There is no law preventing people from taking a video or photograph in public. This also includes taking photos of other people’s children.
I personally think this should be changed. Also police and security guards have no powers to stop you.
As for drones, now that’s a minefield, if they are fitted with a camera or listening device, you must respect other people’s privacy when using them. Owners of drones are a law unto themselves.
Using a drone is perfectly legal but you must abide by the civil aviation guidance. If your neighbour is flying a drone over your property without permission, they could be liable for trespassing.
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It’s unbelievably complicated. The reason I am writing about this, I really do have a pet hate.
The mindless idiots who don’t have a personality or a life and who are so obnoxious and get such a buzz when they are out with their new toy – their mobile phone with camera. They confront police officers and security guards, usually right in their face with their camera – usually so they can make a video for TikTok.
They are usually bland, colourless, hollow, empty people who really should get a life. I would love to know what they did before camera phones.
I have had this done to me many times, and when it hits social media it’s always been edited in favour of the deadbeat behind the camera and they never show their face. In this day and age, don’t the police have enough to do without this?
Recently I was out having dinner with six friends and someone was filming me from another table while I was eating. I went over and said “if you want a photo please just ask.” The rebuke I got: “Why would I want a photo of you? Who are you?”
I asked why they were filming me then, I was told to ‘go away’ (not that politely!). As for photographs, a young man took a sly photo of me at Rock Ferry station the other week, so I took one of him and posted it to Twitter to see how he liked it.
So far I’ve had over 1 million impressions and 200,000 engagements. WHY? Am I missing something here?
Is social media going mad?