----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob W"
Subject: Re: OT Paranoia and stupid legislation is reserved for the US only :-(
Hi,
Regarding photography on nude beaches, a person cannot have any
expectation to privacy in public, but this doesn't mean they want to
(or should have to) tolerate images of themselves being taken.
I sort of agree with you. I think it's rather distasteful to take photos of people in that situation, but I don't think it's a matter for the law. I think it's a matter of civility and politeness and should, in general, be dealt with by the individuals concerned.
Situations like this don't get dealt with very well by the people concerned.
Generally, it ends up in a fist fight.
I think photographers as a whole, and certainly the ones with a paparisto bent, have spent far too much time hiding behind the lame excuse that they are in public, their victim is in public, and so it is perfectly OK to do whatever they want.
They make a living out of creating hell on earth for their victims.
The thing with "public places" isn't that no one owns them, which is the general rational given, but that everyone owns them equally.
The person with the camera has certain rights in public, but so does the person being photographed.
Photographers pull out that old mantra, but they hypocritically ignore that the person in the viewfinder also has the right to do what is legal, without interference.
I think the internet has changed our society regarding this, and not for the better.
Pre internet, a picture taken without someones consent might possibly have ended up in a weekly rag somewhere, if the picture was of someone of note, but that would be about it.
For the most part, an embarrassing picture might get shown around at a few parties, and forgotten about.
Now, a less than tastefull picture of someone can, within minutes, be spread to just about the entire planet, and may well end up causing the victim some embarrassment, or worse.
I expect laws will more and more be written to police the actions of people with cameras, with the intention of providing their victims with more expectation of privacy in public places.
The irony is that the photographers themselves are, for the most part, the ones responsible for the very laws that they are now whining about.
William Robb
