From cute baby home videos, to crazy stunts, wannabe singing stars and flash mobs, the range of what you can find on YouTube is amazing, and some uploaders gain fame and fortune from their homemade videos. However, just because you can film it, doesn’t automatically give you the right to upload it when there are other people on the other side of your lens. The rule that applies here is “expectation of privacy.” If a person can reasonably expect privacy in a location, then you cannot film him without his permission. To protect yourself from any legal liability, extend this idea to places where people wouldn’t want to be identified, such as in a court room, a doctor’s office or a strip club. Filming in a public place is covered by the First Amendment, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be sued by an angry and unaware participant. If there’s any question, ask your subjects to sign a standard release form which you can find online (link in Resources). Writer Bio
