"Hiding" number plate info on driver training video

DriveSkill

Hi,

Does anyone know if there is a requirement to "hide", "obscure", "fuzz" the numberplates of cars which have been recorded by a private in-car video system before being published online ?

I run a driving school and am considering installing a video camera inside the car looking out the windscreen and recording the lessons which would then be made available online to pupils. It is inevitable that some cars will be identifable by their number plates and just wondering if there is any law which governs this. I've done a search but cant find anything relevant. My understanding from photography is that you are free to take a picture of any person/object etc in a public place but not certain if this applies to video also.

I know in certain cases where there may be allegations being made against a person say during the making of a TV program they would obscure the numberplate to avoid identification but that is a different matter altogether. In my case the focus would be on the driver of my car and while there may be comments regarding the actions of the other road users I wouldnt be officially accusing them of anything!

Can anyone point me to any info on this ? If I have to go blanking out all readable numberplates its possibly not a runner!

Thanks,
Declan.

eagle_&_bear

hi there,

there certainly are issues of data protection and I would think you should obscure them; However, you should speak to a solicitor on the matter. You'll need a few disclaimers in any event, if this gets off the ground so you are better off speaking to a solicitor on the matter.

DriveSkill

Thanks, not sure I get the link with Data Protection (but then I'm not a solicitor :-) ) can you explain where that applies ? I didnt think number plates alone would be covered by Data Protection as after all they are constantly in the public domain and I'm not providing any additional info with it. Granted someone could take the number plate and attempt to trace the owner etc but that is true of any car on the road all the time.

I'll do some more research and get some official advice anyway.

Thanks!

Hooch

DriveSkill wrote: »

Hi,

Does anyone know if there is a requirement to "hide", "obscure", "fuzz" the numberplates of cars which have been recorded by a private in-car video system before being published online ?

I run a driving school and am considering installing a video camera inside the car looking out the windscreen and recording the lessons which would then be made available online to pupils. It is inevitable that some cars will be identifable by their number plates and just wondering if there is any law which governs this. I've done a search but cant find anything relevant. My understanding from photography is that you are free to take a picture of any person/object etc in a public place but not certain if this applies to video also.

I know in certain cases where there may be allegations being made against a person say during the making of a TV program they would obscure the numberplate to avoid identification but that is a different matter altogether. In my case the focus would be on the driver of my car and while there may be comments regarding the actions of the other road users I wouldnt be officially accusing them of anything!

Can anyone point me to any info on this ? If I have to go blanking out all readable numberplates its possibly not a runner!

Thanks,
Declan.

Your best bet is to talk to a solicitor.

I am not one, however I couldnt see data protection coming in as that would have to do with the storage etc. Think about it.....have you ever seen the news haze out car regs???

Once its taken in a public place I would "guess" that its fair game.

jameshayes

They have no problem showing them on the news, so from that perspective I cannot see an issue

McCrack

NGA has touched on the crux of the issue...electronic storage of data is a consideration and I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment anymore.
There is nothing stopping you recording anybody or anything (there are very limited exceptions to this) in a public place and publishing the images but storing the data is a consideration and the legislation is strict on this.