Wikimedia New York City/Photography policy
Wikimedia NYC documents and even streams some of its events, especially those with substantial presentations or a large number of attendees. As Wikimedia Commons uploads and live streams are publicly viewable, we respect the wishes of those seeking to protect their privacy, and urge all event photographers to have situational awareness and exercise caution when taking photos. We also ask that such individuals remain vigilant so as not to find themselves unknowingly captured in photos or streams.
Below is a set of general guidelines, which may be considered a supplement to the overarching Code of Conduct, though some events may have more strict or lenient guidelines than outlined here.
For any concerns or comments, reach out to info[at]wikimedianyc.org
Guidelines
edit- All content uploaded to Wikimedia Commons must be licensed as public domain (or CC-0), CC BY, or CC BY-SA. While it is usually possible to do this for one's own uploads, one must be mindful of the copyright status of other content visible within photos, such as artwork and internet content.
- At all major chapter events, attendees are given nametags – on which they may write their username, real name, or both – on which they may place a sticker indicative of their comfort level with photography. In general: green = photos are OK, yellow = ask the subject first, red = photos are not OK. It is important to be mindful of these at every event, as individual preferences may change.
- Even when attendees indicate they are OK with photos, please be respectful and refrain from taking photos that would generally be considered unflattering, such as while attendees are eating or yawning. It is also encouraged to ask for consent when taking close-up photos of individuals or small groups.
- If a board member or safe space team member requests that you stop taking photos, or a person asks not to be photographed, stop taking photos, irrespective of their indicated photography preference.
- Usually, taking photos of speakers or large groups is OK, though speakers may request not to be photographed (in which case their preference takes precedence) and certain sessions may have more stringent photography rules.
- Any uncomfortable situations should be reported to a board member, safe space team member, or security personnel. As a reminder, no means no, and stop means stop.
- Although we will do our best to respect privacy wishes, it is the attendee's responsibility to excuse themself from the main group photos and avoid walking in front of a camera capturing a live stream.
- All uploaded photos will be subject to review by Wikimedia NYC board members, and older Commons categories may also be patrolled periodically. In addition, photos taken by designated event photographers will be reviewed prior to upload. If anyone not consenting to be photographed is identifiable, the photos in question will be marked for speedy deletion or a Commons admin will be notified off-site. The uploader will also be reminded to be attentive with future uploads, and in case of repeated offense, the board may decide to take further action.
- In photo titles, captions, and descriptions, individuals may only be identified to the extent that they have disclosed publicly and willingly. Generally, this means username only. If a person has not shared their real name anywhere online, it may not be included as part of any media not uploaded by the person in question, even if they use their real name informally at gatherings. As part of this, we also ask that nametags be blurred or hidden when possible. Publication of any information online beyond what is already public knowledge constitutes outing and will be handled accordingly.
- Individual requests by the subject of a photo for said photo to be deleted, or for personally identifiable information to be hidden, will be honored as long they are made in a timely manner, i.e., such that sensitive information has not spread beyond the upload page.
- Venue-specific photography policies must be respected, and will be considered and enacted when necessary as photos are uploaded to Commons.