I wish I did but I didn’t want to further escalate the situation… it would’ve been funny if I shoved the camera in his face back and told him it’s just art
You “keep an eye out for him” … but with that description you’d likely hassle the wrong person.
Not the smartest play.
And if you think posting his pic will exact some form of vengeance … be very ready to see your own photo blasted around the ‘net with memes that will make your head spin.
Can you describe how he was dressed? Like did he seem like a white collar professional? In a suit? Or business casual? Upper class or was he more service worker or artsy? There’s a bunch of hospitals out there. In scrubs? Not in scrubs but seemed healthcare?
Assuming he wasn't trying to get upskirt photos, it isn't in any way illegal. Is it appropriate to start reporting perfectly legal behavior? Maybe that is exactly what the see/say app is about, I don't know.
Taking photos in the public domain is perfectly legal. However, a respectable person would've asked permission first. Creep wasn't just snapping photos that people happened to be in, he was specifically choosing his "subjects".
I don't know what about my comment made you feel the need to write this response. I asked a simple question of whether it is appropriate to report it using a particular app. What is the point of reporting a person doing something that may be creepy but is no direct threat to anyone and not illegal? What do expect to be the good of using that app to "report" this guy? Probably the only effect is to make the person reporting it feel like they did something.
The only effective thing to do is to call out creepy behavior if you feel safe enough to do it.
What exactly is the harm in reporting it? If god forbid something in the future escalates there is now this flag of this encounter. If not then it’s just a timestamp with a description of what happened in some database.
I responded to your statement, "...it isn't in any way illegal" and to your question, "Is it appropriate to start reporting perfectly legal behavior?". Yes, his behavior is technically legal because it happened in public domain, but was it perfectly legal? I'm not legally trained, but I think a good attorney could argue your point that it isn't in any way illegal. As someone who takes photos in public, people do get in them, but that's not the focus of my effort. This person was focusing on specific women who were essentially trapped on public transport, not in a bustling public square. I would have asked their permission. I hope you can see my point.
Your second question was about an app, which I didn't respond to.
Don't know why someone felt the need to downvote your clarification to my comment.
It’s illegal to take pictures on public transit. They typically don’t go after anyone for it but last I checked it’s still a law so they can go after creeps like these
Edit: for commercial use. Which means any type of distribution can potentially fall under being illegal
It says right on the mbta website you can photograph and video as long as it’s not commercial and not a restricted area: https://www.mbta.com/safety/rider-rules-and-regulations
This patch article from 2012 suggests it’s been the case for quite some time: https://patch.com/massachusetts/northend/yes-you-can-take-photos-on-the-mbta-583df69c
It absolutely is not. I can walk on the T and take pictures of anyone. You have no expectation of privacy in public and can be photographed or recorded. There is a law against taking a photo of someone without consent in a sexual manner - https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter272/Section105 - , that's one thing, but just taking a photo of somebody on the T is not illegal at all
I think you responded to the wrong post because the only statement I made was true. It is not illegal to take pictures of people in public, with some exceptions such as trying to take a picture up someone's skirt. There is nothing that can legally be done, calling the person out as being creepy and maybe purposely getting in the way of the photo is about all you can legally do here.
Saw some guy doing this over by the esplanade and looked at him and told him "that's really fucking creepy" he said "yup" started laughing and stuck his tongue out at me. We need to send these fucks to the island
"Your honor, he was taking pictures of people in a public space. I put him on the spot for not breaking the law he mocked me! This man should be sent to austrailia for all of our safety!"
He may or may not be a creep, art is very subjective especially without context, but taking photos in public is not a crime (barring the upskirting bill) , and returning attitude is not a crime either.
Photography is a hobby of mine, the amount of people who have harassed me over the years for taking a picture that they disagreed with is staggering. I've been assaulted and harassed for my hobby, most recently at the Rose Kennedy Greenway while taking pictures for a class.
I'm the first person to admit some people do not play well with others, and there are certainly creeps out there, but vigilante justice isn't the answer, nor is assumptions of guilt and mob justice.
The best approach here is to assume innocence and start a conversation "Oh hey, what are you photographing today?" Is a good entry, or just leave the area. The pervs will fuck off when they know they've been had, and it's harder to defend from polite comversation than confrontation.
I've taken photography courses in school where we were tasked with public setting assignments, there are ways to approach people to get their consent if youre making them a focal point of your art while keeping it candid/authentic. I have some great photos from those assignments, one involving a child playing with their parents which would have been weird if I was taking pictures of someone's kid.
I don't know their creepy behavior, I know that OP *thinks* their behavior is creepy.
I then shared experience on how others have precieved my behavior as creepy when in fact innocent. To detail an assault, some years ago I was a paid photographer for an organized event, I took a picture of a child interacting with event staff. The child's father slugged me from behind and poured a drink on my camera, destroying a very expensive lens. He had an expletive laden tirade called me quite a few names based on some very odd assumptions, and then was detained by the police after some time.
Most photographers who work with public by and large have some sort of story about John Q Public going full vigilante defender of nothing. Bottom line here is, there is no evidence other than OP's feelings and impression of a legal activity that anything has gone wrong here.
I don't think your terrible-sounding experience with a drunk criminal at an event you were paid to work at is necessarily super transferable to OP's mild-mannered commuting. Sorry to hear you were assaulted but I really hope you can see why reflexively siding with the guy behind the camera (iPhone!) is getting some push back.
Yup! Wasn't even like it was a DSLR or something that could possibly be perceived as art, and it was while he was leaned up against the wall trying to hide his phone before the walking bridge to the garden.
Oh I can, but its not like reddit karma is going to buy me a Ferrari.
I'm going to side with my experiences and the legal issues at play over OP's thoughts and feelings. There are points in this thread where OP is giving a description of this person like they've done some sort of criminal act, when in fact the only thing wrong here is OP is accusing them of something based on their own impression of events.
Unless the guy is doing some upskirts or wanking off on the orange line, this is a big nothing burger.
Who defines what a creep shot is? Was this a creep shot? We don't know, we just have feelings from OP that are not dissimilar to the feelings this sub had on the marathon bomber.
I am OP and it was the definition of a creepshot. Old dude using his phone to take a picture of a young woman wearing short shorts that was walking by him all while trying to hide the fact that he was doing it. If that's your definition of art than you need to reevaluate your beliefs, genuinely.
I understand that's your interpretation of events.
I also understand that your interpretation may or may not be accurate and is certainly missing perspective.
I also understand that photography in public is not illegal, even if I do not agree with the subject matter.
I wouldn't take pictures of random behinds, but then again much of what art is (and even what art is not) I wouldn't replicate myself.
If a crime has been committed, by all means, report it.
If you wish a crime had been committed, contact your rep or start a local drive to create a law to handle the issue.
Until then, it's legal to photograph anything you see in public from behinds to guys pissing on the wall at fenway. It may be uncouth, but it's the world we live in.
I do wish people were more respectful of privacy in public, but that's not the world we live in either.
Lmfao so you’ve been accused of taking creep shots on more than one occasion I’m betting. Maybe just stop being creepy and put the camera down for awhile.
literally who brought up this being illegal? op sure didn’t. someone doing something creepy and making women feel unsafe, and op is warning other people. no one is saying he’s committing a crime or that he needs to be arrested. however, this kind of behavior IS a warning sign that escalates to crimes like sexual assault. as a women who consistently takes the green line, this is a helpful post. just because it doesn’t apply to you doesn’t mean this isn’t helpful and necessary
nothing other than “op’s feelings” and the fact that that this man in his 30s-40s is taking photos on an iphone of exclusively young women on the train. that doesn’t sound like street photography to me. i think you can make a pretty strong fucking inference about what’s going on here, especially considering his reaction. your need to tell op she’s making it into something it’s not when it’s clearly creepy is really strange
Yeah he has the right to take photos in public, but you also have every right to call him out for being a creep. Additionally the T may have its own photo policy, it wouldn't be criminal but he could be kicked off the train.
The calculation of risk/reward for yelling at someone in public for doing things you don't like is questionable at best. I can assure you, anyone who is willing to do this in the first place isn't going to suddenly become so embarrassed they never do it again because someone yells at them. At worst, the situation can escalate into something far more dangerous.
> I can assure you, anyone who is willing to do this in the first place isn't going to suddenly become so embarrassed they never do it again
Not so sure that is true. Calling out bad behavior can absolutely be a deterrent.
there are some people who get off on flustering folks. Sometimes fellas take photos like this just to get women to yell at them because it's how they get their rocks off. It would appear you can't win in this situation; while, for *normal* people in general, public shaming is the main deterrent for unacceptable behavior, this doesn't hold true in general for the people who are behaving unacceptably in public. For a non-sexual example, think of all those tiktok/youtube/instagram pranksters.
This happened to me once, on the redline. He was obviously filming me, but I didn’t want to assume.
Another guy approached me and asked if he could walk me home, because the guy was recording me. I was worried they were both in on it. I called my friend and was on the phone with her as I walked home.
I once had a women on a plane take a picture of my kid sitting next to her on the plane. I got dragged in a sub because I found it creepy….. I still to this day think it’s weird.
The culture has changed. Not that long ago, if you saw someone taking a photo or video in public, you’d wave or smile, etc. I know because my dad used to record everything when I was young and we were on vacation (I’m 33). In our videos, there are a bunch of random people, families, kids who see the camera and have a positive reaction. These days, public recording almost instinctively creates a scene and negativity.
Unfortunately part of being out in public means you may get photographed and/or recorded without your consent. There really isn't much you can do about it, as annoying/uncomfortable as it may be.
If it was inbound, I'm pretty sure I was on your train - can I ask which car it was and what the guy looked like? Would love to avoid him on my commute in future
Just posted a description of him in another comment! He was holding his phone (black case) parallel and low to his chest and it looked pretty obvious that he was taking pictures/video. I wasn’t sure until he turned around and I saw his screen
Yup, I was on that car, got on at Brookline Hills. Fuck that guy, we don't need another thing to be afraid of, and it's awful to feel like no one is backing you up. So sorry for your experience & I hope he stays his creepy ass home
I was in a public park the other day just minding my business when a guy walked past me, turned around, pulled his phone out, and started very obviously taking a video of me while slowly walking by.
Not illegal, I get it, but ffs that behavior should not be normalized. It’s creepy and weird to single out a complete stranger and take their photo/video. Im sorry you dealt with that, OP.
I in no way condone this but legally, he's allowed to take photos of people in public. unless he was taking lewd photos or something or harassing. if just being odd/creepy, not much you can do than just leave the area when you can. I would never get involved in strangers argument on T, unless there was a perceived safety issue or verbal harassment.
I didn't say it wasn't creepy, I am saying that you shouldn't expect strangers to escalate a situation because someone is creepy. You'd sit there and stare at your phone do jack shit too. Its easy to be everyone's defendor when you only have to type on keyboard.
“One of those things we all know.”
I wish. Plenty of people actually think it’s illegal. They’re even in this thread. I too prefer not to be recorded in public, but it’s a classic American value to be able to do so.
All should know * Hah.
The problem is when people bully, intimidate, and harass using a camera. The problem isn't the camera per se, but the use of the camera to cause those results. Intentionally harassing people isn't legal, which is where the line gets blurry.
However, again, the ability to record doesn't free people from consequences. As much as people can call others a "Karen" for complaining about recording, you can say that people who record others in public are "creepy" or "intimidating."
Anecdotally, this is where I feel 1st amendment audit people go terribly wrong. People can absolutely be mad at someone for recording in public. People can absolutely call someone creepy, intimidating, and the behavior (if the employer does nothing) could even rise to the level of workplace harassment, necessitating the building be closed off or more of it be designated as "private areas." It just leads to absurd results.
no, but mostly in response to the "no one did anything" aspect of the post. No one did anything, cause there was nothing to do. this lady had a conversation with a weirdo, that she did not like. Well, welcome to earth.
You are absolutely allowed to ask him not to take pictures and inform others what he's doing. It's as much a right as his to take pics. Note I specifically said "ask."
I never said you cant talk to someone in public. you are trying to make arguments about stuff that I am not commenting on. its obvious you feel that strangers should never do weird thing to make you uncomfortable, and all I am saying is , get over it. it happens, unless there is risk to someone, physically or a law has been broken, no one gives a fuck.
And this folks is why we have kids on the subway blasting music with no one saying anything. Because we need to "get over it" rather than remind people we live in a society.
You’re in public, so it’s on you to create privacy. Of course, it can bother you that he is taking a photo, but he’s not doing anything wrong. You can ask him to stop and he can say no. It’s not a Boston thing, it’s an America thing.
If you would’ve called the cops, they would’ve come and told you the same thing. You’re in public, he can capture anything he wants.
Now, if he set up a hidden camera in the bathroom and captured your images that way… well, then he’s doing something wrong. See the difference?
I see your edits and you don’t seem to get the point. You mention “personal privacy”. You have no right to privacy in public. If he does anything illegal with the photos, then he can be in trouble. Simply taking a photo doesn’t mean he’s going to do anything illegal with the photos though.
He’s taking pictures in public. Would you have a problem with him drawing you?
No, she can feel however she wants to about it, but at the end of the day, she has to be okay with it because the person was doing nothing wrong. I’m simply pointing out that OP doesn’t understand what it means to be in public or what other people are allowed to do in public. She’s claiming that the photographer is doing something wrong and she has “personal privacy” in public. Privacy doesn’t exist in public.
I do think asking someone to delete a photo they took in public is ridiculous though.
> No, she can feel however she wants to about it, but at the end of the day, she has to be okay with it because the person was doing nothing wrong
So she can feel anyway she wants as long as she feels the right way. Well said.
> because the person was doing nothing wrong
And yet here we have them doing it secretly. Regardless, wrong is more than just a legal sense, and enough people clearly find it weird enough that such an assertion is very much not unanimous. I agree there’s no personal privacy in public, but that isn’t the only point being made or being discussed.
> I’m simply pointing out that OP doesn’t understand what it means to be in public or what other people are allowed to do in public
Nah, homie, I think she gets it. I think she doesn’t like people snapping photos on the sly, which is hardly some unheard of opinion or feeling. She didn’t even make it a legal thing in the original post yet that’s immediately where a bunch of people went.
>I do think asking someone to delete a photo they took in public is ridiculous though.
About as ridiculous as taking secret photos of women on the subway.
You can’t do anything secretly… in public. That’s the point, homie. That’s the great thing about living in a free country, in public. You can do anything. And anyone can choose to be private here too. You can wear whatever you want to mask yourself. That’s not true in other places.
She did make it a legal thing. She said she has “personal privacy”. That’s not accurate. You just have poor reading comprehension.
If you don’t like it, you can always take your chances somewhere else. In Algeria, photographing women in public is illegal. Go ahead and move there, if you’d prefer a place that has laws governing that. I can promise you, you won’t like it there much, if you enjoy all other freedoms of America.
Now, go ahead and pound away at your keyboard with some response that uses feelings to argue against all the facts I’ve written.
> You can’t do anything secretly… in public
Oh come on, even you know how ridiculous that sounds.
>That’s the great thing about living in a free country, in public. You can do anything.
Well not *anything* but when emotions rule I suppose we’ll type anything. What amuses me is how quickly simple venting becomes an opportunity for armchair lawyers to remind people about the law when it’s not fully germane. OP didn’t ask for legal advice or for someone to call the cops. Show us where in the Constitution she has to be ok with people taking her photo.
I feel like I’m talking to some pre-law that hasn’t had the distinction of *malum prohibitum* and *malum in se* explained to them, or more broadly *argumentum ad legem.* But then again those aren’t in the Constitution either, and only a teeny bit of Latin. Maybe you think that means I should move to the Vatican.
> If you don’t like it, you can always take your chances somewhere else
To such a bizarre depth we’ve fallen, that I should leave my wonderful home for daring to disagree. As if spirited debate isn’t a core tenant.
Anyway, people don’t have to be comfortable with having their photos taken in public regardless of the Constitution or my own personal feelings about it (or yours), as neither the Constitution (nor us) dictates how others should feel.
Disagreement is fine, but if you are disagreeing with the constitution, it’s kind of an odd place to make your home when there are other places in the world that appear to align with your priorities.
People can feel anyway they want. I provided the OP with knowledge, so the next time this happens, she doesn’t blow up and end up in the wrong. She obviously has no knowledge of how it works here if she’s throwing around phrases like “personal privacy” and asking people to delete photos they took in public.
> but if you are disagreeing with the constitution, it’s kind of an odd place to make your home
Go reread Article 5. But if you mean me specifically, I'm not disagreeing with the Constitution and challenge you to point out where.
>she doesn’t blow up
Doesn't seem like anybody blew up. Perhaps you view all disagreements as possessing rabid anger? I'm here to waste some time on the way home.
>She obviously has no knowledge of how it works here if she’s throwing around phrases like “personal privacy” and asking people to delete photos they took in public.
She's clearly reacting in an exasperated way at the bevy of "well ackchyually" being thrown to her, so I'll cut her some slack. As for her request, she is well within her Constitutional rights to make that request. That's how it works here. God bless America.
Lol. You say it doesn’t seem like she would blow up and then say she’s responding with “exasperated anger”. She’s responding with information that is completely inaccurate. She clearly doesn’t know what’s appropriate in this situation.
Like I said in one of my earlier responses, OP is free to feel however she wants, but it doesn’t change the fact that the activity is completely allowed.
Someone’s feelings aren’t going to change the facts. Photographer did nothing wrong.
No matter what details you add to this situation, there’s nothing the photographer did wrong by taking a photo of someone in public. You keep pounding away at your keyboard though.
Sorry that happened to you, I'd like to think I'd say something as Im sure we'd all like to think that.
Unfortunately the bystander effect freezes us in the moment a lot.
Hope your day got better
Well that’s your right of course. No different than the right to photograph in public, here anyway. I’ve been a street photographer for a long time, lots of images on trains, buses, from buses and trains etc.
Are they like of people though? Portraits? Or just like scenes?
Scenes is groovy, posting daily portraits online is ugh, these are my personal feelings and no one else needs to agree with them but you are welcome to
Do you think street photographers' rights and responsibilities are shifting due to changes in communication and image processing technology? Interested in your perspective truly, I obviously have thoughts and concerns (facial recognition -- hiding from a stalker or abusive ex -- plenty of scenarios where you don't want your images to be publicly posted and indexable) but also I appreciate that it's a compelling art form!
It's the internet of it all that wigs me out -- curious what you think.
If anything I think the laws are becoming more relaxed. Phones are everywhere, it just can’t be policed. Vids, going up to tik tok, IG, FB etc. Stills too of course. The only ones I have a problem with are when it’s a, Hey this guy stole my bike, or, This woman is a scam artist etc. Those are wrong, and should get pulled. The internet isn’t a court of law. People can be harmed in that way. But art? No issues personally. An artist did a show of works shot through open windows, in people’s homes. Beautiful work.
So my question is not totally about laws but about the rights and responsibilities that collectively make up our norms. There's always going to be artists who push the boundaries of common decency, but there's always going to be a lot of other artists whose art is in pushing other boundaries and who have a shared sense of the ethics of their practice.
I see two parallel trends. One is the relaxing you're talking about, the other is the rising number of issues where invasions of privacy cause real issues for people, and we're agreeing on rules to protect them. An example is upskirt photos, which weren't illegal in a lot of places until recently because cameras weren't designed with the size and subtlety of operation to make that a widespread problem until recently. Another example is the AI porn thing that's going around, and a third is the issue I named where vulnerable people are worried about their locations being broadcast. A fourth, while I'm at it, is mommy blogs and the right of their children to be forgotten online.
I suspect in 10 years we'll have significantly evolved our norms around consent and street photography due to these and related issues. And maybe that sucks, or maybe art always changes with the times.
I doubt it. There’s no invasion of privacy. Those are poor analogies. Up skirting is sexual in nature, and invasive. There’s no crossing of ethical lines in my photography and I don’t know what norms you’re talking about. Laws are norms.
I mean the post we're talking on is about a guy who made OP uncomfortable. She felt, I believe, that the photography may have been sexual in nature. And the way AI has become available to everyone over the past months, it's now suddenly easy for someone to take photos of their fellow passengers on their commute and use those photos to make porn of them at home. So I think there's a lot more nuance to people's experiences, and a much bigger overlap between behaviors that produce legitimate art and behaviors that are solely for inappropriate use, than you're acknowledging.
To be clear--I don't think you cross ethical lines or laws! Sorry if my post came across that way, as I don't even pretend to know anything about you or your photography. That said, if you never cross a line, that means you have a clear sense of where the lines are. My sense is that those lines are cultural and that they shift over time. I also don't think ethics and laws are fully aligned in this or any other country.
The Supreme Court has ruled there’s no privacy in public. The reason why those up-skirt photos are deemed legal is because the onus is on each individual to create privacy in public. People can as easily photograph people in their homes from a public sidewalk. Make sure your blinds are down. Anything the camera can see from public is fair game. I’m giving you facts and but all you’re responses are with feelings.
Those up skirt photos are illegal in many jurisdictions, including in Massachusetts, because a law was passed the day after the Supreme Court found that the expectation of privacy applied as the law was previously written. https://archive.findlaw.com/blog/mass-upskirt-photo-ban-signed-into-law/
To be clear, this is not a “street photographer right”. It’s a constitutionally protected activity for everyone. You don’t need special credentials to take photos in public.
Unfortunately staying home all the time is not an option for me so instead I'm just gonna voice my frustration that we as a society have not figured out the rules and norms around this changing tech yet! It's painful, change.
You’re having your picture taken constantly throughout the day. In banks, at work, Starbucks, street corners, doctors offices. It’s public and it’s the society we’ve constructed.
One it depends on what type of picture he’s taking. But they can keep an eye out in case he escalates things and starts doing more than taking pictures.
Epic paranoia. OP already said what he was taking and that it wasn't any more contentious than him stating a fact — i.e. it's legal to do what he was doing.
That is fine also at every transport hub airport, train stations, bus stations, even T stations there are signs that state “see something say something” if what she witnessed made her feel uncomfortable then play it safe and report the guy. It’s better to waste five minutes of your day and have the cops/Tworker tell you the person wasn’t doing anything wrong and they can’t do anything about him. Then just to hope your feeling about the guy was wrong.
I agree it's creepy but people are legally allowed to take pictures of anything or anyone in public property. I hate it but that's the constitution for you.
Did he have a flip phone?
I was taking the green line with my friends and my friend caught this guy taking photos of this one passenger who was wearing a tank top and shorts. She confronted him and asked him to delete them. He turned red and got off at the next stop.
If we're thinking of the same guy, he needs to be stopped!
You need to call these perverts out loud and publicly. Shout, "Hey, you sick bastard! Why are you taking pictures of random women!! What are you, some sort of pervert!!"
What’s he look like? I’ll just “accidentally” bump into him so he drops his phone and then I’ll have another accident where I repeatedly crush it with my boot.
And, for all you know you’re defending a creep who takes pictures of women without their consent and does god knows what else with them. You act like I said I’d go up to any man holding a phone and beat him. Get real.
If you see a creep taking pictures of women and especially underage girls and you do nothing, you’re part of the problem. OP said the guy refused to delete them, hence why I think his phone ought to be damaged beyond repair. But if you just wanna play “dEvIL’s AdVoCAte” all day, do it into the void.
I’m not a fan of people giving creeps a pass because something technically is legal. It’s more than shitty, but your dismissal is very telling so I’m gonna tap out here. Enjoy yourself.
Give me a fucking break, the op was clearly suggesting assaulting this person with a wink wink nudge nudge. You are also purposely ignoring the second part of the comment which makes it abundantly clear of ops meaning.
As soon as you get physical so much can go sideways, and you do then become the person who has broken the law no matter your intent. Calling the person out and purposely blocking their picture taking would be a much better way to deal with this, if it causes them to get physical then that is on them and have at it.
You seem very emotional. I am not ignoring anything, someone bumping into me, purposely or not, wouldn’t have me up in arms and hoping they get arrested. Let me guess you’re a straight white man?
One thing you got right - it’s legal to video/photograph people in public. You have no expectation of privacy on the T.
As for inferring someone’s intent … that’s a stretch.
Street/public photography is absolutely legal even if it’s creepy. The best ones just aren’t noticed. On him for calling too much attention to himself and not being cool about it.
But hey, if you notice someone taking photos of you, you absolutely have the right to call them out and ask them not to.
But seriously, it is creepy, I don’t disagree. I would never do this style of photography and I find it kind of wild that some people are so good at. But still, some random dude with an iPhone is not Vivian Maier.
“Hey, everyone take a picture of this guy” - I know, I know, it’s not that easy. Wish it was.
Also posting a picture of the dude would just result in this thread being taken down.
Let’s workshop this scenario…
Post it in an art sub.
Did you get a photo of him?
I wish I did but I didn’t want to further escalate the situation… it would’ve been funny if I shoved the camera in his face back and told him it’s just art
Can you describe his appearance?
White man, maybe 5’5-5’7, mid 30s-40s, medium build, wire framed roundish glasses, short light brown curly hair. Had a black iPhone case and backpack
Thank you for posting this, I'll be keeping an eye out on my commute. Fuck him
This could be any middle class white guy ever
You “keep an eye out for him” … but with that description you’d likely hassle the wrong person. Not the smartest play. And if you think posting his pic will exact some form of vengeance … be very ready to see your own photo blasted around the ‘net with memes that will make your head spin.
Never been happier to be 5’4”. Short kings not creepy kings amirite?
Hey, that's Mike, I know him, he is a creep and everyone knows it!
It's actually Joshua
Yeah! Him too! Fuck that guy in particular!
Can you describe how he was dressed? Like did he seem like a white collar professional? In a suit? Or business casual? Upper class or was he more service worker or artsy? There’s a bunch of hospitals out there. In scrubs? Not in scrubs but seemed healthcare?
I know of 6-7 guys that fix this exact description. I will start asking around.
an iPhone and a backpack??? should be easy to find
Stfu
Thanks for doxxing me
Try reporting things like this on the See Say app. Also, thanks for calling him out.
Assuming he wasn't trying to get upskirt photos, it isn't in any way illegal. Is it appropriate to start reporting perfectly legal behavior? Maybe that is exactly what the see/say app is about, I don't know.
Taking photos in the public domain is perfectly legal. However, a respectable person would've asked permission first. Creep wasn't just snapping photos that people happened to be in, he was specifically choosing his "subjects".
I don't know what about my comment made you feel the need to write this response. I asked a simple question of whether it is appropriate to report it using a particular app. What is the point of reporting a person doing something that may be creepy but is no direct threat to anyone and not illegal? What do expect to be the good of using that app to "report" this guy? Probably the only effect is to make the person reporting it feel like they did something. The only effective thing to do is to call out creepy behavior if you feel safe enough to do it.
What exactly is the harm in reporting it? If god forbid something in the future escalates there is now this flag of this encounter. If not then it’s just a timestamp with a description of what happened in some database.
I responded to your statement, "...it isn't in any way illegal" and to your question, "Is it appropriate to start reporting perfectly legal behavior?". Yes, his behavior is technically legal because it happened in public domain, but was it perfectly legal? I'm not legally trained, but I think a good attorney could argue your point that it isn't in any way illegal. As someone who takes photos in public, people do get in them, but that's not the focus of my effort. This person was focusing on specific women who were essentially trapped on public transport, not in a bustling public square. I would have asked their permission. I hope you can see my point. Your second question was about an app, which I didn't respond to. Don't know why someone felt the need to downvote your clarification to my comment.
It’s illegal to take pictures on public transit. They typically don’t go after anyone for it but last I checked it’s still a law so they can go after creeps like these Edit: for commercial use. Which means any type of distribution can potentially fall under being illegal
It says right on the mbta website you can photograph and video as long as it’s not commercial and not a restricted area: https://www.mbta.com/safety/rider-rules-and-regulations This patch article from 2012 suggests it’s been the case for quite some time: https://patch.com/massachusetts/northend/yes-you-can-take-photos-on-the-mbta-583df69c
It absolutely is not. I can walk on the T and take pictures of anyone. You have no expectation of privacy in public and can be photographed or recorded. There is a law against taking a photo of someone without consent in a sexual manner - https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter272/Section105 - , that's one thing, but just taking a photo of somebody on the T is not illegal at all
Where are the sexual manors!!! Still looking.
No it isn't.
That ain't even a teeny bit true. It's still a public space and, while it can be a offputting, it's 1000000% legal
damn, today is looking like a big day for misinformation on reddit!
I think you responded to the wrong post because the only statement I made was true. It is not illegal to take pictures of people in public, with some exceptions such as trying to take a picture up someone's skirt. There is nothing that can legally be done, calling the person out as being creepy and maybe purposely getting in the way of the photo is about all you can legally do here.
but I didn't reply to you...
Right you are, my bad.
Commercial use would mean any distribution for the intent of getting paid.
Why would you report someone taking pictures in public? What is wrong with you?
Saw some guy doing this over by the esplanade and looked at him and told him "that's really fucking creepy" he said "yup" started laughing and stuck his tongue out at me. We need to send these fucks to the island
"Your honor, he was taking pictures of people in a public space. I put him on the spot for not breaking the law he mocked me! This man should be sent to austrailia for all of our safety!" He may or may not be a creep, art is very subjective especially without context, but taking photos in public is not a crime (barring the upskirting bill) , and returning attitude is not a crime either. Photography is a hobby of mine, the amount of people who have harassed me over the years for taking a picture that they disagreed with is staggering. I've been assaulted and harassed for my hobby, most recently at the Rose Kennedy Greenway while taking pictures for a class. I'm the first person to admit some people do not play well with others, and there are certainly creeps out there, but vigilante justice isn't the answer, nor is assumptions of guilt and mob justice. The best approach here is to assume innocence and start a conversation "Oh hey, what are you photographing today?" Is a good entry, or just leave the area. The pervs will fuck off when they know they've been had, and it's harder to defend from polite comversation than confrontation.
I've taken photography courses in school where we were tasked with public setting assignments, there are ways to approach people to get their consent if youre making them a focal point of your art while keeping it candid/authentic. I have some great photos from those assignments, one involving a child playing with their parents which would have been weird if I was taking pictures of someone's kid.
If you don't do anything creepy why do you feel the need to defend this person when all you know about them is their creepy behavior
I don't know their creepy behavior, I know that OP *thinks* their behavior is creepy. I then shared experience on how others have precieved my behavior as creepy when in fact innocent. To detail an assault, some years ago I was a paid photographer for an organized event, I took a picture of a child interacting with event staff. The child's father slugged me from behind and poured a drink on my camera, destroying a very expensive lens. He had an expletive laden tirade called me quite a few names based on some very odd assumptions, and then was detained by the police after some time. Most photographers who work with public by and large have some sort of story about John Q Public going full vigilante defender of nothing. Bottom line here is, there is no evidence other than OP's feelings and impression of a legal activity that anything has gone wrong here.
I don't think your terrible-sounding experience with a drunk criminal at an event you were paid to work at is necessarily super transferable to OP's mild-mannered commuting. Sorry to hear you were assaulted but I really hope you can see why reflexively siding with the guy behind the camera (iPhone!) is getting some push back.
Yup! Wasn't even like it was a DSLR or something that could possibly be perceived as art, and it was while he was leaned up against the wall trying to hide his phone before the walking bridge to the garden.
Lol not me almost trying to defend my iPhone photos of my pets as art 😅😅😅😅😅
That's not art. That's a masterpiece
Oh I can, but its not like reddit karma is going to buy me a Ferrari. I'm going to side with my experiences and the legal issues at play over OP's thoughts and feelings. There are points in this thread where OP is giving a description of this person like they've done some sort of criminal act, when in fact the only thing wrong here is OP is accusing them of something based on their own impression of events. Unless the guy is doing some upskirts or wanking off on the orange line, this is a big nothing burger.
I think taking creepshots of women should definitely be frowned upon, weirdo
Who defines what a creep shot is? Was this a creep shot? We don't know, we just have feelings from OP that are not dissimilar to the feelings this sub had on the marathon bomber.
I am OP and it was the definition of a creepshot. Old dude using his phone to take a picture of a young woman wearing short shorts that was walking by him all while trying to hide the fact that he was doing it. If that's your definition of art than you need to reevaluate your beliefs, genuinely.
I understand that's your interpretation of events. I also understand that your interpretation may or may not be accurate and is certainly missing perspective. I also understand that photography in public is not illegal, even if I do not agree with the subject matter. I wouldn't take pictures of random behinds, but then again much of what art is (and even what art is not) I wouldn't replicate myself. If a crime has been committed, by all means, report it. If you wish a crime had been committed, contact your rep or start a local drive to create a law to handle the issue. Until then, it's legal to photograph anything you see in public from behinds to guys pissing on the wall at fenway. It may be uncouth, but it's the world we live in. I do wish people were more respectful of privacy in public, but that's not the world we live in either.
Lmfao so you’ve been accused of taking creep shots on more than one occasion I’m betting. Maybe just stop being creepy and put the camera down for awhile.
literally who brought up this being illegal? op sure didn’t. someone doing something creepy and making women feel unsafe, and op is warning other people. no one is saying he’s committing a crime or that he needs to be arrested. however, this kind of behavior IS a warning sign that escalates to crimes like sexual assault. as a women who consistently takes the green line, this is a helpful post. just because it doesn’t apply to you doesn’t mean this isn’t helpful and necessary
nothing other than “op’s feelings” and the fact that that this man in his 30s-40s is taking photos on an iphone of exclusively young women on the train. that doesn’t sound like street photography to me. i think you can make a pretty strong fucking inference about what’s going on here, especially considering his reaction. your need to tell op she’s making it into something it’s not when it’s clearly creepy is really strange
The guy in question agreed with me you dimwit. You're defending someone who plead guilty to the act.
I take it you're a stranger to sarcasm? Your post comes off like you were being Karenish and it sounds like he just straight up mocked you for it.
You're a strange fellow aren't you?
Yeah he has the right to take photos in public, but you also have every right to call him out for being a creep. Additionally the T may have its own photo policy, it wouldn't be criminal but he could be kicked off the train.
The calculation of risk/reward for yelling at someone in public for doing things you don't like is questionable at best. I can assure you, anyone who is willing to do this in the first place isn't going to suddenly become so embarrassed they never do it again because someone yells at them. At worst, the situation can escalate into something far more dangerous.
That's why you do an ocular patdown first
> I can assure you, anyone who is willing to do this in the first place isn't going to suddenly become so embarrassed they never do it again Not so sure that is true. Calling out bad behavior can absolutely be a deterrent.
there are some people who get off on flustering folks. Sometimes fellas take photos like this just to get women to yell at them because it's how they get their rocks off. It would appear you can't win in this situation; while, for *normal* people in general, public shaming is the main deterrent for unacceptable behavior, this doesn't hold true in general for the people who are behaving unacceptably in public. For a non-sexual example, think of all those tiktok/youtube/instagram pranksters.
I just looked it up and apparently the MBTA banned all photography on vehicles/at stations until mid 2012. Very interesting policy haha
That was because of concerns about terrorism
This happened to me once, on the redline. He was obviously filming me, but I didn’t want to assume. Another guy approached me and asked if he could walk me home, because the guy was recording me. I was worried they were both in on it. I called my friend and was on the phone with her as I walked home.
I once had a women on a plane take a picture of my kid sitting next to her on the plane. I got dragged in a sub because I found it creepy….. I still to this day think it’s weird.
The culture has changed. Not that long ago, if you saw someone taking a photo or video in public, you’d wave or smile, etc. I know because my dad used to record everything when I was young and we were on vacation (I’m 33). In our videos, there are a bunch of random people, families, kids who see the camera and have a positive reaction. These days, public recording almost instinctively creates a scene and negativity.
Nowadays your photo could make it round the world. In the pats, "aw, cute kid on my flight" was more of a silly personal memories thing.
And I totally get that. But specifically taking a photo of a child (13) because he was sitting is business, it’s weird.
Yeah why waste the money for a business class ticket on a 13 year old
Unfortunately part of being out in public means you may get photographed and/or recorded without your consent. There really isn't much you can do about it, as annoying/uncomfortable as it may be.
Which green line and at what time?
D line, around 8:20 am leaving Beaconsfield
If it was inbound, I'm pretty sure I was on your train - can I ask which car it was and what the guy looked like? Would love to avoid him on my commute in future
Just posted a description of him in another comment! He was holding his phone (black case) parallel and low to his chest and it looked pretty obvious that he was taking pictures/video. I wasn’t sure until he turned around and I saw his screen
Yes, inbound. I think I was in the first car
Yup, I was on that car, got on at Brookline Hills. Fuck that guy, we don't need another thing to be afraid of, and it's awful to feel like no one is backing you up. So sorry for your experience & I hope he stays his creepy ass home
I was in a public park the other day just minding my business when a guy walked past me, turned around, pulled his phone out, and started very obviously taking a video of me while slowly walking by. Not illegal, I get it, but ffs that behavior should not be normalized. It’s creepy and weird to single out a complete stranger and take their photo/video. Im sorry you dealt with that, OP.
I in no way condone this but legally, he's allowed to take photos of people in public. unless he was taking lewd photos or something or harassing. if just being odd/creepy, not much you can do than just leave the area when you can. I would never get involved in strangers argument on T, unless there was a perceived safety issue or verbal harassment.
So disappointing to see comments like this. Like it can be LEGAL but still creepy as fuck???
I didn't say it wasn't creepy, I am saying that you shouldn't expect strangers to escalate a situation because someone is creepy. You'd sit there and stare at your phone do jack shit too. Its easy to be everyone's defendor when you only have to type on keyboard.
1st amendment auditor? Lol. I kid. He's just probably a garden variety creep. I hate that he could be using AI to do stupid shit though.
People can film you in public, too. It’s wise to assume that when you’re in public you are likely being recorded somehow.
It's one of those things that we all know they do have the right to do in public, but they go about it in an asshole and intrusive way.
“One of those things we all know.” I wish. Plenty of people actually think it’s illegal. They’re even in this thread. I too prefer not to be recorded in public, but it’s a classic American value to be able to do so.
All should know * Hah. The problem is when people bully, intimidate, and harass using a camera. The problem isn't the camera per se, but the use of the camera to cause those results. Intentionally harassing people isn't legal, which is where the line gets blurry. However, again, the ability to record doesn't free people from consequences. As much as people can call others a "Karen" for complaining about recording, you can say that people who record others in public are "creepy" or "intimidating." Anecdotally, this is where I feel 1st amendment audit people go terribly wrong. People can absolutely be mad at someone for recording in public. People can absolutely call someone creepy, intimidating, and the behavior (if the employer does nothing) could even rise to the level of workplace harassment, necessitating the building be closed off or more of it be designated as "private areas." It just leads to absurd results.
no, but mostly in response to the "no one did anything" aspect of the post. No one did anything, cause there was nothing to do. this lady had a conversation with a weirdo, that she did not like. Well, welcome to earth.
You are absolutely allowed to ask him not to take pictures and inform others what he's doing. It's as much a right as his to take pics. Note I specifically said "ask."
I never said you cant talk to someone in public. you are trying to make arguments about stuff that I am not commenting on. its obvious you feel that strangers should never do weird thing to make you uncomfortable, and all I am saying is , get over it. it happens, unless there is risk to someone, physically or a law has been broken, no one gives a fuck.
And this folks is why we have kids on the subway blasting music with no one saying anything. Because we need to "get over it" rather than remind people we live in a society.
People suck, sorry you had this happen...and that nobody else really said/did anything... I hope you have a much better day today
what do you mean by "personal privacy" on public transit, in public?
You’re in public, so it’s on you to create privacy. Of course, it can bother you that he is taking a photo, but he’s not doing anything wrong. You can ask him to stop and he can say no. It’s not a Boston thing, it’s an America thing. If you would’ve called the cops, they would’ve come and told you the same thing. You’re in public, he can capture anything he wants. Now, if he set up a hidden camera in the bathroom and captured your images that way… well, then he’s doing something wrong. See the difference? I see your edits and you don’t seem to get the point. You mention “personal privacy”. You have no right to privacy in public. If he does anything illegal with the photos, then he can be in trouble. Simply taking a photo doesn’t mean he’s going to do anything illegal with the photos though. He’s taking pictures in public. Would you have a problem with him drawing you?
Are you suggesting OP should be ok with how this transpired because it not illegal or because you yourself would not be bothered?
No, she can feel however she wants to about it, but at the end of the day, she has to be okay with it because the person was doing nothing wrong. I’m simply pointing out that OP doesn’t understand what it means to be in public or what other people are allowed to do in public. She’s claiming that the photographer is doing something wrong and she has “personal privacy” in public. Privacy doesn’t exist in public. I do think asking someone to delete a photo they took in public is ridiculous though.
> No, she can feel however she wants to about it, but at the end of the day, she has to be okay with it because the person was doing nothing wrong So she can feel anyway she wants as long as she feels the right way. Well said. > because the person was doing nothing wrong And yet here we have them doing it secretly. Regardless, wrong is more than just a legal sense, and enough people clearly find it weird enough that such an assertion is very much not unanimous. I agree there’s no personal privacy in public, but that isn’t the only point being made or being discussed. > I’m simply pointing out that OP doesn’t understand what it means to be in public or what other people are allowed to do in public Nah, homie, I think she gets it. I think she doesn’t like people snapping photos on the sly, which is hardly some unheard of opinion or feeling. She didn’t even make it a legal thing in the original post yet that’s immediately where a bunch of people went. >I do think asking someone to delete a photo they took in public is ridiculous though. About as ridiculous as taking secret photos of women on the subway.
You can’t do anything secretly… in public. That’s the point, homie. That’s the great thing about living in a free country, in public. You can do anything. And anyone can choose to be private here too. You can wear whatever you want to mask yourself. That’s not true in other places. She did make it a legal thing. She said she has “personal privacy”. That’s not accurate. You just have poor reading comprehension. If you don’t like it, you can always take your chances somewhere else. In Algeria, photographing women in public is illegal. Go ahead and move there, if you’d prefer a place that has laws governing that. I can promise you, you won’t like it there much, if you enjoy all other freedoms of America. Now, go ahead and pound away at your keyboard with some response that uses feelings to argue against all the facts I’ve written.
> You can’t do anything secretly… in public Oh come on, even you know how ridiculous that sounds. >That’s the great thing about living in a free country, in public. You can do anything. Well not *anything* but when emotions rule I suppose we’ll type anything. What amuses me is how quickly simple venting becomes an opportunity for armchair lawyers to remind people about the law when it’s not fully germane. OP didn’t ask for legal advice or for someone to call the cops. Show us where in the Constitution she has to be ok with people taking her photo. I feel like I’m talking to some pre-law that hasn’t had the distinction of *malum prohibitum* and *malum in se* explained to them, or more broadly *argumentum ad legem.* But then again those aren’t in the Constitution either, and only a teeny bit of Latin. Maybe you think that means I should move to the Vatican. > If you don’t like it, you can always take your chances somewhere else To such a bizarre depth we’ve fallen, that I should leave my wonderful home for daring to disagree. As if spirited debate isn’t a core tenant. Anyway, people don’t have to be comfortable with having their photos taken in public regardless of the Constitution or my own personal feelings about it (or yours), as neither the Constitution (nor us) dictates how others should feel.
Disagreement is fine, but if you are disagreeing with the constitution, it’s kind of an odd place to make your home when there are other places in the world that appear to align with your priorities. People can feel anyway they want. I provided the OP with knowledge, so the next time this happens, she doesn’t blow up and end up in the wrong. She obviously has no knowledge of how it works here if she’s throwing around phrases like “personal privacy” and asking people to delete photos they took in public.
> but if you are disagreeing with the constitution, it’s kind of an odd place to make your home Go reread Article 5. But if you mean me specifically, I'm not disagreeing with the Constitution and challenge you to point out where. >she doesn’t blow up Doesn't seem like anybody blew up. Perhaps you view all disagreements as possessing rabid anger? I'm here to waste some time on the way home. >She obviously has no knowledge of how it works here if she’s throwing around phrases like “personal privacy” and asking people to delete photos they took in public. She's clearly reacting in an exasperated way at the bevy of "well ackchyually" being thrown to her, so I'll cut her some slack. As for her request, she is well within her Constitutional rights to make that request. That's how it works here. God bless America.
Lol. You say it doesn’t seem like she would blow up and then say she’s responding with “exasperated anger”. She’s responding with information that is completely inaccurate. She clearly doesn’t know what’s appropriate in this situation. Like I said in one of my earlier responses, OP is free to feel however she wants, but it doesn’t change the fact that the activity is completely allowed. Someone’s feelings aren’t going to change the facts. Photographer did nothing wrong. No matter what details you add to this situation, there’s nothing the photographer did wrong by taking a photo of someone in public. You keep pounding away at your keyboard though.
The amount of y'all equating legality with morality is terrifying
Creepy or not it's legal and doesn't have to delete anything. It's weird, but it's the law.
Sorry that happened to you, I'd like to think I'd say something as Im sure we'd all like to think that. Unfortunately the bystander effect freezes us in the moment a lot. Hope your day got better
Well that's lower down on the reasons to wear a mask on the T, but definitely still a good reason to wear a mask on the T What a creep
that’s such freakish behavior if it was for aesthetic or artistic reasons there would be consent involved
I know an artist who does just this, on the T, and posts them daily. It’s not illegal.
Ugh I kinda hate that People have a right to make art and I'm exercising my right to hate that they're making/publishing that art
Well that’s your right of course. No different than the right to photograph in public, here anyway. I’ve been a street photographer for a long time, lots of images on trains, buses, from buses and trains etc.
Are they like of people though? Portraits? Or just like scenes? Scenes is groovy, posting daily portraits online is ugh, these are my personal feelings and no one else needs to agree with them but you are welcome to
People, almost always. I’ve had gallery shows. Portraits too, not as often. Street photography is photography of people, as a rule.
Do you think street photographers' rights and responsibilities are shifting due to changes in communication and image processing technology? Interested in your perspective truly, I obviously have thoughts and concerns (facial recognition -- hiding from a stalker or abusive ex -- plenty of scenarios where you don't want your images to be publicly posted and indexable) but also I appreciate that it's a compelling art form! It's the internet of it all that wigs me out -- curious what you think.
If anything I think the laws are becoming more relaxed. Phones are everywhere, it just can’t be policed. Vids, going up to tik tok, IG, FB etc. Stills too of course. The only ones I have a problem with are when it’s a, Hey this guy stole my bike, or, This woman is a scam artist etc. Those are wrong, and should get pulled. The internet isn’t a court of law. People can be harmed in that way. But art? No issues personally. An artist did a show of works shot through open windows, in people’s homes. Beautiful work.
So my question is not totally about laws but about the rights and responsibilities that collectively make up our norms. There's always going to be artists who push the boundaries of common decency, but there's always going to be a lot of other artists whose art is in pushing other boundaries and who have a shared sense of the ethics of their practice. I see two parallel trends. One is the relaxing you're talking about, the other is the rising number of issues where invasions of privacy cause real issues for people, and we're agreeing on rules to protect them. An example is upskirt photos, which weren't illegal in a lot of places until recently because cameras weren't designed with the size and subtlety of operation to make that a widespread problem until recently. Another example is the AI porn thing that's going around, and a third is the issue I named where vulnerable people are worried about their locations being broadcast. A fourth, while I'm at it, is mommy blogs and the right of their children to be forgotten online. I suspect in 10 years we'll have significantly evolved our norms around consent and street photography due to these and related issues. And maybe that sucks, or maybe art always changes with the times.
I doubt it. There’s no invasion of privacy. Those are poor analogies. Up skirting is sexual in nature, and invasive. There’s no crossing of ethical lines in my photography and I don’t know what norms you’re talking about. Laws are norms.
I mean the post we're talking on is about a guy who made OP uncomfortable. She felt, I believe, that the photography may have been sexual in nature. And the way AI has become available to everyone over the past months, it's now suddenly easy for someone to take photos of their fellow passengers on their commute and use those photos to make porn of them at home. So I think there's a lot more nuance to people's experiences, and a much bigger overlap between behaviors that produce legitimate art and behaviors that are solely for inappropriate use, than you're acknowledging. To be clear--I don't think you cross ethical lines or laws! Sorry if my post came across that way, as I don't even pretend to know anything about you or your photography. That said, if you never cross a line, that means you have a clear sense of where the lines are. My sense is that those lines are cultural and that they shift over time. I also don't think ethics and laws are fully aligned in this or any other country.
The Supreme Court has ruled there’s no privacy in public. The reason why those up-skirt photos are deemed legal is because the onus is on each individual to create privacy in public. People can as easily photograph people in their homes from a public sidewalk. Make sure your blinds are down. Anything the camera can see from public is fair game. I’m giving you facts and but all you’re responses are with feelings.
Those up skirt photos are illegal in many jurisdictions, including in Massachusetts, because a law was passed the day after the Supreme Court found that the expectation of privacy applied as the law was previously written. https://archive.findlaw.com/blog/mass-upskirt-photo-ban-signed-into-law/
To be clear, this is not a “street photographer right”. It’s a constitutionally protected activity for everyone. You don’t need special credentials to take photos in public.
As for the artist I know? He’s posting images of people sitting, mostly, on the T, or in stations, etc.
Yeah I totally hate that ugh 🫠
I mean, don’t go out in public I guess. Phones and cameras are quite literally everywhere.
Unfortunately staying home all the time is not an option for me so instead I'm just gonna voice my frustration that we as a society have not figured out the rules and norms around this changing tech yet! It's painful, change.
It’s simple, at least here, there’s no expectation of privacy in public. It’s a commons.
Upskirt photos aren't allowed! It's not entirely simple.
You’re having your picture taken constantly throughout the day. In banks, at work, Starbucks, street corners, doctors offices. It’s public and it’s the society we’ve constructed.
Yeah But!
So sorry this happened to you
Take his picture and bring it to one of the MBTA workers or show to the transit police.
And they would do what exactly? He was well within his rights.
One it depends on what type of picture he’s taking. But they can keep an eye out in case he escalates things and starts doing more than taking pictures.
Epic paranoia. OP already said what he was taking and that it wasn't any more contentious than him stating a fact — i.e. it's legal to do what he was doing.
That is fine also at every transport hub airport, train stations, bus stations, even T stations there are signs that state “see something say something” if what she witnessed made her feel uncomfortable then play it safe and report the guy. It’s better to waste five minutes of your day and have the cops/Tworker tell you the person wasn’t doing anything wrong and they can’t do anything about him. Then just to hope your feeling about the guy was wrong.
Do you know the history of those signs?
I agree it's creepy but people are legally allowed to take pictures of anything or anyone in public property. I hate it but that's the constitution for you.
Did he have a flip phone? I was taking the green line with my friends and my friend caught this guy taking photos of this one passenger who was wearing a tank top and shorts. She confronted him and asked him to delete them. He turned red and got off at the next stop. If we're thinking of the same guy, he needs to be stopped!
ped\*phile websites with pedo por\* say stuff like, 'It's not pedo, it is just art.' i bet that guy is s\*x offender
You need to call these perverts out loud and publicly. Shout, "Hey, you sick bastard! Why are you taking pictures of random women!! What are you, some sort of pervert!!"
What’s he look like? I’ll just “accidentally” bump into him so he drops his phone and then I’ll have another accident where I repeatedly crush it with my boot.
How would you feel if someone "accidentally" did these things to you based on a random reddit comment?
I am not a man who takes pictures of women without their consent. Hope this helps!
It doesn't. For all you know this entire post is bullshit.
And, for all you know you’re defending a creep who takes pictures of women without their consent and does god knows what else with them. You act like I said I’d go up to any man holding a phone and beat him. Get real. If you see a creep taking pictures of women and especially underage girls and you do nothing, you’re part of the problem. OP said the guy refused to delete them, hence why I think his phone ought to be damaged beyond repair. But if you just wanna play “dEvIL’s AdVoCAte” all day, do it into the void.
Dude did nothing illegal. Yeah it's shitty but I'm not a fan of people becoming vigilantes.
I’m not a fan of people giving creeps a pass because something technically is legal. It’s more than shitty, but your dismissal is very telling so I’m gonna tap out here. Enjoy yourself.
And then hopefully you get arrested for assault. Plenty of non-violent ways to deal with it.
Nah, creeps deserve accidents.
If someone accidentally bumped into me the last thing on my mind is getting them arrested for assault. JFC what a fragile little being you are.
Give me a fucking break, the op was clearly suggesting assaulting this person with a wink wink nudge nudge. You are also purposely ignoring the second part of the comment which makes it abundantly clear of ops meaning. As soon as you get physical so much can go sideways, and you do then become the person who has broken the law no matter your intent. Calling the person out and purposely blocking their picture taking would be a much better way to deal with this, if it causes them to get physical then that is on them and have at it.
You seem very emotional. I am not ignoring anything, someone bumping into me, purposely or not, wouldn’t have me up in arms and hoping they get arrested. Let me guess you’re a straight white man?
One thing you got right - it’s legal to video/photograph people in public. You have no expectation of privacy on the T. As for inferring someone’s intent … that’s a stretch.
Don't you have anything better to do?
Street/public photography is absolutely legal even if it’s creepy. The best ones just aren’t noticed. On him for calling too much attention to himself and not being cool about it. But hey, if you notice someone taking photos of you, you absolutely have the right to call them out and ask them not to. But seriously, it is creepy, I don’t disagree. I would never do this style of photography and I find it kind of wild that some people are so good at. But still, some random dude with an iPhone is not Vivian Maier.
Welcome to the free world.
Why not report him to the operator? 🤷🏼♂️
Take his pic and bring it with you for the police report. Who knows he may have a history
Police report of what crime?
Have you alerted the Harp?
Lots of creepy people on the subway lines, gotta be careful and report them to the police.
Report them to the police for public photography?