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Photographing kids without consent?

12 replies

TerryYackee · 05/01/2022 07:44

Hi all.
My DH, 2 children and myelf recently attended a relatives 80th Birthday party, for the entertainment a magician was hired. Great we thought something fun for the kids. Rather than standing at the front to do a magic show he worked his way around the room doing slight of hand tricks at each table. He came to our table first...some great tricks, although I didn't quite like his belittling manner towards my 6 year old son. Then he did a trick that involved my 8 year old daughter, a knot in the rope that would magically move/disappear. It involved her having to hold the rope, pull both ends while at the same time saying a magic word( abracadabra). Whilst doing this he got his phone out and pointed it at her, we thought strange but assumed it was part of the trick. But that was it...he left our table and went to the table next to us...The only other family with kids. This time daughter was prob 10 and a teenage son. We watched him perform the same trick, again only with the girl and again he got his phone out at the point of pulling the rope whilst saying abracadabra. We then watched him move around the room but he never did the phone thing/ rope trick with anyone else. We spoke to family on table next door and mum hadn't thought much of it but her teenage son thought it was odd. The upshot is the other mum approached magician and asked him to delete pics, I also approached him unaware she already had and also asked him to delete pics. He showed me his gallery and yes pics were gone but would they have been backed up?
Also am I bring OTT? is this harmless behaviour as I really don't think it is. He said he did it as he likes to record the reaction??
Also can the pics be used/ super imposed into something more sinister?
Never posted on here before but need some Mum advice. Thanks

OP posts:
glassofbubbles25 · 05/01/2022 07:51

Who booked the magician? Did they know they’d take photos, was there anything in the t&cs

Pugroll · 05/01/2022 07:55

It could be he's not very professional and was taking photos for his website/social media- this should be made clear when booking though or before taking a photo to get consent to take and publish them and he didn't do this. It could be he is a creep and wanted to take them for his personal use, it depends on his phone and his settings, but more than likely if they are showing as deleted they probably are though. Good for them saying something, even if there was no bad intent if you're uncomfortable it's always worth speaking up. Does he have other reviews online or anything?

ArblemarzipanTFruitcake · 05/01/2022 07:56

He probably wanted to use them as publicity photos in his advertising. You'd need to check the T&Cs with the person who booked him. It's not illegal to take photographs of anyone, as long as they are not indecent photos.

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StringyPotatoes · 05/01/2022 07:58

I would have thought he was taking pics for advertising purposes. Cute kids are likely to draw in bookings.

It would have been polite to ask but perhaps he put it in his T&Cs? You could ask the person who made the booking or look on his website to see what his policies are.

I find it stranger that you didn't ask him why he took the photos than that he took some, to be honest.

lynntheyresexswappers · 05/01/2022 08:06

He would surely be doing it for his social media's/advertisement?
A magician who would have to have a valid DBS check, taking photos of his work wouldn't automatically scream inappropriate to me.
He should have had permission to take the photos, but as said above, he's probably not the most professional and not thought much of it.

Jellycatspyjamas · 05/01/2022 08:34

It’s a bit worrying that your first thought is that he would be superimposing the pictures onto something sinister as opposed to just using them for publicity. I don’t allow pictures of my kids in that type of event, there are safeguarding risks in having my kids photos out too widely so I don’t allow random adults to have their photos but I’d challenge someone while they were doing it.

TerryYackee · 05/01/2022 08:56

Yes my regret was not saying straight away ,what are you doing? But it was totally out of the blue and appeared to be a part of his trick as if something else was going to happen that involved the phone. Yes I did challenge him after as did the other Mum. Maybe I am OTT to think bad things but at no other point in the 2 hours did he photo another person in the room only the two youngest girls.

OP posts:
AndAnotherNewOne · 05/01/2022 09:00

I can understand you wanting them deleted but to imagine he had sinister ideas for them is a step too far. I hope you haven't been saying that to others. It's his livelihood you could be ruining.

I agree he maybe wanted them for his website and can understand why a reaction shot would be good.

Rosehere · 05/01/2022 09:04

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

TerryYackee · 05/01/2022 11:01

By the way, this happened in November it just seemed odd. And no, I haven't given his name and details to others to ruin his livelihood.
I did check his website out all very professional looking but no pics of kids.
I googled laws regarding photographing children and it's ok as long as not indecent but websites suggest even an innocent pic can be altered (not something I instantly thought of until I read it).
Anyway thanks all for feedback, maybe I need to be less suspicious!!

OP posts:
Thelnebriati · 05/01/2022 11:04

He can't upload images of your child without your consent so he should have asked for that in advance.

Ecosaurus · 05/01/2022 11:08

Different rules for different places regarding photographing children.

Was it in a private house?

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