Federal video voyeurism prevention Act /aims to protect privacy in public places.
article by mark sullivan Medill news service
 

Washington- Cell phone camera voyeurism will soon be a federal offense if the Video Voyeurism Prevention Act of 2004 continues its unopposed march through congress.

The bill designed to protect people’s privacy from prying camera phones, needs only to pass the house of representatives….
 
Privacy in Public:
The Video Voyeurism Prevention ACt prohibits photographing or videotaping  a naked person without his or he consent /”a reasonable expectation of privacy”  Punishment would include fines up to $100,000 or up to a year in prison or both 


s. 1301 first introduced in 2000 :
privacy infringements using hidden video cameras

S. 1301 ( 2002 and 2003: cell phones  with cameras language was added specifically addressing their potential

“The road toward a federal video voyeurism law began with two cases, one in louisiana and one in Washington state

In the first case, Susan ad Gary Wilson of Monrow, Louisiana discovered a neighbor had installed hidden cameras in the Wilons bathroom.  To the Wilsons’s surprise and dismay, Louisiana authorities said their neighbors action s were not criminal offenses .  After the Wilsons learned their neighbor had similarly victimized others in the community  the couple urged the state review the law.  On JUly 12th 1999, the Louisiana governor signed a bill making video voyeurism a felony.  
The second case occurred in Washington state  where Richard Sorrelis secretly aimed a video camera up a woman’s skirt in 2000. 

In July 2002 state lawmakers changed the law to give legal recourse to people whose privacy was violated in public. 

Setting Precedents :

OXLEY’S Video Voyeurism Prevention Act