“Never forget that your obligation is to the people. It is not, at heart, to those who pay you, or to your editor, or to your sources, or to your friends, or to the advancement of your career. It is to the public.”
“The accuracy of news reports of an event is inversely proportional to the number of reporters on the scene.” -Ben Bagdikian- 1920-1996
PUBLIC NOTICE:
RE: Investigatory Photojournalism In Public Venues/Spaces
Let it be known by all persons, government officials, corporations, and private parties that John Smith, citizen photojournalist, agent for Soul Snatcher, Productions (a licensed investigatory news gathering service), dba/aka:Amicus Curia, does reserve the right to audio record, photograph, and videotape all conversations, images, or footage of any/all such occurrences at/in any/all public events/spaces, AND that by engaging him in conversation, or any form of communication in his presence, you have given implied consent in a public venue where you have no expectation of privacy under Washington State law pursuant to RCW 9.73.030 (and its exceptions in subsections 2, 3, & 4), his appearance, purpose, intent, dress, visible ‘press’ credential(s), tone, camera, microphone(s), as well as the Washington State Supreme Court’s ruling in State v. Townsend, 57 P.3d 255, 259 (Wash. 2002).
Be advised, ‘Amicus Curia’, aka: John Smith, is easily identified as a photojournalist by virtue of his 6″ ‘PRESS‘ button, or 6″ corporate ‘Soul Snatcher, Productions‘ logo button. You fail to heed this PUBLIC NOTICE at your own peril as Amicus Curia *will* audio record, photograph, and videotape all within his presence in public venues, public spaces, public hearings, public lobbies, public courtyards, public parks, and public events at his sole discretion without limit. You are not required to speak with or be interviewed by Amicus Curia, but if you do, he has hereby publicly reserved the right to document everything he can hear, see, smell, taste, or feel and intends to publish the same in various public forums, including this one.
Keep up the good work Amicus. I will be looking for the Press Badge. Can I get a copy of your Badge to use myself? I record as much as I can also.
I don’t see why you couldn’t have the ‘PRESS’ button, although it has one of my company’s logos on it. I purchased it from an online outfit that lets you design your own. It ran almost $6/button. Anybody can order a button. They simply serve as notice. The press has no more rights than anyone else. But, it also has no less! In any event, hang in there, and watch your back. It’s a jungle out there.
Expectation of Privacy made simple: An easy litmus test might be, do you have the right to get undressed/naked without being harassed/challenged there? Some folks seem to think they have a subjective expectation of privacy in public venues, parks, etc…no matter how irrational the general public sees it. Thus, you have the right to get undressed in a public bathroom/shower/dressing room. You have a reasonable expectation of privacy there. You do not have the same right on a public sidewalk, in a public park, public venue, public conveyance or other area where strangers and passersby may witness your appearance, your conversation, your condition, or anything else readily discernible by sight, hearing, taste, smell, or observation. Nor does such a person have any more right to prohibit recordings than to prohibit flawless memory. Virtually everyone today has a camera, cell phone, or audio recorder with them as often as not. These devices because of their convenience and size have become the modern equivalents of pens and pencils. They document what is happening. The public has every right to know what is happening in its public spaces.