Taxi eavesdrop plan to boost security
EVERY word uttered in a cab could soon be recorded.
Source: The Courier-Mail
EVERY word uttered in a cab could soon be recorded and stored under proposed State Government changes to the operation of taxi security cameras.
Simply opening the door or starting the meter would activate the recording of trips in an industry that claims to transport 90 million passengers in Queensland each year.
The move has alarmed civil libertarians, the state Opposition and even concerned some members of the taxi industry.
Queensland’s Privacy Commissioner Linda Matthews, who was not consulted about the proposal detailed in a Transport and Main Roads’ discussion paper, said there would be no such thing as “an anonymous taxi ride” once audio recordings were introduced.
“The public would want to be reassured the record is used for genuine law enforcement purpose and the protections that are in place should be sufficient. I guess time will tell,” she said.
When security cameras were first introduced to Queensland cabs in 2006, the recording of audio was not permitted under law for privacy reasons.
But the discussion paper states that “enabling of audio is not considered to increase any risk of breaches of privacy”.
Under the proposal, stickers in taxis would inform passengers that “security cameras and microphones are fitted, you will be photographed, conversations will be recorded”.
Once downloaded by a taxi company, the audio would be able to be held for a maximum 35 days before it had to be deleted or destroyed.
Michael Cope from the Queensland Council of Civil Liberties said the new proposal was “extraordinary and unnecessary”.
“I haven’t seen anything that justifies adding audio to the footage recorded in cabs,” Mr Cope said.
“It wasn’t considered necessary when security cameras were first introduced. You’d really need some strong evidence that it would make a difference to cabbies’ safety to justify it.”
QCCL vice-president Terry O’Gorman said audio was “a totally unjustified intrusion into people’s taxi conversations”.
“We would say that if it goes ahead, downloads should only be done on the order of a magistrate where there’s reasonable cause to think it would assist in investigating a crime,” Mr O’Gorman said.
Lee Sims, from the Cab Drivers’ Association of Queensland, who recently launched a “word of mouth campaign” against the Bligh Government, said there were already too many regulations on downloading material from security cameras.
“As far as I’m concerned we’ve gone too far with privacy and we should not have to jump through so many hoops to get access to material from the security cameras,” Mr Sims said. “A lot more fare evaders would be caught if it was easier to access downloads.”
Queensland Taxi Advisers Incorporated also raised concerns about safeguards, but spokesman John Rahilly said they supported the introduction of audio recordings.
“Greater transparency and certainty will be provided in investigations where there are conflicting statements from drivers and passengers,” Mr Rahilly said. “(But) the security and integrity of the process, especially in the area of downloading, is of paramount importance in protecting the privacy issues of all parties.”
Opposition transport spokesman Scott Emerson questioned why the discussion paper was not advertised by the State Government, with only taxi industry members aware of the document.
Submissions closed last Saturday.
Mr Emerson said it was vital the public had an opportunity to comment on an issue that had the potential to impact everyone who got into a cab.
“This would be a very significant change and it is important that the public is well and truly aware that this is being considered,” Mr Emerson said.
Top five topics raised in cabs (provided by Lee Sims, Cab Drivers Association of Queensland)
1. Personal issues, particularly relationships
2. Weather
3. Sport
4. Politics and current affairs
5. Happenings and events around the city
Mr Sims said despite the commonly held belief cabbies were barometers of social opinion, that was not really the case.
“Conversations in cabs vary greatly. Drivers are told not to initiate conversations but some do of course,” Mr Sims said.
“We do hear some very personal information, kind of like hairdressers I guess. People seem to see cabs as confessional boxes.”
By on 16/05/2011