Following the MMS scandal in a public school in Delhi, the Anna University in Chennai on Wednesday announced a ban on the use of camera-enabled cell phones on its campus from January 1, 2005.

University Vice-Chancellor E Balaguruswamy, in a statement here, said that severe action would be taken against those violating the ban.

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He also requested all the colleges affiliated to the university to consider implementing a similar ban on their campus.

Balaguruswamy said such phones were a threat to privacy and could be used to blackmail others. "Some kind of legislation, similar to [those governing] cyber space use, should be brought in to regulate the use of this 'miniature dangerous device'," he added.