Petition · past parliament
Make it illegal to photograph children in public places without parental consent
Closed
67 signatures
What the petition asks
I was recently in a park in Newcastle when a man I didn’t know approached my 3 year old son and crouched down in front on him within touching distance and started taking his photo on his phone. I was disturbed by this and contacted the police to be told it is legal and there is nothing they can do.
Quote taken from Wikipedia:
‘Photography of certain subject matter is restricted in the United Kingdom. In particular, the Protection of Children Act 1978 restricts making or possessing pornography of children under 18, or what looks like pornography of under-18s. There is no law prohibiting photographing children in public spaces’
As my son was fully clothed it was not illegal for a stranger to photograph him without my consent. This I feel is worryingly wrong and does not protect our children.
‘Photography of certain subject matter is restricted in the United Kingdom. In particular, the Protection of Children Act 1978 restricts making or possessing pornography of children under 18, or what looks like pornography of under-18s. There is no law prohibiting photographing children in public spaces’
As my son was fully clothed it was not illegal for a stranger to photograph him without my consent. This I feel is worryingly wrong and does not protect our children.
Timeline
| 9 Oct 2018 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 9 Apr 2019 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
67
Status
Closed
Opened
9 Oct 2018
Closed
9 Apr 2019
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.