Can you stop someone from taking pictures of you?

Asked by: Prof. Alexandra Frami  |  Last update: January 31, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (7 votes)

If you see someone taking your photo without your permission, it's your right to ask him or her to stop. If you're undressed and someone is taking your photo, put in a call to the police. Not only are you making sure your rights are intact, you're also making the dressing room a little safer for the rest of the world.

Can I stop someone taking a photo of me?

Taking a photo of a person where they can expect privacy, such as inside their home or garden, is likely to cause a breach of privacy laws. Unless the images which have been taken are indecent, no one has the right to: ask a photographer to stop. ask for a copy of the photos.

Can someone take you picture me without my consent?

If a stranger takes photos on public property, such as at a park or on a city street, you are giving your consent by being in a public area. If someone you do not know takes pictures of you on private property, you may have some rights according to the rules of the private property.

Can I sue someone for taking a picture of me without consent?

It can be challenging to file a lawsuit against a stranger who takes your photo while you are on public property. However, you may have a case if this person took your picture on private property. A restaurant, bar, or event posts your photo.

What to do if someone keeps taking pictures of you?

  • Stay Calm and Address the Situation: If it's safe to do so, politely approach the person and ask them to delete the photo.
  • Understand Your Rights: In most countries, privacy laws protect you against unauthorized photography in private spaces (e.g., your home, a restroom, or a dressing room).

How to Prevent People from Stealing Your Photos Online | Ask David Bergman

35 related questions found

Is taking pictures considered harassment?

Persistent and aggressive photography of a single individual may come under the legal definition of harassment.

Is it illegal to keep pictures of someone?

However, if the pictures are not shared, it's typically not illegal to keep them. The person who has them either took them or was given them as a gift. They certainly have the option to delete them if they would like, but it is not illegal simply to keep the photos, as long as they were taken consensually.

Can you press charges for someone taking a picture of you?

Not clear you have any claim to make that would result in criminal charges. As a general rule anyone in the world is free to take pictures of you or your family or your home if there is no reasonable expectation of privacy--which there isn't if you can be seen from a public access (like a sidewalk).

What is it called when someone takes a picture of you without you knowing?

However, if the intent is that the subject is absolutely unaware of being photographed and does not even expect it, then such photography is secret photography, which is an extreme case of candid photography.

Can you force someone to delete pictures of you?

In the United States, statutes protecting privacy and intellectual property rights can be used to make someone take down photos of you under certain circumstances.

Is it illegal to take pictures of someone's text messages?

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) is a federal law that makes it a crime to access someone else's private communications without permission. It covers cell phones, computer use, email, social media accounts, and other types of electronic communications.

Do you need permission to use someone's photo?

If you're using an image for personal or commercial reasons, you will need to consider getting permission and/or paying to use the image.

Can I sue someone for posting pictures of me on social media?

It is possible to sue someone for publishing your picture on social media if they did so without your permission and it has caused you harm. However, the fact that you owe the person does not automatically give them the right to publish your picture.

What to do if someone has photos of you?

You need to:
  1. report the picture to the website and let them know the situation.
  2. untag yourself if possible - this is where you remove a tag identifying you in the picture.
  3. contact the person who shared the image and ask them to take it down.
  4. get a list of everyone or every site that has shared pictures.

Who owns a photograph of me?

Generally, the author and initial copyright owner of a photograph is the person who “shoots” or “takes” the photo.

Can you take a picture of someone and post it without their consent?

Every day, new photos are uploaded to social media websites, often without the explicit consent of everyone in those pictures. However, sharing photos of someone else becomes an illegal act when that person sent you the photo with the expectation it would remain private, and the photo was intimate or sexual in nature.

Can someone randomly take a picture of you?

It is generally OK for people to take photographs at any public place or any private place that they own or rent. Being present on someone else's private property generally requires the property owner's consent to take photos.

What is the word for taking pictures without consent?

That will be called invasion of privacy I don't think anybody should have their picture taken unless they have consent to it I would refer that to being a paparazzi but like to chase people and take their picture without asking them first thing I always get consent before I take any pictures I don't want anybody being ...

Is it legal to take a picture of someone's driver's license?

Ordinarily, yes. A person's driver license photo will usually be protected by state laws that prohibit unofficial uses by government entities, as well as use by private/commercial organizations. But, in an emergency situation, or if you are wanted by police, that photo can be plastered everywhere by the media.

Can you sue someone for taking a picture of you without your permission?

You could bring a lawsuit by accusing the defendant of an invasion of privacy by appropriation of your likeness, a process known as right to publicity. This law allows you to control and profit from the commercial use of your image, name and persona or your identity.

What to do if someone posted a picture of you without your permission on Instagram?

Report the post

After reporting a post, specially trained representatives from our Community Operations team will then review the image and remove it if it goes against our Community Standards. We then use photo-matching technology to help stop future attempts to share the image on Instagram, Facebook and Messenger.

Is it illegal to take pictures of a minor without consent?

Your child has the same right to privacy as an adult does. No one can photograph or film your child in a location where he or she believes himself or herself to be alone, even if alone with his friends. For example, if the child is in a sandbox at a public park, a photographer can take his or her picture.

What are the privacy rights of photos?

Generally, what can be seen from public view can be photographed without legal repercussions. Photographs taken in private places require consent.

Is it illegal to expose someone on social media?

The California legislature passed a law in 2008 which makes it illegal to post harmful information on the internet. Penal Code 653.2 states it is a crime to post about other people on the internet in a way that will cause them harm.

Is it illegal to post a video of someone without their permission?

The legality of video recording someone without their permission largely depends on the circumstances, the location of the recording, and the laws of the specific jurisdiction. Generally, the legality hinges on whether the person being recorded had a reasonable expectation of privacy.