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Original poster

Gym posted photos of me on Facebook

147 replies

DomesticDisgrace · 20/08/2017 18:22

I recently joined a small gym/training studio very local to me and I have 33 mutual Facebook friends with this gym as it's a smallish town and the PTs there are very involved in the local community, children's sport club said etc.

I had my first PT session today, purposely because I was advised it would be quiet and I was feeling very self conscious etc. It went really well and I booked and paid for my next session before leaving.

I've just logged onto Facebook and the first thing on my timeline is 4 photos by the gym page of me, mid session, red contorted face, dripping with sweat, one where my mum tum has escaped my leggings and looks to be flying off like a fleshy jelly spaceship! There are lots of comments, some just of people tagging their friends which I take as a pisstake, others along the lines of "any step is a step in the right direction".

I'm fucking mortified and fuming! I've messaged them asking them to remove them and had no reply

OP posts:
stillvicarinatutu · 20/08/2017 19:47

fuckers!!! id be horrified and id bloody well tell them. money back and go elsewhere defo!!
cheeky twats!!!

HelenaDove · 20/08/2017 19:48

mmmmnuts no but you inferred the main motive for having one was to post photos.

glitterlips1 · 20/08/2017 19:48

I would be livid. I would write to the Head Office. It is not down to their customers to be encouraging others, especially if it humiliates them in the process.

mmmmnuts · 20/08/2017 19:48

I suppose the gym could take photos of you and post them on their account even if you didn't have facebook anyway.

In that case I'd vote with your feet by taking your business elsewhere. Try not to worry about the pictures and remember that while you may be the centre of your own universe, you're not the centre of everybody else's. They've probably forgotten all about it already anyway having seen a cute funny meme of a cat eating a slice of pizza.

Anatidae · 20/08/2017 19:49

It doesn't matter how much she should love herself working out. What if she has an abusive ex who is stalking her? What if she's a recovering anorexic? What if she just wants some fucking privacy?

I would go absolutely ballistic at this. Ask for a written apology, full refund and a change of policy to include CONSENT for any promotional photos. If that's not forthcoming then I'd be taking it to the media, and doing some serious repuataiknal damages

HelenaDove · 20/08/2017 19:50

Centre of your own universe???????????? What a nasty thing to say about the OP.

mmmmmmmnuts YOU were the one inferring that the main motive for having fb was to post photos.

Projecting much? Im getting a whiff of narcissism. And not from the OP.

MistyMinge · 20/08/2017 19:51

I think some people are being really unfair on this thread. Of course the gym is there to make money, and it's not surprising these days that they are active on social media, but they should gain someone's permission before using photo's of them. Isn't it a data protection issue? I'm sure legally they'd be on dodgy ground.

I wonder how some of you would feel if there were photos of you on Facebook etc with people taking the piss. Oh but you wouldn't be so self concious, would you?

StrangeLookingParasite · 20/08/2017 19:52

God, social media creates so much drama, doesn't it? If you're so insecure about how you look, maybe just delete your facebook account. There's more to life.

It wasn't on her facebook account, it was on the gym's page. Even if she didn't have a facebook page, the pictures would be out there.
And yeah, humiliating the shit out of your clients, way to go, you shower of arseholes.

Bettyspants · 20/08/2017 19:52

Lemons , unfortunately not everyone has your confidence in their own appearance, for others having several photos of themselves in the gym taken without their knowledge or permission is bad enough. For those very personal photos to be plastered over a social media site for others to mock (hence laughing faces) would be enough to send some people into a complete depression. OP I'm one of those who would take it further. Making those first steps to getting fit/losing weight can be really difficult and I'm so sorry this has happened to knock you. If there's no other gyms around you could consider the PT seeing you at home, assuming of course they weren't aware of the pics.

Namechangetempissue · 20/08/2017 19:53

I would be fucking furious. Absolutely not on. I would ask for the photo to be removed a refund on my membership immediately and go elsewhere. If the photos are as bad as you described (and have had negative comments towards you) they are absolute dicks for posting them AND keeping them up.
If it is any consolation, I'm an athlete and still look shit in gym pics- especially lifting. Contorted "straining for a poo" faces, sweat, purple face, gritted teeth -it ain't pretty. It will be forgotten about in a few days. Flowers

AngelicaSchuyler · 20/08/2017 19:53

I work in PR/social media - any social media manager worthy their salt should be getting permission for individual pictures like that before posting them in public (if only to avoid pissing off your clients, without all the privacy issues!).

It's one thing if you're in the background or in a group shot that you've posed for, but they should know better than to be posting pics of someone taken without their knowledge, especially if they're doing something vulnerable like exercising.

This seems to be happening more and more in business - people using Facebook etc for marketing without really knowing how to do it properly. I work in the wedding industry and am always amazed to see the number of wedding venues merrily posting pictures their event manager has snapped throughout the day - literally while the wedding is still happening!! Not cool...

JacquesHammer · 20/08/2017 19:54

That's appalling OP.

I handle social media for a gym. I only ever post photos that don't have people on UNLESS (a) they have given express permission by seeing the photo first or (b) I have arranged with them to take an image. They also get the chance to check and ok the photo first.

ethelfleda · 20/08/2017 19:57

It's already been said OP but I just wanted to add that I'm shocked and disgusted for you! Mainly to drown out the comments about how it shouldn't bother you blah blah blah.... because of course we are all extremy confident individuals who would be flattered by something similar Hmm

I'm not self conscious when exercising or going to gym as I know people aren't looking but I would be fuming too. I hope it hasn't ruined your weekend Flowers

Uokbing · 20/08/2017 19:58

Oh no, that's awful.

It wouldn't be as bad if it was like a class or.something with lots of people and you happened to be in it? But photos of just you? And with escaped mum tum (I totally feel your pain on that front).

That is shit. I would be contacting them.

4691IrradiatedHaggis · 20/08/2017 19:58

You don't pay more if you refuse to have your photo published, you pay less if you allow your photo to be used for promotional purposes. So no, people don't get penalised for being private, they get an incentive for allowing their pic to be shared.

Erm.... maybe I'm being thick here but surely that boils down to the exact same thing?! Confused
If you're paying more for saying "no photos on social media!" and those who are saying "yes, stick me on there, no worries!" are paying less as an incentive..... can word it and justify it as much as you like, it is penalising for saying no. Hmm

LonelyGir1 · 20/08/2017 19:59

Report the photo to Facebook. I feel really bad for you being subjected to that level of scrutiny without your consent :(

4691IrradiatedHaggis · 20/08/2017 20:04

God, social media creates so much drama, doesn't it? If you're so insecure about how you look, maybe just delete your facebook account. There's more to life

Did you actually read the post?! It was the gym's FB page, not the OP.
I've got a heavy social media presence, but I get to control it. Not others. I put pictures up on my page, and updates etc. I wouldn't dream of photographing others and posting them without letting them know. It's common courtesy for one thing.
Just like I wouldn't want businesses putting pictures up of me without asking. I'm sure you have to ask for permission, the gym were bang out of order if they never made it clear.

ALittleMop · 20/08/2017 20:05

What a massive invasion of privacy and breach of trust.

LoyaltyAndLobster · 20/08/2017 20:07

Glad to hear that the pictures have been removed, if I were you I wouldn't return back to that gym.

CastIronCookware · 20/08/2017 20:09

If you're paying more for saying "no photos on social media!" and those who are saying "yes, stick me on there, no worries!" are paying less as an incentive..... can word it and justify it as much as you like, it is penalising for saying no

It's standard business practice - has been for decades.

Customers get a discount if they write a testimonial/appear in publicity shots/provide a quote for the media.

Why are people surprised and outraged by this?

Slimthistime · 20/08/2017 20:12

FFS it wasn't on the OP Facebook page.

Helena "Is this really where we are now? Having to pay for the right to privacy"

Yes, this is why we really need a privacy law but the amount of straw men and street photography arguments this raises on MN, I don't really mention it. But op is a great example of why one is needed.

Sorry op but if you didn't see pics taken they might have been videoing it in fact.

HelenaDove · 20/08/2017 20:14

Because decades ago people wernt able to troll articles with nasty comments which take seconds to upload.

A quote for the media is different from a photo or moving film of someone excersising.

And a publicity shot is an official photo.

scrabbler3 · 20/08/2017 20:15

Surely the gym staff must be aware that overweight newbies probably wouldn't want their images online, mid-workout? They can't be that thick. I would commend them for posting pictures of people of various ages and sizes not just ripped boys and slender girls, but permission needs to be obtained - obviously!

This thread has reminded me that I need to look into ParkRun, so thanks OP :-)

HelenaDove · 20/08/2017 20:15

That was to Cookware.

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 20/08/2017 20:15

But she asked them to take them down and they did, swiftly as far as I can tell.

Only once she threatened legal action.

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