It goes without saying that whenever you share photographs or video footage of property or people publicly on social media, there will always be somebody who feels that the images are an invasion of privacy. I accept that. People are entitled to their opinions, and I certainly don’t expect everyone to see things in the same way.
That said, provided I am not trespassing, taking inappropriate images, or flying my drone illegally, I am perfectly entitled to exercise my freedom of expression.
This morning, I shared a couple of photographs of Farningham Mill in a local private Facebook group. They were very well received by the majority of members, with plenty of flattering comments. What I found interesting, though, was just how differently people can perceive exactly the same photographs.
Several people actually asked whether I would capture some aerial video footage over their houses and streets. On the other hand, a couple of people said they felt that my photographs and video footage of the mill were an invasion of privacy and could potentially create a safety concern by making the property more visible to criminals.
Now, their comments were not a rant, and I genuinely appreciate that they were simply expressing their concerns and opinions. Because they were polite about it, I didn't feel the need to launch into a detailed explanation of the legalities of what I was doing.
I could have pointed out that I was flying at an altitude where I was legally entitled to fly over the mill estate and capture images. I could also have mentioned that I am an experienced drone operator, registered with the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), and carry £10 million of liability insurance for both leisure and commercial drone operations.
But I didn't.
Instead, I simply pointed out that Google Earth already gives anyone with an internet connection a remarkably detailed aerial view of around 90% of the planet. If someone really wanted to look at the layout of the estate from above, they don't necessarily need me and my little drone to do it.
As for the concerns about security and the possibility of increased criminal activity, I would imagine that an estate where apartments start at around £4 million, and where residents presumably pay substantial annual management and service charges, probably has rather more sophisticated security arrangements than simply relying on a gated entrance and a cheap Ring doorbell.
At the end of the day, though, you can't please all of the people all of the time.
Some people see an aerial photograph of Farningham Mill and think, "What a beautiful place."
Others see exactly the same photograph and think, "That's a breach of privacy."
And that, I suppose, is the nature of photography and social media. We all see the world through our own eyes.
