Removal of photos from website
May 30, 2017 7:20 AM Subscribe
An organization I was once a member of has photos of me on its website. How do I get these removed?
Several years ago and for several years, I was a member of a non-secular organization.
Since leaving, I have had contact with only one person from the organization. I consider this person a friend. We met through work, and I joined the organization in part because of this person’s character. Our relationship has remained good, if somewhat distant. We don’t have nearly as much contact as we did when I was still a member of the organization, although we sometimes connect through professional events and circles. Our interactions are always very positive.
Recently, I learned that there are several photographs of me on the main website of this organization. All of the photos I am in are group shots, and they cycle on a repeating basis, intermixed with other photos.
I want the photographs containing my image removed from the website. While there is nothing lewd or demeaning in the photos, I am at a place in my life where I don’t want to be associated with this organization. Anyone viewing those photographs could mistakenly think I have a current affiliation, which is not true.
My first thought was to contact my friend, to see if there is any way to facilitate the removal through that relationship. I do believe this is possible. My concern is damaging the relationship with the request. I worry this person might view it as an indictment on the organization or a personal attack, although there is nothing in our history to support my worry.
My second thought was to contact the webmaster/site administrator.
If those channels don’t work, I was going to contact the leadership of the organization.
YANAL, YANML, etc…Do I have any legal standing to have the photos removed?
Is this plan sound? Should I involve my friend at all? Should I contact the webmaster first? Should I contact the leadership first? Is getting an attorney involved even necessary?
I’d appreciate any suggestions on the best course of action.
Several years ago and for several years, I was a member of a non-secular organization.
Since leaving, I have had contact with only one person from the organization. I consider this person a friend. We met through work, and I joined the organization in part because of this person’s character. Our relationship has remained good, if somewhat distant. We don’t have nearly as much contact as we did when I was still a member of the organization, although we sometimes connect through professional events and circles. Our interactions are always very positive.
Recently, I learned that there are several photographs of me on the main website of this organization. All of the photos I am in are group shots, and they cycle on a repeating basis, intermixed with other photos.
I want the photographs containing my image removed from the website. While there is nothing lewd or demeaning in the photos, I am at a place in my life where I don’t want to be associated with this organization. Anyone viewing those photographs could mistakenly think I have a current affiliation, which is not true.
My first thought was to contact my friend, to see if there is any way to facilitate the removal through that relationship. I do believe this is possible. My concern is damaging the relationship with the request. I worry this person might view it as an indictment on the organization or a personal attack, although there is nothing in our history to support my worry.
My second thought was to contact the webmaster/site administrator.
If those channels don’t work, I was going to contact the leadership of the organization.
YANAL, YANML, etc…Do I have any legal standing to have the photos removed?
Is this plan sound? Should I involve my friend at all? Should I contact the webmaster first? Should I contact the leadership first? Is getting an attorney involved even necessary?
I’d appreciate any suggestions on the best course of action.
I think it might be easier to ask them to remove your name from captions so it doesn't show up in search results about you. Since there are many people in the group, it would be hard to edit each photo just to obscure your face and it would kind of make the organization look...weird.
Start with the easiest, friendliest approach and then escalate if necessary.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:53 AM on May 30, 2017 [8 favorites]
Start with the easiest, friendliest approach and then escalate if necessary.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:53 AM on May 30, 2017 [8 favorites]
Also: depending on the technical ability and size of the organization, you could offer to do the cropping yourself rather than asking them to do it--like if this were a church where it was some kind of amazing lift to put together a website in the first place, making it as easy for them to say yes to you as possible might be worth it.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:54 AM on May 30, 2017
posted by A Terrible Llama at 7:54 AM on May 30, 2017
Do I have any legal standing to have the photos removed?
Assuming you're in the US, not really. The specifics of privacy laws will vary from locality to locality but there's not a right to control your image like some countries in Europe are trying to create. If you hadn't been a member of the organization or to their events, yes, you could sue for implying that you endorse them, but there's limited protection for what you're talking about, especially if it's photos taken in a public place.
Anyone viewing those photographs could mistakenly think I have a current affiliation, which is not true.
I suspect you're overthinking this. Most people barely notice the content of what's in the rotating group shots of organization websites, let alone who is in them. If you're just now becoming aware of the fact that the photos are published there and no harm has come to you in the time since they were put up and now, what's the likelihood that it ever will?
Is getting an attorney involved even necessary?
That sounds like an excellent way to lose your friendship with the remaining contact and get a bad reputation.
posted by Candleman at 8:25 AM on May 30, 2017 [4 favorites]
Assuming you're in the US, not really. The specifics of privacy laws will vary from locality to locality but there's not a right to control your image like some countries in Europe are trying to create. If you hadn't been a member of the organization or to their events, yes, you could sue for implying that you endorse them, but there's limited protection for what you're talking about, especially if it's photos taken in a public place.
Anyone viewing those photographs could mistakenly think I have a current affiliation, which is not true.
I suspect you're overthinking this. Most people barely notice the content of what's in the rotating group shots of organization websites, let alone who is in them. If you're just now becoming aware of the fact that the photos are published there and no harm has come to you in the time since they were put up and now, what's the likelihood that it ever will?
Is getting an attorney involved even necessary?
That sounds like an excellent way to lose your friendship with the remaining contact and get a bad reputation.
posted by Candleman at 8:25 AM on May 30, 2017 [4 favorites]
Contact the webmaster. I manage the web content for my organization, and I get requests like this frequently after people move on. It's not a big deal, just be friendly and polite!
posted by zoetrope at 8:26 AM on May 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by zoetrope at 8:26 AM on May 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Nthing contacting the webmaster and politely requesting that the photos with you in them be removed. Your timeline implies that the photos are several years old: one way to put a positive spin on this is to encourage the organization to update their website to use photos that were taken more recently!
posted by heatherlogan at 8:42 AM on May 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by heatherlogan at 8:42 AM on May 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
IANAL but your legal rights may depend on the state. In my state, even if they have a written photo release from you (do they??) you can revoke their right to use your likeness at any time, especially since it is being used for marketing purposes. But, as others have mentioned, I would start with a polite request first.
posted by beyond_pink at 8:45 AM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by beyond_pink at 8:45 AM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
If possible, provide the exact locations of the photos in your request. Like "Hey, the photo on X page (here's the URL ___ ) has me in the yellow shirt at the end. Could you recrop this photo?" vs "Please remove all photos of me"
posted by kellygrape at 9:11 AM on May 30, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by kellygrape at 9:11 AM on May 30, 2017 [4 favorites]
Without knowing if this is the Kiwanis or Scientology it's hard to judge the Streisand Effect risk here. Pictures of you that nobody will ever notice exist on the Internet. Making a big deal out of removing them could get them removed, or if the organization wants to be pissy about it, might end up with way more people knowing about the photos than would have otherwise. So tread lightly whatever you do.
posted by COD at 10:42 AM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by COD at 10:42 AM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
I agree with emailing the webmaster first.
How do you think people are finding this photograph in the first place? Do you think they are searching "Big Chief Little Pants" out of curiosity? Are you worried about potential employers? In that case, I'd make it clear in other ways that you are no longer a member. E.g. on LinkedIn you can specify "Former member of Blah, Inc." Or in a dating profile, "I used to play ukuleles on unicycles, but I left that scene in 2014 and now I'm co-chair of Mandolins on Motorcycles." I guess it depends on how awkward/embarrassing it is.
posted by AFABulous at 5:03 PM on May 30, 2017
How do you think people are finding this photograph in the first place? Do you think they are searching "Big Chief Little Pants" out of curiosity? Are you worried about potential employers? In that case, I'd make it clear in other ways that you are no longer a member. E.g. on LinkedIn you can specify "Former member of Blah, Inc." Or in a dating profile, "I used to play ukuleles on unicycles, but I left that scene in 2014 and now I'm co-chair of Mandolins on Motorcycles." I guess it depends on how awkward/embarrassing it is.
posted by AFABulous at 5:03 PM on May 30, 2017
It's hard to get good photos for a website sometimes. If the photo with you in it is in an important place on the website, expect that your request will be passed along from the webmaster to your friend.
Frankly, I don't see how this isn't an attack on the organization, so when you contact whomever, you might want to spell out what personal issues (running for office, or whatever) make you not want anyone to possibly think that you might be affiliated.
posted by salvia at 8:53 PM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
Frankly, I don't see how this isn't an attack on the organization, so when you contact whomever, you might want to spell out what personal issues (running for office, or whatever) make you not want anyone to possibly think that you might be affiliated.
posted by salvia at 8:53 PM on May 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
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