Long lost friend has taken a photo of my house and posted it on Instagram

[instapaints]

Last week, a friend (whom I've not seen in nearly 2 years) texted me that she was in the area and asked we could meet to 'catch up on old times'. I unfortunately wasn't free and she told me that she could just stop by my place for a quick coffee. Fine. An hour of good conversation later, and she brought out essential oils for me to try out and possibly buy! Bit odd, but I declined and we parted ways.

Today, I decided to look her up on Instagram for some reason and saw photos of my living room and kitchen with the caption 'new furniture!' The hashtags were all related to the oils she was selling, with the bottles being in the picture too so it looked like some sort of ad? I've messaged her about this but she hasn't replied yet.

Is there something I can do to get these pictures taken down?

thejollyroger

I don’t think you’re legally protected against someone taking a picture inside your home.

Actually, I think the OP is protected. It’s private property and the friend doesn’t have permission to take pictures there. If someone was to take your photo on the street and publish it, that would be fine as it was taken on public property. It’s why papp images of celebrities, walking down the street, whether they consent or not, are published. If a photographer took a picture over a wall of someone’s garden, that wouldn’t be published as they have a reasonable expectation of privacy and it’s private property.

Label up a bottle ‘essential oil of bullshit’
Take identical pictures
Post them on her page

@instapaints look at @LazyDaisey comment.... that is definitely way to go.

This is well worth a read OP
ellebeaublog.com/

She's finally replied to my texts saying that she forgot to tag me and that she was actually complimenting my furniture.

She’s obviously lying and probably only suggested meeting up so she could try to sell you something. What a weirdo?!

I can understand you’re annoyed but I’d just cut her out now. She obviously didn’t expect you to catch her out!

I’m curious what are these companies names? Or are we not allowed to name them?

I’m always being invited to bloody parties for (let’s call it) Hopic. Is this one of these! I always think oh I’ll just go for the wine and nibbles but every bloody time end up spending large amounts of money: but what amazes me is that others spend way more than me!

My best friend in the last stages of her life asked me to deal with all of her social media and email accounts to delete and clean up stuff. Some acquaintance who was part of an MLM scheme for juices really stalked all of her accounts to try and flog her those overpriced products, claiming that they would enable her to fight off her cancer. To try and exploit the desperation of someone in the end stages of cancer who would not see her infant DC grow up really was beyond the pale. They were work colleagues and that woman wasn't even supposed to have a second job due to the sensitive nature of their job. I contacted their employers and told them that she was trying to rip off a dying woman. She got suspended and faced a disciplinary. It's hard to put into words the loathing I feel for these MLM vultures.

@Grumpelstilskin What awful behaviour on that bot's part. Well done for reporting her. I wish more people would, especially those in the NHS and people like social workers who use their positions to lend credibility to snake oil and "opportunities".

She is creating a security risk for you showing the inside of your house and what's in it. Instagram must take it down as it has been obtained by deception and without your approval. That is no friend!

Haven't read the whole post, but DON'T message publicly that the pics are of the interior of your house. I agree with Laura Mipsum (I am also a lawyer, tho no longer practising). For caution, read the small print of your contents insurance policy, just in case there's something relevant there... (insurance contracts are underpinned by an obligation on the insured's part of good faith, a general concept which is usually buttressed by various do's and don'ts on the insured's part in the policy: there may be something about social media posts relating to your possessions and lifestyle...)

Christ!

@instapaints, just wow!!I I would be beyond furious at your so called friend and the way they treated you as a marketing tool. I have an acquaintance who pedals Doterra's essential oils, which are apparently the only "therapeutic grade" oil on the market. Sounds very impressive, until you discover that the company created this grading themselves before awarding it to themselves . If pressed as to why the products are so eye-wateringly expensive, buyers are reassured that it is because all other essential oils are inferior blah blah. Still, at least my acquaintance has never tried to pretend she is interested in my company for any reason other than my wallet. Where I live, MLMs are everywhere - kids clothes, adult clothes, cosmetics, nail wraps, essential oils, to name just the first few that come to mind.

What a CF! Post a comment underneath, report the pic to Instagram and call her until she deletes it. What a cheeky mare!!

Last Week Tonight did a good show about MLMs.

She's a nutter. Who does that?!

Honestly, how desperate can they get to try to project a successful lifestyle when 99.9% of them are losing money.

I have a friend who was involved in an MLM despite being warned, thankfully she seems to have woken up now and stopped.

Seconded that the Elle Beau blog is a great read. There needs to be much tighter regulation of these "companies"

One MLM rep for an essential oils company was telling people to eat them! She was making "flu bombs" to cure people from flu. It's really dangerous and you should NEVER ingest essential oils EVER unless an actual qualified aromatherapist tells you to. Many of them are too strong to put on your skin neat, let alone swallow them.

Totally irresponsible!

Also, testing usually shows that MLM essential oils are not particularly good quality - except for Neal's Yard, which are pretty reliable, but they were good before they went MLM. Still shouldn't eat them though!

I went to a Neil’s Yard ‘party’.

I was horrified at the experience. She kept on going on about how a particular cream could ‘cure’ eczema. I queried this explaining that no one cream can cure it. My DS had really really bad eczema, I mentioned this. The lady told me (in front of about 15 people) that she could not believe that I had taken a doctors advise and she would never put anything on her child’s skin recommended by a doctor. I was too shocked to say anything but I wish I had made some witty comeback about trusting a consultant with umpteen years of medical training over someone who has no training.

I’d reply like ‘erm... when did you take pics of my house? Nice to see you the other day... so random’ or something sarcastic

Good riddance to her. Message to say explicitly that you do not wish any photos of you or your home to be used without your consent and that you're hurt that she did this. Then disconnect for good id say

I would make comment on each photo letting everyone know that it is YOUR home! She sounds bloody deranged

@ahmadsmom2015 MLM is a massive deal when it’s causing so much damage among those that sign up. I’ve seen so many cases of people emotionally, socially and economically savaged by this barely legal fraud, it’s shocking. As for EO, nice smells, bugger all else. Yet a friend of mine was encouraged to stop chemo for breast cancer and take the “natural chemical free” Doterra option instead. Both Doyerra and Young Living claimed they could cure Ebola back in 2014 and were heavily fined. Bunch of crooks. These MLM huns are desperate so they abandon their moral compass in a desperate big to sell product. What they haven’t understood is that they’re not in a retail sales business, they’re in a recruitment business. These schemes are not harmless.

As well as Elle Beau blog and Talented Ladies it’s also worth looking at MLM Lies Exposed on FB and the Anti MLM Coalition, also follow #antimlmmovement on Twitter.

I don’t know what MLM is but presumably OP can’t comment on the posts as she has been blocked by her friends

friend not friends

I imagine now you're blocked she's just going to put the picture up again