Over 150 filmmakers and photojournalists call on major camera manufacturers to build encryption into their cameras
Trevor Timm
December 13, 2016
Today, Freedom of the Press Foundation is publishing an open letter to the world’s leading camera manufacturers—including Nikon, Sony, Canon, Olympus, and Fuji—urging them to build encryption into their still photo and video cameras to help protect the filmmakers and photojournalists who use them.
The letter is signed by over 150 documentary filmmakers and photojournalists from around the world, including fifteen Academy Award nominees and winners, such as Laura Poitras, Alex Gibney, Joshua Oppenheimer, and many more. You can read the full text below.
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Documentary filmmakers and photojournalists work in some of the most dangerous parts of the world, often risking their lives to get footage of newsworthy events to the public. They face a variety of threats from border security guards, local police, intelligence agents, terrorists, and criminals when attempting to safely return their footage so that it can be edited and published. These threats are particularly heightened any time a bad actor can seize or steal their camera, and they are left unprotected by the lack of security features that would shield their footage from prying eyes.
The magnitude of this problem is hard to overstate: Filmmakers and photojournalists have their cameras and footage seized at a rate that is literally too high to count. The Committee to Protect Journalists, a leading organization that documents many such incidents, told us:
"Confiscating the cameras of photojournalists is a blatant attempt to silence and intimidate them, yet . The unfortunate truth is that photojournalists are regularly targeted and threatened as they seek to document and bear witness, but there is little they can do to protect their equipment and their photos." (emphasis added)
Camera manufacturers are behind the times compared to other technology companies. All iPhones and many Android phones come with encryption built into their devices. Communications services like Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime, plus Facebook’s WhatsApp, encrypt texts messages and calls by default. And major operating systems on PCs and Macs give users the ability to encrypt the hard drives on their computers. Yet footage stored on the professional cameras most commonly used today are still left dangerously vulnerable.
Finding the right way to do provide encryption in their products will take some research and development from these camera manufacturers, and we welcome having a conversation with Nikon, Sony, Canon and others about how to best move forward on this important initiative. However, we are hopeful they will publicly respond with a commitment to building encryption into their products to protect many of their most vulnerable customers.
We’d like to thank Field of Vision, the International Documentary Association, National Press Photographers Assocation, and Sundance’s Documentary Films Program, who we partnered with on this project and who all helped organize this effort. The letter below is addressed to Canon, and nearly identical letters have been sent to Sony, Nikon, Fuji, and Olympus.
Dear Canon,
We, the undersigned documentary filmmakers and photojournalists, are writing to urge your company to build encryption features into your still photo and video camera products. These features, which are currently missing from all commercial cameras on the market, are needed to protect our safety and security, as well as that of our sources and subjects worldwide.
Without encryption capabilities, photographs and footage that we take can be examined and searched by the police, military, and border agents in countries where we operate and travel, and the consequences can be dire.
We work in some of the most dangerous parts of the world, often attempting to uncover wrongdoing in the interests of justice. On countless occasions, filmmakers and photojournalists have seen their footage seized by authoritarian governments or criminals all over the world. Because the contents of their cameras are not and cannot be encrypted, there is no way to protect any of the footage once it has been taken. This puts ourselves, our sources, and our work at risk.
Many technology companies have in recent years embraced encryption technology, often including it in their products and enabling it by default. Indeed, encryption has, in some sectors, become an industry-best practice. Apple’s iPhones encrypt all data stored on them by default, as do many phones running Google’s Android operating system; text messages and voice calls made with WhatsApp, iMessage, FaceTime, and Signal are all protected using end-to-end encryption technology; and laptops and desktop computers running modern versions of Microsoft Windows and macOS encrypt all data stored by default too.
However, we face a critical gap between the moment we shoot our footage and the first opportunity to get that footage onto more secure devices.
As filmmakers and photojournalists who value our own safety and the safety of our sources and subjects, we would seek out and buy cameras that come with built-in encryption. Adding these data security features to your product line would give your company a significant competitive advantage over other camera manufacturers, none of whom currently offer this feature.
Beyond the commercial motivation for adding encryption features, we know your company has commendably committed to corporate social responsibility. Building encryption into your products is not just about helping the filmmakers and photojournalists who buy them, but about making the world a better place. As filmmakers and photojournalists, we use our lenses to hold powerful people to account — and ultimately to change society for the better. Encryption features will allow us to continue to tell the most important stories, from some of the most dangerous places in the world.
You can help us reach that goal by starting to work towards building encryption into your camera products.
Thank you for your consideration.
Signed,
Over 150 Filmmakers, Photographers, and Media Workers Around the World
Abbas, Photographer, Magnum PhotosLynsey Addario, Photojournalist, FreelanceAvi S. Adelman, Photojournalist/Editor, TheRightToPhotographInPublic.comCecilia Aldarondo, Assistant Professor of Film, Skidmore CollegeChase Alexander, Filmmaker, FreelanceRa'anan Alexandrowicz, Filmmaker, IndependentAlejandro Álvarez Cadilla, Director/Cinematographer, IndependentAnthony Arnove, Producer, IndependentCraig Atkinson, Documentary Filmmaker / Director, Vanish FilmsBarbara Attie, Documentary Filmmaker, Attie & Goldwater ProductionsJulia Bacha, Creative Director, Just VisionJoslyn Barnes, Filmmaker, Louverture FilmsAmy Benson, Filmmaker, Independent, Nonfiction MediaAmy Berg, Filmmaker, IndependentPietra Brettkelly, Documentary Director/Producer, IndependentEmad Burnat, Filmmaker/Director/Producer, IndependentBruni Burres, Senior Consultant/DFP, SundanceRebecca Cammisa, Director, Documentress FilmsGloria Carrión Fonseca, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentPeggy Case, Producer, IndependentCarlos Cazalis, Documentary Photographer, FreelanceLeyland Cecco, Photojournalist/Filmmaker, IndependentJessica Chermayeff, Producer/Director, IndependentMichael Christopher Brown, Photographer, Magnum PhotosBrenda Coughlin, Producer, Praxis FilmsEric Daniel Metzgar, Filmmaker, IndependentAmlan Datta, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentGuy Davidi, Filmmaker/Director/Producer, IndependentJessica Devaney, Producer, IndependentRomona S. Diaz, Documentary Filmmaker, CineDiaz, Inc.Peter Dicamp, Photographer/Co-founder, Everyday Africa and The Everyday ProjectsAnita Doron, Filmmaker/TED Fellow, IndependentSara Dosa, Producer/Director, Signpost PicturesAndrew Droz Palermo, Director/Cinematographer, IndependentSandi DuBowski, Director, Films That Change The WorldNegin Farsad, Filmmaker/Comedian, IndependentKristen Feeley, Labs and Artist Support Director , Sundance DFPDavid Felix Sutcliffe, Nonfiction Filmmaker, IndependentField of VisionClayton Filipowicz, Videographer, IndependentPatrick Forbes, Director of Documentaries, Oxford FilmJošt Franko, Photographer, FreelanceMorgan J. Freeman, Filmmaker/Founder, 11th Street ProductionsPedro G. García, Documentary Editor, IndependentChristy Garland, Director, MurmurMediaMegan Gelstein, Senior Program Director, Catapult Film FundHoward Gertler, Producer, IndependentAlex Gibney, Filmmaker, Jigsaw ProductionsJim Goldberg, Photographer, Magnum PhotosLinda Goldstein Knowlton, Director and Producer, Directors Guild of AmericaFred Grace, Producer, Fat Rat FilmsChristopher Gregory, Photographer, FreelanceMark Grieco, Documentary Filmmaker/Director/Photographer, IndependentDavid Gross, Photojournalist, ZUMA Press, FreelanceKatey Grusovin, Producer/Director/Writer, IndependentIrene Gutiérrez, Executive Producer/Director/Filmmaker, IndependentDean Hamer, Director, Qwaves FilmsJohanna Hamilton, Filmmaker, Maximum PicturesKiana Hayeri, Photojournalist, FreelanceNC Heikin, Director, IndependentMatthew Heineman, Filmmaker/Director/Producer, IndependentSeth Herald, Photojournalist, ZUMA PressLena Herzog, Photographer and FilmmakerWerner Herzog, FilmmakerTom Hurwitz, Director/Producer, American Society of CinematographersCristina Ibarra, Filmmaker, IndependentInternational Documentary AssociationAlina Ioana Vasillu, Journalist, Constanţa noastră (Romania)Mai Iskander, Director/Cinematographer, Iskander FilmsNiam Itani, Producer, Placeless FilmsTabitha Jackson, Director, Sundance DFPKirsten Johnson, Filmmaker/Cinematographer, IndependentJudy Karp, Sound Recordist, IndependentDeborah Kaufman, Filmmaker, Snitow-Kaufman ProductionsMark Kendall, Follow Your Nose FilmsSonia Kennebeck, Filmmaker, IndependentGelareh Kiazand, Videographer/Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentSimon Kilmurry, Executive Director, International Documentary AssociationGeoff King, Photojournalist, IndependentAlison Klayman, Filmmaker, IndependentVivian Kleiman, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentBrian Knappenberger, Writer/Director, Luminant MediaMatthew Lawrence, Photographer, IndependentAdi Lavy, Documentary & New Media Director, Israeli Documentary Filmmakers ForumRob Lemkin, Filmmaker, Old Street FilmsElisa Levine, Director, Out of Frame FilmsJames Longley, Filmmaker, Daylight FactoryAvram Ludwig, ProducerAsa Mader, FilmmakerAnne Makepeace, Director/Producer, Makepeace ProductionsJeff Malmberg, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentMargarita L Martinez, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentEric Matthies, Documentary Producer and Director, IndependentDaniel McCabe, Director/Cinematographer/Photographer, IndependentSusan Meiselas, Photographer, Magnum PhotosArturo Mendicuti Barroeta, Filmmaker, Caribou FilmsFlannery Miller, Producer/Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentGabriel Miller, Director/DP, Kindred MediaIoana Moldoveanu, Editor-in-Chief, VICE RomaniaMichael Moore, FilmmakerJake Naughton, Photojournalist, IndependentKhaliah Neal, Producer, IndependentMinette Nelson, Co-founder, The Filmmaker FundBao Nguyen, Director/Cinematographer, IndependentMona Nicoara, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentOrwa Nyrabia, filmmaker, No Nation FilmsEd Ou, Photojournalist, Getty ImagesTrevor Paglen, Photojournalist, IndependentHeloísa Passos, Cinematographer/Filmmaker, IndependentSierra Pettengill, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentEsther Podemski, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentLaura Poitras, Filmmaker, Field of VisionPJ Raval, Filmmaker/Cinematographer, IndependentJeff Reichert, Director/Producer, IndependentGeoffrey Richman, Documentary Film EditorJed Riffe, Producer/Director/Writer/Transmedia Storyteller, Jed Riffe Films + Electronic MediaMarcia Rock, Director, News & Documentary, NYU Arthur L. Carter Journalism InstituteRichard Rowley, Executive Producer, Divided FilmsBernardo Ruiz, Documentary Filmmaker, Quiet PicturesAshley Sabin, Filmmaker, Carnivalesque FilmsHolen Sabrina Kahn, Filmmaker, IndependentDavid Sampliner, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentCarlos Sandoval, Filmmaker, Camino Bluff Productions, Inc.Garret Savage, Filmmaker, IndependentJustin Schein, Producer/Director/DP, Shadowbox Films Inc.Andréa Schmidt, Journalist / Filmmaker, IndependentNancy Schwartzman, Documentary Filmmaker App-Founder, IndependentMartha Shane, Director and Producer, IndependentChuck Shultz, Documentarian, BluePrint ProductionsMarc Silver, Director / DP / Creative Director, IndependentDouglas Sloan, Director, Icontent FilmsKathryn Smith Pyle, Filmmaker, IndependentAlan Snitow, Filmmaker, Snitow-Kaufman ProductionsJames Spione, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentScott Squire, Filmmaker, Independent, Nonfiction MediaChristopher St. John, Producer, Charlotte Street FilmsBrett Story, Director and Filmmaker, IndependentAiden J. Sullivan, Founder and CEO, Verbatim Photo AgencyJon-Michael Sullivan, Photojournalist, IndependentJohnny Symons, Documentary Filmmaker, Independent/Persistent VisionsSaeed Taji Farouky, Documentary Filmmaker, IndependentRahdi Taylor, Film Fund Director, SundanceJennifer Taylor, Producer and Director, Specific PicturesMircea Toma, President, ActiveWatchJoel Van Haren, Director of Photography, FreelanceRosadel Varela, Producer, IndependentJohn Vink, Photographer, Magnum PhotosSweta Vohra, Television Producer, Al Jazeera InternationalOrlando von Einsiedel, Director, Grain MediaAnat Vovnoboy, Documentary Director, IndependentMatthew Weigand, Photojournalist, IndependentRyan White, Filmmaker, Tripod MediaAlex Winter, Director, IndependentPamela Yates, Creative Director, SkylightAmy Ziering, Documentary Filmmaker, Chain Camera PicturesMalika Zouhali-Worral, Director and Editor, Independent