[Linux-aus] Some Anti-Harassment Policies considered harmful

[Simon Lyall]

On Sat, 19 Feb 2011, Anestis Kozakis wrote:
> Anyone who answers no has an icon of a camera with a red circle and a
> line through it on their badge.
[..]
> If someone violates policy, the organisers have the right to demand
> the photo be removed.  If the photographer doesn't agree, the
> camera/device is confiscated by the organisers (with the assistance of
> the security guards), the photograph deleted, and the photographer
> banned from the next three conferences hosted/sponsored by Linux
> Australia.  The photographer has no avenue to sue as he/she signed the
> agreement.

Exactly what is the point here? Some people don't want to be photoed and 
photographing those people against their wishes might come under the 
harassment policies, especially if it is done in a overt manner[1]

However I think the suggested policy above is going a little too far. The 
most practical problem would be that a little stamp on a person's badge is 
not going to be viable more than a couple of metres away (and straight 
on). So anyone taking crowd, group, angled or action photographs is not 
going to be able to check badges before going ahead.

There are a bunch of other objections too. I really can't believe we are 
discussing a policy that involves tacking a person, holding them down and 
deleting their data before banning them just for taking a photograph[2].

[1] For many it is the act of being photographed rather than the existence 
of the photograph that seems to be the problem.

[2] Seriously people, going into a mall, train station or central city 
street one day. Looks around and count the cameras looking at you.

-- 
Simon Lyall  |  Very Busy  |  Web: http://www.darkmere.gen.nz/
"To stay awake all night adds a day to your life" - Stilgar | eMT.