You can't ban parents from taking pictures, schools told

You can't ban parents from taking pictures, schools told

www.dailymail.co.uk

Parents who want to take photos of their children in school plays or at sports days can once again snap happily away.

The privacy watchdog says authorities that have banned parents taking shots for the family album are wrongly interpreting the rules.

Relatives wanting to take pictures at nativity plays, sports days or other public events are often told that doing so would breach the Data Protection Act.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is an update to a thread I posted almost a week ago. I was thrilled that many of ATS members appreciated the story enough to award me stars and flags which never hurt when your trying to post interesting threads that keep our members awake and aware. I'm not really sure what changed in the first story that reported parents were banned from taking pictures of their children but I truly hope it was presure and calls that included members of ATS.

www.dailymail.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

How the hell could parents taking pictures of their children at school events be construed as a breach of the Data Protection act? That's one pretty wild interpretation of the act and just doesn't hold water.
It's more likely to do with the media generated hysteria that has people now thinking there's a pedophile on every street corner, and anyone, especially males, taking photographs in public is up to no good and potential kiddie fiddler.
a fellow poster on a photography forum posted a story yesterday about being accosted by police officers while out with his camera in woods at a local park. Some busybody had seen him and called the police to report him. Hell, even I get looks sometimes when out and about with my DSLR and long lens on display.

I am godfather to my friend's two little children, aged 4 and 2 and take photos all the time when we are out somewhere, or even in the garden. There are probably people out there that would view me with suspicion, taking photos of other people's kids simply because that is how they have been conditioned to react. Time was when you could walk about with a camera snapping away all day and nobody would bat an eyelid, unfortunately these days you are viewed by many as being up to no good and a possible terrorist gathering intel on your next target or a pedophile possibly taking photos of somebody's kids.

It's a sick world alright, made sicker and ever more paranoid by ill informed sensationalist media stories.

I'm amazed they didn't just accuse them of being paedophiles.

Glad to see that someone had some common sense when all was said and done...




Thanks for following up on this story!

A victory for common sense indeed.

Screw the thought police.

Well that has to be a first in the UK, someone thinking sensibly about the laws.

Great to hear, thanks for posting.

CX.

I can just imagine the meeting to discuss these kind of stupid laws..

Official 1: We have to prevent people from being sensible, lets make up new laws that will scare them, I know , we'll say taking pictures is now not allowed as they may be paedo's taking snaps of the kids.

Official 2: Yes lets.

Official 1: uh oh now Official number 3 wants to get involved.

Official 3: Hey whay you guys upto?

Official 1 and Official 2: we're making laws to make the people worry about paedo's taking snaps of their kids as there aren't enough laws around. Or maybe we could say they the person taking pictures could be a terrorist making plans

Official 3 : your both idiotic jobworths, get a life and grow some balls of common sense, you numpties.


[edit on 24/6/09 by DataWraith]

Agree with CX.

I'm getting sick of the laws in this country, its about time people starting using some common sense.