Toronto Photography Meetup Group

I just reserved a lens at Vistek Downtown. They told me that they now have a new policy where I need to show my Driver's license AND have my photo taken when I pick up the lens. They can't explain to me why they needed my mugshot.

My driver's license has my name and photo. If that's good enough for the cops, why is it not good enough for Vistek?

Any one else heard of this?

L

it's because of the G20

First I've heard of it .... additionally they also take an insane deposit for most items too.

I rented a lens 2months ago and they snapped my mugshot too despite already having an account for a few years.

Maybe they got the idea from Headshots...

Did they make you sign a model release?

Headshots does a mug of renters too?

Just called Headshots. No mugshots. They are a bit more expansive, but they have earlier pickup and later return times.

L

service has been much better at headshots.

I'm pretty sure that violates some privacy law

yes, improving service at headshots would indeed violate some privacy law.

I don't know.. IANAL but I would think, if it's Vistek snapping the photo of you, they are asking you first. That is to say, "Hi, we also need to take your photo if that's ok?"

If you agree, then one may be able to say that you've "waived" your right to any privacy law that may be in place.

You know, kind of like a signed model release
or somethin like that

Cheers
Dave

I don't think its a big deal -- if you are renting a lens, photo ID, mugshot, whatever. As long as you pay them, return the lens, they have no reason to use the mugshot of you for anything else. Heck, the moment you walk in the door, you are being caught on security camera's all over anyhow...

It was a joke. Headshots/mugshots.

I got the joke

I agree that in the bigger scheme of things, it's no big deal. Privacy-wise, it's probably worse if they make a copy (xerox) of my driver's license.

That being said, I still don't like it. Especially when they can't even explain why they are doing it.

+1

Actually it is a big deal.As long as they don't show you their privacy policy, how do you know how they will use those photos?

In the grand scheme of things, we loose our civil rights (privacy rights here) little by little. We wave some rights here, some more there and before you know you'll need a permit to walk down the street.

I personally am very concerned about the great amount of personal data that is gathered and aggregated into big databases. You as person hose data is being collected have no information about the data being collected and no recourse to correct any error that might happen or have that data removed for that mater.

If you think this is a trifle, just have a look at the "no flight lists" which are compiled from governmental and private sector databases.

I'd be more worried about the photocopy of my license than my mug shot ... as I noted on another post for photocopiers that have completed their lease or rental agreement.

http://tpmg.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15634

Something like when the G20 comes to town, eh?

Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/P-8.6/

quote:


"
...
Division 1
Protection of Personal Information

Appropriate purposes:
...(3) An organization may collect, use or disclose personal information only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider are appropriate in the circumstances.
...


...
SCHEDULE 1

...4.9 Principle 9

what was the point of posting all that?

- the 'mugshot' is for identification purposes should the renter not return Vistek's property. A photocopied driver's license is one thing but a good quality photo is much more useful.
- the photo is a reasonable requirement for a rental agreement - justifiable apparently due to Vistek apparently having established a need for it by its lack in previous investigations - perhaps they have seen an uptick in fraud using forged drivers' licenses etc.
- Vistek isn't a fraudulent organization (despite their prices and their snotty staff, some of whom aren't snotty and actually very nice people), there is no reasonable expectation that they would use the images stored in their customer database for anything other than identification purposes. If it was for marketing of course they would need to ask your permission, and they would.
- people need to get over themselves if they think their 'image' is even worth stealing, let alone in such an innocuous way. As someone else mentioned, by the time you have your 'mugshot' taken, you have already appeared on several of Vistek's security cameras.

This is a non-issue. Completely reasonable for them to want to take a photo of people asking to rent possibly thousands of dollars of photography equipment from them.

+1

maybe I'll take a mugshot of the sales person, just in case I need to identify someone for the bad service

+2

Actually, Considering some of the high end gear that Vistek rents out, I have no problem with the security measures. Personally, if someone wanted to rent my gear I would hold onto their first born until its returned safely LOL.

Oh boy --- that would be a photo gig at Vistek.

They have done that in the past. At least since the late 80's it was done with some expensive rentals or unknowns. I never had one taken, but I use to work with some of the staff back then, so they knew me.

Hello everyone,

I've joined TPMG to share my passion for photography with like-minded people and not in slightest would want to start any heated debates on side topics, where I will have to trample opinions of others (as I might do elsewhere).
I would as briefly as possible touch on these questions and leave everyone to their own.


For general knowledge and interest of those who cares about their personal rights, in context of this particular discussion.

I did not say a single thing about Vistek, or whether they should or should not (or not allowed) to take anyone's mugshot.


Of course they are not. I have no reasonable doubt that the company and every single employee of Vistek, as vigorously would defend and protect access to your personal information
on their database among each other and every third party to whom it is likely being sold, as you believe they should do.
Although, information might not be sold to third parties after all, but it can be tested if not already known.

Oh wait. Let's see first post in this topic:



There. In bold. That is illegal. They are breaking Federal law by not disclosing the reason for taking mugshot.
Whether anyone like or disagree with it - law is the law.
If you don't like it - appeal to the Parliament


Not taking any personal offense, I find this statement rude and not very well thought out.
I can make a very long list of people (professions) who should and would at all reasonable cost avoid to have their mugshot taken, especially by some store.
For example: many public figures, models, law enforcements, people who won big in the lottery, etc.
Although, I can make the case out of all those who for a very valid reason would not want to have questionable third party possess their personal information
together with the ID quality mug shot, it is every person own business what they think about the worth of their own image

video camera footage =/= mugshot
video camera surveillance is subject to a separate set of laws and discussions


Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinion.
It is reasonable for Vistek to ask for a photo and completely unlawful not to disclose why exactly it is being taken (one's presumption does not mean anything at all), how it will be stored, used and destroyed.

dixi

*grabs popcorn and takes a front row seat*

the conversation has morphed somewhat since the first post and I wasn't posting to you directly.



Now who's putting words in whose mouth? Giving your photo to marketing companies is something that Facebook does, not a camera store in downtown Toronto. And they would have to ask your permission directly to do that. You might want to loosen the grip that tinfoil hat has on your skull...



Can't explain, or, simply didn't know the policy. Did the OP ask to speak to management for an explanation? It's not illegal if some counter drone doesn't know the policy. And as I said, even though we have rights under the charter, there are reasonable limits to those rights. And as well, like I said, you're already being recorded by several cameras the moment you walk into the store.



Public figures have no right to privacy in a public medium. In fact, out in pubic, no one has a right to privacy in public. Because it's public. Everyone has the right to privacy in their own home, of course, on private property. Just as a private company (Vistek) has the right to protect their property using reasonable methods, such as personal data collection. And btw 'people who won the big lottery' get their photo published in national newspapers - it's a condition of winning.