i was at my daughters dance show, and was told that "due to the child protection act, any kind of photography was not allowed". Appreciate it was a theatre, and hadn't taken a camera anyway, but did make me chuckle.
I'm normally very awkward and ask which bit of the Child Protection Act they are quoting.
Then I have the following press release printed out from the Information Commissioners office
http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/docume...list_guides/taking_photographs_in_schools.pdf
It Says (my bolding):
V2.0
01 December 2005. 1
Data Protection Good Practice Note
Taking Photographs in Schools
This Good Practice Guidance is aimed at Local Education Authorities and those
working within schools, colleges and universities. It gives advice on taking
photographs in educational institutions and whether doing so must comply with the
Data Protection Act 1998.
Recommended Good Practice
The Data Protection Act is unlikely to apply in many cases where photographs are
taken in schools and other educational institutions. Fear of breaching the provisions
of the Act should not be wrongly used to stop people taking photographs or videos
which provide many with much pleasure.
Where the Act does apply, a common sense approach suggests that if the
photographer asks for permission to take a photograph, this will usually be enough to
ensure compliance.
• Photos taken for official school use may be covered by the Act and pupils and
students should be advised why they are being taken.
• Photos taken purely for personal use are exempt from the Act.
Examples
Personal use:
• A parent takes a photograph of their child and some friends taking part in the
school Sports Day to be put in the family photo album. These images are for
personal use and the Data Protection Act does not apply.
• Grandparents are invited to the school nativity play and wish to video it. These
images are for personal use and the Data Protection Act does not apply.
Official school use:
• Photographs of pupils or students are taken for building passes. These images
are likely to be stored electronically with other personal data and the terms of
the Act will apply.
• A small group of pupils are photographed during a science lesson and the
photo is to be used in the school prospectus. This is unlikely to be personal
data and the Act wouldn’t apply.
Media use:
• A photograph is taken by a local newspaper of a school awards ceremony. As
long as the school has agreed to this, and the children and/or their guardians
are aware that photographs of those attending the ceremony may appear in the
newspaper, this will not breach the Act
Further Information
If you require any further information about this or any other aspect of Data Protection,
please contact us using the details below:
Web:
www.ico.gov.uk
Email:
mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 01625 545700
