regarding facebook pics

[pokeypants]

I will confess to being a bit wary of putting too much on sites like facebook especialy when it comes to my children, there are so many sicko's about and some people just don't seem to realise the dangers. But I have tried not to become over cautious and reasoned that a few snaps of the kids on there is fine as both me and my partner are sensible and only have actual friends or family viewing our profiles.... I am however rather annoyed to find my niece has been taking my pictures of our little girl and adding them to her own profile....which i know seems harmless but she is a typical teenager and has upwards of a thousand so called friends on her list most of whom I'm guessing she doesn't actually have a clue who they are so we our little girls pics are practicaly public viewing!! Am i over reacting? I have simply asked that she not do it with our pictures, but maybe we should not put anything on there in future ourselves incase. what do other mumsnetters think to this?

Also - why would "only freaks" care to look at Beanies website? You have no idea what sort of site this is.

What a strange and unpleasant attitude to take. A nasty personal attack which I am afraid is uncalled for. :(

that may be correct legally, but the law doesn't cover many things that are widely considered to be decent and moral

I wouldn't be able to enjoy or take pride in a piece of work that made others unhappy like this or exploited their image in a way they didn't like, but I have known photographers who don't think twice about it

You sound like the man I know who did his portfolio for his registration on waking up sleeping homeless people to take a picture of their faces while angry and sleepy! He wasn't decent either!

Taking pictures of strangers kids without permission is grossly offensive and I judge anybody who does that and question their motives. If some of you don't mind your children being targeted by people like that, well that's your business. I have the right to protect my child and will do.

Who but a total freak would want to look at papped photos of other peoples kids?

Why don't you send Beanie some photos of your DS, Catgirl?
Would that feel right to you?

My goodness, how do you know Beanie isn't a scenic photographer who takes pictures of for an in house magazine or promotional pictures for holiday companies? Such photographs often have "people" in them, whose permission won't have been sought.

Those pictures will belong to Beanie. That doesn't make her a "freak", a "weirdo" or "horrible & obnoxious".
How can you make such assumptions?

Does Beanie work for the Daily Mail et al which delight in photographing children who clearly don't want to be photographed, then making money from those photos, eg. poor Suri Cruise?

Dear me there are some nasty attitudes on this thread.

Perhaps bobble you think "only freaks" would visit the National Portrait Gallery and look at the paintings of children in there?

Apols if you're not a Mail paparazzo Beanie, but it's a similar attitude when it comes to publishing unsolicited photos of children without child or parents' permission.

She said so herself. She puts people's children up on the internet without permission and would be extremely offended and refuse if the parents requested they be taken down 'without very good reason'.

Never met a professional photographer with that attitude.

Why have people decided Beanie is a pap? I have made the assumption she is a portrait / landscape / artistic photographer.

Maybe Beanie is a press photographer - but I don't know that. I'm not a huge enthusiast of the papparazi, but I still wouldn't resort to name calling!

Can never understand why a fairly interesting debate has to descend into unpleasant personal comments being made with someone whose point of view you disagree with.

Catgirl you can put up whatever you want of your own children. Those of us who would prefer not to expose our children like that deserve the right to protect their privacy from those who think they can exploit them.

"My goodness, how do you know Beanie isn't a scenic photographer who takes pictures of for an in house magazine or promotional pictures for holiday companies? Such photographs often have "people" in them, whose permission won't have been sought.
Those pictures will belong to Beanie. That doesn't make her a "freak", a "weirdo" or "horrible & obnoxious".
How can you make such assumptions?"

its not the fact that Beanie takes photographs that have people in it! NO problem with that, its the fact that if someone approached Beanie and expressed a discomfort about being in one of them, or their children being in one of them, that his/her reaction would be "My image. My copyright. My choice" that makes him/her horrible & obnoxious. The fact that Beanie gives NO care if it has been expressed that an image is upsetting to the subjects of the image is the problem! not the fact the image was taken in the first place!

bobble Maybe you should but you do not, as the law stands.

I don't believe I have commented on what you should or should not have - only one what the law said.

But that did not stop you from launching into a deeply unpleasant personal attack.

Some might say Beanie should have the right to conduct her profession without being called a "freak".

I'm with you OP I don't like people having pictures of my child.

No people can just take pictures of your child without your consent.

The ex's wife had naked pics of DS on her profile. I absolutely hit the roof.

Apparently I over reacted. She's lucky I didn't stamp on her head.

No people can just take pictures of your child without your consent.

What makes you think that Olympic?

She's lucky I didn't stamp on her head.

Classy :(

As a photographer I take many pictures of people in many different situations, many of which end up on my website. If requested, I might take a picture down if I get a good reason and I'm asked politely

Same applies to the pictures I take. Since I'm a press/documentary photographer I cover events which are, photographically, interesting to cover. I don't routinely take pictures of random children engaged on everyday activities. However, there have been rare instances of people asking that I remove pictures of their children at events but quite honestly, these events are usually ones that anyone with an ounce of sense would realise would attract photographic coverage. However, if asked politely and given a reason, I'll consider the request. But I don't need to get consent first and neither is it illegal for me to take pictures in public.

I can understand the FB issue, so far as wanting some control of what appears on the internet but it's very easy to get paranoid about any potential danger. But I think the way to control it is to limit who takes photographs of your child and make your views clear from the outset. If you haven't told a family member that they mustn't post pictures then it's not unreasonable if they do.

Olympic, so didn't your DS's father give his permission? Surely he would have given permission for his current wife to take photos of his own children?

My ex has taken my DCs to professional photographers & he has posted pics of them on facebook - surely he has as much right to do that as I do? His wife has taken pictures of them too - again I presume with my ex-H's permission.

the way to control it is to limit who takes photos of your child
Well, quite, Pandamonia! Isn't the whole point that much as we might try to do just that, people like Beanie assert their God given right to do what the hell they please?

Legal rather than god given right

And I think Beanie said she would consider a polite request to take down a picture if there was a reason to

"And I think Beanie said she would consider a polite request to take down a picture if there was a reason to"

and what reasons are good enough? since distress, discomfort and upset don't count apparently?
why should anyone have to disclose further, any decent person would see that as reason enough!

I prefer to tread the unconfrontational path, tbh. Whilst I don't actually need permission, I will often introduce myself to the parents of the children I want to photograph along the lines of "I'm working for the INSERTNAMEOFPAPER, are you happy for me to take a picture of your children?".

Obviously it depends on the event I'm covering because sometimes this is impractical. But the best pictures emerge from a culture of mutual trust. Not of arrogance on the part of the snapper.

Yes catgirl, most parents don't want naked pictures of their children on the internet and it's not your place to put them up, no matter what you do with your own. I would kill anyone who did that to mine. Olympic; how restrained of you, that must have been very hard.