Can you sue someone for posting a video of you in public?

Asked by: Emilio Russel  |  Last update: June 18, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (11 votes)

The bottom line is if you can demonstrate that you expected privacy, whether it be in a private or public setting, then you might have a strong enough case under the federal Wiretap Act to take legal action against someone who took a video of you without first gaining your consent.

Can you sue someone for posting a video of you?

The victim may choose to pursue a civil lawsuit against the person responsible for recording without consent. This can result in financial damages being awarded to compensate for any harm caused by the recording, including emotional distress or reputational damage.

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

If a person is in a public location, what you may assume to be consent does not mean the individual agrees to you recording them. It may violate their privacy rights.

Can I sue someone for posting me without my consent?

Yes, you have the right to sue and if you feel you have suffered harm by these postings, you should at contact a lawyer who will let you know if you have a good case.

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

A: Posting private photos and videos online without your permission can potentially constitute a violation of your privacy and, in some cases, may be illegal. The specific legal remedies available to you can depend on the laws in your jurisdiction.

Can you sue if someone posts a video or photo of you without your consent?

20 related questions found

Can I sue someone for video recording me without my permission?

Without permission, an individual can face imprisonment and fines. In California, a confidential conversation is defined as a conversation where parties have a reasonable expectation of privacy and that nobody is listening or eavesdropping. Individuals who break this law may be subject to civil damages.

Can you post videos of people in public?

In general, any footage shot in a public place can be uploaded to YouTube without permission from anyone you may have captured on film.

Can you go to jail for posting about someone?

Charges Connected to Invasion of Privacy or Fraud

Posting private or intimate information about someone without their consent is also illegal and can prompt criminal charges for invasion of privacy.

Can someone take a picture of me and post it without my consent?

Whether picture-taking violates the photo subject's privacy rights depends on that person's reasonable expectation of privacy (REP) where the photo was taken. The more public a place is, the less REP a person has. For example, your REP at a park or on the street is very limited.

Can you sue someone for posting things about you on Facebook?

Yes, you can sue someone for slander on social media, but proving the case can be very challenging at times as you will need a lot of evidence and backup from your lawyers.

Can you get in trouble for posting someone else's video?

Reposting someone else's copyrighted work on Social Media can open the door to costly copyright infringement lawsuits – even if you give credit to the copyright owner. Technically speaking, reposting another user's content — reposting social media content — is copyright infringement.

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

Facebook provides a number of ways for people to report imagery that they believe violates their privacy. The quickest way to report abuse is by using the Find Support or Report links located near the photo or video that you want to report.

What can I do if someone recorded me without my consent in the UK?

If you believe your right to privacy has been violated through a video that has been filmed and or/shared without your permission, you may be able to take legal action. At Lawhive, our network of solicitors is on hand to advise you and help you take legal action to protect your rights.

What to do when someone posts a video of you?

If someone posted your personal information or uploaded a video of you without your knowledge (including in private or sensitive circumstances), ask the uploader to remove the content.

Is a video defamation?

Many online defamation cases are libel claims because they involve written posts and comments. But videos posted on increasingly popular platforms like TikTok don't fit neatly under libel or slander labels.

How to press charges for invasion of privacy?

To win a privacy case for unlawful intrusion into private affairs, you have to show that:
  1. You had a reasonable expectation of privacy.
  2. The defendant intentionally intruded.
  3. The intrusion was highly offensive to a reasonable person.

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.

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

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?

We worked with the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative on this list of things that you can do and organisations that you can contact for support and advice.
  1. Document the post. You may need a record of the post if you decide to take further action. ...
  2. Report an Instagram post. ...
  3. Unfollow or block the person who posted it.

Can you legally stop someone from posting about you?

Send a Cease and Desist Letter

They can always decide to ignore the demand, in which case you would have to take the matter to court, but a strongly-worded letter from an intimidating law firm is often enough to get a defamatory article retracted or social media post deleted.

What can you do if someone is posting about you?

In the first instance, depending on the circumstances and the nature of the information, you may wish to initially make a report to Facebook/Twitter (before contacting the police/Citizens Advice/a solicitor), as these sites have processes in place for such situations, and may be able to simply remove the content and/or ...

Is posting on social media defamation?

Negative statements about people or companies appear frequently on social media sites, such as Twitter and Facebook. If they are false statements of fact, they can be considered defamation in some circumstances, or more specifically libel because they are written statements.

In what states is it illegal to video record someone?

1 California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. The vast majority of jurisdictions that criminalize nonconsensual videotaping of a person require that the person be in an area in which that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Can you post on social media without permission?

Many social media websites require users to agree, when creating an account, that they own the rights to any content they upload. If someone has uploaded your copyright work without your permission, this is an infringement.