My sons photo taken at school gates and shared in parking vigilante group on Facebook

[Mimitheminx4]

Hi Mumsnet

Got a lovely knock at the door today around half four to find another Mum from school I barely know holding out her phone. On her phone is a picture of me and my 5 year old getting out of my Mums car in gridlocked traffic this morning. She explains that a group has been set up on Facebook for '* schools inconsiderate drivers' and a photo of me and my little boy-with his face exposed-had been uploaded, with 19 comments attached to it. After some parents have kindly pointed this out, the picture has been reposted with his face and a circle in front of it. The caption is still the same 'another drop and runner on the zig-zags.'

We live in a super busy city. I don't drive. My husband is a plum and took the pushchair to work this morning. It was pouring with rain and I had to get my baby, toddler and little boy on the way to school in time. My mum offered to help. The traffic is gridlocked. I hop out of the car outside of the school as the cars were stuck in traffic on the slim roads, on the zig zag. There is cars stuck in front of my mum, all with brake lights on, there is also a line of traffic the other way at a standstill. My mum, could not move. I seized this opportunity, didn't think anything of it and ran him into school as the caretaker wished us good morning.

I relay this story to the admin on this page, and demand they take down our photo-the photo clearly shows the traffic/brake lights. I also relay I know they have already had my little boys face up unconcealed and I would be seeking legal advice. Here, the woman and man who run the page mock me, and tell me he is a photographer and can share any photo of my little boy he likes and I am making myself look stupid. I reiterate that I want them to remove the photo. I am polite, yet I am banned from the group and my comments are deleted leaving my face and photo up and no right to reply.
I alert other parents to the people who have taken the photos and they all report the photo to facebook,. The admin say they removed me from the group as I didn't say anything 'meaningful'. After much backlash from other parents they finally remove it at 7 pm, saying they have done so to 'keep the group civil'. Meanwhile school send out a parentmail to say they have reported it to police as many parents and pupils upset but they can't do anything and we need to report to police. I am the only person in the photos. I feel embarassed. I have reported names to police, and they advise school needs to be involved and to seek legal advice too. I am slightly worried about headteacher as she makes me feel five myself, despite the fact I am 32 but will go in tomorrow. I cannot find anything legally but I am sure it is not right that other parents are allowed to take photos of my 5 year and use them in a facebook group to 'name and shame' as they call it? I am getting watsapp messages from other parents now, who when challenge what they are doing/have done are having personal pictures from their facebook shared! This cannot be right, surely! I understand that people shouldnt park on zig-zags and am all for safety but it was gridlocked traffic and shouldn't be my little boy/me being the poster for it!?

If you were in a public place then there is no rule against someone taking and publishing your photo.

It's not illegal to take a photo and publish it if you were on council land i.e. In public.
Unfortunately your mum was adding to the gridlock and it's this they are campaigning against. She could have parked on next street etc to let you out.

How could she park on next street if the streets surrounding are gridlocked and at a standstill? I understand their campaign, I am more concerned that they are taking photos of children at school gates and publishing them on facebook without consent? Would you not if you are/were a parent?!

www.theiac.org.uk/resourcesnew/filming-in-public/ACPO_Guidance_PhotographsPublicPlaces.pdf

The next street couldn't possibly have been "gridlocked" or she wouldn't have been able to drive through it. How fortunate that you were forced to come to a complete standstill right outside the school gates...

If I'm understanding this correctly, OP, they hid your child's face once they were asked to do so, is that correct? Is there still a picture up that shows your child's face? If not, I don't see the problem. It's embarrassing, yes, and I probably would have done what you did too, but if traffic gridlock is a problem in the area I can see how that kind of thing doesn't help.

I think you have been treated unfairly by the group. Your mum wasn't really parked intentionally, just stuck behind other gridlocked traffic and you seized the chance to nip out the car.

There is a similar fb page in my City Parking Like A Twat . TBH I only look at it to make sure my DD1 hasn't been caught seeing as her parking is pretty bad, lol

Genuine question, why are you so worked up that your son's face was shown? What do you imagine could happen? I wouldn't remember what some ramdom looked like on fb, I just don't pay that much attention. Surely your school run will be old news in less than a day. I'd relax and not worry about it.

The driver broke the law. The photographer didn't. Though I wouldn't be happy about someone putting my kids on the internet there's nothing you can really do about it.

If you had done nothing this would be yesterday's news by now instead of this big drama.

doesnt sound like you did anything wrong. its easy for a street to get gridlocked very quickly.

i think they are right re: photos but fuck it, it will be forgotten about soon enough. chances are everyones laughing at these knobbers anyway.

iiwm id nearly be wishing for gridlock tomorrow

Dropping off on zigzags isn't allowed, heavy traffic or not. Excuses about rain, buggies etc doesn't make a difference. I don't see what the problem is, they covered your son's face, and I'm not sure how the picture of you on the page is going to breach his safety in anyway? It's not illegal to take a picture of others in public, but your mum could have got a ticket for unloading on zigzags.

I don't really see what the problem is regarding your son's face being visible.

On the issue of your picture being published I can understand your upset and whilst I don't know what recourse you have on this I'd be upset myself.

HOWEVER, I don't care how busy, rainy, gridlocked, late running, chaotic, or just plain tits up your morning has gone, it's NEVER ok to park or drop off on the zig zags during the banned hours. It's for kids safety. Either park up streets away and walk the rest of the way (yes in rain too you won't melt), change your routine to allow more time, or accept that sometimes it's better to be late than put kids at risk by parking or dropping off on zig zags.

Sorry but I have little sympathy for people that zig zag drop after years of my DD nearly being run over because of it. Do better.

If you usually walk there then it's a bit unfortunate that you've been candid camera'd, but there's nothing you can do and I think you've blown it out of all proportion because you've overreacted in your embarrassment.

Really they should have been posting a photo of your mum/her car, seems a bit daft to have a photo of you and son, who could have easily been innocent bystanders...unless the photographer watched your actions and your account is a bit

Forget about it, would be my advice, And leave the police to police work

Yes why didn't your mum park in a place she knew she would get a parking spot rather than go as far as directly outside school? When I was doing regular drop offs there was a certain distance I knew I could go before it would be gridlock and no chance of parking. So I parked BEFORE I reached that spot.

You were in the wrong, you know.

Why is it such an issue that it shows your child's face?

I don't think OPs mum parked though did she? She was in a queue of traffic that wasn't moving so the OP got out of the car. If this is what happened then I think the OP is getting an unnecessarily hard time.

Letting people out on zig zags is also illegal. The fact that she was in a traffic jam is irrelevant.

YELLOW ZIG ZAG LINES PENALTY CHARGE NOTICE (PCN)
Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) are issued to motorists that do not conform to the rules restricting them from waiting, stopping or parking even to pick up or drop off children to school on yellow zig zag lines if restrictions are in force. Civil Enforcement Officers issue PCNs if restricted parking is dealt with by local councils.