Meetup photo disgust

[Doglover321]

I’m the Organizer of a popular Meetup group and we recently had our large 1 Year Anniversary event in a local pub. Ahead of the event, I decided to post that we will have a group photo at 8pm for anyone who wants to, and then went around and reminded members just before 8pm that we’re about to take our group photo and they can be in it if they want. There were about 50 of us in attendance, but I specifically remember speaking to two new members and asking them if they want to be in the group photo, to which they responded that they absolutely did. They are pictured in the photo smiling and posing!

HOWEVER, one of these new members has two months later changed her mind and been ordering that the photo is deleted and taken down from all platforms - including Meetup itself, that she didn’t consent, etc.

Where do I stand on this, please?! Don’t tell me I’m going to get them to fill in photo consent forms going forward?!?!

There's a difference between being in a photo and being in a photo you know is going to be shared numerous times. Did she know the photo would be going on social media when she agreed to get in?
On of our local groups includes everyone in photos and blurs out or uses emojis over those who don't want their photo on social media.

Surely if she had a reason like this she would have been more cautious in the first place and would have asked whether/how the photo would be shared?

But the vast majority of people do. It's 2024. This precious woman MUST have known this would go on the internet!

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Considering there were 50 of us in the photo, someone was bound to post it to social media IMO. And I couldn’t not share it with those who are in the photo, they have a right to a copy of a photo of themselves

Ive no idea how meetup works but are there not photos on it?

Yes there are. She doesn’t even want this photo on the Meetup platform despite us being a Meetup group!

We need to get back to a time of personal responsibility. If you join a photo you’re obviously in the photo.

I would say sorry to hear this but as it’s our annual photo the only option I can suggest is we blur you out. I will however not be able to get original copies posted by others altered as they are not in my control. In future please do not join group photos if you do not wish to be in them.

This wtf do people think people do with photos then these days? Who prints them out? They're usually only for sm sharing.

It’s just a growing phenomenon where people believe others are props to their life and the world revolves around them.

We have similar at nursery. Many parents not consenting to photos of their children being shared on the private update apps. Yet they expect to be able to see there children playing and interacting with others. Which means photos are taken of my child which I’m not allowed to see because those parents don’t consent to me seeing their child. But they obviously want to see their child interacting with others. It’s a bizarre situation and just epitomise 2024 ‘of world and everyone in it is just a prop and I’m a central character syndrome’.

I think she does have rights.

I worked with adults in a group. I had to get them to sign a consent form before we put any photo on social media

She has the right to request you to redact her from the photo. Perhaps the nature of the meet-up is such that she is concerned about some other aspect of her life? Either way you can re-upload with her blurred out without that being an issue.

@Craftymam I refused permission for my child to be featured in all nursery/ school images as I know what use can be made of these images. I never expected to see my DC interacting with other kids / playing. I absolutely understood that this meant that they wouldn't be featured in these. And also that this likely meant that they wouldn't win school prizes / be featured at events / take the lead in plays etc that the school wanted to publicise. But....I know what use is made of these images, and it is not paranoid to want to protect my DC from it

In this situation I have to wholeheartedly agree with this.

Even if you had written consent from them they have the right to withdraw consent at any time. If they are indemnified by name or any thing else that could give clues as to their identity under GDPR they could sue you. It’s a shame but you need to take it down.

@Craftymam agree, think it's an attention seeking controlling thing for some. Why pose in a photo then for all the 'images should never be shared!!'

To those saying she has a right to withdraw. Fine, but OP doing after the fact might been it’s already been reposted and she has no control. Cat, bag….

Blur her out and don't include her in any future photos. There's nothing you can do about the copies other people already have. She can go chase those if she wants.

Well exactly. She needs to get over herself. Just keep the photo where it is.

What about any photos other people have shared? The daft woman won't have any control over those.

I wouldn't take it down, I'd just put an emoji over her face like other people have suggested. I also wouldn't let her be in any future photos so she can't be a pain and ruin it for others

The putting an emoji over her face is silly. Just blur her face out and re-upload. There's nothing you can do about any other copies in circulation.

I'm with her btw. While I don't mind being in a group photo, I don't want it shared online. (I'm only on one social media platform and my account is private anyway). Indeed, if I know this in advance of any photographs being taken, I make sure I'm not in them. Next time, remind everyone the pictures will be upload to socials etc so those who don't want their image online can avoid being pictured.

@chickenlettuceunderbacon what do you think happens with the photos if they don't get shared?

People can share images within the group without putting them publicly online.
That's the norm with my family and friends. If someone wants public photos, they say it and take some extra ones with volunteers.
Basic decency, really.

Also, sorry OP for asking, but you mention this person has had to ask the marketing department at her place of work about the status of the photo? Is the meet up politically focused / themed around a lifestyle choice that could be seen as problematic? If so, that places a different complexion on it. Perhaps I have misunderstood though

They can languish on the photographer's phone or be deleted for all I care. I don't know. Also, just because a picture/pictures are taken, it doesn't mean they'll ever see the light of day.

I just don't get this fascination with having to post everything online. At the very least, as a matter of courtesy, the OP should have check it was ok before doing so

She might not be. There are hundreds of reasons not want your photo on the internet.
Facial recognition is very scary. It's amazing how much you can get picked up out of photos.
I'm always slightly worried my shit head of an ex-boyfriend from 30 years ago will find me. He managed to get my phone number once about 20 years ago and rang me up repeatedly. He was never very violent just aggressive and a horrible drunk.
If he trapped me down to where I live it would be very easy to find me at on quite well known around here and he smarmy and nice in person and could find me.
It could be something much more innocuous like she's decided to stop drinking but doesn't want her pub photo or whatever. Anyway it's easy enough just to blur her out and not worry about it.