Consent is a person's agreement that photos or videos of them may be taken and published for a specific purpose.
Anyone recognisable in a photo or video has rights to their image. Consent is the simplest way to put publication on a secure legal footing. It should be voluntary, relate to a clear purpose and be recorded in a way that can be proved, ideally in writing.
Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation, consent is one of several possible legal bases for processing photos. It can generally be withdrawn with effect for the future. Print material already published usually does not have to be recalled, but digital content may be affected.
At a trade fair consent mainly concerns three groups: customers and partners who give an interview or pose for a portrait, visitors who are the focus of a photo, and your own staff. Different standards apply to people who appear only by chance and small in the background, but the line is not always clear.
Prepare a short form stating name, date, purpose and channels, for example website, social media and press work. For employees a separate arrangement is advisable, one that also covers what happens if they leave the company. Tell your stand (booth) team before the show so nobody is surprised. And keep the consent forms where you can find them if questions come up. This text is an overview, not legal advice.
For interviews we obtain consent right before filming, usually with a short form on paper or a tablet that you approve in advance. For spontaneous conversation photos we ask whether the person agrees to publication, and otherwise frame the picture so that they are not the focus.
At Pixer we agree this process with you before the show. That keeps the shots natural and lets you publish the material without doubts once it is delivered, whether on LinkedIn, the website or in a press release.
It can be valid but is hard to prove. For interviews and portraits, written or digitally documented consent is better.
Further use generally has to stop, for example online. Get legal advice on individual cases.
Planning interviews with customers at the show? Send us the fair and dates, and we will agree the process, including consent, with you.
We reply within 24 hours. During a show week, WhatsApp is fastest.
