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Photography and Videography Privacy Notice

How we use your personal information for Photography and Videography purposes

The Council provides services for local communities and the people who live in them. Undertaking this work means that we must collect and use information about the people we provide services to and keep a record of those services. Because we collect and use personal information about individuals we must make sure that they know what we intend to do with their information and who it may be shared with. 

We have summarised in this privacy notice some of the key ways in which we use your personal information for photography and videography purposes. This information should be read in conjunction with the Council’s corporate privacy notice.

1. Who we are, what we do

During the course of our business and delivery of services to you we may take photographs and videos to promote our services, activities and events. Some of these photographs / videos may contain images of you.

This privacy notice explains when such images / videos may be taken, how the images / videos may be used and our lawful basis for taking and using the images.

This notice does not cover the use of photographs / videos for the following purposes / services:

Where we intend to photograph or film at public events, we will ensure that there is appropriate signage in place to advise attendees of this. In addition, where the event requires the purchase of a ticket or a booking, we will notify you at the point of sale.

2. What and whose personal information we hold? 

We hold images and videos of the people we have photographed and recorded. Some of these images may be close up images that  clearly identify a person, whilst others may be images of a crowd for example, taken at a distance which only partly identifies a person. 

The images of the people we photograph and video will vary and may include:  

  •   Citizens
  •   Residents
  •   Service users and customers
  •   Visitors
  •   School children
  •   Council employees

Where we require consent from an individual to take their photograph / video (see below) we may also hold the following details:

  • Contact details, including name, address, telephone number and sometimes email address
  • Details of when consent was provided
  • Information relating to a parent / guardian and child where the consent relates to a child or young person under the age of 16. *The age of which the child can provide their own consent may vary depending on the nature of processing and the service.

3. Where does the service get my information from? 

We may take photographs / videos in a variety of settings, locations and at a number of events for example:

  • Large public events e.g. Big Welsh Bite, Armed Forces Day,  Aberdare Festival, Classic Car Show, Nos Galan Race etc.
  • Council facilities and services that are available / open to the general public e.g. Lido Ponty, Rhondda Heritage Park, Theatres, Leisure Centres.
  • Public and open spaces within RCT such as parks, countryside and high streets.
  • Private events for selected individuals or groups e.g. school children attending the Rhondda Heritage Park or an awards ceremony.

These photographs / images may be taken by Council staff or professional photographers working on behalf of the Council.

4. What we will do with your personal information? 

We will use these photographs and videos to promote our services and events using a wide range of methods and channels. This may include:

  • Council website
  • Newsletters
  • Council social media channels such as Facebook
  • In posters, outdoor media, brochures, leaflets and guides
  • In the press – local and national TV / newspaper stories etc.
  • Training documents and brochures
  • Advertisements
  • Presentations e.g. in a PowerPoint presentation for internal and external events and  meetings
  • Other Council publications such as reports and strategies

5. What is the legal basis for the use of this information?  

Data Protection law says that we are allowed to use and share personal information only where we have a proper and lawful reason for doing so. Our lawful basis for processing personal information for the above purposes is:

Large public events

  • Lawful basis: Legitimate interests
  • Please note, where we want to take close up images of individuals at public events, we will seek their consent.

Council facilities and services that are available / open to the public

  • Lawful basis: Legitimate interests
  • Please note, where we want to take close up images of individuals at Council facilities, we will seek their consent.

Public / open spaces 

  • Lawful basis: Legitimate interests
  • Please note, where we want to take close up images of individuals in public / open spaces, we will seek their consent.

Private events attended by children and young people

  •   Lawful basis: Consent

If attendance at the event has been organised by the School (e.g. school trip to the Rhondda Heritage Park), prior to taking any images the Council will consult with the group leader / teacher to confirm that appropriate consent has been obtained from the parent / guardian etc. Alternatively, consent will be obtained directly from the parent / guardian or person supervising the child at the event.

Private events – other

  •   Lawful basis: Consent

Sometimes we run events / training on topics such as domestic abuse, substance misuse, managing stress etc. Often due to the nature of such events people may wish to keep their attendance of the event / training confidential.

We don’t usually take photographs or film events / training that are of a sensitive nature but where we do we will always ask the consent of those attending before taking any photographs etc. This consent may be obtained verbally or in writing.

6. Does the service share my personal information with any other organisation? 

We may share images:

  • Internally within the Council for any of the above purposes.
  • Event and marketing companies who run marketing campaigns / events on our behalf.
  • Local and national press.
  • Trusted partner organisations and other government agencies where we provide joint services or events i.e other local authorities, Welsh Assembly, Local Health Board.
  • Printing Companies i.e ACT, GYN for printing services.

7. How long will my information be kept? 

Where we rely on our legitimate interests to process images, we will retain these images until more up-to-date images replace them.

Where we rely on an individual’s consent to process their personal information we will retain photographs and images until such a time as the individual withdraws consent.

8. Your information, your rights 

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you important rights, including the right to access the personal information the services hold about you.

View further details on your information rights and how to exercise them.

9. Contact us  

If you have any concerns or would like to know more about how the service using your personal information please contact us in one of the following ways:

By email : publicrelations@rctcbc.gov.uk

By telephone : 01443 424015