filming in federal buildings inside post office

The ACLU of Southern California has a very good primer: Photographers’ Rights (It doesn’t usually stop the paparazzi, but photographers have been prosecuted for violating this law.) In California, you cannot trespass in order to obtain pictures. Note that California law prohibits hidden video recordings in private places. –the two people talking are in a public place –the subject of the conversation is not apparent from the video –your video does not capture the audio of their conversation You CAN however, record video OF two people interacting so long as There will always be gray areas, and “reasonableness” often depends upon the facts a particular situation. So if you ever are unclear, ask yourself whether you, in a similar scenario, would reasonably suppose that your conversation with someone else (or others) was private. If the person is shouting, yelling, or speaking to a large group of people without apparent concern for who might overhear him or her, it does not. If the person is attending a government hearing and is speaking, it does not. If the person is standing on a soapbox on a corner, it does not. If one person in the conversation can reasonably expect his or her conversation to be confidential, this standard applies. This includes conversations that you’re one of the parties to. Remember, even if you’re in public, you cannot record conversations between two people unless you have their permission. RECORDING CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE General shots of hallways, classrooms, students interacting in common areas, and the outside of offices are fine. As a journalist, you have the right to commit journalism while being here.

As a student at USC, you have the right to be here. Explain that you are a member of the media and engaged in newsgathering.ĭO NOT GIVE UP YOUR TAPE RECORDERS, VIDEO RECORDERS AND MEDIA.Īre private university campuses private property? It depends.

Shooting with large cameras, tripods and sound equipment will attract attention in ways that shooting with a smaller camera and no crew will not.Ī station manager cannot force you to stop recording. It is better to keep your footprint small, though. A police officer might say that her job is to keep order on the Metro, and if your video camera is seen as a threat to order, then she might think she has the right to order you to stop. Offer to move a bit further away.Īs tempting as it might be, do not attempt to “pull rank” on the officer be persistent, but polite don’t threaten to sue the officer or give him or her a reason to escalate the situation.īecause the Metro is technically government property - not a pubic commons or thoroughfare, not a sidewalk - officers might think have more discretion. Ask the officer to explain how your conduct interferes with legitimate law enforcement operations. Assure the officer that your intent is not to interfere. explain that you understand that the officer can, in a general sense, order citizens to stop activities or actions that interfere with law enforcement operations.

if the officer continues to request that you stop, explain that you are reporting on a story. identify yourself as a journalist, firstly If, in public, a police officer orders you to stop recording, you should, first: They have no legal right to seize it unless they have strong reason to believe it contains evidence of a crime. Do not, however give up your camera or tape recorder. If you’re on private property, you should follow the directions of the security guard, a police officer or the property owner. This includes public transit facilities and parks. What’s a public place? Anywhere that any member of the public can legally access. You have the right to record video of police or public officials engaged in the performance of their official duties if those activities are visible from public places. The ins and outs of the law could (and does) fill up manuals, but here are some basics and rules of thumb:

Filming in federal buildings inside post office