Use of photography and filming privacy notice
We keep this privacy notice under regular review and was last updated in November 2025.
Kent County Council (KCC) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This privacy notice will inform you as to how we look after your personal data and tell you about your privacy rights and how the law protects you.
Who we are
We collect, use and are responsible for certain personal information about you. When we do so we are regulated under the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018). We are responsible as ‘controller’ of that personal information. Our Data Protection Officer is Benjamin Watts.
Services within the Children, Young People and Education directorate may take photographs, videos or audio recordings of children, young people and their families in the course of providing services to them, such as at events or social groups. We may use these video, photo or audio recordings in promotional material or publications with consent.
Personal information we collect and use
Information collected by us
In the course of taking photo or video recordings, we collect the following personal information when you provide it to us:
- Images of people (both photo and video).
- Audio recordings of people.
Given the nature of images, we may also process special category data (personal data which is more sensitive and is treated with extra care and protection), such as any visible information that may indicate or infer:
- health information (such as visible disabilities)
- religious beliefs
- race or ethnicity.
How we use your personal information
Data in the form of film or photographs could be used to promote events, activities and/or services including appearing in our publicity, printed publications, promotional displays, advertisements, in the local press, and online promotions including our websites and social media channels.
Reasons we can collect and use your personal information
We rely on Article 6(1)(a) Consent “the data subject has given consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes” as the lawful basis on which we collect and use your personal data.
We rely on Article 9 (2)(a) explicit consent “the data subject has given explicit consent to the processing of those personal data for one or more specified purposes” as the lawful basis on which we collect and use your special categories of personal data.
We take the following appropriate safeguards in respect of your special category data when relying on the conditions above:
- We have a retention schedule which explains how long data is retained.
- Data is prevented from being accidentally or deliberately compromised.
- Data is accessed, altered, disclosed or deleted only by those authorised to do so.
- Data is accurate and complete in relation to why we are processing it.
- Data is protected by levels of security ‘appropriate’ to the risks presented by our processing.
How long your personal data will be kept
Data in the form of film or photographs will be retained for the life of the film or photograph. You can ask us to stop using your image/s at any time after which they will not be used in future publications but may continue to appear in publications already in circulation.
Who we share your personal information with
Images of you may be shared in publicly available promotional material and publications, whether physical or virtual, if you have consented for us to do so
Images or video recordings of you may be shared with external designers of the above publications for the purpose of creating these publications
We will share personal information with law enforcement or other authorities if required by applicable law or in connection with legal proceedings.
We will share personal information with our legal and professional advisers in the event of a dispute, complaint, or claim. We rely on Article 9(2)(f) where the processing of special category data is necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims or whenever courts are acting in their judicial capacity.
Your rights
Under UK GDPR you have rights which you can exercise free of charge which allow you to:
- know what we are doing with your information and why we are doing it
- ask to see what information we hold about you (subject access request)
- ask us to correct any mistakes in the information we hold about you
- object to direct marketing
- make a complaint to the Information Commissioners Office.
Depending on our reason for using your information you may also be entitled to:
- object to how we are using your information
- ask us to delete information we hold about you
- have your information transferred electronically to yourself or to another organisation
- object to decisions being made that significantly affect you
- stop us using your information in certain ways.
We will always seek to comply with your request however we may be required to hold or use your information to comply with legal duties. Your request may delay or prevent us delivering a service to you.
For further information about your rights, including the circumstances in which they apply, see the guidance from the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) on individuals’ rights under UK GDPR.
If you would like to exercise a right, contact the Information Resilience and Transparency Team at data.protection@kent.gov.uk .
Your right to withdraw your consent
Where we rely on your consent to process your personal information, you can withdraw your consent to our use of your data at any time. You can do this by emailing data.protection@kent.gov.uk or by contacting the service or person who initially obtained your written consent (for example, your local Family Hub or your early help worker).
Keeping your personal information secure
We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost, or used or accessed in an unauthorised way. We limit access to your personal information to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality.
We also have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach. We will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected data security breach where we are legally required to do so.
Who to contact
Contact the Information Resilience and Transparency Team at data.protection@kent.gov.uk to exercise any of your rights, or if you have a complaint about why your information has been collected, how it has been used or how long we have kept it for.
Contact our Data Protection Officer, Benjamin Watts, at dpo@kent.gov.uk, or write to: Data Protection Officer, Sessions House, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ.
UK GDPR also gives you right to lodge a complaint with Information Commissioner, who may be contacted via the Information Commissioner's website or call 03031 231113.
Read our corporate privacy statement.