The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) is currently dodging criticism regarding the privacy of drones. Public reaction ranged from mundane to concerns about having the the ability to shoot them down. “We strongly suspect that much of the ‘privacy’ anxiety about drones is really anxiety about their increasing use by law enforcement and and national security agencies – a trend that has been developing for decades,” TechFreedom, a Washington, D.C., tech think tank, said in its comments to the NTIA.
Those fears stem from the Supreme Court not giving the public assurances regarding the protection of their data. TechFreedom argues that the anxiety about drones can be traced directly back to this. Not knowing what private companies do with individual data after everyday tasks like package delivery or map imaging, creates a feeling of apprehension.
“America never had a federal camera law, nor a Federal Camera Commission. Nor did the federal government of the early 20th century convene a ‘multistakeholder’ process to set industry standards, which the federal government would then enforce,” TechFreedom said.