Sweden - prohibition of street photography

<p>"Sweden prohibits from 1 July all (covert) photography or film in the private sphere, even if the images are taken on the street, in the garden or for example during birthday parties at home.<br /><br />Such pictures are only allowed when the people in the photo or video have given their prior consent. The Swedish government has ratified the bill for this on Thursday (today). From July 1, anyone who photographs people in Sweden without asking for permission first is risking a fine or imprisonment (up to 2 years).<br /><br />Journalists and press photographers fear that the new law will be used to their watchdog function and thus curb press freedom. Formally, the law makes an exception for news, but according to the Swedish journalists union, the conditions are unclear.<br /><br />The Swedish government wants to prevent with this new photography law that the private lives of its citizens are just shared via internet, for example Twitter, Facebook and YouTube with everyone else. Also visually capturing and publishing harassment on the street is covered by the law."<br>

Fellas, meet you in jail!</p>

 

<p>Vlad, "....birthday parties at home...."? If this is really true then the world is surely going nuts! Best find another hobby! Best, LM.</p>

<p>If I google for this, I only find a lot of rumours about it from 2011, and <a href="http://www.streetpeople.se/6-the-laws-of-sweden-for-street-photographers.html">one blog post from 2013</a> that completely contradicts it. All the other messages are from today, and have literally the same content as in the OP.... so I am wondering, what is the source?<br /> Because a law like this would be very against freedom of speech and press, things that usually do not go down all too well in European countries. It just sounds extremely unlikely to me, this news.</p>

<p>[edit]<br>

Found this: http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=5549542<br>

I think what's hitting the internet now is probably being blown up to larger proportions, and the actual bill would be far more nuanced. If it's true, there is sure reason for concern, but I think a big chunk of important info is missing in the story that now goes around.</p>

<p>Len - landscapes and macros (with no birthday party balloons) are still legal!<br />Wouter, it's not about Sweden only, it's about trend. Google search is not helpful here.</p>

<p>Vlad, sorry, how is Google search not helpful if I am looking for a real clear source about the content of this bill? Most of what I've found are forum postings copying the text you copied as well, without any reference or source. I'm looking for the source of this quote. Usually, google is highly useful for that.</p>

<p>The trend.... in W-European countries... what trend? Nothing changed, if this Swedish bill is true, it would be a complete first. Otherwise, there are the usual outcries that things should be outlawed and so on, but no actual laws, no actual convictions by real courts.... just opinions and more opinions.</p>

<p>It says (or rather you do) "covert". Street photography isn't covert unless you hide the camera. Neither is birthday party photography or most any other type of photography. Lots of places have laws against covert photography in public to stop perverts taking up skirt photos or hiding cameras in restaurant toilets. Nothing wrong with curbing covert photography and nothing to do with legitimate street photography either.</p>

<p>Dan is correct. The key words in Wolter's article are "private space and location". I don't think it ought to be legal for someone with a long lens on a rooftop for example, to photograph my kids swimming in my back yard or my wife sunbathing. I think it ought to be illegal to shoot through the windows of my house to see me inside. I reject the "close the drapes" defense. </p>

<p>We are loosing our privacy in a big way these days. I applaud Sweden for attempting to put limits on simply bad behavior. Could this have a chilling effect on photojournalism? I am a photojournalist and I can't imagine how. Not only does it not apply to journalists I have never in thousands of assignments shot through a window into someone's house or snapped them in a restroom. </p>

<p>This is a tempest in a teapot.</p>

<p>This post is about a law in Sweden, not what people think about privacy. If the law doesn't exist, then this post just becomes another echo chamber for rumormongers. Unless there is some proof that this law exists, there's no point in keeping it here.</p>

 

 

 

<blockquote>

<p>Google search is not helpful here.</p>

</blockquote>

 

 

 

 

You posted it, if Google doesn't have it, then please give a citation to the law itself.

<p><strong>From Radio sweden</strong><br /><br /><strong>New laws against photographing in private space </strong><br /><br /><strong>Published: onsdag 29 maj kl 18:54, Radio Sweden</strong><br /><br /><br />"Parliament has approved a new law against violating photography, meaning that from July 1st it will be illegal to photograph or film someone while they are in their private space or in a location intended to be private, unless they have given their permission."<br>

Source: radio sweden announcement of yesterday. Hence, the law may not be published yet, so what?<br>

Google search is not helpful because question is about trend, not about swedish law only. And the trend is restrictions for street photography.<br>

With all respects, Vlad</p>

 

<p>In "private space or in a location intended to be private" does not seem to include <strong><em>street</em></strong> photography as the OP title and text say.</p>

<p>It hasn't turned up as of now on the <a href="http://sverigesradio.se/">Sveriges Radio</a> site that I can find, either. An actual link would be helpful.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"Parliament has approved a new law against violating photography, meaning that from July 1st it will be illegal to photograph or film someone while they are <strong>in their private space or in a location intended to be private</strong>, unless they have given their permission."</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Vlad you may need to look up the English definition of the word "private." Most people do not consider the "street" in street photography to be private. If you are shooting from the street into the window of a private residence then yes most people would not approve of that even if some sickos on the internet think that is art. This law would have no effect on me. I have been able to create art and report the news without resorting to invading people's privacy or peeping through every partially cracked curtain.</p>

<p>If a fruit vendor is standing on a street corner and you take a picture of them with a 50mm lens on a 35mm camera I don't think you will have any problems.</p>

<p>JDM, the link is provided by Wouter Willemse as above. I am duplicating it:<br>

Found this: <a href="http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=5549542" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=2054&artikel=5549542</a></p>

<blockquote>

<p>Google search is not helpful because question is about trend, not about swedish law only. And the trend is restrictions for street photography.</p>

</blockquote>

<ol>

<li>You did not ask a question.</li>

<li>What you quote is only about Swedish law, and your second quote is about something completely different than what you wrote in the OP. Read carefully, and read Rick M.'s post above. The second quote from the Swedish radio, incidentally the same link I posted, is not at all about street photography. Street photography is in the public space, not the private space. Huge difference.</li>

<li>Which trend? Where are hard facts showing a trend that real restrictions are being placed on street photography? In which countries did they pass laws to forbid photography in the public space, did courts actually rule against photography in the public space? Facts?</li>

</ol>

<p>The only trend I see is people repeating that there are more and more restrictions on street photography without providing facts. In the meanwhile, street photography seems more alive than ever if I look around.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"Parliament has approved a new law against violating photography, meaning that from July 1st it will be illegal to photograph or film someone while they are in their private space or in a location intended to be private, </p>

</blockquote>

<p><br />Street photography is about photographing in public locations. Unless you can provide some link to a law that references your original title, you are just creating problems. This forum is not for dissemination of false information.</p>

<p><a href="/photodb/user?user_id=7171126">Jeff Sudduth</a>, sorry if my English hurt you, but why again we are discussing my English and not the trend?<br>

Again:<br>

Sweden prohibits from 1 July <strong>all (covert)</strong> photography or film in the private sphere, <strong>even if the images are taken on the street, in the garden or for example during birthday parties at home</strong>.</p>

<p>Vlad, you posted a bunch of text and no link to back up what you are saying. As far as I am concerned until you post some proof from a solid source what you are posting in nonsense. A "private space" is not a street corner. I also so no references to birthday parties in your link. I did see this...</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>However, there are exceptions to the rule. If the photograph was taken as part of newsgathering for instance, it could be permitted.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>So if you are a photojournalist or a normal person (ie not a peeping Tom) you are fine.</p>

"Google search is not helpful here."

 

Claims made on internet forums are?

<p>Has the OP been to W.Europe recently? Has he seen any restrictions or "trends"? I was on a cruise last year to Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Croatia, Portugal and Portugal's islands and had no problems whatsoever taking pictures in the streets, cafes, markets. On the island of Madeira I photographed school children playing in the schoolyard where the teachers saw me taking pictures. Nobody approached me and I saw no "trends". <br>

Has he seen any "trends" in Toronto where he lives? I've been there many times and had no problems taking pictures of cops. They even smiled at me asked my advice about cameras.</p>

<p>That link for Radio Sweden is in English, doesn't count.<br>

And it still doesn't apply to street pictures (unless, as is clear enough) they are looking into a <strong>private</strong> space.</p>

<p>Swedes ( and I apologise to any reading this) are a bit strange. They're a little like the Swiss.<br>

However, Swedes vote. So use your group power. Find Swedes on Flikr and recruit them to a protest account on Facebook. <br>

A bit of non-violent, dysfunctional protest action would not go astray. People are afraid to protest, but look at the freedoms most of us enjoy. Not much of it came without popular protest. Protesting now will produce law reform. When members of an elected government do over the populace, mount a high level protest at the electorate office of the politician that has law and order at their portfolio. Nothing focuses the mind of a politician more than a well-targeted campaign in the heart of their electorate, against his or her re-election.</p>

If I, as a swede, is strange or not I let other decide ;-). But here is fact about the new law. Three parts; private space,

hidden or not aloud from the subject. If this is fullfilled it's looked upon as a offensive behaviour from the photographer

and a crime. As far as I understand the law will not be a problem concerning streetphotography. At all.

 

Here's a link explaining it. In swedish. Sorry.

 

http://www.fotosidan.se/cldoc/lag-om-krankande-fotografering.htm

<p>And the Government's explanations concerning the proposal, where reference is made to similar laws in Denmark and Finland, still in Swedish:<br /> <a href="http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/16768">http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/16768</a></p>

<p>Thank you Bengt and Anders for clarification and links!</p>

<p>tack så mycket :)</p>

<p>:)) Med henvisning til det smukke svenske sprog</p>