For Parents in Sg: Asking a stranger to delete a photo of your toddler
I was at a clothing store with my toddler today and I caught one of the sales assistants quietly snapping a picture of my daughter with her phone. I know she didn’t mean any harm as I overheard her mumbling the word “cute.”
Regardless, I was very uneasy with a stranger having possession of my toddler’s photo and requested that she delete the picture. She complied (at least, I think she did).
Now in hindsight, I’m wondering if I overstepped any boundaries. Technically speaking, the lady didn’t do anything illegal. If she had denied my request, there was probably nothing I could have done either.
Fellow parents in Singapore, have you had any similar experience and what would you have done?
Netizens’ comments
- No you didn’t overstep any boundaries. It doesn’t sound like you were nasty to the salesperson either, so it’s all good.
- This is one example that you can control. Sure, go ahead. But there are situations you can’t, eg school photos which might be shared by other parents on their social media etc. So I have to manage my expectations as a parent myself, I can’t feel uneasy with every stranger who has my kid’s photo, because they do. But we can nurture our kid, ask them to learn to say no/consent.
- Yes, this has happened to me before.
Correct it’s not illegal. But that doesn’t make it right either. It’s inappropriate to take pictures of children without asking their parents consent and people need to learn that.
I once had a lady taking pictures of my child at gardens by the bay in the water play – in swim wear. I was sitting behind her on the stairs and I could see on her screen how she was zooming in on my child, taking pictures. I told her she needs to delete these immediately and also from the “delete” folder with me watching. Imagine this had been man. Then you might understand how very very inappropriate it is.
Another time I witnessed a young man on the bus filming a sleeping baby in the stroller. I asked the mother with a loud voice so everyone could hear if she is aware this man is filming her sleeping baby. The mother was shocked and close to tears. Again I asked the man to delete the material. EDIT: the mother thanked me for calling out the situation as she didn’t notice what was going due to where she was standing. She was in complete shock.
This is a completely unacceptable practice and it needs to be called out and stopped. Get the parents consent. But not like this.
In your case OP, I’d say had she denied I would have left a hefty review on that shop’s Google page to tell everyone their staff is taking pictures of children without the parents consent and then refuse to delete it.