[Tango-L] Videos of Dancing at Milongas

[Stephen.P.Brown@dal.frb.org]

In response to my comments about the video taping of milongas for posting 
on YouTube, websites or milongas, Tom Stermitz pointed out that the line 
for a presumption of privacy is gray rather than black and white.  I 
agree, but I think that with the help of organizers such as Tom, we can 
draw the lines more distinctly.

Tom said the following are clearly public:
Street photos (Google Street?) are public because people do not have a 
specific expectation of privacy in public spaces.
Photos taken at an outdoor milonga at a public park

and the following are clearly private
A photo of you inside your house is an obvious invasion of privacy.
Photos taken at a private party milonga in somebody's house

Actually, the public use of images created in public places depends on the 
legitimacy of the relationship of the image to the news and on the 
standing of the news organization.  For instance, a news organization 
cannot claim that crimes are being committed in Cheesman Park, Denver and 
illustrate it with photos or footage of dancers at a milonga in the park 
because the dancers have no relationship to the news story.  A private 
individual also has somewhat less standing in the public use of images 
than does a news organization.

Tom also pointed out some shades of gray:
Photos at a professional stage performance.
Photos at a professional or amateur performance (ballroom  showcase?)
Photos taken at a public milonga within a hotel or ballroom at  large 
public event (festival)
Photos taken at a milonga open to the public at a Restaurant,  Bar, rented 
studio, ballroom....
Photos taken at a class or workshop

In all five of these cases, the organizer has the right to set the 
conditions for admission including banning photos and videotaping.  In the 
first two cases, organizers frequently announce bans on using cameras or 
video recorders.  Try taking your video recorder into a see a Broadway 
play.

Many instructors and organizers ban the use of video equipment to tape 
instructors teaching in classes, workshops and festivals.  Students are 
allowed to video tape themselves.

To my knowledge, no organizer has yet banned the videotaping of their 
milongas.  Maybe it's time they did.

With best regards,
Steve