Where should we draw the line between the freedom to film in public and an individual's right to privacy? I personally think that everyone should be able to feel respected and safe. It doesn't matter if it's a public place or not. Being in a public place shouldn't be an excuse to ignore basic respect for other people's privacy. We should have basic manners, and that should be taught from childhood. In this generation everyone has a phone with a camera, so it is very easy to take pictures or record videos without asking the people around them.

Even when I take pictures outside l, sometimes there are people in the background but I never posted those pictures online. It is common to appear in the background of someone else's photo, I think people may find it uncomfortable if it's posted online only. If it's posted by a celebrity then they may let it go because they have the craze for getting famous as well. And for some people like me it can still make them feel uncomfortable if they discover they have been recorded without knowing.

To be honest, I don't care if someone is famous or a celebrity, I do not wish to appear on social media at any cost. If I had found myself in a stranger's or celebrities video online then I would feel uncomfortable. Even if I was only in the background, I would not like it because many people will be watching me. What if the videographer presented me in a wrong way? I think everyone should have some control over how their image is used, specially if the video becomes popular on social media.

Let me share my reasons, I have always been very private about my photos. I have never shared my pictures online unless it's necessary. I do not feel comfortable at all to share my image on social media, because it's gonna be there forever. I also do not like it when my friends post pictures that include me. My friends are very understanding, I had told them once about how much I dislike it, after that they always respected my feelings and deleted them. They started to post other pictures that did not include me. To be honest, I felt respected. As you can already see that asking for someone's permission is not difficult when you care about their feelings.

I know a stranger wouldn't care about my feelings because they don't know me. So, if a stranger recorded me in public and uploaded the video without my knowledge. I would have no opportunity to ask them to take it down, even if I had contacted them, what if they declined my request?

Even though I have an opinion against these stuff, I still do not support that public photography and filming should be prohibited. It can not be the best solution. People who are journalist or an artist, they depend on filming in public places to earn for their livelihoods. However, If they had to ask permission from every single person who appeared in the background, it's an impossible thing.

I don't think that it should be considered as a crime to record people in public, it should depend on how these recordings are used. Moreover, If someone deliberately focuses on a specific person to invades their privacy and defame them then there should be legal consequences.

In conclusion, balance is everything. Nothing should be done excessively, otherwise it could get worse. Everything should have some limits. A little kindness and consideration is all we need.

_{The pictures are created with Gemini.}

Thanks for reading 🌷