Taking and sharing images and videos is part of sport, from community to professional levels. It offers benefits like real-time competition viewing, performance analysis, getting promotional assets and sharing the great stories and moments from your club.
However, a range of issues do arise around consent and privacy, through to inappropriate behaviour.
While clubs, associations and venues may have photography and filming policies, they won't apply in all situations. It’s always important to be respectful of the fact that not everyone wants their image taken and shared.
Laws and Rules
The law
In Australia, laws around photography and filming are limited. These generally relate to taking images for voyeuristic purposes, use of surveillance devices, and image-based abuse, which is non-consensual sharing or threatening to share intimate images or videos.
In public spaces, there are usually no laws restricting image-taking, including of young people, as long as the images are not illegal (e.g. indecent or covertly taken in change rooms).
Sport policies
Most sport organisations have photography and filming policies. They generally set out rules for:
- The sport organisation/club – how they can take, share and store images of members. This includes always obtaining consent from members.
- All members – usually only covering high-risk situations e.g. restricting images in change rooms.
- Sometimes non-members – occasionally restrictions can be imposed on non-members and spectators e.g. condition of entry to a venue.
Your club or association should have a Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy aligned to the National Integrity Framework. It will detail what to do in relation to taking and sharing images of children. For example, requiring written consent from a child’s parent or carer before taking or publishing images or footage.
Safety, privacy and respect
Laws and policies don't always apply to all situations. It’s important to encourage respect and understanding that not everyone wants their image taken or shared due to personal choice, safety concerns, or privacy issues. For example, photos of children posted online or shared through social networks might end up travelling more widely than intended or they could be ‘harvested’ from social media or other websites and used for unintended purposes.
Advice - club committees
When taking and sharing images
For example: taking photos to share to club social media, or livestreaming a competition
- Follow your sport's rules on taking, sharing and storing images of members
- Sport rules may differ for images of young people and adults
- Obtain member and/or parent/carer consent. Some sports do this as part of registration.
- Understand the terms of that consent
- Check who has opted in and opted out
- Obtain additional consent if required e.g. for a special event. When sharing images, take steps to minimise people being identified, such as preventing naming.
Identify official club photographers e.g. provide a high vis vest or notify members that an official photographer will be active on a given day and time. When it comes to taking and sharing images of children and young people there is a lot to consider.
Clubs should refer to the Sport Integrity Australia resource 'Photography and Filming of Young People in Sport' for best practices (link below).
Dealing with member issues and complaints
- Refer to your sport policies when dealing with issues
- Policies may not always apply, so proactively communicate with members
- Circulate a summary of your photography and filming rules at registration time
- Regularly ask members to be respectful when taking and sharing images.
Use the eSafety Sport Think Before You Share social tile and poster.
Advice - members (adults)
When taking and sharing images
For example: a parent member films their child’s game, or an adult member take photos at training
- Follow your sport policies, which may restrict taking images in high-risk situations (e.g. change rooms) and for prohibited purposes.
When restrictions don’t apply:
- Be respectful that not everyone wants their image taken or shared due to personal choice, safety concerns, or privacy issues
- If someone raises a concern over being include or wanting an image removed, respect that request if it is reasonable in the circumstances.
When your club takes and shares images of you
For example: a club photographer takes photos and shares to club social media
- Understand your sport policies – which generally require they obtain consent from you
- If you do not want to be photographed, have images shared, or wish to have images/footage removed, reach out to your sport organisation.