Make photographing children under 16 in public without parental consent illegal

Make photographing children under 16 in public without parental consent illegal — 6 signatures. Status: rejected.

Petition background

We want the Government to introduce legislation making it a criminal offence to take photographs or video footage of children under the age of 16 in public spaces without the explicit consent of their parent or legal guardian.

Additional details

Currently, there is no general right to privacy in a public place under UK law, meaning anyone can legally take photos of children in public areas such as parks, beaches, or high streets without parental permission. With the rise of smartphones and rapid online sharing, we believe current laws do not adequately protect children's privacy or safety. While safeguarding policies exist for schools and clubs, parents have no legal recourse when strangers take photos of their children in public.

View this petition on the official UK Parliament website

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