# Kid flying camera equipped drone over beach assaulted for being a pervert. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 12, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659 "2014-06-12T22:12:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/121 "2014-06-13T17:00:20Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Me, I would absolutely say something like\* “do you mind if I take your picture?”\* before I start shooting away, quite frankly. Can’t help but think that it’s rude of you not to, and that you must have made some people uncomfortable, even if they said nothing. Sure. Sometimes you do that approach. Much of the time, not. That’s how photojournalism works. I do my best to have people comfortable with my presence, of course, but there’s plenty of times when asking before shooting will ruin the moment. While I have not done editorial work for years, I would still approach you at some point, usually afterwards, to get caption information for the picture, so you’d be aware of who I am and what I’m doing. A lot of the iconic, great slice-of-life photos wouldn’t be there if photographers always asked before taking a photo. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/122 "2014-06-13T17:10:40Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > First, you insult me. I didn’t insult you. I didn’t say that you, Charlie Wayne, are stupid. I said that your statement was the stupidest statement in this thread full of stupid statements. > [@](#): > > Then, you expect me to cite laws and do other things for you? It’s not for me. It’s the way this message board works. People who make factual statements at the Straight Dope are expected to be able to back them up. This is enforced most clearly in Great Debates and General Questions but it is true in any of the forums. It is always appropriate to ask a poster for citations of dubious claims. > [@](#): > > You are wrong to imply anyone is stupid. I did not imply that you are stupid. I said that your statement was stupid. This is acceptable according to the rules and traditions of this board. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/123 "2014-06-13T17:14:15Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Sure. Sometimes you do that approach. Much of the time, not. That’s how photojournalism works. I do my best to have people comfortable with my presence, of course, but there’s plenty of times when asking before shooting will ruin the moment. While I have not done editorial work for years, I would still approach you at some point, usually afterwards, to get caption information for the picture, so you’d be aware of who I am and what I’m doing. A lot of the iconic, great slice-of-life photos wouldn’t be there if photographers always asked before taking a photo. Of course, we’re going a little astray here. What did you want this kid to do? Ask every single person on that _public_ beach whether they minded being photographer before taking a scenic shot of bathers on the beach from above? That sounds absolutely crazy to me that one would have to ask anyone in any picture taken involving humans in the picture their permission to be in the picture. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/124 "2014-06-13T17:44:41Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Of course, we’re going a little astray here. What did you want this kid to do? Ask every single person on that _public_ beach whether they minded being photographer before taking a scenic shot of bathers on the beach from above? That sounds absolutely crazy to me that one would have to ask anyone in any picture taken involving humans in the picture their permission to be in the picture. No. I’m saying that maybe he shouldn’t record people at the beach, and if he really needs to, he should be ready to be confronted when eventually somebody decides to do something about it. Same goes to you if you want to go around taking pictures of people. Because doing that is getting in the space of others. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/125 "2014-06-13T17:51:22Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > No. I’m saying that maybe he shouldn’t record people at the beach,… > > Because doing that is getting in the space of others. Maybe people shouldn’t go to the beach, because doing that gets in the space of others. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/126 "2014-06-13T18:03:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Maybe people shouldn’t go to the beach, because doing that gets in the space of others. But it doesn’t. Taking a camera and filming them does. And don’t tell me that you wouldn’t be uncomfortable if you saw somebody filming you at the beach, because you would. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/127 "2014-06-13T18:04:36Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > No. I’m saying that maybe he shouldn’t record people at the beach, and if he really needs to, he should be ready to be confronted when eventually somebody decides to do something about it. Same goes to you if you want to go around taking pictures of people. > > Because doing that is getting in the space of others. So, you’re not getting Google Glass, then? ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/128 "2014-06-13T18:11:34Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > So, you’re not getting Google Glass, then? I’m not filming people without their permission, and I hope you don’t either if you buy a pair, especially at the beach. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/129 "2014-06-13T18:13:15Z")
This is a public beach. People can take cameras there. Cameras are rather omnipresent these days and with digital photography the barrier to taking a decent photo is pretty low. In a public place, even if you are wearing a swimsuit, someone can take your photo. Legally. Forget the ridiculous hyptheticals like they are inches away from your children’s tiny crotches. WHAT THIS KID WAS DOING, was completely legal and not even perverted in any fashion. Those of you crying “pervert” are the ones who have some sort of sexual problem. Like the anti-gay conservatives who get caught with a young boy, there is clearly something wrong with you. People’s personal boundaries have nothing to do with the law. We are not each of us a Law unto ourselves that we get to deal out to each other like we’re Judge Dredd. If you get freaked out when you’re out in a group and someone ‘stares at you too long’, see a doctor. You are a danger to society. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/130 "2014-06-13T18:27:37Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > But it doesn’t. But it does. It restricts my airspace. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/131 "2014-06-13T18:32:30Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > But it doesn’t. Taking a camera and filming them does. And don’t tell me that you wouldn’t be uncomfortable if you saw somebody filming you at the beach, because you would. Nah. I don’t think I would, but it depend on what you mean by “filming [me]”. A drone flying 50" above? Wouldn’t even notice it. A guy who has his camera on me for a few seconds, then pans over, wouldn’t even register. Somebody up my crotch? Yeah, that I might notice. But, someone casually filming or a flying copter going by with a camera, or even a pro taking a couple long lens shots of me, I wouldn’t give the mildest fuck in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/132 "2014-06-13T18:38:33Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > This is a public beach. People can take cameras there. Cameras are rather omnipresent these days and with digital photography the barrier to taking a decent photo is pretty low. > > In a public place, even if you are wearing a swimsuit, someone can take your photo. > > Legally. > > Forget the ridiculous hyptheticals like they are inches away from your children’s tiny crotches. > > WHAT THIS KID WAS DOING, was completely legal and not even perverted in any fashion. > > Those of you crying “pervert” are the ones who have some sort of sexual problem. Like the anti-gay conservatives who get caught with a young boy, there is clearly something wrong with you. > > People’s personal boundaries have nothing to do with the law. We are not each of us a Law unto ourselves that we get to deal out to each other like we’re Judge Dredd. > > If you get freaked out when you’re out in a group and someone ‘stares at you too long’, see a doctor. You are a danger to society. But nobody is arguing the legality of it, just what’s considered acceptable behaviour. I don’t think there’s anything weird with feeling uncomfortable when somebody’s staring at you for too long. I honestly don’t believe for a second, and I mean, for a second that you wouldn’t either. It’s actually not human not to be weirded out by somebody staring at you. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/133 "2014-06-13T18:40:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Nah. I don’t think I would, but it depend on what you mean by “filming [me]”. A drone flying 50" above? Wouldn’t even notice it. A guy who has his camera on me for a few seconds, then pans over, wouldn’t even register. Somebody up my crotch? Yeah, that I might notice. But, someone casually filming or a flying copter going by with a camera, or even a pro taking a couple long lens shots of me, I wouldn’t give the mildest fuck in the world. Really? “Hey, why are those guys taking pictures of me?” wouldn’t you be even curious at least? I find that incredibly hard to believe. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/134 "2014-06-13T18:43:14Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > I don’t think there’s nothing weird with feeling uncomfortable when somebody’s staring at you for too long. I honestly don’t believe for a second, and I mean, for a second that you wouldn’t either. It’s actually not human not to be weirded out by somebody staring at you. And how is this comparable to a quadcopter flying across a beach? I don’t even know how I would even notice such a thing. Now, if the woman is complaining because the kid hovered the copter directly above her and left it there, yeah, I could understand her reaction somewhat better. But it strikes me as odd to be freaked out at all, much less enough to go apeshit for a guy doing runs of the quadcopter across the beach at 50 feet. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/135 "2014-06-13T18:46:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > And how is this comparable to a quadcopter flying across a beach? I don’t even know how I would even notice such a thing. Now, if the woman is complaining because the kid hovered the copter directly above her and left it there, yeah, I could understand her reaction somewhat better. But it strikes me as odd to be freaked out at all, much less enough to go apeshit for a guy doing runs of the quadcopter across the beach at 50 feet. I was responding to Zebra, who said that, because I feel weirded out if somebody stares at me for too long, I’m some sort of danger to society. And in this case, modern cameras can zoom up to impressive detail, even at 50 feet, so it isn’t that different from walking along the beach with a camera. If you can understand how anybody could react to a guy filming people at the beach, then you should understand how the same goes for a quadcopter. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/136 "2014-06-13T18:47:11Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > Really? “Hey, why are those guys taking pictures of me?” wouldn’t you be even curious at least? I find that incredibly hard to believe. Well, find it incredibly hard to believe all you want, but that’s the case. Why should I give a damn if somebody takes a photo of me in public? I’ll only wonder if somebody pays undue attention to specifically me, otherwise, I don’t see any reason to be bothered. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/137 "2014-06-13T18:49:05Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Well, find it incredibly hard to believe all you want, but that’s the case. Why should I give a damn if somebody takes a photo of me in public? I’ll only wonder if somebody pays undue attention to specifically me, otherwise, I don’t see any reason to be bothered. But that’s what you said, that there was an hypothetical couple taking a couple of pictures specifically of you. Me, I’d find that odd. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/138 "2014-06-13T18:54:38Z")
> [@Sr\_Siete](#): > > But that’s what you said, that there was an hypothetical couple taking a couple of pictures specifically of you. Me, I’d find that odd. A “couple of pictures” I truly and honestly wouldn’t care. I’m in public, you can photograph me all day long for what I care. But that’s still a hell of a lot different than a drone flying across a beach 50’ up in the air. That’s more like someone going apeshit because a tourist decided to take a panning shot of the beach, like tourists do every single day in pretty much every single beach in the world. Now, if this “drone” was hovering 20’ over that particular woman for an uncomfortable amount of time (however you define it), yeah, I could see her getting annoyed. But that doesn’t seem to be what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/139 "2014-06-13T18:59:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > A “couple of pictures” I truly and honestly wouldn’t care. I’m in public, you can photograph me all day long for what I care. But that’s still a hell of a lot different than a drone flying across a beach 50’ up in the air. That’s more like someone going apeshit because a tourist decided to take a panning shot of the beach, like tourists do every single day in pretty much every single beach in the world. Now, if this “drone” was hovering 20’ over that particular woman for an uncomfortable amount of time (however you define it), yeah, I could see her getting annoyed. But that doesn’t seem to be what happened. But the possibility of zooming makes that 30 feet distance negligible. Still, the point here is that there is a line that somebody flying a quadcopter could cross to make you feel uncomfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659/140 "2014-06-13T19:00:53Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Thank you for your honest answer. > > THIS, ladies & gentleman, is why the law needs to change. You must be confused. I wasn’t answering a question. Your post gets even more nonsensical from there, as I made no statements about how I feel about your expectations of privacy. You couldn’t have made less sense if you tried. Thanks for the histrionics, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-flying-camera-equipped-drone-over-beach-assaulted-for-being-a-pervert/690659.md?page=8)