Regular Folks, Shooting History

REGULAR FOLKS, SHOOTING HISTORY
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Kevin Sullivan]
The rapid rise of digital technology, which enables ordinary people almost anywhere to record images and post them quickly on the Internet, is changing the way the world witnesses history, not to mention the dependable misbehavior of celebrities. Events that once were recorded only by human memory may now endure in full, pixelated detail, available in seconds around the globe. The trend is driven by the proliferation of camera-equipped cellphones, introduced in Japan in 2000. Worldwide sales topped 460 million this year and will reach 1 billion by 2010, according to industry analysts. With the proliferation of images, prosecutors are increasingly relying on photos as evidence in cases against accused muggers, terrorists and other criminals. Insurance companies balance cellphone photos against recollection as they assess auto accidents. And the presence of cellphone cameras in handbags and coat pockets means that for the famous, private space is shrinking fast.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR200612...
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