Permission for pics of overweight people used by media?

J. asked:

I notice that during news stories on TV about overweight individuals or diets, etc., they sometimes show video of overweight people walking down a sidewalk or eating in public. There are sometimes even still photos of this type used in magazine, newspaper, and online news articles.

Does the media have to get permission from these individuals to use them in their videos and/or pictures? I can just imagine what they would do if they suddenly saw video of themself on the evening news being shown during a story on overweight people.

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obese on February 12, 2010 | Filed Under overweight

6 Comments

Ian H on February 14th, 2010

I don’t think so as they don’t show their faces.

noddy on February 17th, 2010

I very much doubt it.

DZER(LOVE) on February 20th, 2010

YEP;and I do care…

deight g© inc. Buster Hyman on February 23rd, 2010

If the people are in a public place, I presume it is ok to photograph them. I think the blurring of faces is a courtesy thing, I’m not sure they need to do it.

In UK news items, often people are simply filmed going about their business, shopping say, with faces un-blurred.

artphotosforsale on February 24th, 2010

One needs permission (release) if one is potentially breaking somebody’s right, such as their right of privacy. In the U.S. these laws are often set at the state level, but generally speaking at least, one can use images of people taken in public for news purposes.

I believe their size or activity they are involved in (such as eating) in no way changes their rights of privacy.

Greyson on February 5th, 2012

Stick with facts. If you need your fans to believe and trust you, you want to supply nothing except facts — not a lot more, nothing less.

Obesity Fact