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If you’re a new parent, then posting pictures of your beautiful baby to Facebook is how you share precious moments with family members and close friends, right?
But, well-meaning mothers and fathers of the social-media age, beware – those pictures could land you a lawsuit, and likely at the hands of your loved ones.
An 18-year-old woman in Carinthia, Austria, is suing her parents over the 500 or so childhood photos they’ve posted on Facebook without her consent, claiming their actions have caused her emotional distress.
“They knew no shame and no limits and didn’t care whether it was a picture of me sitting on the toilet or lying naked in my cot – every stage was photographed and then made public,” she told The Local, an English-language Austrian newspaper.
“I’m tired of not being taken seriously by my parents,” who, despite her requests, have refused to take the photos down.
The woman’s father reportedly believes he has the right to post the pictures because he took them. But, her lawyer is out to prove that if the photos were a violation of the woman’s right to privacy, they could be liable for damages and legal fees.
The law in France doesn’t allow anyone – including parents – to publish or distribute any images without the subject’s consent, and hefty consequences including jail time and large fines can be imposed by the courts on anyone whose found guilty.
While, privacy laws aren’t as strict in Austria, this case could set a new precedent.
The trial is set to go ahead in November.
