Art project draws US Secret Service interest

Kyle McDonald, 25, of Brooklyn, set up a software program on computers at two Apple stores in New York that took pictures of shoppers as they stared into the screen, the social media news site Mashable reported.

McDonald then posted the pictures on his Tumblr blog peoplestaringatcomputers.tumblr.com.

"I thought maybe (if) we could see ourselves doing this we would think more about our computers and how were using them," he told Mashable.

Writing on his Twitter feed at @kcimc on Thursday, McDonald said he had received a visit from Secret Service agents equipped with a search warrant related to "fraud and related activity in connection with computers."

"@secretservice just stopped by to investigate... and took my laptop," he wrote. "Please assume they're reading any emails you send me."

Continuing on Twitter, McDonald said he had been in contact with the digital rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

"In contact with the @eff," he said. "They've encouraged me to stay quiet for now. lots of good discussion happening, very sorry i can't join in."

Replying to a question on Twitter, McDonald said he did not believe he had broken any laws.

"As i understand, photography in open spaces is legal unless explicitly prohibited," he said. "The only permission came from the (Apple store) guard."

(c) 2011 AFP