Do I need to be concerned? Film Processing question.

M

mid

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I am thinking about sending film to a processing lab in the UK and I have questions about concerns I have.

  • Do processing labs check the negatives content to determine whether or not the photos are inappropriate or illegal?
  • Do processing labs get a free commercial usage license?
  • Do processing labs scan all negatives even though not ordered?
  • Do processing labs retain scanned images forever?
  • Has any recent UK processing labs ever claimed damaged negatives due to equipment but then stolen the negatives to sell them on photo marketplaces?
 
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mid said:
I am thinking about sending film to a processing lab in the UK and I have questions about concerns I have.

  • Do processing labs check the negatives content to determine whether or not the photos are inappropriate or illegal?
  • Do processing labs get a free commercial usage license?
  • Do processing labs scan all negatives even though not ordered?
  • Do processing labs retain scanned images forever?
  • Has any recent UK processing labs ever claimed damaged negatives due to equipment but then stolen the negatives to sell them on photo marketplaces?
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Have you been taking naughty pictures?
 
What type of film is it?
B&W, colour neg, colour slide?
 
If you are concerned about data collection perhaps you would be better off having the film developed but not scanned.
You then have the option of scanning them yourself or selectively having the frames you like scanned professionally.
GDPR is a legal requirement for all companies these days so I wouldn't worry about personal data being released.
 
Caveat: These are all guesses, because it's going to be impossible for anyone to speak for all UK processing labs.

I would imagine they would check the negs to make sure the images came out ok, same for scans if you ordered them, so they'd likely see the photos. If the content is clearly illegal, I would imagine they'd do something. If it was inappropriate, I doubt they would, as inappropriate is a subjective term.

I've never seen any T&Cs that relate to allowing usage of the images.
If you don't order a scan, I doubt they'd scan it. Time is money.

I use Filmdev. My scans go on WeSendIt (IIRC!) and stay there for 2 weeks, after which they're gone. I can see no reason for a lab to pay the vast amounts of money to store scans for all their customers indefinitely. I would imagine it's the opposite and they want to get rid of the files asap. Read the small print - as there is likely something that says how long they retain their scans. It won't be indefinite!

If you're concerned that developing labs are looking at your negs to see if they can somehow make money on them, then use someone reputable who has been doing it for years. Because any business doing what you're worried about above isn't going to last long in mainstream lab developing.
 
mid said:
I am thinking about sending film to a processing lab in the UK and I have questions about concerns I have.

  • Do processing labs check the negatives content to determine whether or not the photos are inappropriate or illegal?
  • Do processing labs get a free commercial usage license?
  • Do processing labs scan all negatives even though not ordered?
  • Do processing labs retain scanned images forever?
  • Has any recent UK processing labs ever claimed damaged negatives due to equipment but then stolen the negatives to sell them on photo marketplaces?
Click to expand...

Questions seem a bit odd, but my daughter mentioned similar questions on a different platform a weeks or so ago.

My answers are based on "logical" guesses too.

I doubt if they have time to look at every negative, it would be mostly automated. If they saw anything illegal, I imagine they would be duty bound to bring it to the attention of the authorities. I believe some labs ask that anything "inappropriate" is not sent to them.

I don't see how they can get any rights to the photos.

As mentioned, I don't see them scanning negatives they don't need to, and it would not be in order, as you had not given them permission to store your photos in any way (check T&Cs though)

As mentioned, they are available to download for a limited time, why would they store them longer than they say?

The last one seems very far fetched, and I can't see it happening.

You could always buy an inexpensive kit and process the film at home :)


These questions seem more likely yo be applicable to other developing countries, are you going to be sending them from another country?
 
I bought my 15 year old daughter a film camera for their birthday about a month ago and she loves it. I am looking at getting the film developed but want to be safe some images are with her school uniform on with friends and etc. I do not want the images taken stored or use inappropriately or taken for commercial purposes. I live in UK.
 
I once, many years ago, had a tour of a processing lab (this was in the days before digital was really a thing), and saw the strings of films being processed and prints being made off them. The staff were utterly uninterested in the pictures, even though in passing I noticed some of the prints being produced were a bit saucy - a woman with breasts out in her kitchen, as I recall vaguely. I was impressed that the staff were so uninterested, as they'd probably seen so much of it.

I think the above replies have it exactly.

I was going to ask if @mid had been snapping secret documents to leak online, but he pre-empted my question!
 
mid said:
I bought my 15 year old daughter a film camera for their birthday about a month ago and she loves it. I am looking at getting the film developed but want to be safe some images are with her school uniform on with friends and etc. I do not want the images taken stored or use inappropriately or taken for commercial purposes. I live in UK.
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Well, I think you are well covered by the laws here.

You are more likely to have issues with social media and photos you have no control over, such as those taken by her friends, and of course if she ventures out into public places, she may well appear in some photo you don't even know has been taken, or authorities CCTV or stores CCTV.

I am all for taking sensible effective precautions with kids, and I worked in education so have a little knowledge of measures in place, but with respect I think you are concerned about something that is very low down on the list of risks when there are more likely scenarios in everyday life.

Send it in and enjoy the photos :)
 
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GreenNinja67 said:
I'd suggest home developing B&W in future.

It may help your paranoia.

Is this really what we've come to?
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It’s not paranoia. It’s genuine concerns.

About 6 months ago, my daughters social media account became popular and I thought nothing of it because I thought it was friends from her school. It was supposed to be a private account.

Later on we noticed a change in her and believed it was something happening at school or friends we had a conversation.

It turn out to be the private messages from her social media account which was set to public. These private messages were sent by men asking for in return for money sent by PayPal, feet pics, other fetishes, sending privately by post her school tights and underwear. Then all the other inappropriate pics.

We deleted the social media account after reporting all the people’s accounts. Not much more we can do.

Then afterwards a few months, my daughter wanted to go back on social media and discussed how to do it safely by setting safeguards and keeping it private and only allowing close friends from school and family. Not posting anything in her school uniform or anything that can identify were she lives. If leaked it would not be possible to find her at school or home.

That is why I am asking these questions. I am protecting my daughter and want to be confident that she is safe.
 
mid said:
It’s not paranoia. It’s genuine concerns.

About 6 months ago, my daughters social media account became popular and I thought nothing of it because I thought it was friends from her school. It was supposed to be a private account.

Later on we noticed a change in her and believed it was something happening at school or friends we had a conversation.

It turn out to be the private messages from her social media account which was set to public. These private messages were sent by men asking for in return for money sent by PayPal, feet pics, other fetishes, sending privately by post her school tights and underwear. Then all the other inappropriate pics.

We deleted the social media account after reporting all the people’s accounts. Not much more we can do.

Then afterwards a few months, my daughter wanted to go back on social media and discussed how to do it safely by setting safeguards and keeping it private and only allowing close friends from school and family. Not posting anything in her school uniform or anything that can identify were she lives. If leaked it would not be possible to find her at school or home.

That is why I am asking these questions. I am protecting my daughter and want to be confident that she is safe.
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It is good to hear you noticed the change in her, and even better to hear she spoke about the issue.

I'm sure her school will have advice if you need it, or don't already know. There are quite a few government programmes on online safety, they don't dictate or restrict, just guide.
 
mid said:
It’s not paranoia. It’s genuine concerns.

About 6 months ago, my daughters social media account became popular and I thought nothing of it because I thought it was friends from her school. It was supposed to be a private account.

Later on we noticed a change in her and believed it was something happening at school or friends we had a conversation.

It turn out to be the private messages from her social media account which was set to public. These private messages were sent by men asking for in return for money sent by PayPal, feet pics, other fetishes, sending privately by post her school tights and underwear. Then all the other inappropriate pics.

We deleted the social media account after reporting all the people’s accounts. Not much more we can do.

Then afterwards a few months, my daughter wanted to go back on social media and discussed how to do it safely by setting safeguards and keeping it private and only allowing close friends from school and family. Not posting anything in her school uniform or anything that can identify were she lives. If leaked it would not be possible to find her at school or home.

That is why I am asking these questions. I am protecting my daughter and want to be confident that she is safe.
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I take the view that anything you put on the web is public. For example, in the case you describe, your daughter is only posting to friends and family but there is little to stop any of those correspondents posting it elsewhere.

You seem a bit obsessed about school uniforms but she is being filmed all the time by cctv in and out of uniform unless you live in a very remote area.

I feel that in your case the problem has probably been sorted by her earlier bad experience having made her wary of uninvited or deceptive messages.
 
mid said:
It’s not paranoia. It’s genuine concerns.

About 6 months ago, my daughters social media account became popular and I thought nothing of it because I thought it was friends from her school. It was supposed to be a private account.

Later on we noticed a change in her and believed it was something happening at school or friends we had a conversation.

It turn out to be the private messages from her social media account which was set to public. These private messages were sent by men asking for in return for money sent by PayPal, feet pics, other fetishes, sending privately by post her school tights and underwear. Then all the other inappropriate pics.

We deleted the social media account after reporting all the people’s accounts. Not much more we can do.

Then afterwards a few months, my daughter wanted to go back on social media and discussed how to do it safely by setting safeguards and keeping it private and only allowing close friends from school and family. Not posting anything in her school uniform or anything that can identify were she lives. If leaked it would not be possible to find her at school or home.

That is why I am asking these questions. I am protecting my daughter and want to be confident that she is safe.
Click to expand...
I think it is fantastic that you are having this dialogue with your daughter and that you can help keep her safe.

mid said:
  • Do processing labs check the negatives content to determine whether or not the photos are inappropriate or illegal?
Click to expand...
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This question does make it sound like you think there may be some dodgy photos? Perhaps that's another conversation to be had?

When I was a teenager, I received my film back from a postal printing service and they weren't photos I had taken. They were photos of naked people copulating, no faces, just bodies, and some close ups that took a while to work out! I didn't tell my Dad when he asked what the photos were of. He'd have gone berserk. So unless things have changed, I suspect anything may well get printed. I was just gutted at the time not to get my photos back and thought they were lost. On returning them and complaining, I did receive my photos. I wonder if they did it at the lab as a joke?
 
I'm sure most labs exercise a degree of professionalism. It's their business and I doubt they keep going back to have a good laugh and a titter at peoples photos. I'm doubtful that they could extract much in the way of data from your negatives. I've yet to be approached by the Church of England or the Forestry Commission, put it that way.
 
I know the people at the lab I use and would trust them completely with images such as you have. I'm lucky I can visit the lab but they do do postal work too.

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in 19 years of processing at a sheffield lab i can recall only the most unpleasant images brought any attention, and only once i think we declined to print them. The labs shouldn't save any images unless you request them to, for future orders maybe.
 
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