‘Shock & distress’: upskirt photo prompts camera review

A mobile phone detection camera has snapped a compromising photo of a woman, prompting her to raise the matter with authorities.

A review has been launched into mobile phone detection cameras after one snapped a compromising picture of a woman, sparking privacy concerns.

Cinzia Lee raised the matter after she was snapped using her phone while driving in Sydney, something she’s owned up to and taken full responsibility for.

However, it was the photo accompanying her fine in the mail that started alarm bells ringing.

“Shock and distress was my initial reaction,” Ms Lee told 2GB’s Ben Fordham, “you could see up my skirt, between my legs, you could see my underwear.”

She got in touch with Service New South Wales to file a complaint.

The mobile phone cameras have been used in NSW since March 2020, and normally have a black bar placed over any sensitive content.

“I got a written letter back which basically ignored everything that I said, except to say that someone in the office does look at the photos, so I just felt that just wasn’t an acceptable response,” said Ms Lee.

She spoke to a prosecutor, who suffered some embarrassment over the matter.

“He went totally red and flushed,’ said Ms Lee, “he said I’m sorry this has happened.”

Ms Lee raised the matter when her charge went before court, and while the magistrates acknowledged the sensitive content of the picture was out of his control, he did waive the fine.

“This is happening probably more than we understand,” Ms Lee added.

“You feel a bit like David versus Goliath, because you have no control over who has seen those photos … that’s just a really, really awful feeling.”

NSW Roads Minister Natalie Ward said in a statement: “I understand the distress and I have asked Transport for NSW to review protocols for the handling of sensitive images.”

The mobile phone detection cameras have been used in NSW since March 2020, with testing underway since November 2022 to enable the cameras to also detect seatbelt infringements.