Are you shocked at the very idea of having to have laws passed in order to protect your safety and privacy? Well, Florida just became the first state to do so, swiftly passing legislation pertaining to the boundaries of the average citizen when it comes to these unmanned drones.
Not a fan of the idea of having your privacy invaded by unmanned, flying drones? Or is that something that you truthfully never really thought about before? Florida citizens had a reason to contemplate the issue when Florida signed law into legislation that is designed to protect Florida residents’ property. Not just military drones, but unmanned drones flying by that have cameras on board. Alligators aren’t likely to be the only thing invading your back yard anymore. Florida passed an invasion of privacy law intended to protect its citizens from breaches of their privacy via a flying robotic vehicle.
Drones have risen so quickly that there actually hasn’t been much time to pass legislation against it. Unfortunately, flying drones with cameras can all too easily be used to spy on people and collect data, still shots and video without their knowledge or consent. This is such a huge breach of privacy and isn’t actually legal at all. Drone supporters may say that people are overreacting to drones, while everyday people feel threatened by the drones and are pro legislation that protects their liberties. Drones are so prolific now that even the F.A.A., or Federal Aviation Administration, is having difficulty keeping private drones out of the flight paths of planes.
Florida is actually a trailblazer as it is the first state in the U.S. to pass any type of legislation protecting people’s rights over drones. They passed “The Freedom From Surveillance Act” to protect its citizens. It essentially says that the law protects citizens from being spied or intruded on by both private citizens and federal law enforcement officials when there is no credible threat in order to warrant doing so. This law holds exceptions for potential terrorist activity, in which case the Department of Homeland Security must determine whether it is a real threat and obtain permission from local law enforcement to act.
Other states are considering adding this type of legislation thanks to a rise in drone activity in the United States. They are doing so on the assertion that people have been using unmanned drones equipped with cameras to stare in people’s windows and fly over public places like beaches and swimming pools. Something must be done to protect the rights of people in their homes and on their properties.
Not only is the encroachment of privacy a serious concern with drones, but a number of commercial ventures are considering adopting or already have adopted the technology. All sorts of companies are starting to utilized unmanned drones as part of the job, from construction companies to tech companies to delivery companies such as Amazon. Sure, such drones may seem novel, but invasion of privacy laws are being passed for a reason. Other states will likely be pressured by their residents to follow suit.
