Camera Phones Deemed Security Risk

The National Security Agency has warned that cellular telephones with built-in cameras pose a security risk in federal facilities where classified information is kept, according to an Air Force news release. The announcement said such phones are not authorized for use or possession within any Air Force facility processing classified information with written authorization from a designated approval authority. Unapproved camera phones are subject to confiscation for a review of possibly unlawful images, and their owners could face federal charges, it said. While the announcement speaks only to Air Force facilities, security considerations could lead to similar policies being enforced at other agencies as well.