Imagine you’ve arrived at a concert venue and staked out the optimal spot. You think you’re all set until the person in front of you whips out their phone when the show starts to record video and take pictures through the whole damn show, and now it’s too crowded for you to move. It’s probably something you’ve experienced at least once given you’re here at Stereogum reading about music. Not even tall folks (excluding our own Tom Breihan) are exempt from the Statue Of Liberty phone hold. But Apple has finally obtained a patent after five years that may prevent that from happening in the future.

The patent states that the phone’s photography capabilities can be disabled when the camera detects an infrared signal and interprets the data:

For example, an infrared emitter can be located in areas where picture or video capture is prohibited, and the emitter can generate infrared signals with encoded data that includes commands to disable the recording functions of devices. An electronic device can then receive the infrared signals, decode the data and temporarily disable the device’s recording function based on the command.

So that might be OK … assuming the technology is only used at concerts and doesn’t extend to, like, disabling phone cameras during instances of police brutality and/or sociopolitical/religious unrest. If my concert experience has to suck in order to see and hopefully prevent the next Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, or Walter Scott from being killed in the future, then so be it.