Pictures. Young Kids. Pedophiles.

[table1349]

Today I recieved a disturbing email on my flickr account. Here is an excerpt:



So, after doing my own searching, I found that yes... someone has created a profile on flickr, and has four pages of nothing but little girls, under the age of 12 seemingly, some much much younger.

The worst part is not that they are just little girls, but that in MANY of the photographs the girls were in underwear, bathing, or in bathing suits. The pictures of them seperatly were innocent enough, most likely parents capturing some of the sillier moments in their children's life.

However, seeing them together like that made my stomach churn. The picture I had posted was my daughter in a bathing suit, with a flower in her hair. There was nothing revealing about it, but there it was stuck up with all these other pictures.... and I got sick looking at it all.

Immediatly, I deleted the picture, and I blocked the contact... but it's been bugging me - should I do more? Is there anything more TO do? I mean, it is PEREFECTLY legal for this person to make favorites of whatever he wants. Even if we see a potential problematic pattern in the pictures, can we jump to the needed conclusion to REPORT him?

What would you do?

I don't mean to side track the issue or make light of the situation that you found your photos in. I more than understand how things like this can be of a grave concern. I would however ask, why did you post them that way in the first place. I too have a Flicker account that has well over 2500 pics posted just the last four months. However, you nor anyone one this board can see any of my photos, nor can you find them through a search.

For $25 a year I have a pro account that allows me to secure all of my photos. Only those that I invite get to see them. The only people that I invite are the subjects of the photos. (Lots of sports stuff) their families, the athletic department for the collage I shoot at and select faculty. Those that have a true interest in the photos and the people involved in them.

I am amazed at the mass amount of photographers these days that post their pictures up on sites like Flicker, Smug mug, Image shack etc for the entire world to see. They would never walk down the street with a photo album in their hands and just stop random people walking by to show them the photos. Nor would people think of just leaving it lying on the sidewalk for anyone to just pick up.

To me it is no different than these Face Book and My Space accounts. I am always amazed when someone comes tom my place of work looking for employment and is in total shock when they get turned down for a job after we google them and found their My Space site with the pictures of them totally S#*%% faced, half naked hanging from a street sign on Main street with a joint in their mouth, and a giant plastic penis sticking out of their pants, and they can't figure out why we don't feel like they fit our needs or will be a good representation for us.

I don't mean this as a lecture, it is not intended to be so. I intend it to be some food for thought perhaps. I understand why most celebrity's guard the privacy of their children so much. I wish more photographers would consider all of the aspects of posting their pictures for the whole world to see before they did so. For a few $$ a year and a few minutes time they could provide those same photos for those that really have a reason to see them. Grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, close friends, work associates etc. to whom those photos would really matter. Then we wouldn't see the proliferation of posts with these questions or the ever present, someone stole my picture, what can I do, questions.

While I am proud of my photos, I am more concerned for the privacy of my subjects than showing them off. Unfortunately in this world there are those that think nothing of others and only of what they can gain by any means, legal or illegal, harmful or not. They are the scum of the earth, but we are stuck with them. I just try not to feed the scum. That's just me, and my 2cents worth.

 

[AlexParlett]

Unfortunately due to the ToCs and the Creative Commons license that flikr use, he is perfectly acceptable in favouriting your daughters picture, and the rest of the pictures. Its why there is such a problem with copyright infringement and fliker. Flicker cant actually do anything to stop him, i would suggest blocking him and keeping any personal pictures private.

 

[RMThompson]

I don't mean to side track the issue or make light of the situation that you found your photos in. I more than understand how things like this can be of a grave concern. I would however ask, why did you post them that way in the first place. I too have a Flicker account that has well over 2500 pics posted just the last four months. However, you nor anyone one this board can see any of my photos, nor can you find them through a search.

For $25 a year I have a pro account that allows me to secure all of my photos. Only those that I invite get to see them. The only people that I invite are the subjects of the photos. (Lots of sports stuff) their families, the athletic department for the collage I shoot at and select faculty. Those that have a true interest in the photos and the people involved in them.

I am amazed at the mass amount of photographers these days that post their pictures up on sites like Flicker, Smug mug, Image shack etc for the entire world to see. They would never walk down the street with a photo album in their hands and just stop random people walking by to show them the photos. Nor would people think of just leaving it lying on the sidewalk for anyone to just pick up.

To me it is no different than these Face Book and My Space accounts. I am always amazed when someone comes tom my place of work looking for employment and is in total shock when they get turned down for a job after we google them and found their My Space site with the pictures of them totally S#*%% faced, half naked hanging from a street sign on Main street with a joint in their mouth, and a giant plastic penis sticking out of their pants, and they can't figure out why we don't feel like they fit our needs or will be a good representation for us.

I don't mean this as a lecture, it is not intended to be so. I intend it to be some food for thought perhaps. I understand why most celebrity's guard the privacy of their children so much. I wish more photographers would consider all of the aspects of posting their pictures for the whole world to see before they did so. For a few $$ a year and a few minutes time they could provide those same photos for those that really have a reason to see them. Grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, close friends, work associates etc. to whom those photos would really matter. Then we wouldn't see the proliferation of posts with these questions or the ever present, someone stole my picture, what can I do, questions.

While I am proud of my photos, I am more concerned for the privacy of my subjects than showing them off. Unfortunately in this world there are those that think nothing of others and only of what they can gain by any means, legal or illegal, harmful or not. They are the scum of the earth, but we are stuck with them. I just try not to feed the scum. That's just me, and my 2cents worth.

First of all, don't pretend to know what the picture contained, and therefore portray that I was showing something other than a professional photograph. My flickr is used to show people a gallery of my work, especially with my spotty website in the past. When a possible client wants to see my work, I show them my flickr.

The photo in question was a professional picture taken of my daughter, by myself. It wasn't a candid shot of my family, which I wouldn't have posted.

You are right, perhaps I was wrong in showing my daughter publically, but Ive done so in the past with no problem. I've learned my lesson, and the picture is down.

Don't come on here and lecture you or me about how damn smart you are not to share your private photos, or how you catch people getting drunk blahblahblah. Great your smug, your arrogant, and your SO much better than everyone else.

Personally, unless someone was doing something ILLEGAL on their Myspace, I see no reason to hold it against them. You dont drink? You think you can test sobriety from a photograph? I could show you pictures of myself having fun at a party that you would say I was drunk, but youd be surprised to find out - I hadn't had a single drink.

SO quit pretending to have all the answers, and stop being so smug! And by the way, ANY level of member can privatize photos, I have some private photos that only family can see as well.

 

[craig]

This is always a touchy subject. Personally and with all due respect; the sad state of affairs at Flickr is due to careless photographers. We have to use secure sites and practices as opposed to throwing our work out there. If one of my clients had to browse Flickr they would not be my clients for long. There are more professional alternatives.

Of course contact Flickr. Keep in mind that hate can kill creativity. What if homeboy was trying to figure out children poses or skin tones or a million other scenarios. Now more then ever we have to start understanding and learning as opposed to pointing the finger.

Love & Bass

 

[am_photoer]

What i am wondering, because i don't know flickr too well, but doesn't the person need to run a search for a particular word (in this case daughter blah blah blah) in the title or description?

Sooo my point is that couldn't you just leave your images (private/revealing) un described and therefore unsearchable? and just be hidden from strangers doing searches?

 

[am_photoer]

There is 'danger' as well with candid photos, because they reveal location. Especially when someone does a series of otherwise innocent things:

1- on their account says what city they live in.
2- have a candid photo of their child at their school

... that is it. With that they can search for and find the school, very easy and because kids go to school for eight months a year it will not be hard to find the 'target'.