This is an eternal problem on smartphones that Japanese and Korean people have to accept

Turning off the camera sound can be done very simply when the user just needs to set the phone to silent mode, because the phone will stop ringing and will not disturb people around, especially in places like the police station. museum or library.

All smartphones in Korea and Japan must make sound when taking photos.

However, this is not something that people can do anywhere in the world, because in countries like Japan or Korea, users will not be able to mute the phone's shutter even when set it is in silent mode. This started from a measure introduced in the early 2000s and has been strictly adhered to throughout. The reason stems from the goal of fighting harassers and non-consensual photos.

As mentioned, everything originated more than two decades ago and is normal in countries like Japan and Korea. Even so, it's a surprise when many people learn about it for the first time, especially those who buy phones made in these countries.

This measure appeared after the first phones with cameras appeared. At that time, taking photos without consent in public places such as restaurants, subways or public bathrooms began to become an increasingly common practice. The small size of smartphones has allowed many harassers to take obscene photos (for example, upskirt photos) without anyone knowing, leading leaders to demand that measures be taken to Try to stop this situation.

All for reasons against harassers.

With the aim of trying to end this situation, Japanese and Korean carriers have partnered with major smartphone manufacturers. As a result, this collaboration does not allow turning off the shutter sound when taking photos. It's not a foolproof method, but it does make someone think twice before secretly taking photos of others.

At this point, it is a regulation that mobile device manufacturers have had to strictly adhere to throughout the years.

Jessica Tanner

Update 31 May 2024