City May Seek Permit and Insurance for Many Kinds of Public Photography

[Foxy Brown]

Some tourists, amateur photographers, even would-be filmmakers hoping to make it big on YouTube could soon be forced to obtain a city permit and $1 million in liability insurance before taking pictures or filming on city property, including sidewalks.

New rules being considered by the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting would require any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and insurance.

[reyfer]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I have two doubts:

1 - How will authorities know I have been taking pics for more than half an hour

2 - If the permits will be free, what's the point? What does the city gets for the permits?

[nop]

Stupid regulation. One more reason not to visit NYC unless for business.

[fsw]

I get the impression that they brought this out of desperation. I think the police (and city officials) have witnessed many "inappropriate" photo's being taken (or filmed) but could not do anything about it.

This is just an excuse to tell people to "move along".

[~Dan~]

New rules being considered by the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting would require any group of two or more people who want to use a camera in a single public location for more than a half hour to get a city permit and insurance.

Most videos people shoot on their digicams or cellphones are less than half an hour, and it only takes a second to take a photograph.  I doubt many people would need that permit.