# Photographing illegal activity **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217 "2012-12-16T20:55:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [December 17, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/21 "2012-12-17T01:52:21Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > It’s illegal in the United States to take pictures of any building or facility that houses Federal offices. Apparently, even if you stand across the street and take pictures, it’s illegal. > > Cite: Go to any Social Security office, or similar, and read the threatening-sounding notices posted in the door or window. Not true - [Homeland Security Bulletin on Photographers and Federal Buildings](http://www.photographybay.com/2011/01/31/homeland-security-bulletin-on-photographers-and-federal-buildings/) I don’t know what the postings are at the Social Security office you saw, but I don’t think it says what you think it says. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/22 "2012-12-17T02:12:27Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > It’s illegal in the United States to take pictures of any building or facility that houses Federal offices. Apparently, even if you stand across the street and take pictures, it’s illegal. > > Cite: Go to any Social Security office, or similar, and read the threatening-sounding notices posted in the door or window. > [@Telemark](#): > > Not true - [Homeland Security Bulletin on Photographers and Federal Buildings](http://www.photographybay.com/2011/01/31/homeland-security-bulletin-on-photographers-and-federal-buildings/) > > I don’t know what the postings are at the Social Security office you saw, but I don’t think it says what you think it says. In my first post I said “Also, cops, private security people, the general public tend to not understand this but just because someone tells you something isn’t legal doesn’t mean it isn’t”. If you frequent photog message board it seems there’s always someone that just got in trouble for taking pictures of someone in a park and successfully or unsuccessfully convinced a cop it was legal (or ended up arrested) or had some other scuffle with the law. Taking pictures of federal buildings always seems to get people in trouble since as soon as you do that it seems the security people coming running out and ask you to knock it off. Even if a cop that sees you taking pictures of a federal building does agree that it’s okay to take pictures in the public, it seems that more often then not they’re still going to do their best to get you to move along. Anyways, the two things I quoted just go to show how common it is for people to not understand the laws regarding photography in the US. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/23 "2012-12-17T02:12:33Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Well then, here’s another hypothetical: > > What if I were to snap pics of **Washoe** snapping pics of kids playing hopscotch, while he was wearing nothing but a trench-coat, and I was wearing nothing but a chartreuse cummerbund? > > And let me tell you, they’re not easy to find in chartreuse. Need answer fast, as the return policy is only good until tomorrow. is that with the folds up or folds down? I can never remember which way they go. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/24 "2012-12-17T02:20:46Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Don’t be silly, I wear it around my chest to cover up my nipples. Make sure you use tape. Don’t want anything slipping out. ---
**Author:** ![Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunzio_Tavulari)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/25 "2012-12-17T02:42:46Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > Ridiculous hypothetical—I’m standing outside the school playground wearing absolutely nothing but a trench coat, happily snapping away at all the little kiddies playing hopscotch. Now, obviously the cops are going to get called tout suite. But is there legally anything anybody can do to stop me? Do not need answer fast. Loitering. The police will move you along under threat of a minor infraction. If necessary, they may goad you into committing a larger offense like touching them (assault). ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/26 "2012-12-17T02:45:12Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I don’t know what the postings are at the Social Security office you saw, but I don’t think it says what you think it says. Well, now I’ll just have to bip on down to the S.S. office sometime Real Soon Now and take a closer look, and see just what that sign says. As I recall, the whole front wall of the office is a huge window plastered full of legalistic warnings of all sorts. The one about no weapons or firearms allowed, the one about no pictures allowed, the one about no recording devices allowed, etc. The overall impression is that the government has mired itself in a bottomless swamp of paranoia. At least you don’t have to walk through metal detectors to enter, as you do at the I.R.S. office. I should go check what signage they have there too. ---
**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:** [December 17, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/27 "2012-12-17T03:30:03Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > the one about no pictures allowed. I’m going to guess that’s photography inside the building. That’s not an unusual restriction. Photographs of buildings from public spaces? That’s different; the legality of which has been upheld in courts. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/28 "2012-12-17T04:32:21Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > is that with the folds up or folds down? I can never remember which way they go. Crap, me neither. Sounds like a job for IMHO! > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Make sure you use tape. Don’t want anything slipping out. Do the make a tape that doesn’t pull out all the chest hair? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/29 "2012-12-17T04:37:02Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Do the make a tape that doesn’t pull out all the chest hair? Beauty is pain. Now man up, tape your boobs in and start taking those pictures. Also, some nail polish remover will probably dissolve the adhesive. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/30 "2012-12-17T05:21:41Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Beauty is pain. Now man up, tape your boobs in and start taking those pictures. > > Also, some nail polish remover will probably dissolve the adhesive. Dammit, you’re right! Here I come, public at large! My glorious debut… Hey, where’s **Washoe?** Great, now I just feel stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/31 "2012-12-19T01:49:21Z")
_You_ feel stupid? I’m the one who had to Google ‘cummerbund’. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/32 "2012-12-19T01:54:52Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Well, now I’ll just have to bip on down to the S.S. office sometime Real Soon Now and take a closer look, and see just what that sign says. As I recall, the whole front wall of the office is a huge window plastered full of legalistic warnings of all sorts. The one about no weapons or firearms allowed, the one about no pictures allowed, the one about no recording devices allowed, etc. The overall impression is that the government has mired itself in a bottomless swamp of paranoia. > > At least you don’t have to walk through metal detectors to enter, as you do at the I.R.S. office. I should go check what signage they have there too. Uh, actually, at least one Federal office building in Sacramento, CA, does have metal detectors, along with a post office. It was quite the nuisance when we lived in a part of town where that was the post office we needed to go to to collect packages and such, having to go through security just to pick up mail. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/33 "2012-12-19T06:20:01Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > It’s illegal in the United States to take pictures of any building or facility that houses Federal offices. Apparently, even if you stand across the street and take pictures, it’s illegal. > > Cite: Go to any Social Security office, or similar, and read the threatening-sounding notices posted in the door or window. If this were true (I realize several other posters have already shown that it is not) just about every tourist who ever went to Washington DC would have wound up in jail. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/34 "2012-12-19T09:02:36Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > [re knowing which cummerbund pleats go]Crap, me neither. Sounds like a job for IMHO!?.. IMHO? I think not. GQ all the way. Are you in the Army? The pleats face up because they were originally used to hold ticket stubs and similar items,[3] explaining the slang name ‘crumb-catcher’. However, the cummerbunds worn as part of the US Army Blue Mess and Blue Evening Mess uniforms are worn with the pleats down, as prescribed by Army Regulation 670–1 Chapter 24 Section 10(b). > **[Cummerbund](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cummerbund)** > > A cummerbund is a broad waist sash, usually pleated, which is often worn with single-breasted dinner jackets (or tuxedos). The cummerbund was adopted by British military officers in colonial India, where they saw it worn by sepoys (Indian soldiers) of the British Indian Army. It was adopted as an alternative to the waistcoat, and later spread to civilian use. The modern use of the cummerbund for Europeans and North Americans is as a component of the traditional black tie Western dress code. The... Typical for the Army to do something ass-backwards. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/36 "2012-12-19T10:21:56Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > It’s illegal in the United States to take pictures of any building or facility that houses Federal offices. Apparently, even if you stand across the street and take pictures, it’s illegal. You mean, like [the White House](http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/643302332/), [the Capitol](http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/3048581733/) or [the Supreme Court](http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/394014265/)? (Just making sure that I have all three branches with federal offices here.) Or something more lowly, like [this detail of a federal office building in Buffalo, NY](http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/4663145892/)? (There, I’ve confessed to at least four federal crimes. I look forward to the extradition proceedings from Australia.) ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/37 "2012-12-19T12:10:49Z")
Woah. It’s cummerbund??? I always thought it was cumberbund! I’ve been spelling and pronouncing it wrong all my life ☹ > [@Giles](#): > > You mean, like [the White House](http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/643302332/), [the Capitol](http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/3048581733/) or [the Supreme Court](http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/394014265/)? (Just making sure that I have all three branches with federal offices here.) Or something more lowly, like [this detail of a federal office building in Buffalo, NY](http://www.flickr.com/photos/75905404@N00/4663145892/)? > > (There, I’ve confessed to at least four federal crimes. I look forward to the extradition proceedings from Australia.) Did you also jaywalk here too??? ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/38 "2012-12-19T14:50:06Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > It’s illegal in the United States to take pictures of any building or facility that houses Federal offices. Apparently, even if you stand across the street and take pictures, it’s illegal. > > Cite: Go to any Social Security office, or similar, and read the threatening-sounding notices posted in the door or window. > [@njtt](#): > > If this were true (I realize several other posters have already shown that it is not) just about every tourist who ever went to Washington DC would have wound up in jail. Also waiting for the SWAT team to nab the google camera car guy… 😃 As for metal detectors and bag Xrays - they had them in every subway station in the Beijing subway, for example. Nobody evey took a physical look inside my bag, and they obviously handle rush hour crowds in a city of 20M just fine, simply by not caring what’s on the screen if things are busy. I think it just catches the obvious contraband. Hotels in Egypt also had metal detectors at the doors. Often they just ignored the beep, or if we were in a hurry, we just went around. Only the locals got the 3rd degree - musta bin racial profiling. The TSA should take lessons. You can take pictures in public. it is NOT illegal. On private property or restricted access, or where the person has an expectation of privacy (public washrooms), you have no right and the owner can set the rules. I guess the problem with photographing kids is - if some helicopter parent or paranoid schoolteacher calls the police, being innocent won’t stop you from getting the third degree and ending up on some list. (Especially if your camera has 2,000 pictures on its 32GB card, all of them children in playgrounds taken with a long telephoto.) The police _can_ investigate when it appears there is evidence of a crime, and if he dick parent says the wrong thing, it can be grounds for an investigation. Don’t scratch below the belt or fish anything out of your pants pocket in view of the playground… ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/39 "2012-12-19T19:46:45Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Woah. It’s cummerbund??? I always thought it was cumberbund! I’ve been spelling and pronouncing it wrong all my life ☹ Me too. Even then, I didn’t know what one is. Didn’t even know it’s an article of clothing. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217/40 "2012-12-21T23:44:50Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > It’s illegal in the United States to take pictures of any building or facility that houses Federal offices. Apparently, even if you stand across the street and take pictures, it’s illegal. > > Cite: Go to any Social Security office, or similar, and read the threatening-sounding notices posted in the door or window. Update: So, this has been disputed and refuted by several posters above. As promised, I found my way to the local Social Security office today to double-check on this. Result: There is no such notice posted there now. Nothing even close. Just the usual paranoia about it being illegal to interfere with federal employees, or have any kind of weapon on the premises, or to smoke within 25 feet of the door. Nothing about photography. There most certainly WAS such a notice there as of about a year ago. I kinda thought it might be knee-jerk governmental paranoia, perhaps on the part of some mid-level manager or something. But whatever it was, it’s gone now. I wonder if this is due to a change in laws? Or due to any court decisions (as implied by some post(s) above)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photographing-illegal-activity/644217.md?page=1)