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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be shocked to discover

364 replies

Junipercrumble · 12/08/2022 00:02

Apparently, it is NOT illegal for a stranger to take photographs or video clips of people, including their children in a public place. 😵

I, like many of my friends are astonished if this is true.

I wonder how many people are aware of this?

OP posts:
TeenDivided · 15/08/2022 19:45

Gemcat1 · 14/08/2022 23:57

If you are in a public place then there is nothing to stop anyone taking pictures. I know that some schools won't let you take pictures of kids during sports days as they are in PE gear (really!) but there you go. If you have CCTV then under the FOI Act, if someone asks you for a copy of a video during certain times then you are required to provide it.

More likely they don't trust parents not to post on wide open social media, and there are children at the school who have said no to photos due to domestic abuse or being looked after / adopted.

Posting a photo of a child at a sports day immediately tells people the locality where they live, plus where they will be between 9&3 190 days of the year. It is much more of a security issue than taking photo at Alton Towers or Blackpool beach.

scabbers44 · 15/08/2022 19:49

I haven't RTFT but don't things like witness protection or other instances where someone doesn't want their whereabouts to be known come into play here?

MajorCarolDanvers · 15/08/2022 19:52

Common knowledge this

Janesmom · 15/08/2022 19:52

This thread is quite an insight. I’d have assumed this was all just common sense!

If you’re in public, anyone can see you so being able to take photos is hardly a violation!

ProfessorSlocombe · 15/08/2022 20:21

scabbers44 · 15/08/2022 19:49

I haven't RTFT but don't things like witness protection or other instances where someone doesn't want their whereabouts to be known come into play here?

No.

Davros · 15/08/2022 20:23

Some ranty woman told DH off for taking photos in the park once. She insisted on deleting them, only to find it was a "real" camera and not a digital one. He wasn't taking photos of her or her kids. He told her to do one

Whadda · 15/08/2022 20:28

scabbers44 · 15/08/2022 19:49

I haven't RTFT but don't things like witness protection or other instances where someone doesn't want their whereabouts to be known come into play here?

By that reasoning, nobody would be able to look at each other on the street.

Whysolong7 · 15/08/2022 20:29

of course it’s not illegal. We are probably all in the background of a 100 selfies and videos shot by tourists and students. What are people supposed to do, clear a bar / park / restaurant to take a picture in case a member of the public ends up in the picture or video. How would it be workable to do it any other way.

SerendipityJane · 15/08/2022 21:32

Davros · 15/08/2022 20:23

Some ranty woman told DH off for taking photos in the park once. She insisted on deleting them, only to find it was a "real" camera and not a digital one. He wasn't taking photos of her or her kids. He told her to do one

Also, what do you do if a camera is internet enabled and uploads photos instantly ? Like what my budget smartphone does ?

ReneBumsWombats · 15/08/2022 22:42

SerendipityJane · 15/08/2022 21:32

Also, what do you do if a camera is internet enabled and uploads photos instantly ? Like what my budget smartphone does ?

Show quote history

Tell your stalkers you've got an identical twin.

How would they know how to find random photos of you on a complete stranger's social media?

If you've told someone you're going to be at A and you go to public place B, you run the chance of being rumbled. You're out in public.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 16/08/2022 08:57

@Popcorncovered no I don't think the children should have or even needed to leave the beach. I was trying to get a nice sunset lit shot of my daughter with a beautiful view of the beach in the background. I'd have discarded any shots that the scouts accidentally jumped into. I didn't want them in my photos but I kept snapping anyway and would have just cropped or deleted any shots that they were in.

I wasn't going to turn my camera the other way because a shot of my daughter against the background of a car park wasn't what I was aiming for! It doesn't matter that the scout lady didn't know that. She also didn't know that I wasn't a thief about to steal their belongings but she didn't accuse me of that or any other crimes she imagined I may be plotting against them.

She just saw the big camera and assumed I was going to take photos of her scouts and plaster them over the internet - that's a bit of a leap on her part I think. Why would I want photos of a bunch of scouts when all I wanted was a nice photo of my daughter and some time to practise my camera skills. If I'd just been using my phone she would have probably left me to it. I don't see why I had to stop my perfectly legal activity because of her strange paranoia about a middle aged women on a beach with her own child and a camera.

Popcorncovered · 16/08/2022 09:55

don't see why I had to stop my perfectly legal activity because of her strange paranoia about a middle aged women on a beach with her own child and a camera

I have already explained why.

alltoomuchrightnow · 16/08/2022 10:16

Do you live in a cave?!
Have you heard of Street Photography for example?

AngelsWithSilverWings · 16/08/2022 11:43

@Popcorncovered and I've clearly explained why not - have a good day.

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