Photo of husband posted on Facebook group with allegation - legalities?

[Hattie24]

Earlier I was alerted to a post by a woman on our town’s community Facebook page. It is a rant about a flat in her block being used by a group of prostitutes which is causing issues at unsociable hours and how the landlord isn’t doing anything about it. Under this there are photos of various men at the entrance of the block of flats and one of them is my husband. The insinuation is that these have all been visiting that flat.

I want to know the legalities of this woman posting such an allegation as she is outright refusing to remove the post. It is obviously extremely humiliating for me (friends and no doubt colleagues have seen it) and there’s so many comments underneath. We’ve been on a ‘break’ due to various issues but still living together and haven’t been intimate for nearly a year so I don’t need a lecture on how I shouldn’t have married such a man.

Is it me or is someone putting up a post like this without any thought for the consequences on various families etc utterly disgusting?

Unless your husband is under 18 , which of course he isn’t you most likely won’t be able to have the post removed or image rescinded.
You could , I suppose, reach out to the FB site admin, but as he will be seen as part of the problem.
in the same way unsavoury characters hanging around schools; or car thieves captured on ring doorbells/dash cams; or people engaging in anti social behaviour; are shared in this way as a warning to the public -I don’t fancy your chances to be honest.

Regardless of the situation with you and your husband and whether or not he used her services, it's completely illegal to post a photo of anyone without their consent. Same as registration number plates on cars. Unfortunately, most people lack this knowledge. Your husband can bring her to court for this.

If your husband is as innocent as he says then he seeks legal advice and takes the matter from there. If he’s not prepared to do that then ……

Posting the pictures is the least disgusting action in the whole scenario.

Of course. But maybe the person is confident they can prove it
Or at least, confident enough that they know noone is going to risk taking legal action and having the story in all the papers.

If the post is false, he can pursue her for libel. he can start with a written request for a retraction and public statement of correction. He should make sure there is proof of delivery for that letter.

Do you really think he is telling the truth though? Seems like an unlikely location for a physio treatment.

Where did the photo come from?

Presumably the residents of the flats would know if there was someone there offering legitimate physio services? They don't want to live beside a brothel and everything that comes with it. I don't blame them in the slightest for trying to stop it. Imagine raising your children there? Imagine how unsafe it is for their daughters living where the type of creeps who pay to rape these women are in and out through a revolving door?

Don't talk rubbish, of course it isn't.

Not as she owns the rights to the photo and it was taken in public.

The libel bit could be more complicated.

It has been taken from one of the (I assume) first floor flats which is above the entrance and just to the side. There are several other men photographed too.

It isn't always illegal.
In some cases it might be, but not always.

Very different for an organisation, they have to think about GDPR etc. But merely posting a photo of someone isn't illegal.

No I am struggling to believe him unfortunately

You haven't once mentioned whether your husband is bothered by all this?

And also, you have clicked the 'report' button on Facebook, haven't you?

Yes I have reported but it’s still up. I’ve only spoken to him on the phone as soon as I found out, he is staying at a mates tonight after the pub which he has done for the past few fridays

Sorry OP but good for her. She must be at the end of her tether living next to a knocking shop.

Thanks chatgpt.

I would have to be DAMN SURE my husband was telling the truth.. otherwise you'll look even stupider. Or edit to remove 'there is no truth' - doesn't actually matter if it is or isn't true if she can't PROVE that it is.

Dear xx

I’m writing to express serious concern about your recent post implying that my husband has visited a prostitute at [location/block of flats]. The post includes a photograph and insinuations that are not only completely unfounded but also highly damaging to his reputation.

I want to make it clear that there is no truth whatsoever to this allegation. More importantly, under English law, publishing statements—direct or implied—that could seriously harm someone’s reputation without evidence can constitute defamation, specifically libel, which is a civil offence.

You should be aware that the law considers not only the words used, but also the inferences and innuendo drawn from context. Even if you haven’t named him explicitly, if people can identify him from the post, this may still be actionable.

We would prefer not to take this matter further, but if the post is not removed and no clarification issued, we may have no choice but to seek legal advice to protect my husband's reputation.

I trust you’ll understand the seriousness of this and act accordingly.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

No it isn't.

Do you not care that he likely uses sex workers ? You only care that people know?

I'm sure any reasonable physio could provide him with a receipt so that he can claim it on his health insurance!

Or that physios address would be verifiable online if they are a genuine business.

Or perhaps you need to book that physio yourself for that niggling pain in your thigh no?

He's lying. Why you are trying to protect him?

Quite -
and if need be he could put a screenshot of that appointment up on then naff silly fb site as a rebuff I mitigate the reputational damage if you really feel your peers friends and neighbours are concerned/invested

So if we follow that line of thought to its logical conclusion - if a man commits a crime against say children or women or a hate crime - are you saying we shouldn’t put his photo up because it will affect his family?

End of the day I’m sympathetic to families being blamed for something they haven’t done, but the issue is the perpetrator in their midst . They caused it.

Agreed - only minors and even then good luck

We aren’t together currently. I clearly don’t approve of that behaviour but it isn’t illegal.

She quite clearly and understandably doesn't want to be the subject of salacious gossip, as well you know FFS. Unhelpful bullshit

absolute rubbish I’m afraid, unless you can provide the legislation.
There is no law that forbids a private individual from filming another, unless it
constitutes harassment