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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 12/08/2022 01:43

Paparazzi have no interest in taking random pictures of strangers or their children though, and surely they have to get permission first, either from a parent if they wish to capture images of a child, or an adult themselves if they wish to capture images of an adult?

You are not really expecting us to believe that you thought that all paparazzi work by consent?!

POTC · 12/08/2022 01:50

twoandcooplease · 12/08/2022 00:57

The more you write though I'm starting to think I also maybe didn't know it was legal either

I knew media coverage like I exampled in my pp is legal but you're talking about someone intentionally taking a picture of your child. Not by accident and not in the background but going over and taking a photo - I don't think I knew that was allowed
It's really not ok and if I phoned the police to report someone doing this to my ds would they just laugh at me and say they can't help? Not come to take a statement or anything??

They wouldn't laugh because they're too professional and sadly too used to getting ridiculous calls. No they wouldn't come out or take a statement because nothing illegal would have taken place and they're too busy dealing with things that are actually illegal!

JasmineVioletRose · 12/08/2022 01:55

Junipercrumble · 12/08/2022 00:24

So a random stranger, let's say an adult on their own, can walk into a playground and take pictures or videos specifically of my child, which then belong to the random stranger, and then post them on their own instagram page? 🤨
Without my permission?
With no consent from anyone?
Can I force them to delete the images if I catch them snapping away?
Does my child or myself have any rights to images taken by a complete stranger?
Surely it is a flagrant breach of our privacy?

But you are not in a private place. What's complicated?

HinchcliffeandMurgatroyd · 12/08/2022 01:57

POTC · 12/08/2022 01:50

They wouldn't laugh because they're too professional and sadly too used to getting ridiculous calls. No they wouldn't come out or take a statement because nothing illegal would have taken place and they're too busy dealing with things that are actually illegal!

Show quote history

If someone you didn’t know was actually taking a specific inappropriate interest in your child, you would probably be able to get the police interested in that, TBF. Just not for some made up offence of “photographing without permission”.

clary · 12/08/2022 02:01

Op think about it. How could it possibly be illegal? How could you police it? If it were illegal, no one would be allowed to take a picture in any crowd- at the Olympics, at Alton Towers, at a football match. You wouldn't be able to film your child winning a race or scoring a goal. Have you never seen a crowd shot on the news or a film clip showing shoppers or people at a gig?

You say you make sure not to take pix with others' children in them - really? So no pic of your kids' football team or your child in the school play?

sashh · 12/08/2022 02:31

Don't be ridiculous OP

I watched an event at the commonwealth games, I was on TV, as was the entire crowd, including children.

There were even some close ups of children waving flags.

And these may well have been shown internationally.

My local paper published a picture of a local paddling pool, lots of children in very little clothing.

www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wolverhampton/2022/08/11/bumper-crowds-enjoy-tettenhall-pool-but-people-warned-to-take-care/

Not only that but anyone can order a copy.

OP

You do know about CCTV don't you?

ReneBumsWombats · 12/08/2022 03:56

Paparazzi have no interest in taking random pictures of strangers or their children

You've never seem pap shots of slebs out with their kids? Or shots of public streets on the news?

Public places are public.

Jenny70 · 12/08/2022 04:11

There are lots of things people do that are distasteful & socially unacceptable, but not illegal. I wouldn't be pleased to sit next to someone picking their nose, squeezing a zit or taking their shoes off with smelly feet. But because these acts are only rude, I simply have to move away, ask them to stop or put up with it.

And yes if someone obviously photographed my child without my/their consent, I would be annoyed and probably suspicious as to their motives. But I realise than in a public space, I have no legal right to stop them. And if they put it on social media, yes again cross, but not ready to call the police.

It is definitely bad manners and socially unacceptable to film someone else's child, particularly if it isn't a background/crowd scenario. But I never expected it to be illegal, or a crime.

Clymene · 12/08/2022 04:13

Most people don't want pictures of your kids so I'm not sure why you're getting all riled up about

@MulletsBeGone you know some weird people

FrenchFancie · 12/08/2022 04:44

theres no expectation of privacy in a public place - I enjoy photography and rely on this to take street photography, zooming in on people with interesting faces etc. (Although I do try to be subtle about it).

as a previous poster said, sadly pervs aren’t taking pictures of children in the street.

OP I’m sorry but you and your circle of friends needs to get over yourselves a bit….

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 12/08/2022 05:38

Why do you think celebrities sometimes punch photographers in the street ?

If it was illegal Diana would still be alive .

IceStationZebra · 12/08/2022 05:39

OP is being ridiculous but tbh I would possibly be a bit weirded out if someone was deliberately photographing my child in a public place, and would seek to remove my child and myself from the situation. Depends on the vibe really.

Having said that, I did once photograph a man in a park who had one of those huge bubble wands and had a constant stream of children running about to catch and pop them. The photos were lovely.

srey · 12/08/2022 05:46

I'm surprised you didn't know this tbh.

FunnyBeaux · 12/08/2022 06:05

Maybe somebody took a photograph of one of my sons when they were younger. Maybe somebody is lusting over it right now. And you know what, I don't know and I don't care and neither would they.

This. I've always found it bizarre the paranoia some have about a person doing nefarious things to their kid's photo. That's the definition of a victimless crime. After all the nobody is hurt whatsoever.

Christinatheastonishing · 12/08/2022 06:18

I don't mean to shock you and your friends OP, but apparently people are legally allowed to look at you too. They can even think evil thoughts.

orangeisthenewpuce · 12/08/2022 06:24

Yes you are BU. Of course it's not illegal

custardbear · 12/08/2022 06:28

I opened up a broadsheet a few years ago to find a picture of my boyfriend, he had no idea it had been taken. It was to highlight something about water pollution and he happened to be at a popular water spot and snap, huge picture of him in the broadsheets! I sent a letter (back in the day before email was the way to go!) asking for a copy of the photo and low and behold the photographer wrote back asking for money ... so not only do they do that, they also own it completely lol

GiltEdges · 12/08/2022 06:29

Junipercrumble · 12/08/2022 00:09

No one in my circle of friends were aware of this.
Surely you must ask permission of the parent before snapping pictures or video clips of their children especially?
Paparazzi have no interest in taking random pictures of strangers or their children though, and surely they have to get permission first, either from a parent if they wish to capture images of a child, or an adult themselves if they wish to capture images of an adult?

You obviously have no idea how the paparazzi works… do you really believe all the pictures of celebrities and their children that end up in papers/online are taken with their permission?

Spanielsarepainless · 12/08/2022 06:39

Yes, I did know that. Why not? And yes, we photographers own the copyright to our pictures.

BorderlineObsessedWithYou · 12/08/2022 06:48

It’s weird to purposely take photos of a stranger. There was a thread on here a while ago where someone had taken photos of OPs child on a bus. She asked the person to delete the photos and they eventually did but I think many people on the thread seemed to think OP was wrong.

Years ago, when we were on holiday (in England), we saw a man shouting at another man that was looking a bit sheepish. Apparently the sheepish man has been taking photos of the other mans children, and other children, and the father was screaming at him to delete the images, calling him a paedophile. The police were eventually called and asked the man to show them the photos he’d taken, they took his camera from him and then he was escorted away with the police. The man then told us that he’d seen this man hanging around over the last few days watching children, but this was the first time he’d seen him take photos. He was going to follow up with the police to see if the photos were deleted or any action was taken. It’s very disturbing to think this would be allowed.

DownNative · 12/08/2022 06:49

You've seen dash cams on cars, right?

I've front and rear dash cams which means anybody and everybody WILL be filmed wherever I go.

Not just motorists either.

If taking photos and film of people in public without permission was illegal, you wouldn't be able to drive around with dash cams.

It is not reasonable to expect people to get permission of every single person in shot......

onlythreenow · 12/08/2022 06:53

I have known this for decades. There have always been photographers taking photos of strangers, and street scenes. It's common knowledge - how on earth are some people so ignorant these days?

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 12/08/2022 06:54

I'm actually surprised you didn't know this tbh. You're in public, not the privacy of your own home.

PastaCheese · 12/08/2022 06:54

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CandyLeBonBon · 12/08/2022 06:56

If you tried to smash my camera out of my hand op I'd be calling the police on you. The likes of Bruce Gilden and Weegee made their very successful careers precisely on the back of the fact that it's not illegal to photograph people without permission in public.

That said I understand your discomfort if someone looks as if they are deliberately targeting your kids.

It is general etiquette to make clear your intentions (eg documentary or street photography) if kids are involved but if they don't, and you feel uncomfortable I would film them filming you/your kids as a counter measure. If they are up to no good they probably won't want video evidence so it may give them pause.

But no you can't just destroy other people's property.