„We live in the age of social media – many want to create content, share their daily lives, and that is completely natural. However, to create content in a public place, it is necessary to know the rules. It is important to understand that this cannot violate the rights of other people or disrupt the store’s operation,“ says Gintarė Kitovė, Communications Manager at „Iki“.
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When does filming not cause problems?
The „Iki“ representative notes that usually everyday situations do not cause problems when customers use their phone cameras while shopping.
„The store is a community place where neighbors meet, friends and families shop together. It is natural that people capture various everyday moments on their phones here – photographing products they want to buy, sending a photo of a selected cake to relatives, or arranging the shopping basket via video call. Teenagers often photograph new snacks, unseen novelties, take selfies, capture outfit combinations or puppies waiting outside the store. If this does not disturb others, does not violate people’s privacy or store rules, such situations are a normal part of everyday life,“ says G. Kitovė.
The most important rule is that when publicizing or posting filmed material, people who have not given consent must not be clearly visible. If a friend or family member who does not object is filmed and publicized, that is one situation. However, the faces, reactions, or other actions of unknown customers or employees cannot be publicized without their consent.
What is not allowed to be filmed in the store?
One of the most important things customers and content creators must know is that store employees and customers are not public figures. Therefore, publishing their images on social networks without consent is not allowed.
„Sometimes it is mistakenly thought that if a place is public, anything can be filmed and publicized there. However, an employee standing at the checkout, arranging products, or helping a customer is not a public figure. The same applies to other customers – whether they are children or adults. Their faces, conversations, or other personal situations must not be turned into content for social networks without their consent,“ emphasizes G. Kitovė.
It is important to distinguish two things – a person’s accidental appearance in the frame and intentional filming and publicizing of their image. If a passing customer briefly appears in the background while filming a product or talking on a video call, that is not the same as deliberately filming a specific person, recording their reactions, and posting the footage on social networks.
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According to the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania, a photo, video, or other material of a natural person cannot be publicized without their consent unless there is a legal basis. Violating this right to privacy creates grounds to file a claim for compensation for material and non-material damage caused by such actions.
Moreover, the General Data Protection Regulation states that a person’s image is considered personal data. This means that publicizing a video widely on social networks may exceed the limits of personal use. In such cases, the person whose image was publicized without consent has the right to file a complaint with the responsible authorities.
In some cases, the police may need to intervene
The situation is entirely different when actions taken to create a video pose a danger, disturb public order, or violate the rights of others.
„Content creation cannot be a cover for harassment or hooligan behavior. If employees or customers are deliberately provoked, their work and shopping are disturbed, noise is made, or goods and store inventory are damaged, such actions are unacceptable. Damaging goods is not only, for example, throwing products or flying eggs, as widely publicized in a video, but also damaging packaging, removing products from them, or otherwise spoiling their contents. In such cases, security will have to intervene or the police may even be called,“ emphasizes G. Kitovė.
What is important to remember before turning on the camera in the store?
To film or photograph in the store, it is worth following a few simple rules:
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- do not film or publicize the faces of employees and other customers without their consent – they are not public figures;
- do not disturb employees at work or other customers shopping, do not provoke, humiliate, or mock them;
- do not damage goods, shelves, carts, or other store inventory;
- if in doubt – better ask if filming is allowed in a specific situation;
- remember that actions disturbing public order may be stopped by security staff, and in more serious cases, the police may be called.
