I thought you were going to restrict the ban to cover only sensitive areas. What happened? You are actually letting the terrorists win by taking away our freedoms and alienating our tourists.
As a fellow photographer it ios difficult to believe that we are banning photography in a space that is open to the public. We have become totally parinoid with our lives and at the rate we are going nothing is going to save the freedom that we say we are fighting for. All the best... Lucien Flotte
Perhaps it's time to become more fearful of the government than of the terrorists. I hope that the government doesn't discover that the terrorists ate hamburgers or walked down the street!
Banning photography infringes on our rights and freedoms, the very thing you're supposedly protecting. I oppose the banning of photography in our subways.
Regulations and accountability are fine, but prohibiting photography altogether will not provide added security. It will make our city seem all the more hostile and gripped by fear. It will be a victory enemies of freedom.
DO NOT BAN Photography in the Subway. It's a public space and you do not have a legal right to ban photography there. You will not be making the city any safer!
A ban on photography will not stop someone with evil intent from taking photos. Small cameras, phones, etc make it very easy to take secret photos. A ban would just stop law abiding people from excercising their freedoms.
Amateur photographers are not a threat to society. A ban on photography in public places does nothing to add to security. It only restricts the rights of honest citizens.
I agree with the opinions of my fellow riders. What a shame not to be able to document the hub of our city! I live in NY and have several photos of my family and friends riding the trains. These memories would be denied to tourists and residents alike. The authorities should be more vigilant in general and stop harrassing the honest citizen and visitor. Should we also be banned from carrying anything on our person as we travel? Terrorists come in many disguises. We pay our leaders to protect us. Do your jobs without taking away our rights!
This ban is foolish. The internet is already loaded with pics, what good is this going to do?
Don't tell me that someone can't sneak a pic with a tiny camera. Like you are going to catch them!
Good grief.
If I truly believed that stopping transit photography would stop a terrorist attack, I would support this idea in full. However, I don't believe that at all. Technology surrounding image capture is getting better everyday. "Cameras" are getting smaller and taking on new forms at a rate that allows them to be used when and where a person would like. Beyond consideration of cameras attached to cellular phones, etc., image taking hardware could easily be integrated into other less conspicous physical forms. Granted, the only people who would bother going to such lengths are those who have a need to hide the fact that they're photographing their surroundings. These people WILL get pictures of transit stations or anything else they need in order to carry out their plans. All this proposed ban will do is rob the enthusiastic photographer of the opportunity to capture humanity in a place where it is readily accessible and presented on all social and financial levels together in one place.
This ban is absurd. Our transit system is the most photographed system in the world. What purpose would a ban serve? The MTA would be utilizing their time more effectively by solving actual security issues such as decreased personnel in stations, overcrowding on platforms, and lack of access for the disabled. This really makes out city look foolish.
As a former photography student, I found that the subway was one of the most interesting places that I had documented in NYC. Taking that away would break my heart. I understand the need for security but I feel like robbbing this from us is allowing them to win. The freedom to photograph and record video there should not be banned .ay
Souvenir photos taken by tourists or train-buffs are not the problem; the photos taken "undercover" are the potential danger. Unfortuntely, these "undercover" photographers will not be arrested, but your 80-year-old grandmother from Middle America will be jailed!
Should we also ban cellular phones that have integrated cameras? Banning photography only prevents average citizens from recording an image of their trip on the MTA and does nothing to improve security. If anything I'd actually encourage the taking of pictures as it could assist law enforcement in the event some unlawful act is committed. Regarding security, do you really believe that a determined evil doer (as our President says) will be impacted by any proposed bans? Any half wit with criminal intent could do serious damage so why not arm the average citizen with the recording devices that could prevent or deter any such mischevious actions. Its bad enough cell phones dont work in the subway and for the most part many public pay phones are inoperable. While the average law abiding citizen such as myself would be restricted by such a ban it will have no impact whatsoever on someone who wants to.
A photo ban is reactionary for nothing more than the sake of reacting and appearing to take significant action. In reality, the imposition on freedom FAR outweighs the potential to impede a terrorist attack here. Please make this decision with a cool head instead of a panicked heart!!
Proposed rule 1050.9.c would allow photography by press or "others duly authorized in wriging to engage in such activiy by the authority". If this rule goes into effect, I would like EVERYONE to try to request authorization in writing. I bet the MTA has no mechanism to accept and process such requests, nor any criteria for granting the authorization. I want to multi-year authorization, like a driver's license or passport. Make the MTA follow its own rule!
While the intention of securing the homeland is noble, this does not seem to be a productive way to do it. As others have mentioned, it seems it would simply push us further down the slippery slope of censorship.
Banning photography in the subway system is a pointless waste of resources and an unnecessary erosion of the rights of American citizens. It will in no way improve security for anyone. The Transit Authority should spend its limited resources doing things that will actually make a difference rather than hassling ordinary people.
I am from Brooklyn, even thougn I attend college in Albany. The subway is part of my life, of my history, of my blood. And it is a beautiful piece of NYC culture. Taking pictures of it is not going to harm anyone, especially with all the anti-Arab racial profiling. You should be able to tell if people are taking pictures of the subway to create mayhem, or because it's just beautiful. I don't get to be home as often as I would like, and pictures are all I have to remind me, and probably others as well. Don't ban them.
