Claremont Can’t Stop Filming at Recreation Fields

By Chris Frost
EAGLE TIMES NEWS EDITOR
CLAREMONT, N.H. — The city’s video privacy policy has been questioned, as reports of privacy concerns stopping children from participating in youth soccer have raised concerns.

Coaches often record games and upload them to YouTube. However, some parents have requested that their children not be videoed.

Emails show the practice continues.

Claremont Parks and Recreation Director Nick Lawrence said no child has been asked not to participate because their parents have not consented to allow their children to be videoed.

“Somebody recently set up a tripod at soccer games and started recording them,” he said. “It’s not much different from somebody pulling their cell phone out.”

He said how it’s presented has caused comments, and there isn’t much the City of Claremont can do to prevent the practice.

“From a department standpoint, what we’re trying to do is rework our policy and acknowledge the fact this [videoing] can happen at rec sports events at public facilities,” Lawrence said. “We don’t tell them [the kids and parents] they can’t participate, but moving forward, they’re going to have to acknowledge the fact that it can happen; there isn’t anything we can do to prevent it. We consulted with the city attorney and insurance company, and there is nothing that says people can’t video a public game at a public field.”