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Archiver > NORFOLK > 2008-05 > 1210877175


From: "Roy Stockdill" <>
Subject: Re: [NFK] OT, but need help
Date: Thu, 15 May 2008 19:46:15 +0100
References: <482C86D7.12970.1AE4F2E@localhost>
In-Reply-To: <e4b83de80805151133q3dd0960dk6f22f8a504f20ba0@mail.gmail.com>


From: "Margaret Usmar" <>

> Much as they need protection from the weirder sections of society
> that, too, is taken to ridiculous lengths because of this Act in the
> case of children. I'm sorry, but every week our local rag is full of
> coverage from this school or the other, often with named parents in
> the pictures as well. I wouldn't have to be brain surgeon to find out
> where they lived if I were that way inclined. What's next, banning us
> from photgraphing our own kids on the beach in case someone else's
> l;ittle treasure wanders into the shot? The Act is now misused by
> every branch of bureacracy, whether they like to admit it or not.>

In my local paper here in Watford, Herts, you very frequently see pictures
of happy smiling kids but with the ridiculous caption "Names have been
withheld at the request of the school". Clearly, the paranoia has infected
headteachers as well.

And the Daily Mail recently had a letter from a reader who was
photographing his wife in Leeds city centre when some jobsworth clown
came up and told him photography was not permitted, even though it was
a public place, in case there was another member of the public in the
background. I would have told the jobsworth where to put his clipboard!

Finally, my copy of Journalist, the publication of the NUJ, has been
reporting a spate of incidents of police officers trying to prevent bona fide
press photographers at demonstrations from photographing them on the
grounds that it might put them at risk if their faces are known! The union
at least managed to extract an apology from the Chief Constable of
Birmingham over one incident and he promised it wouldn't happen again.l
Bet it does, though!

--
Roy Stockdill
Professional genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer
Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History:
www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html

"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about,
and that is not being talked about."
OSCAR WILDE


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