Photos in the park.

[Percyfish3rd]

I recently took my 3 year old granddaughter to the park, and took some photos of her on the slide. As we were leaving a woman said "excuse me, I saw you taking some photos, of that little girl. My daughter was in some of them 8n the background. 8 want you to delete the photos. If you don't I' ll call the police, it's illegal to take photos of other peoples children". I pointed out to her it wasn't illegal, and I'd rather keep the photos. Her husband then joined us, and said as I was using a " professional camera" (there is no such thing) he would shove it into a part of my anatomy I won't mention. I decided to delete them, after all they would be easy enough to recover at home, but how many people would have done the same thing as this couple, even though the photos weren't specifically of their child?

*delete, not take!

supersonic I just ask if they could take care to crop the child out, not to put a clear picture of their face online.

"Hi! Could I ask you to be careful with those pictures you have taken? Could you make sure that none of my child go online, make sure they are obscured or cropped out?"

I've never had anyone ask me why beyond a quizzical look. And I smile and say something like "thank you for being so understanding,.you know how it's these days*

And then I keep my fingers crossed that they will be thoughtful enough to comply.

That is pretty much what I was told by the fostering support woman, this is all I can do, short of keeping the child under house arrest.

People do not understand the law, in public you can take a photo of anyone without their permission.

This is why people should protect their children by not letting them run around naked or in anything they are 'uncomfortable' with photos existing of in public areas like beaches, the onus is on you as a parent as the law is perfectly clear on photography.

How do people think things like CCTV work, there are people and journalists that make whole careers out of street photography.

You did not need to delete them, you own complete copyright to the photos you have taken and should have phoned the police at being harrassed.

No, you shouldn't have deleted them. Do these people ask everyone with a CCTV camera outside their property to delete the footage when their kid walks past? Of course not, because that would be ridiculous. You go outside, you're on camera somewhere.

@arithanaggerton

To be honest I find it quite sad that many assume the photos will automatically go straight on to social media.

Yes this!

I don’t plan to put up any pics of my children on social media.

I would have deleted the photo if other child was in it. I too believe it's something you try to avoid as much as possible , to take photo of someone without their consent even just in the background. And if I was asked, I would definitely comply with their request.

If there was a genuine concern over the child's safety I'm sure they would be aware of the law and wouldn't have behaved that way. They could easily have said they were so sorry but people having photos of the child was a safe guarding risk and would she mind deleting them please.
No, these were people who think everyone is out to abduct their child and any photos they happen to be slightly in are highly dangerous to their safety so they'll throw their weight around, make up laws and bully people into deleting them. You should have told them to call the police because you wanted to report him threatening you.

@arithanaggerton

To be honest I find it quite sad that many assume the photos will automatically go straight on to social media.

Yes but there's a very high probability they will.

And the irony is, a large number of parents shouting about 'their rights' regarding people photographing their kids, will have completely ignored their own kids rights not to have their photos on social media.

@justanotherneighinparadise

So you were threatened in the park by two crazy people and the first post in reply to your thread decides YOU were in the wrong 🤣

This place really is priceless.

This! Totally agree.

@Hallyup6

No, you shouldn't have deleted them. Do these people ask everyone with a CCTV camera outside their property to delete the footage when their kid walks past? Of course not, because that would be ridiculous. You go outside, you're on camera somewhere.

There is very strict legislation governing the use and storage of domestic CCTV so I imagine they can reasonably assume that the law is doing its job to protect the child in this instance.

There’s ways and means of asking. You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar.

Someone I know has to be very careful her children aren’t photographed. If someone does happen to potentially catch them in a photo she just asks nicely that if their faces are in the photos could the person please crop or blur if they’re going online. Everyone she’s ever asked has been really lovely about it and often shown her the photos and asked if they’re ok.

No one wants to potentially put a vulnerable child in danger but they also don’t want to be threatened in a park.

@PurpleDaisies

It isn’t illegal but surely it’s common courtesy to just delete a photo with a child in it when third parent doesn’t want the to be? There was no need to argue back.

This.

I took some photos of a group of swans at the edge of a lake by a kiosk selling drinks and snacks.

A woman in her late 60s or 70s, I guess (around 10+ years older than me), shouted over and accused me of photographing her husband (similar age to her) who had been one of the people throwing bread for the birds.

When I said I had been photographing the swans she demanded to see the pictures, adding 'I don't want him all over social media'. He just stood, looking embarrassed.

This was all complicated by the fact this was during the first lockdown, when places could sell takeaways but we were all keeping huge distance from one another, even outside. The woman couldn't see any of the pictures on my phone and neither of us was prepared to move any closer.

She eventually humphed and told me to delete any with him on before they went to buy coffees.

I did wonder if he was on witness protection scheme or something - there really was nothing else about him that mght have made him a magnet for photographers!

My BIL (previous threats against us, threats to our DC, vandalising our homes) found us through a photograph that a stranger took and put on Facebook of their kids in our local area, with our DC in the background. We had to move from the area, uproot the children from school, change doctors, leave friends behind, again. It's happened three times, all through Facebook photographs by either school mums or strangers.

The way these parents went about it was wrong, but consider that they may have been motivated by fear.

If they HAD been more courteous I would have let them see the photos, and if their child was clearly in the photos, then I probably would have deleted those frames. However, their insinuation wad I was purposely filming THEIR child. Also to be accused of the old "professional camera" rubbish, while others were taking photos on their phones irked me. However, as "deleting" the photos does no such thing, and rather than causing more of a scene in front of my granddaughter, I did as they asked, then recovered the photos at home. Funnily enough, their child was only even partly visible in one photo!

I’d absolutely love it if they saw this thread and they knew you recovered the photos when you got home

So when I go to Alton Towers do I have to give permission for every ride to take my photo ?
And then for them to subsequently sell it to someone else ?
The world’s gone mad.

I hate my child being in people photos. I don’t have any account where you upload photos. As in I don’t have facebook. Instagram. Those kinds of things

Because everyone posts the world and their problems onto social media accounts

However. I do completely understand that my children might be in the background of other people photos. I also understand that they might post these on social media. I also understand that it’s completely in their right to take a photo of my child in a public place if they so wished

My child wouldn’t be the focus. So that is just what happens in life now. I was at the beach and in the space of 5 hrs. I saw 47 or so lots of people taking photos for social media accounts. Some girls even brought 10 or so outfits to change into! The poses made our day! People taking photos of women from behind.

It makes me wonder what kind of world we live in. It seems we’re so preoccupied with what others think.

Anyhoo. So whilst I sympathise with the couple. It’s part and parcel of going out in public. However me personally. Because I feel the same. I would of deleted them. Though I know I’ve got no legal reason to do so.

I like taking photos of my kids when we're at the park, it's what I do, I'm always taking photos lol.
You do have to be mindful that not everyone wants to be in photos though, and especially of other children.
If someone came up to me saying I had taken photos of theirs, I'd check and if I had apologise, and immediately delete.

I’d absolutely love it if they saw this thread and they knew you recovered the photos when you got home smile

I was thinking that!

Can those saying "not illegal" or whatever not see that it can be a safety risk to others?
Whether it be a family member you're escaping from, or whatever?
Why would you want your child's photo potentially on FB?
As, let's face it that's where a lot of photos end up.
As in an innocuous "at the park" post.
Innocuous for you, yes, but not for those who you've got in your photo.
Plus lots of mutuals in your friends list who might see the photo and pass it on/details.
"Oh I saw your Freddie in a photo the other day"
To the person/people you're staying away from for whatever reason.
Sounds paranoid, but happens, which is why schools have strict social media policies regarding other peoples kids.
Doesn't apply to me, but it's empathy and understanding others and that not everyone's the same situation.

You should always be mindful of other people's children.

You never know if they are being fostered or anything like that.

What you did was legal but she was polite to start with and for all you know they could be in witness protection and be scared of stuff going online.

@TurtleBay28

You should always be mindful of other people's children.

You never know if they are being fostered or anything like that.

Social media and sharing pictures is the problem there.

Not necessarily the picture itself, if its for private personal use.

Whilst I think you should make every effort to avoid other children in photos, the threat of violence should have meant a call to the police. Any man prepared to make such a threat to a stranger, what does he do behind closed doors?

I love how everyone is in witness protection. It’s actually a wonder there are actually any unsolved crimes when people can be easily found by looking at random strangers social media