Public in obesity news reports

[LoopyLlama]

I was watching the news the other night when they did an article on obesity.

I've always wondered about the people that seem to unknowingly feature in the report.
You know when they do a close up shot of someone's muffin top or backside as they wonder down their local high street. They don't show faces but I'm sure I'd recognise myself walkingbdown my local high street.

Do they get permission? "Excuse me but can we please film the fat over hanging the top of your jeans/fat arse as you walk down the road?" Or are you justvsatvinfront the news one night and think oooh I have a top like that, ooh this is filmed in my town and then omfg that's me!

Anyone know?? I always wonder about the people they film and if they know or not they are a star of an obesity report.

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

I havewondered that too, seems so intrusive

[IamTomHanks]

I'm not sure what the laws are in the UK, but I know in Canada it would be called a stock reel and as long as you weren't showing faces you don't need to inform or ask the person for permission.

[OhhhPeee]

I have also wondered this and would love to know the answer. Mostly because I’m terrified on seeing myself waddling into Greggs on the 6 o’clock news.

[lljkk]

who would ever give permission for this -- but you don't own your image in a public place. I can't agree with insisting on that. People are what they are. Embrace it.

[cabbageking]

Generally anyone can film or take photos as they please in public places.
You may wish to block out their face.

[VoppityHoosh]

I've wondered this too! God wouldn't you be mortified. It's the ones where they are sitting on a bench biting into something with the belly hanging out that are the worst!

[Spudlet]

I hate the way those segments are put together, it’s so dehumanising. I’m sure I remember reading that it is harmful as it increases the social stigma around weight and obesity, making it even harder for people to lose weight.

[BackwardsGoing]

You do realise that people can see the bellies and muffin tops and thunder thighs in real life, not just on news reports. Why is it any more mortifying seeing an anonymised, millisecond clip of yourself on a screen, one that will be instantly forgotten by viewers, than it is being out and about in public every day?

[MsWonderful]

A few years ago they featured someone’s arse on the front page on an article about obesity, and the person did recognise themself and was obviously upset. I can’t remember the exact details but I think one of their friends wrote to the paper to say that the person had actually lost a lot of weight since the photo was taken. I can’t remember if it was a man or a woman in the photo.

[userabcname]

It is one of my great fears, being broadcast as one of the fatties on the evening news.

[tectonicplates]

Even when people are facing the camera, I've never understood it when they put a line across someone's eyes as if that's somehow going to disguise them. You'd need to cover way more than just someone's eyes if you really wanted them to be anonymous. Even when people are wearing masks you could still tell who someone was if you knew them.

[MsWonderful]

‘They featured’ should have said ‘the local paper featured’

[UpperLowercaseSymbolNumber]

I think it is horrible the way this is done

[Judashascomeintosomemoney]

I always wonder about this too. Sure, it’s stock reel, and sure there’s no faces showing but, I’m sure plenty of the people in them are recognisable to their friends and family. Really unpleasant.

[StillDumDeDumming]

@BackwardsGoing I think most people would find it so. I imagine it’s because the news report is drawing attention to the fact and making that the sole focus- pointing the finger. whereas in real Life we’re not generally mortified by our size because we’re thinking of other things like curing cancer, caring for a sick relative, what to cook for tea, or any number of important things Other than what we weigh.

[AhBallix]

Your OP really made me laugh

I often wonder about that too. It's a bit like when I catch sight of a banshee haired weirdo staring at me in the street and realise it's my reflection in the window of Marks and Spencer.

[tectonicplates]

@MsWonderful

‘They featured’ should have said ‘the local paper featured’

Are you really going to be That Person? We're having a discussion about obesity here.

[MsWonderful]

I was correcting a mistake in my own post

[tectonicplates]

Sorry

[MsWonderful]

That’s ok

[CaptainCorellisPangolin]

I've always thought it a bit iffy. I remember in school, watching a documentary about obesity as a public health crisis. It was a two hour documentary, probably about forty five minutes of which were montages of fat people walking around. I get it's just stock reel and completely legal but there just seemed a disproportionate amount of it.

[puzzledpiece]

They can film but block out faces. It's arguable whether someone would be recognisable to others from just a body.

[Meganplays]

I was just thinking if they do a piece about anorexia they don’t show painfully thin stomachs and bottoms do they.

It seems a bit outdated. Maybe they could show a clip of junk food or similar it would get the message across. I agree with a PP, it’s another way of demonising the obese.

[EllaAlright]

Reminds me of Miranda. ‘It was panning’.

[Pelleas]

It strikes me as unnecessary. Obesity is a term in common use - it's not as though people see the stock footage of a fat tummy and think 'oh - so that's what an obese person looks like'.