TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin youtube video at Pedro's

I was shocked to see my husband and myself in this video....

https://youtu.be/I1eyToHsUAE

Club O is listed in the credits !!?? Seriously? The mantra and promise of the club has always been to protect the privacy of its patrons. If it's true they sanctioned this they've got some explaining to do.

Just because club o is in the credits doesn't mean they approved or sanctioned this video.

It was taken on pedros property... but Pedro is on Club Orient Property. The beach is public and they really can not do anything but throw their weight around. Posting a video on youtube with my husband in the background is a problem.

So why address me? Your problem is with the person that took the video and posted this on YouTube, not me.

Most people would have not known anything about this had you not posted about it. You are only drawing more attention to it.

The masseur looks like Brian. Is he the husband?

This must have been made a long time ago. The beach has looked completely different for a few years, and Pedros now has different umbrellas.

Which is why I said "If" and mentioned Club O's commitment to privacy. I doubt they would approve it. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

The video is about three years old judging by the comments section and has about 86,000 views.

It's a big problem which is why Club O's security can and will make you delete any photo or video taken beyond the Club O sign or of that section of the beach. The French police will back Club O security on this every time. I've seen it happen more than once. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

She absolutely should post about it. Attention should be drawn to an issue like this. People who do things like this should be called out and the "rules of the road" so to speak put forth. Isn't that one of the purposes of this forum ? To inform, share and discuss experiences and issues for the benefit of everyone ? I'm pretty sure the OP knew what she was doing when she shared this. I for one applaud her. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Maybe I am missing something but without maybe stop frame enlarging it looks like any short vacation video...no obvious nudity (except for the sign)....

I didn't even pay attention to the background people until you mentioned it and even on a revisit they were visible for less than a second (facing away from the camera)

???

You are very defiantly missing something. Take a closer look. Her husband's face is clearly visible and the folks in the shot are obviously on a nude beach. You don't photograph people in a situation like this without their knowledge. The video is clearly being taken secretly and in an area that is posted for NO photography. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> I will repeat that I (me) didn't notice or analyze the background people and did NOT pay attention to them until it was brought up.

And yes, the video should not have been shot on the beach as it is prohibited

I would think the massage person would know the rules?? was this video taken between perch & papagayo, past the nude beach sign? I have seen lots of people taking video north of the nude beach sign.

As martini stated is her response, the video was taken on PEDRO'S property. So, while the video was taken on Club O property, because Club O owns Pedro's property, it wasn't taken on Club O property, where the security guards patrol.

Honestly, these days, everyone has a cell phone that is capable of taking video and/or pictures. Club O does a decent job of preventing pictures on their property. However, with cell phones and even drones these days, whether it is legal or not or acceptable or not, if you're on a nude beach, you have to be prepared for the possibility that someone is going to take a picture or a video of you. Would I like it if a video showed up of me on Club O beach?? No. And I would think the person was pretty desperate, for taking video of me at Club O. But if the video were one like this one, where you basically don't even SEE the people in the background unless someone calls your attention to it, there's no way I would call attention to myself being in the video. If someone was taking pictures into my back yard, that's one thing. But on a public nude beach? It's hard for me to get too worked up about it.

Then why have a no photo policy at all if it is your premise that it should be expected you will be photographed if you are nude on a nude beach. That might hold water on a non C/O beach but not here. There is a reasonable expectation of privacy here as evidenced by Club O's policy and the Collective's support of it.Point a camera at my wife and you will understand very quickly how she feels about her privacy and your lack of respect for it. Not you personally Carol but the photographer. I am a little surprised by your position being a friend of Sugerae as we were as well and know first-hand what she had to say about this subject. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

As I said, the world is a different place than it used to be. Cameras and videos are everywhere. And frankly, I just can't get that worked up about it. It's kind of like the beach walkers at Club O in general. If they're coming to look at the 'zoo' of people at Club O, because they've never seen naked people, well that's their problem, not mine. And just because Sugarae was a friend of mine, like any friend, my opinions are my own, and don't have to mirror the opinions of my friends.

The sad part these days is "reasonable expectation" of privacy and what is reality of privacy are 2 things far apart. With new technology like smart phones, drones etc. privacy is a scarce commodity. EVERYBODY has a smart phone. Many can upload a video as it is taken. So it would be very hard to erase. And with many people taking selfies all day long. How is one to know if the person is taking a selfie of themselves or taking one of another person. Is a person going to go on selfie patrol all day long at the beach? Wouldn't sound like a fun beach day to me. I think these days the best one can do is limit their exposure and keep their fingers crossed.

If you watch the portstmaartenwebcam. That cam doesn't have a zoom lense it must have a telephoto lens because it can show alot of detail on the ships ( even people that far away).


SXM??? Wendell

Its a public beach, legally you can take all the pix you want. Some may believe that it is illegal to take pix on Orient/ Club O beach. It is not.

Actually, I believe under FRENCH law it is prohibited to take ANYONE's picture without their permission, regardless of how they are clothed. Regardless, that doesn't change my stance in this case.

Thank You all for your support. I am feeling better about the invasion of privacy. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

I did not intentionally address you. Please do not take it personally. My problem is with ThickBusiness not you. Sorry!

Carol, since you mentioned your back yard, and this is kind of along the same subject: Yes, the beach is public, but Club O's grounds are not. In November, we were staying in unit #115, next to the lane which leads to Pedro's. We had gone back to the unit for a nice, relaxing lunch, All of a sudden we heard loud, annoying hip-hop music, sirens, a guy on a loudspeaker and lots of commotion. It was "Da Party Bus" parked next to the wall, and the people on the top deck could peek over and hold up their phones to take photos/videos of the naked strangers. Tacky, tacky, tacky! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

That is an invasion of privacy. There is a reason the wall is there. I would have moved to another chalet immediately.

That is a different subject. I would have contacted the Club O office and have them make a complaint to the business involved.

The legality under French law of the taking of a picture of someone in a public place without express or implied consent is not clear as a general proposition. With specific regard to the Club O beach, Club O has at a minimum the "concession" for the beach, has it clearly posted as a no pictures space, and there is the obvious nature of the use - those factors create very strong support for public authorities (e.g., gendarmes) to support and enforce Club O's security in acting aggressively to stop picture taking on the Club O beach. What clearly is illegal under French law is publishing any pictures without consent - even if there is no commercial motive. Of course, what good does the illegality do you if you find that someone has published your picture, taken without your consent on French soil, on the internet. I agree with you, Carol, in the real world today, including on the Club O beach, someone could be taking your picture without your knowledge and certainly without your consent. Yelling at anyone walking the beach with a camera in their hand, as I have seen some do without regard to any indication of actual picture taking, will not change the reality.

I agree. The point is we were on a public beach on the French side. I know pictures will be taken. I can live with that. If I am in the background of someones vacation photos I am hoping the photos are a private album. This video was seen by tens of thousands of people on youtube. I also feel that video has undertones of content I feel uncomfortable with.

OK, thanks for that clarification on french law.

I wanted to add that youtube has a face-blurring tool since 2012 and just recently has added blurring tools to blur larger areas of the video.
http://mashable.com/2016/02/25/youtube-b...nk#CRgDSODLs5qO

And now it's been seen by another 1,000 + people on TTOL that would not have seen it without your post and link.

What does it matter at this point with 86,000 views. I came here for support with people who would understand.

On the last day of our last visit, checking out at Reception at CO, a guard walked a screaming man with a humongous camera into a Staff room. All the way in, the man was screaming ''This man is accusing me of taking photos on the beach. I did not take any photos of human people (sic) at all! I am being unjustly accused.'' My guess is that he was stopped, got loud, did not clear his camera, and became an issue. Wish we had stayed to see the outcome. Point being, there are days you wonder where all the guards are and why they aren't patrolling, and then you see a day when they take it very seriously. I hope this guy missed his cruise ship. Hard to miss the large three signs saying ''No Photo.''

Haha! They always say the same thing when the security guards confront them. *I was only taking a pic of the view.* <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

There is not much that can be done. More important is how many people recognized you in that split second and how many really care or fault you - hopefully none.

Thank You for your support. It was the emotion that I felt first seeing the video. Like you said nobody really cares but me. My friends did recognize my husband in the video right away. That is how I became aware of it.

WHO should enforce this unwritten law?

I don't understand what unwritten law you are referring to?

and then there's my story of trying to take a photo of my husband somewhere on that strip of beach (not club O) and two topless women came up to him put their arms around his shoulder at each side , knowing I held the camera, and urged me to snap the photo!