What rights to photography exist at UK airports?
- By
- Aparna Patel
- |
- 19 Jul, 2023
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Streetlife or lifestyle images in a public area are perfectly acceptable.
It only becomes an issue if you have taken the picture in a way that shows up only that person or highlights them, and they can be specifically seen.
I was stopped by some guy dressed in a suit in T3 earlier this month. Asked me to delete the photos as he was part of the TSA or something similar. It was in the Virgin check in desk area and surrounds. Virgin where doing a small food giveaway. Popcorn maybe.
I didn’t delete the photos and I’ve checked on google pics and there are loads of that area.
In the UK, the laws does not prevent photography from a public place. However, airports in the UK are private, either in full and/or on land which is considered private property. Consequently, most ban photography, particularly in secure or security areas. When not in a secure area, and when done for personal, not commercial use, it’s generally accepted. Pre-Customs Arrivals areas generally have security restrictions on electronic devices and photography.
To to be clear, while you do not need a permit to shoot in public places, public is a loose term: all land in the UK is owned, even if it’s accessible at all times. Transport facilities (train, tube, plane) are private and have rules about taking photos.
Where some get the notion that photography is barred is under the 2000 Terrorism Act, which added prohibitions on taking photographs in secure areas and of airport staff.
And the over-zealous individual had no authority to do so. Only the police can challenge you, as has been made very clear by the Met.
You can be stopped by security and asked not to take photos, and you can be removed from the property by them, but they cannot physically prevent you from taking pictures, nor can they take your equipment, look at your photos, delete (or force you to delete) any images.
Credit:stackoverflow.com‘
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