Pictures and legal aspects

[vickero007]

I maintain a website for my church and I was wondering if releases of some sort are required to legally put pictures of people on the internet? Now, these are innocent pictures of course and I know MOST of the people but you can never be too safe. Do I need their permission?

TIA

-Volkoff007

 

[YNOTU]

Not a lawyer just a thought

I would think that posting pictures of people involved in "Church Sponsored" activities would not required their permission other wise they would.

 

[Kjonnnn]

Most church people don't care about their pictures being posted on a church website, so I wouldn't worry about it, even though "technically" you probably should have a release.

Now if you have some high falooting guest speaker come through there and you want to post their picture, I'd get his/her permission.

 

[Harlequin007]

SOrry Volko but I have to agree with KJ.

Even a verbal agreement, but some sort of consent is definately required.


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Cogito Ergo Sum
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[algraff]

I'm not a lawyer either, but I believe a lot revolves around whether the people in the photograph were in a private or a public setting. If they were photographed with a group of other people in a public area, they have no reasonable expectation of privacy and taking and exhibiting their picture on the internet shouldn't be much of a problem. Much like having your picture taken at a baseball game...they don't get a formal release from every fan in the stands.
If, however, they were alone in a private setting, in a group of only two or three people, away from the general public, then you're getting into the gray areas of whether or not their photo can be displayed without their permission.

http://www.algraff.com

:

http://www.sunshine-church.org

http://www.stanleysauctions.com

http://www.bv.k12.oh.us

 

[Guru7777]

algraff is right. In a public place, people have no right to the expectation of privacy. As I have understood it in the past, that includes public Church activities. The only place that a person can expect privacy is at a private residence or private property. Even then, if I am at your private property, you can take a picture of me and I can't do anything about it.

The most important thing to think about, IMHO, is whether the possibility of angering the church members is worth just not going and having people sign off to have the pictures posted. In other settings, that doesn't really matter, but in a church setting, certain attitudes and pleasantries are expected more than in a secular setting.

Hope that helps.