Core Principle: Privacy First
BSidesSF balances the need to document our community’s history with the critical need for privacy first. Many of our attendees work in sensitive security roles, law enforcement, or simply value their anonymity.
The Default Rule: Unless you have affirmative consent, do not take nor post photos or videos of people. When in doubt, put the camera down.
1. General Photography Rules
- Consent is Mandatory: You must obtain affirmative consent (verbal or written) before photographing, recording, or live-streaming any individual. This applies to:
- Direct subjects of a photo/video.
- People who are clearly visible in the background.
- Crowd Shots: Photography of the general crowd is permitted only from the back (shoulders/heads). Front-facing crowd shots where faces are identifiable are prohibited without releases from everyone whose faces are visible.
- Social Media: Obtaining permission to take a photo does not automatically grant permission to post it. Please confirm with the subject before sharing images on public platforms.
- Revocation: If a subject asks you to delete or blur a photo (in-person or online), you must do so immediately.
2. Official Photography
BSidesSF designates specific staff photographers to document the event. They wear clearly marked Vendor badges.
- While they document the “vibe” of the conference, they are instructed to respect requests not to be photographed.
- If you see a photo of yourself in an official BSidesSF channel that you would like removed, please contact us (info@bsidessf.org), and we will address it promptly.
3. Press & Media
A Press Badge is not a license to bypass this policy.
- Members of the media and press are expected to adhere to the same consent standards as general attendees.
- Surreptitious recording or “ambush” interviews are considered harassment and are a violation of our Code of Conduct.