To think that cameras shouldn't be allowed in a swimming pool

[gazingatthestars]

Took my dd (4) swimming this afternoon to a well known chain of health clubs swimming pool for family swim time.
There was a woman and her two daughters (I'd guess 7 and 9) there taking photos and videos on a waterproof go pro type device. They were pointing it all over the pool (not just at each other) and underwater and Stuff. Made me feel really uncomfortable for my daughter and also my non bikini body so I told lifeguard subtlety who then promptly went over and told them to put it away.

The mum was clearly upset at being told what to do and spent the next 30 mins talking/arguing with the life guard about it and shooting me dirty looks (she'd clearly deduced it was me that had complained). Surely if she is allowed to do that some dodgy dirty character could come along and start taking photos too?!

There's signs all round the pool that say no mobile phones (caneras aren't mentioned). Aibu to have thought she was in the wrong?

Surely everyone knows you don't take cameras into swimming pools or has etiquette changed nowadays?

[gazingatthestars]

Sorry for typos.

[Ilovecaindingle]

Sounds like her desperation to show off her new toy made her lose her common sense. Good for you for complaining!

[dannydyerismydad]

Mixed feelings. It doesn't seem the done thing to take photos at public pools in the U.K.

But if there was a ban on poolside photos worldwide lots of us would have far fewer holiday snaps!

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

I didn't think they were allowed. Anytime I've gone swimming. Its always specified No photography or videos. Did you not inform management.

[gamerwidow]

I think it's a shame that we can no longer get snaps of our kids in the pool but I suppose it's a symptom of people plastering everything over Facebook. If wouldn't bother me in this circumstance but I can understand why you might be upset if you've got reason to fear your identity being online.

[edwinbear]

There is a no camera rule at our local pool which is actively enforced by the lifeguards. Valid point by dannydyer though in that whilst I'm in complete agreement at the local pool, I'm the first with my GoPro in the pool on holiday which does make me a huge hypocrite.

[BreezyThursday]

They aren't allowed at our public pools. Had swimming lessons in a hotel health club and we were only allowed to take pics if no residents/members using the pool.

I'm not sure if I actually agree with these rules...

[Figure17a]

I don't understand. Do people not take photos round the pool on holiday, or on the beach?

[gazingatthestars]

Thanks yes it did look like a new (expensive) toy.
So true about cameras on holiday - it does feel different then - not sure why.
I think it was the thought of someone having photos of my dd in a swimming coustume and some possible dodgy underwater shots that made me uncomfortable! Possibly if they had just been taking photos from the side I wouldn't have minded.

[noeffingidea]

Figure a beach is a public place. This took place in a health club where the owners have banned cameras and phones. They are entitled to do so. I would expect most council run swimming pools have the same rules.
Hotels might have different rules - up to them.

[MidniteScribbler]

Where my son has his swimming lessons, it's photos of your own child only, with a warning that if they find it has been abused, they will put a ban on it completely. Children are covered (this is Australia, so most are in rashies, so more covered than in shorts and t-shirt anyway), so I don't really think it's that big of a deal as long as people behave appropriately. Photos of your own child - fine. Photos of others - not fine.

[noeffingidea]

Sorry, OP, yes I agree with you. This woman sounds a bit thick, tbh. It's pretty normal for cameras to be banned in swimming pools (and gyms) - don't know why she thought she would get away with it.

[RochelleGoyle]

I echo what gamerwidow said. I think it's a shame that people are now so anxious about things like this when it's really only a minority who have sinister intentions. But I also completely understand the concerns too.

[Figure17a]

OP's question was about cameras in "a swimming pool".

[lilyb84]

It's a safeguarding issue surely? I was at a local pool earlier and a guy next to me was taking pics of his granddaughter and got told to stop (nicely) by a lifeguard which made me put my own phone away which I'd got out to take pics of DH and ds in the pool.

I used to work at a shopping centre and you weren't allowed to take pictures of children there either, even your own! Now that was ott in my opinion (and I imagine, a few years later, much harder to enforce).

[noeffingidea]

figure I don't get your point. You mentioned the beach and the pool on holiday.

[bruffin]

my swim class would love to be able to film our swim occassionally to see what he are doing wrong, or how we have improved.My teacher also says it would do wonders for adult swimmers confidence. We cant because of ridiculous attitudes like OP.

[Figure17a]

Obviously if there's a rule at this pool then there shouldn't be any photography and it should have been dealt with without the OP requesting it.

However, Op asked if cameras "shouldn't be allowed in a swimming pool". If you;re happy to have them by the pool on holiday, what objection can you have in the council pool? What's the difference?

[babybythesea]

I wonder if the difference between holidays and local swimming pools is in part due to being able to locate someone.
If someone is taking pictures in a swimming pool while on holiday, and a child whose identity or location shouldn't be advertised is in the background, and if that is then seen by someone hunting for them, then they still cannot be traced. You don't look at a picture of someone clearly on holiday in, say, Spain, and think "Ok, that's where they are, that's the name of the hotel clearly visible behind them, I will go there" because chances are they've long gone and there's no way of knowing where they actually live.
Scenario B. Child has been removed from family to keep them safe, but hasn't been moved to the other end of the country, so is still in similar locality. Other side of county, maybe. They are in their local pool, and happen to end up in the back of someone's picture. Then someone who knows someone who knows someone spots them, knows the pool themselves - and now you know where that child can be found. Same argument as for not putting pics of school children on line, if you don't know the kids circumstances.

I don't know, I am just trying to work out why holiday pics by the pool feel fine, but someone with a camera at our local pool during a swimming lesson might not. I don't give it much thought but then I don't have a child in a threatening cicumstance.

[melj1213]

YANBU - it's one thing when it's a public place and another when it's a private club. Ours has a rule of no photos or videos, but if you're the only ones in the pool then they're generally relaxed about you taking pics, but if other people arrive then they will ask you not to take pictures if the other people might be in it but if it's clearly only of your group (eg they are all at the other end of the pool and you have your back to them while taking a pic of your kid jumping into the pool) then it's fine, as long as it doesn't impact other people using the facilities.

I think holidays seem different because you're usually abroad and are very unlikely to see anyone you know, so if they post the pictures online it has no impact on you as you''ll never know and people you know are unlikely to ever see it ... if someone in a local health club posts pictures and you look unflattering in the background, then there's a possibility it will be seen by people you know but you have no control over it's usage.

[babybythesea]

Also things change. Photos weren't so easy to advertise and post online when I was a kid. So taking a picture didn't represent a potential online advert as it does now. But equally, you didn't take as many pics to start with because you had to develop them which cost money, not just stick them online, and you certainly didn't take your camera into the pool so pool photos were always taken by someone sitting on the poolside, dry! And you didn't waste pictures on your weekly swimming session, just took them on holiday. So it's easy to main about attitudes that prevent you for having lots of lovely pictures, but this is a new thing, and the potential ramifications aren't really clear, particularly if you don't have to live with any compromising circumstances.
Ultimately not having these pictures isn't the end of the world. I certainly survived not having any pictures of me swimming in my local pool. If there are people that are uncomfortable with pictures being taken, knowing that they could end up online for anyone to see wearing just their swim wear, then what's the big deal in not taking them?

[babybythesea]

Melj1213 - that's kind of what I was getting at but you put it better than me and with fewer spelling mistakes!

[Figure17a]

I'm a runner, there are 100s of unflattering photos of me, half dressed, on the internet, mostly posted by local people. I don't think the risk that pics could be unflattering is sufficient for me to object to cameras at races.

[gazingatthestars]

Figure 17 - I'd guess you had running shorts on when running - most women wear only the equivalent of knickers on the bottom half of their swimming costume- decidedly more dodgy!

[WallisFrizz]

The rules are to prevent people taking inappropriate images of children.

You complained not because you thought this woman had any intention of using images inappropriately but because you felt body conscious. You were a bit mean really.