If you have a cell phone these days… chances are you have a camera as well… and increasingly, a video camera.

You can capture everything in your life, instantly, on film.

But are there some activities in public areas you should not film? Say, like videoing  a policeman making an arrest?

That question was put to the test in an important case in Boston.

Simon Glik had been arrested for “filming a pulled over vehicle” in Boston Common and was yelled at vehemently (video here). The Circuit Court, in response to Glik’s suit, ruled that:

Gathering information about government officials in a form that can readily be disseminated to others serves a cardinal First Amendment interest in protecting and promoting ‘the free discussion of governmental affairs.’

But as Gizmodo reports:

… the cops were out of line, and filming them with your phone is not only fair game, but strong a constitutional power of the citizenry.

Wow…seems like your phone now comes equipped with constitutional power of the citizenry (what kind of drain is that on the battery?).

This is likely to be the first of many First Amendment arguments rising out of new digital technologies. Can you think of other public places where videos and cameras should not be allowed?