Journalists covering the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, have been told they're not allowed to use smartphones and tablets to take snapshots and video during the games, according to reports. November 11, 2013 11:39 AM PST You might not see many journalists posting photos with #RoadToSochi. (Credit: D Dipasupil/Getty Images) Journalists who use their iPhone or Galaxy S4 to take pictures or video during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia could promptly lose their right to cover the games. According to Russian news site Svoboda (translation), Vasily Konov, head of the state-run R-Sport news agency, said, "Journalists using mobile phones to film athletes or spectators will be considered a serious violation and will result in cancellation of accreditation." Konov was speaking to sports journalists attending a training seminar on Friday for covering the upcoming Olympic games, according to the report. Konov later denied the report, according to Buzzfeed, but other news agencies also claimed they heard Konov talking about the ban. The ban apparently includes all nonprofessional equipment, including all smartphones and tablets; authorization would go only to journalists with professional equipment and the appropriate badges. In essence, this could mean your favorite sports reporters won't be posting any photo finishes to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or other social network you turn to for instant updates. Fans attending the games can still take pictures with their smartphones, according to the report, but could be banned from carrying professional camera gear. This isn't the first technology roadblock to be set up ahead of the Winter Olympics. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) plans to extensively monitor communication by competitors and spectators during the event, reported the Guardian. A professor at the University of Toronto told The Guardian it would be like "Prism on steroids," referring to one of the NSA surveillance programs revealed by leader Edward Snowden. CNET has contacted the Sochi Winter Olympics and the International Olympic Committee and will update this report when we have more information. (Via TechCrunch)
Journalists covering the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, have been told they're not allowed to use smartphones and tablets to take snapshots and video during the games, according to reports.
You might not see many journalists posting photos with #RoadToSochi.
(Credit: D Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Journalists who use their iPhone or Galaxy S4 to take pictures or video during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia could promptly lose their right to cover the games.
According to Russian news site Svoboda (translation), Vasily Konov, head of the state-run R-Sport news agency, said, "Journalists using mobile phones to film athletes or spectators will be considered a serious violation and will result in cancellation of accreditation." Konov was speaking to sports journalists attending a training seminar on Friday for covering the upcoming Olympic games, according to the report.
Konov later denied the report, according to Buzzfeed, but other news agencies also claimed they heard Konov talking about the ban.
The ban apparently includes all nonprofessional equipment, including all smartphones and tablets; authorization would go only to journalists with professional equipment and the appropriate badges. In essence, this could mean your favorite sports reporters won't be posting any photo finishes to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or other social network you turn to for instant updates.
Fans attending the games can still take pictures with their smartphones, according to the report, but could be banned from carrying professional camera gear.
This isn't the first technology roadblock to be set up ahead of the Winter Olympics. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) plans to extensively monitor communication by competitors and spectators during the event, reported the Guardian. A professor at the University of Toronto told The Guardian it would be like "Prism on steroids," referring to one of the NSA surveillance programs revealed by leader Edward Snowden.
CNET has contacted the Sochi Winter Olympics and the International Olympic Committee and will update this report when we have more information.
(Via TechCrunch)
