Photographing Your Children in Public, Right or Wrong?

I was out shopping on Saturday, at our shopping centre, I hate shopping but we went to the food court for lunch. When finished the boys went to have a wee play in the “soft play” area. I say soft play but it’s not all that soft, anyway there was a mother or grandmother filming her child playing on her phone. I was sitting behind where she was standing and I could see her following the one child with her phone, whom did seem to be talking to her as well. I had no issue with it, but I did say to my husband I bet someone stops her filming as it’s a public place. No one did.

The next day, I was at a party with my oldest for a friend in his class. The part was being held in a large soft play centre. Now this wee boy had around 20 of his friends there. Their parents knew where they were and knew they were safe. Towards the end of the party, the birthday cake was brought out, everyone started singing happy birthday and the little boy went to blow out his candles. His parents naturally went to take his picture but were told no, due to it being a public place.

Is this what the world has come to, parents cannot take pictures of their children at their own birthday party? Now I get it was a public place, and it shouldn’t have been taken in the main soft place but this was a private room.

I understand not taking picture in a public pool, but come on things are getting ridiculous.

Even worse was what I read on the Monday about a father who had taken a picture of his daughter in a shopping centre in Glasgow and the police were called. This caused a lot of upset particularly to the little girl. If you are not familiar with this story check out the newspaper article.

I cannot help but think if this was a mother taking a picture of her daughter, would the reaction have been the same? I maybe wrong here, but I think the most she would have been asked would have been to stop taking pictures, fair enough. But this man had the police called on him and was being questioned under terrorism laws. Really? This is just crazy.

Thankfully, the shopping centre has since apologised, but not after a face book campaign to boycott the store. The shopping centre has also amended it’s policy of taking pictures of your children inside the centre, you are now allowed after the outcry.

What do you think about taking photographs of your children in public places, should it be allowed or not? Also do you think the father would have been treated differently if he has been a woman?