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Tesco Security

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  • 21-12-2011 5:48pm
    #1
    suzyq132
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭


    Hi, does anyone know if this is illegal.

    Today a group of teenagers from a local secondary school were hanging out around the shopping centre in Artane during their lunch time. A few of them were a bit loud but nothing untoward. The security guard who is employed by Tesco took out a camera and started following them and taking photos of them.

    He took photos of all of them even if they were just standing around. Is this legal, I can't imagine it to be.

    Anyone know.

    Tks cause I want to say something to him but I'd like to know first.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    EKRIUQ
    Registered Users Posts: 4,386 ✭✭✭EKRIUQ


    Were they school girls? I'm sure if they were underage it would be a problem.


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    #3
    actuallylike
    Registered Users Posts: 1,450 ✭✭✭actuallylike


    They were probably messing and he was taking pictures to show the school. I did the same to a bunch who smoke at the end of our road and wrecked the place. Why would you want it to be illegal, they weren't nekkid were they?


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    #4
    JoseJones
    Registered Users Posts: 612 ✭✭✭JoseJones


    Why would it be illegal to take pictures in a public place? Or even on the supermarkets own property?


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    #5
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    JoseJones wrote: »
    Why would it be illegal to take pictures in a public place? Or even on the supermarkets own property?
    The security guard could be a paedophile?


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    #6
    vicwatson
    Registered Users Posts: 28,404 ✭✭✭✭vicwatson


    EKRIUQ wrote: »
    Were they school girls? I'm sure if they were underage it would be a problem.

    Or if they were young boys - doesn't matter about the sex


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    #7
    actuallylike
    Registered Users Posts: 1,450 ✭✭✭actuallylike


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    The security guard could be a paedophile?

    Oh for Christ's sake, run for the hills everyone, the paedophile's are around and they've become so desperate for the sexy children that they're taking pictures of fully clothed children in non provocative poses in crowded areas while working. Wouldn't it be easier to just google image school children?


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    #8
    JoseJones
    Registered Users Posts: 612 ✭✭✭JoseJones


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    The security guard could be a paedophile?

    So could a professional photographer who takes pictures of kids parties, St. Patricks day parades, kids hurling and football matches. So camera's should be banned in public?


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    #9
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    JoseJones wrote: »
    So could a professional photographer who takes pictures of kids parties, St. Patricks day parades, kids hurling and football matches. So camera's should be banned in public?
    some photographer taking pictures at a party could be said to be appropriate but taking pictures of schoolchildren while you are working as a security guard seems very odd! what reason has he got for taking these pictures? most shopping centres are covered well by CCTV so taking the pictures would not be required for his job?


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    #10
    superstoner90
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,076 ✭✭✭superstoner90


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    taking the pictures would not be required for his job?

    No id guess its more of a hobby for him. :rolleyes:


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    #11
    Max Power1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,272 ✭✭✭✭Max Power1


    JoseJones wrote: »
    Why would it be illegal to take pictures in a public place? Or even on the supermarkets own property?
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    The security guard could be a paedophile?
    Eh - youre in a public place?


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    #12
    JoseJones
    Registered Users Posts: 612 ✭✭✭JoseJones


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    some photographer taking pictures at a party could be said to be appropriate but taking pictures of schoolchildren while you are working as a security guard seems very odd! what reason has he got for taking these pictures? most shopping centres are covered well by CCTV so taking the pictures would not be required for his job?

    So if you went to something like a parade and started taking pictures with kids in them, that means you could be a paedophile right? Anyway, the bottom line is it isn't illegal to use a camera in a public place, if it was 99% of us would be in prison.


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    #13
    Tails142
    Registered Users Posts: 2,117 ✭✭✭Tails142


    superstoner90 wrote: »
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    taking the pictures would not be required for his job?

    No id guess its more of a hobby for him. :rolleyes:

    Some of these replies are hilarious.

    OP, stop loitering around the entrances of supermarkets.

    Security are of perfectly entitled to photograph anyone in a public area, underage or otherwise.


    The only public place where I know there are issues regarding this is at swimming pools


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    #14
    suzyq132
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭suzyq132


    These kids we're all under 14. I'm not saying its anything sinister, I just think its completely unappropriate. It infringes on the their rights. Would you like the security guard to take a photo of your son or daughter or even yourself as you we're walking around Tesco doing your shopping. I agree with security cameras but this was intrusive. Odd behaviour. Can't campare it to a party photographer. Just think its intrusive, especially taking pics of school kids. Why couldn't he just ask them to leave if they were'nt buying anything. The world has gone mad!!


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    #15
    JoseJones
    Registered Users Posts: 612 ✭✭✭JoseJones


    Well he's perfectly entitled to do it, the world has gone mad indeed!


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    #16
    wobbles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,090 ✭✭✭wobbles


    The world is gone mad, it took 5 posts before the word paedophile was mentioned.

    The security gaurd can take as many pictures as he wants. Its not a public place, its tesco property. The security gaurd was doing his job, as he would have been told to do this by his boss. You might find that intrusive, but what about the people who may be intimiated by young people hanging around.

    You may see them as only hanging around, but god knows what they were up to, or even other young people around that area.


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    #17
    saa
    Registered Users Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭saa


    Ah now this won't stand up if there was loitering going on I'm sure its in their contract to move you off the property so he wasn't doing anything wrong

    They've already got cctv images so not sure how that would be that different to taking an image to keep a record of a perpetrator even though loitering in most cases is completely harmless.

    Many professionals use their phone or a compact camera to take images on the job.
    He's just using that as a tool to fill in the report, friend of mine use to be a security guy in Tesco and he had to keep a record of every incident like that so I don't see why photos or cctv footage is that different or out of line, I can't see his actions being in any way sexualised, he's not keeping them for himself they are for a report.

    You can say you are customers and are not happy with how you were treated and usually loitering gets a blind eye turned towards it but shouting? Don't think so.


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    #18
    Max Power1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,272 ✭✭✭✭Max Power1


    suzyq132 wrote: »
    These kids we're all under 14. I'm not saying its anything sinister, I just think its completely unappropriate. It infringes on the their rights. Would you like the security guard to take a photo of your son or daughter or even yourself as you we're walking around Tesco doing your shopping. I agree with security cameras but this was intrusive. Odd behaviour. Can't campare it to a party photographer. Just think its intrusive, especially taking pics of school kids. Why couldn't he just ask them to leave if they were'nt buying anything. The world has gone mad!!
    What rights were those?

    Any place where the public has access to without restriction is deemed a public place.
    Any photo can then be taken of you - and you only can refuse if it is used for commercial gain (IE in advertising etc).


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    #19
    Max Power1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,272 ✭✭✭✭Max Power1


    wobbles wrote: »
    The world is gone mad, it took 5 posts before the word paedophile was mentioned.

    The security gaurd can take as many pictures as he wants. Its not a public place, its tesco property. The security gaurd was doing his job, as he would have been told to do this by his boss. You might find that intrusive, but what about the people who may be intimiated by young people hanging around.

    You may see them as only hanging around, but god knows what they were up to, or even other young people around that area.
    It is a public place. The public has access without a barrier.

    But yes, the security guard (or anyone) can take pictures, as its a public place.


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    #20
    Gareth2011
    Closed Accounts Posts: 579 ✭✭✭Gareth2011


    EKRIUQ wrote: »
    Were they school girls? I'm sure if they were underage it would be a problem.

    Why would it be a problem if their just standing around? Not harrasdhing anyone not drinking or smoking?


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    #21
    suzyq132
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭suzyq132


    Thanks for all the comments, it was just bugging me since I came home!


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    #22
    AlwaysAmber
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭AlwaysAmber


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    The security guard could be a paedophile?

    You really don't like Tesco's do you!


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    #23
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    I don't want any further mention of paedophilia in this thread. It has no place in this forum

    dudara


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    #24
    saa
    Registered Users Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭saa


    suzyq132 wrote: »
    Thanks for all the comments, it was just bugging me since I came home!

    No of course not I've been in that situation when I was at that hanging about the town age, feeling pished off because you felt like you weren't doing anything wrong, I think they just want to get yee's out before anything does happen just don't feel like a criminal over it :)


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    #25
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    Taking a few pics on a 3m phone cameras is nothing compared to the security cameras in store. They can read and take stills of a driver licence when it is being presented at the till.


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    #26
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    suzyq132 wrote: »
    These kids we're all under 14. I'm not saying its anything sinister, I just think its completely unappropriate. It infringes on the their rights. Would you like the security guard to take a photo of your son or daughter or even yourself as you we're walking around Tesco doing your shopping. I agree with security cameras but this was intrusive. Odd behaviour. Can't campare it to a party photographer. Just think its intrusive, especially taking pics of school kids. Why couldn't he just ask them to leave if they were'nt buying anything. The world has gone mad!!

    Kids have absolutely no respect for Adults when questioned or told to move on, I suspect the kids have caused previous issues in that location and the Camera is merely a tool to get them to leave, if he walked down the road after them in clear view then there is nothing wrong with that, however if he was hiding in the bushes or obstructing their path then that could be seen as infringing on their privacy.

    Its a Public place, the only place where you cannot have your photo taken is a private premises and the owner of that premises has specifically said it is not allowed.

    If the Security Guard walked up to them and asked them to leave he would be told "You can't tell me what to do, I didn't do nothin"

    Good Article on it here.

    http://www.digitalrights.ie/2006/05/09/photographers-rights/

    Besides, with all the CCTV Cameras around the place they would be able to gather far better Hi-Def footage of the kids than the Security Guard's Camera, his Camera would however back him up (with Audio) in the event one of the Kids accused him of assault or whatever.


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    #27
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,497 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    JoseJones wrote: »
    Why would it be illegal to take pictures in a public place? Or even on the supermarkets own property?

    Supermarkets and shopping centers are not public places, they are private property

    If they were in a public place they would be nothing illegal about this, in this instance I'd say the chap is doing his job as he is security and maybe there was past issues with these teenagers


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    #28
    An Udaras
    Closed Accounts Posts: 283 ✭✭An Udaras


    http://www.dataprotection.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=242

    If the images are being obtained by CCTV or handheld camera they must comply with the relevant sections of the Data Protection Act

    "Storage and retention.
    "Storage and retention

    Section 2(1)(c)(iv) of the Data Protection Acts  states that data "shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for" the purposes for which they were obtained.  A data controller needs to be able to justify this retention period.  For a normal security system, it  would be  difficult to  justify retention beyond a month, except where the images identify an issue – such as a break-in or theft -  and is retained specifically in the context of an investigation of that issue.

    The storage medium  should be stored in a secure environment with a log of access  kept. Access should be restricted to authorised personnel."
    Maybe an email to Tesco security/management or Failing that the data protection commissioners if you are concerned about such behaviour they can investigate.

    It is lawful for them to protect there property & interests but they must comply with the above legislation and maintain any images and or recordings per the Data Protection Act.


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    #29
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    They don't want lots of students hanging around on their property, buying nothing and just being loud and smoking maybe

    So send the security guard around to take a few photos and they'll post the photos and a letter over to the school principal

    Which is easier OP? Get the security guard to take some pics or pull them off the CCTV

    I know when I was a student we were warned off from certain parts of town as we'd be blocking footpaths and shops didn't want thirty of us outside and scaring off their customers


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    #30
    An Udaras
    Closed Accounts Posts: 283 ✭✭An Udaras


    It may also be worth noting whether the camera utilized was the security guards own personal camera or a issued one belonging TESCO security..

    This may present issues regarding Data Protection if it's being properly stored and administrated and if he has even been authorised on behalf TESCO or Artance Shopping Cente itself to take images of the public? It's could be possible he exceeding his own companies directions I.e on a Power Trip?

    The Private Security Authority also govern private security and all security staff are required to have a current PSA ID clearly on display and if requested produce to anyone effeted.So you could have asked the security guard for his details if you wish to complains or enquire to his employers about the incident?

    You could also query the security guards actions with the PSA?


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    #31
    Unrealistic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,284 ✭✭✭Unrealistic


    Cabaal wrote: »
    Supermarkets and shopping centers are not public places, they are private property
    The two aren't mutually exclusive. Private property can be a public place. Shopping centre, car park, a road in an estate owned by the management company etc. The definition is not whether the land is owned by the state or a private individual but whether the public have unhindered access.


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