Binoculars, telescopes, and high-end zoom lens cameras have all been used as “Peeping Tom” spy tools. Be it the private citizen pervert or voyeur, the CIA, the FBI, or Federal/State police agencies, all have historically used these tools for spying on neighbors, private citizens, criminals, international enemies, etc. Now the drone has been added to their arsenals. Last week in Hollis, New Hampshire, for example, a report came out that drones were being used as a “Peeping Tom” tool. Apparently the perp(s) flew their drones in the late evening or early morning hours up to the windows of neighbors home, and then hovered and spied the activities going on in the homes. See here.
Sadly, this type of situation will most likely become much more rampant in the months and years ahead. However, unlike the Hollis, NH report, future drones will be much more difficult to hear and see. Most people won’t know they’ve been filmed or taped, until they’ve been notified that their images are posted on social media channels like Youtube.com, Instagram, and Snapchat, as well as many other more nefarious websites.
In my book “Nano Surveillance”, the story starts out with just such a situation. A housefly sized drone is flown and guided underneath a closed door, and then used to film the activities going on in a hotel room occupied by the Vice President of the United States.
It will be interesting to see how governments around the world develop solutions for combating this type of privacy invasion, and even more interesting how they themselves will use drones to conduct their own spying endeavors. See here. Only time will tell, but suffice it to say, privacy may very well become a forgotten word in the not too distant future.
