Candid photography involving children in public

[Bernie174]

In my opinion, it's something that is getting worse - not better!

I'm not sure it's getting worse, AP and Austin Mitchell were whining about it in the early 90's.

The realities are I'm afraid, that pedophiles use cameras. they don't all use P&S's. They don't all take photos of kids in the nude, just as some of use find a photo of a woman who's showing very little, glimpse of cleavage or stocking or leg or whatever to be sexy, so do some pedophiles when shown a child in the same sort of pose, or revealing the same thing.
On the other side of the coin, not all photographers are pedophiles.
But the lack of understand is on both sides. The arrogant insistence that photographers should be able to do whatever they like is just as bad as the jobs worth insisting you can't.
Asking first saves a great deal of trouble. Respect for other peoples wishes does as well. Yes, in theory you may have a 'right' to photograph whatever you like. In practice that right is actually just the absence of anything to stop you. By the same token parents have the same degree of right to ask you not too.
Some understanding on both sides would solve the majority of this issue, but I suspect I have more chance of seeing a unicorn.

 

[woof woof]

Do you actually believe that the Police came and forced someone to delete images of their own child?

I just can't believe that, or those cops should be in hot water for it.

Of course it's important, and I have nothing against discussing it. But a 4 year old thread? Start up a fresh discussion, a lot has happened in 4 years.

1. Yes.
2. They should be but probably never would be.
3. I think it interesting as the posts in this thread could have been made yesterday, not 4 years ago. I sometimes think that the current aggressiveness of people towards strangers and willingness, almost eagerness, to assume the absolute worst in people and to instigate confrontation is a relatively new thing but clearly it's at least 4 years old.

 

[HMansfield]

that pedophiles use cameras.
not all photographers are pedophiles.

And to add to this, not all paedophiles use cameras. Plenty of the sexual abuse that involves children doesn't involve photography.

Therefore, it's wiser to look at the behaviour of an individual, rather than judge them based on what's hanging around their neck.