# Do you have a right to delete pictures of yourself on someone else's camera? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 1, 2012, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538 "2012-11-01T06:36:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/21 "2012-11-01T13:17:38Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > She was wrong to delete the photos, especially the second time. However, after she deleted the first time, you should have avoided taking any more shots of her. Yup. I would of said hey you with the self image problems, even though you’ve agreed to smile for the group photo, can you step out of the frame please. Usually people that hate how they look in photographs always avoid having their picture taking. So a little confused why she would agree to be them in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Saraya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Saraya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saraya)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/22 "2012-11-01T13:21:32Z")
Take a really incriminating picture of her and next time she goes to delete your pictures, tell her you’ll show everyone the naughty one. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/23 "2012-11-01T13:33:29Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > If I told you I don’t want my picture taken and you do it anyway, then I think I have the right to smash your camera and stomp on the remains. Just so. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/24 "2012-11-01T13:35:23Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > I don’t either, but when I’m at events, and someone takes out a camera, I’m expecting to have my picture taken. If I don’t want to be included, I’ll move away. > > When it’s unavoidable, well, I’ve come to terms with how I look in most photos. That’s just what I look like, I guess, and I’ve got to live with it. I’d never grab someone’s camera and delete pictures of myself, even if they looked terrible - I’ve asked them to please delete the terrible ones and try again. And if they say no, I’ve asked them to at least not post them online. If these people are friends, or even just decent people, they’re usually happy to comply with my wishes. She didn’t “grab” the camera–he gave it to her. After the first experience, I wonder why her let her have it the second time. I’d suggest he simply stop taking pictures of her. ---
**Author:** ![Bouncer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@Bouncer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bouncer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/25 "2012-11-01T13:51:04Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Certainly she doesn’t have the legal right to demand photos of her on someone else’s camera be destroyed. Otherwise the worlds paparazzi would be out of a job. Yes, actually she does, if she’s on private property. Neither paparazzi (nor anyone else) can take pictures of someone without their (and the owners) permission on private property. In public view is a different matter, although again, you don’t generally have the right to make commercial imagery of people in public without their permission. > [@](#): > > I’d say the same for moral right. To be nice, you should try and accomidate her if she doesn’t like a given photo, but I don’t think you’d be _wrong_ not to. Especially if it wasn’t just her in the picture. And certainly its wrong for her to use subterfuge to destroy your photos against your explicit wishes. After the first instance, perhaps the photographer would ask if that person wanted to be in the photographs at all. They may have a variety of reasons for not wanting to be. Regards, -Bouncer- ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/26 "2012-11-01T14:05:05Z")
> [@Bouncer](#): > > Yes, actually she does, if she’s on private property. Neither paparazzi (nor anyone else) can take pictures of someone without their (and the owners) permission on private property. In public view is a different matter, although again, you don’t generally have the right to make commercial imagery of people in public without their permission. > > After the first instance, perhaps the photographer would ask if that person wanted to be in the photographs at all. They may have a variety of reasons for not wanting to be. > > Regards, > -Bouncer- The person in the photo’s posed for the “cheese” photos - that implies permission to take them - at that point, the owner of the camera is the owner of the photo and she has no rights to them specifically - she could request they be deleted or not published, but outside of any other formal arrangments for said photo’s, they belong to the ‘artist’. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/27 "2012-11-01T15:10:52Z")
> [@Bouncer](#): > > Yes, actually she does, if she’s on private property. Neither paparazzi (nor anyone else) can take pictures of someone without their (and the owners) permission on private property. In public view is a different matter, although again, you don’t generally have the right to make commercial imagery of people in public without their permission. I don’t think that’s right. Paparazzi can’t trespass or use a telephoto lens to get photos against the persons will, but that’s different then just “taking photos on private property”. And even in the case of paparazzi breaking the law and trespassing, I’d think I’d need a cite to believe that the person having their picture taken has a legal right to demand the illegal photos be destroyed. But in any case, its not at issue here. The woman willingly had her photo taken and the OP wasn’t trespassing. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/28 "2012-11-01T15:48:51Z")
Needs more information. Was she one of the main subjects in the picture, or in the background? Was she aware a picture was being taken? What’s your relationship with her? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/29 "2012-11-01T15:54:19Z")
The woman had no right to delete anything from your camera. She’s not the only one in the shot and there may be good crops to be had without her in the shot. She’d never touch my cameras again, but I’d also make a point of trying to not include her in any shots. BTW, those shots are probably easy to recover from your memory card if you want them. Delete just marks the file, it doesn’t remove any data. It’s possible you overwrote some of them with subsequent shots but you probably could recover the bulk of what she deleted. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/30 "2012-11-01T15:58:35Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > She didn’t “grab” the camera–he gave it to her. After the first experience, I wonder why her let her have it the second time. I just thought that as two adults it wouldn’t be an issue the second time, since I explicitly asked her to please not delete anything without asking me. Who knows - maybe the first time she didn’t realize I’d take it as a violation. Also, if it wasn’t clear in the OP, the two events were separated by a week or two. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/31 "2012-11-01T16:17:33Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Needs more information. Was she one of the main subjects in the picture, or in the background? Was she aware a picture was being taken? What’s your relationship with her? We are friends and coworkers. We were taking a variety of shots, both of individuals and as a group. She was certainly aware she was being photographed - stood, smiled, offered no objection, just like everyone else. She didn’t mind having her picture taken, she just thought she could then go through my camera and delete any pictures she didn’t like. > [@Telemark](#): > > BTW, those shots are probably easy to recover from your memory card if you want them. Delete just marks the file, it doesn’t remove any data. It’s possible you overwrote some of them with subsequent shots but you probably could recover the bulk of what she deleted. Never would have occurred to me - good to know! ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/32 "2012-11-01T16:18:28Z")
I hate having my picture taken, and always have. I have very, very few pictures of myself as a child and teen, because I always tried to avoid the situation. In group photos, I generally tried to hide myself behind someone else. I haven’t had anyone take my picture since I was about 25, except for driver’s license photos. That’s 30 years of avoiding cameras. So, you can see that I really, really hate having my picture taken. However, I certainly wouldn’t delete a pic of me from someone else’s camera. I would definitely ask that person to delete it, though. If someone really close to me (my family, for instance) wants a pic, I might consent…but I’d protest first. Anyway, I think that this woman does not understand boundaries very well. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/33 "2012-11-01T16:40:13Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > However, after she deleted the first time, you should have avoided taking any more shots of her. I don’t understand why people are agreeing with this, when the OP wrote “they were regular, posed, “Say cheese!” kinds of snapshots.” If she’s posing, she’s giving permission to have her picture taken. If she doesn’t like having her picture taken, she shouldn’t be posing. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/34 "2012-11-01T16:48:18Z")
I think some of you are conflating two different kinds of people here. 1- Shy people who don’t like their picture taken anyway. That’s most of the posters here. 2- Attention whorey people who want to look absolutely, stunningly hawt in every photo and will throw a tantrum if they look anything less than that. That is how the girl in the OP sounds. I have a friend like #2 and she, too, will try to delete pictures from your camera. She’s the same girl who will only stand on one side in any picture ever because that’s her “good” side. Seriously. I hate hate hate hate HATE when people delete things off my camera. Sure, sometimes bad pictures (in the derpy sense, not in the illegal sense) of me get posted on Facebook, but I can untag myself and it’s fine. I would never think to force my way on someone’s camera and delete less than flattering photos of myself, it’s just rude. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/35 "2012-11-02T11:01:11Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > … but this time before handing over the camera… I think that this is very sad… ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/36 "2012-11-02T11:56:03Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > If I told you I don’t want my picture taken and you do it anyway, then I think I have the right to smash your camera and stomp on the remains. That would qualify as theft and destruction of property, I’d think. And would have an excellent chance of escalating to personal violence. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/37 "2012-11-02T12:00:27Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > That would qualify as theft and destruction of property, I’d think. And would have an excellent chance of escalating to personal violence. Right. Which is why “Don’t take my picture” shouldn’t be defied. Photography enthusiasts have the whole rest of the world to photograph and there is absolutely no shortage of people who love having their picture taken. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/38 "2012-11-02T16:28:04Z")
My guess is that, depending on the jurisdiction, the woman in question could be nailed for a computer crime, something like, “Accessing an information technology system without authorization”. But in reality, I don’t think the police are going to care too much about this and they’ll probably tell you not to let her use your camera anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/39 "2012-11-02T16:34:03Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > Certainly you should never even set your camera down around her from now on! Don’t even have it out where she can see it if she’s going to be over at your house! Keep your camera on you from now on, so she can’t pick it up and look through the pictures and delete them. I don’t think you’re taking this threat seriously. The only thing to be done is to open a safety deposit box with the local bank and have the camera stored there, only to be temporarily withdrawn for the MOST special occasions. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538/40 "2012-11-02T16:42:27Z")
You have the right to take and keep my pictures IF you ask. If you don’t ask then they should be deleted, if you refuse, don’t expect to stay my friend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-a-right-to-delete-pictures-of-yourself-on-someone-elses-camera/639538.md?page=3)