswoman said the use of camerasincluding camera phones is allowed only with the permission ofmanagers and was already in place before the incident.

The complaint about the incident on Sunday afternoon was thefirst it had received about the abuse of camera phones. However,most Scottish authorities insist permission is sought - often inwriting - for taking pictures in leisure complexes.

Although photographic equipment would usually be prohibitedwithout express permission, there is no such restriction on cameraphones as local authorities seek to balance the rights of privacyand families' freedom to take pictures of their children. Phones arealso devices used by parents to keep in touch with their children.

David Kennedy, a spokesman for the Convention of Scottish LocalAuthorities, the representative voice of Scottish local government,said: "Councils would insist on any person wanting to takephotographs within a leisure facility seeking permission from theduty officer at each facility.

"A genuine reason for the request has to be given beforepermission is granted. If granted, the person is issued with ahighly visible, usually brightlycoloured permit. The staff atcouncil facilities are always on alert for inappropriate use ofmobile phone cameras or any other photographic equipment and anyonefound making use of photographic equipment of any kind wouldimmediately be asked to leave the premises."

The Scottish Executive said it was for local authorities todecide what action to take about the use of mobile phones on theirpremises.

A spokeswoman said:

"Modern technology - including the internet and mobile phones -presents great opportunities for learning, communication, andaccessing services.

But there are those who would seek to exploit these excitingresources for darker purposes.

"We are alert to these dangers.

This is why we are running an internet safety campaign to warnparents of the hidden dangers of the internet and mobile phones, andthis is why we introduced the Protection of Children and Preventionof Sexual Offences (Scotland) Bill to strengthen the law to protectchildren from sexual grooming."