Ethical question regarding posting pictures

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

I'm going to the Oktoberfest tomorrow and I plan on going to the rowdiest "tent" the Hofbräu to have some fun watching the Italians fall over drunk before noon and the Aussies beat the shit out of random strangers. I want to take pictures and share with the group here on DU but a question arose in my mind this morning; is this ethical?? To take pictures of people that I don't know and post them on the internet?

[av8rdave]

1. I'm no legal expert, but I believe when you're in public you're subject to being photographed

Surely there's someone here who knows the "approved solution."

[foxfeet]

2. At least as ethical as the Aussies you describe.

[Richardo]

3. I'm not sure that's ever been done before - you're breaking new ground!

:D

Me: No, not ethical.

[NJmaverick]

4. How would that be any different from a news agency doing the same thing?

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

5. I'm not really planning

on taking pictures of people in precarious situations or getting into fights, just crowd pictures. But the question did arise in my mind.

[NJmaverick]

6. Well I really don't see any real ethical issues here

these people are in a public place.

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

7. Thanks NJmaverick

I'm a worrier to beat all worriers. I'll post some good pics from Oktoberfest 2009 here tomorrow. It's quite a scene!

[Dangerously Amused]

8. If, like a journalist, you post the photos to document and inform, then no problem.

If, however, you post the photos with the intent to ridicule the person pictured, then I would say yeah, there could be a problem.

Exhibit 1: Jane Bronstein http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Bronstein

IMHO, FWIW.

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

9. thank you

I'm not looking to humiliate individual people. I just wanted to know if it was ethical to post pictures of strangers on the internet.

[Dangerously Amused]

11. Yeah, I didn't think you were looking to humiliate anybody.

Just wanted to cover all the angles. :)

[Bucky]

10. I don't think it's a problem at all, if it's in a public venue.

[surrealAmerican]

12. I suppose you could try heading out with a stack of ...

... "release" forms for your subjects to sign.

[Inchworm]

13. If they are pictures using mirrors on your shoes...

I'd say that's not good.

But random stranger pics? Seems normal to me. I'm sure the photographer didn't know or ask permission from that dude standing in front of a procession of tanks.

:hi: