Audiocast speakers! For camera phone privacy, security presentations

I'm developing an audiocast that will focus on security and privacy issues surrounding camera phones, and I would like a few top notch speakers. The audiocast will be held June 23, 2004 for 90 minutes. Each speaker will have 15 - 20 minutes to present and there will be questions from the listeners at the end of all the presentations.

Listeners will have to pay -- about $300 -- to listen. Sorry, but this is part of my consulting business and I can't give away everything for free! All speakers -- who will receive...glory...for participating -- will have slides that will be posted on the Web site of the newsletter company, UCG and its telecommunications group, CCMI, with which I'm working on this project.

I'll moderate and do an introductory presentation about the issues of security and privacy, such as corporations, schools, health clubs and government installations banning camera phones. I'll also discuss possible solutions.

First panelist

I already have one confirmed panelist: Patrick Snow, the managing director of Iceberg Systems in the U.K. The company has developed Safe Haven, a product that disables camera phone functionality, but not other functions.

Safe Haven requires an application on the handset as well as installation of antennas around the area. The concept is it's better for a corporation to allow employees to have camera phones -- but block the camera capability -- than banning camera phones from the premises.

Patrick has traveled around the world, especially Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and will discuss the security and privacy philosophies of governments and corporations in these regions. I told him to discuss the details of how Safe Haven operates, but it will take up only five minutes of his entire presentation.

Looking for other panelists

I'm looking for a couple of other panelists who are experts in privacy, security and camera phones.

Attorney: I'm interested in having a lawyer on the panel who understands not just privacy and security issues in the abstract but also the nitty-gritty ramifications of these issues on camera phones.

For example: What rights do parents have if they want their children to carry camera phones, but the school bans them? What is the expectation of privacy for an ordinary citizen walking down the street? What about a celebrity's right to privacy if photographed -- and that photo is sent to other cellular phones and/or posted on the Web?

Under what circumstances is someone committing an illegal act by taking a photo of someone on the street and posting it on the Web? Are there any legal problems for corporations confiscate camera phones in their facilities -- but allow non camera phones in?

These are just some of the issues that could be discussed.

Corporate personnel director: I'd love to have a corporate personnel participate -- someone who thoroughly understands the good and bad of camera phones and is able to offer suggestions for corporations that are wrestling with whether to allow camera phones in their facilities.

Some companies confiscate employees' camera phones every day and return the handsets at the end of the working day. It's a huge logistical pain in the gluteus maximus.

Government official: I'd like a legislator -- whether on the city council or a Senator -- who is looking at or developing legislation dealing with camera phones.

If you look at the articles under the "Banning" category of my Weblog, you'll see articles about localities that are considering legislation that would ban camera phones from, for example, lockers rooms, as well as setting penalties.

Cellular operator: I'd really like a cellular operator to participate, but I've seen so little evidence that cellular operators are proactively dealing with issues of privacy and security that I'm skeptical about finding anyone who is able to discuss the issue -- or allowed to discuss it.

Handset vendor: Security and privacy issues dramatically affect manufacturers of cellular phones. Some camera phone manufacturers are pondering whether to develop two versions of the same handset: One with a camera phone and one without.

The are many issues that a handset vendor could discuss, ranging from the attitude of cellular operators to the attitude of customers.

Got any suggestions?

So, if you think you'd be a good speaker or if you could recommend someone as a speaker, I'd love to hear from you at reiter@wirelessinternet.com.

Because this is an audiocast and the slides will be posted to an external site, all a speaker would need is access to a good phone line. The speaker can be anywhere in the world. The audiocast's exact time isn't set, but I think it will be the late morning (Eastern Daylight Time).