To give up on Parkrun - photo related

[Parkrunmisery]

OK so this is shallow but I did Parkrun yesterday and whilst I love its open and friendly ethos I look BEYOND SHIT in the fb photos they've posted. I'm honestly not being vain, but I am old (50s) and fat. I want to run to get fitter and thinner but having my photo on the Internet looking horrible makes me miserable.

So AIBU to sack off lovely Parkrun due to their insistence on posting photos of me looking utterly shit*.

*old, fat, red faced, baggy, flabby, grey, no make-up and hair looking shit. I really don't want to have to think about getting made up for sodding photos at 8am.

Tell them not to use your photo and you want any photos of you removed.

Inwas about to agree with you as I wouldn't like it, but actually pp are right. It is inspiring to be reminded that you don't need to look Insta-perfect to get out and exercise.

Images of normal people could inspire someone and show them that they won't stick out like a sore thumb if they fancy trying it, and it won't be just them and a load of lithe semi- pro distance runners.

I'm quite shocked that Parkrun post identifiable pictures without consent. Is consent a forced requirement of taking part? Its a policy which would be particularly likely to deter women.

I was wondering this too - do you actually have to consent to photos in order to take part? It seems unfair, as C8H10N4O2 says, there could be safety reasons as to why women wouldn't want their photos published on line.

ImPreCis - Great idea, found this one

www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/3195242-woman-definition

Parkrun is a free event run by volunteers

Being run by volunteers do not render an organisation immune from criticism when it gets things wrong.

It encourages people of all ages, social classes and abilities to get out there and run on a Saturday morning

Well plainly it doesn't if women are deterred from participating by the publishing of photographs and personal performance data. If the ethos of the event is to encourage participation it doesn't hurt to have timed and non timed entrants and respect people's privacy as they gain confidence.

Under GDPR regulations, even large voluntary organisations are not allowed to make release of data a condition of entry. I second the "no photos please" t-shirt and then remind the organisers beforehand of their legal obligations.

I look dreadful in photos, did even at eighteen. It would put me right off as well. Can you not talk to the person taking the photos and tell them that it's making you feel like abandoning the run? I'd be very forceful about it, because it really would affect my self-esteem very badly, and you're running to feel good, not to be made feel bad. Be bolshie!

@C8H10N4O2 You're very welcome to run at parkrun without being scanned/not keeping a record of your time. And you can ask to be removed from parkrun photos too - there are very clear policies on that. There is also a national safeguarding lead.

The local trampoline park runs an exercise class which looks so much fun. Trouble is the video every class and put it on Facebook. So I would never go. Same with a Zumba class in the local church hall. I go swimming but would love to add more fun motivating activities but they are all too intrusive. Sucks.

Really they should make their policy on photos/ videos part of their briefing and then have different coloured bands or hats or something for those who want photos taken of them deleted and not posted online. Can somebody contact the PR organisers with this thread. In schools etc you would have to have permission of children and parents to use photos for any reason. Shouldn't really be any different for PR.

My parkrun posts literally 100s if photos, but people scan only and just look for themselves and rarely tag them (unless you are looking super good) . However just ask for yours to be deleted if you unhappy, photographer is a usuallya regular so just have a word and they will miss you out or agree a no photos signal.

Personally I find it inspirational to see such a diverse group of people working to achieve the same 5k goal. We think people think of us way more than they actually do!!!

I know a sports photographer who loves taking photo's of runs because everybody looks terrible after a few kilometres. He finds it funny. I've seen my share of portraits with snot dripping down or salt near the edge of the face and mascara sitting somewhere on the cheek.

If you uncomfortable, please just speak, Facebook message or email that core team for your parkrun.

They would be horrified to upset anyone I am sure.

Thing is @CalmConfident it shouldn't be an opt out situation really. It shouldn't really be up to people to say they don't want their photos taken, permission should be asked. I wouldn't like my photos used but wouldn't necessarily have the confidence or want to fact the potential awkwardness of asking them to trawl through the photos to get rid of mine.

This has definitely put me off Park Run. I don't know what the answer is, as so many people don't see photos as a problem.

I do think you look fab, though, OP. You look fit and confident!

I feel.your pain OP. I saw mine on FB the other day after someone told me. You couldn't look worse than me. Tomato coloured face. Eyes scrunched up. Gurning up the hill, head and neck as one. My leggings look the crotch area is round my knees. I am buying a Fuck Off t-shirt.

Hmm, people saying you don't look that bad etc are missing the point - it should be up to the individual to choose whether their photo is taken and used. It should not be up to someone else to take that choice away.

Oh I agree, nostaples. OP does look fab and sporty, but it should nevertheless be totally up to her whether photos are used.

Parkrun as an organisation could attract attention of the Information Commissioners Office due to lack of compliance to GDPR unless they desist from breaking the law.

They should not publish people's data on line without their permission for the very reason you highlight, OP. It is your image, your data, your safety potentially at risk (in an extreme situation).

My parkrun posts literally 100s if photos, but people scan only and just look for themselves and rarely tag them (unless you are looking super good)

No! This is not acceptable, the onus should not be placed on the individual to sift and have their image removed. It just shouldn't happen.

If you've signed a disclaimer that you allow your photo to be used, get it changed. Also contact the organisers and highlight GDPR and that they could suffer a hefty fine if they don't immediately comply.

@nostaples If you don't want to be in any photos, you can tell the volunteers before they start taking pictures.

@Iwantplaits If you want to wear a t-shirt saying "No photos, please", that's fair enough, and actually, it would probably make it easier for volunteer photographers to identify and remove you from shots. However, if you do want to wear something with swear words on it... just remember that parkrun is open to people of all ages, and that includes children. Wearing clothing with swear words emblazoned on it might not be the kindest thing to do at a family event.

I would be fuming. I hate photo's of myself anyway add in facebook.... Nope I'd be onto them to remove and stop taking photos or I'd stop

So ParkRun take pictures of children and post them online? What about children that cannot have pictures put online? They can't take part, can they?
Don't we have a duty to children, even when they can be photographed, to protect them from possible ridicule? Taking a unhealthy or overweight child to start parkrun for their health would seem like a positive move, but they would have their picture posted?
And we wonder why children don't do enough sport/physical activity...

@daisychain01 parkrun are fully compliant with the GDPR. Deciding to tag yourself/not tag yourself is not the same as deciding to be in a photograph or not.

If someone wants their picture deleted after an event (and hasn't opted out of being in the photograph in advance), they can let the volunteers know and they will delete it. Simple.

If they asked in advance of the event taking place and their photo appears on official parkrun channels, then that is a safeguarding incident and is logged as one. Action is taken, which obviously includes deleting the photograph but isn't limited to just that.

If you don't want to be in any photos, you can tell the volunteers before they start taking pictures

That wouldn't work where I go as the person taking photos is positioned somewhere along the course, snapping away before you're close enough to say anything. And if you did say it before the start, how would they single you out as someone that doesn't want a photo? 375 people did my local one yesterday.

daisychain whilst I disagree with what they're doing in the strongest way, I don't believe they're breaking the law, as all ParkRuns take place in public places, and it is legal to photograph without permission of individuals in public places.