A gang of yobs has invaded our playground

Cos it's well cool, innit? Don't you understand that?

I think it was also not okay to post photos of the individuals online as if they are major criminals... you should have at least anonymised them a bit first. Any chance a moderator can modify the pic?

I think that at that age, really they could find somewhere else, especially if they have mopeds but at the same time, if they acted in a socially acceptable manner whilst sitting in the playground, I think it wouldn't be such a big deal.

One TT member posted that their child was molested in a playground by a teenager... Firstly, why was someone not supervising the kid? 3 years old and left alone in a playground? What were you thinking?? Secondly, not all teenagers are going to molest small kids.

From my experience here, when you ask some of these wannabe yobs to do something, like turn down their fucking annoying loud MP3 player, they usually comply (in the UK you'd probably get your lights punched out or something). I would suggest asking them nicely to respect that it is a childrens playground and to stop littering the place and spitting everywhere, and if they continue to do so, you could call the cops.

geez, you cannot even really see their faces, just big jackets!

I posted this picture some months back..

I can tell you now that the police were real chuffed to have some evidence...

Name and shame them!

[img]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c148/satman124/Baseballbat002.jpg[/img]

I think that they are recognisable enough... moreso if you live in the same area and see them often enough hanging around together with that style of clothing... It is really not fair to post such pictures of people without their permission. Is it possibly illegal too? As far as I am aware, if you use a photo of a individuals, you need their permission first. If they are in a crowd, they really need to be a minority in the picture without requiring permission? This picture is clearly a picture of the individuals and not the child, due to the composition, and also the fact that it has been posted with an article about them in the internet makes it clear that it is a picture of them. Whatever happened to human rights? These "wannabe yobs" also have rights...

I assume that they did something more serious than dropping litter and spitting in playgrounds?

My neighbours piss me off regularly with their anti-social behaviour with loud music... should I take photos of them an post them in the internet too? Where would this ever stop??

Remember these "Kids" are part of the MySpace/FaceBook generation. If they haven't figured that out that public space (actually anywhere) is open season for photos/videos/audio recordings for posting on the internet then they have been smoking to much of something.

I don't think the MyFace argument cuts it really. However, I personally feel that the figures in the picture are far enough away that it's not a serious issue over their identity. The main subject is clearly the little girl, the youths just "happen" to be in the background. If they weren't in the playground, they wouldn't be in the photo. If you disagree, send a report and we mods will bow down to the will of Editor Bob.

I think their picture is straying away from the issue of what to do about them being in the playground.

Guess I was a yob too.

After I finished my homework and practiced my piano I spent my time hainging out as well mostly in public parks but occasionally at the playground too.

Did you spit on benches, ER?

The youths actually take up more of the picture than the child. It is very clear that the youths are the focus of the picture as that is where your eyes are drawn to upon initially viewing the pic. It was posted on a forum about *them* not the child. If it was about the child, then the youths could have been cropped out. It wouldn't be tolerated to display this in a newspaper without their permission and it shouldn't here!

What was written in this article may not be the truth - could be someone with a personal vendetta against these kids... I am not saying it is the case, but these kids do not have the possibility to explain their side, which is not fair.

Not on the benches but we did spit on the ground. In retrospect, it's pretty ignorant behaviour I agree but is our spit really any less sanitary than the animal feces that one can find in abundance in any public place?

You still sit on the bench after any number of animals and birds have shit on it don't you?

so, now do we go into the gallery and block out all photos that are not of TT members?
Why are you getting your panties in such a bunch about this?

I do hope you get this sorted out Jenny, hopefully the other parents from the playground will help you. Good luck.

Now, if you would kindly explain away the cigarettes they are definitely smoking in spite of the lack of ashtrays everyone will be much happier and the boys' reputation is cleared.

Because it is something that I feel strongly about, why else?

How would you feel if someone took a picture of you and posted it on an internet forum? Not very please, I imagine...

It seems the faces have been blurred out so you've won the battle.

So, back to the issue, what to do about them being there? I still stick by what I said earlier of just asking them not to do it. At least an attempt to start with.

There is no proof that they dropped them on the floor - I see no litter on the floor. Nor can you see them spitting. Since when is smoking illegal?

Don't get me wrong, I am not siding with them... as I said earlier, I think they shouldn't be there and it is also not a good image for the children seeing youths smoking. All I am saying is, we should be a bit more considerate when posting pics on TT. These youths are human beings with rights too. Even if they had been accused of raping/murdering/beating someone, you shouldn't just go around posting pics on the Net unless it *clearly* shows them doing what they are accused of doing. Everyone has a right to a fair trial and to be able to fight their corner.


Wasn't aware it was a battle


I think it doesn't make sense to go in with all guns blazing in the first instance. Maybe just talking politely to them and asking them to refrain from littering the playground might do it... if not, simply beat the crap out of them call the police...

I see your point and I agree but it's a non issue now as the identities have been blurred.

Depends on your age. Under 18s it's illegal, isn't it? Or is it still 16?

All 3 of the characters are smoking, but the the cigarettes have been blured out to protect their identity..

Can you prove from the picture that they are under 18? I can't...

Anyway, it's a none-issue now and hijacking the thread, which was not my intention. The pics have been blurred, so I am happy :-)

If they are under 18, it's illegal to be smoking. If they are over 18, it's illegal to hang out in the playground without a minor that they are caring for.

EDIT: Actually, I take it back, it might not be illegal. I know some parks have signs on them saying who is allowed to use the playgrounds, but maybe not all of them. I don't know about this one. However, if over 18, I think everyone would agree they don't have any business there.

I guess that is why you should always behave when out in public. You never know when someone with any type of recording device is around.

With today’s digital devices that pretty much means everywhere.

But that's a job for the police then... it still doesn't make it right to post their pics on the Net like major criminals.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THEIR STUPID PICTURE!!! I'm talking about what to do about them being in the park. The faces are now blurred, stick with the issue at hand!

Legal issues aside, they're guilty of being dumbasses. So they should be treated like dumbasses. Maybe it's easier for a guy like me since I go about 225 lbs, but I'd just ask them why they're acting like dumbasses. Spitting on seats...WTF? That's so "A-So". Get on them..shame them...tell them to straighten the fark up and act like civilized human beings. If nothing else they'll probably get tired of being bitched at and go hang out somewhere else.

I remember watching one of those 24 hours reality show thingies where they shadow policemen around, and they were called out to a situation just like this, so calling the police would be an option. Bit extreme though, so I agree with Showem and the others who have suggested that you just talk to them and ask them not to spit or litter or whatever, or perhaps suggest they go sit elsewhere.
Another idea, just occured to me - how about mentioning it to the Hausmeister if the playground belongs to your appartments?

Tell them to get lost. The playground is for kids, which they are not.

It's not your responsibility to offer a substitute playground for them.

What about blurring out the ringleader's face, who has taken their gloves off it appears to have a swipe at the camera person???

What exactly are you talking about?

HS, it's a joke as well you know. Jesus, man!

Did anyone mention this wonderful device yet: The Mosquito. It's fucking ace. It emits a high frequency noise that adults can't hear but drives teenagers mental - apparently it makes them feel their head is exploding, and is to UK shop keepers what waterboarding is to the CIA. Of course in doing so it violates teenagers' human rights, destroys their dignity and reduces them to the level of animal faeces as nothing more than an irritant to civilised humans, but who gives a crap when it works and drives the annoying little shits elsewhere?

Must've been coz it was so lame!

Oh yeah, that would be useful in a *childrens* playground <sigh>

HS, why are you so hesitant to believe a well-known forum member describing a situation as she saw it? Why are you defending inconsiderate youths sitting with their feet on a bench and smoking around children? Why didn't you ask for Mini-JennyL to be pixeled as well as she could be targeted by the youths and their pals should they see the picture published on an open forum?

P.S. Judging by the size of the youths and the immature shapes of their unpixeled faces I would definitely put them at younger than 18.

RTFM . Just for you, here's how it works in small words and short sentences: See youths in playground. Leave with your children. Turn on device by remote control. Teenagers' heads explode (or they leave). Return to peaceful playground. Simple.

Defending teenagers' right to sit in a children's playground smoking and spitting and using as few braincells as possible is absurd. This isn't Compton. We're not talking about underprivileged youths unable to find recreation in an inner-city wasteland.

And while I agree that every teenager deserves, if they so choose, to go through a slothful rebellious period, they don't deserve a place to do it unhindered, lovingly accepted, and encouraged to adopt such lifestyle choices for the remainder of their days. It's supposed to be rebellious-- meaning they are supposed to know it's unacceptable so that eventually they might wake up and think uuuuh, huh. Maybe I look kinda stupid.

I was a ridiculously rebellious teenager. Thank god enough people told me I was embarrassing myself that I eventually snapped out of it.

To be honest, if Jenny wants to post a picture of her daughter online that is her decision. Posting the picture of someone else online without their permission is not okay. If someone happens to be in the picture ( that you really took of a monument etc.), I think it's a different matter, but Jenny took the picture and included the teenage kids in it in order to post it here. I realize their faces have been anonymized now, just answering your question what I consider the difference between the teenagers and JennyL's kid.
Regarding the teenagers, I do not know if it is illegal for them to sit there, but you could say something to them about the smoking and spitting anyway. Because regardless of whether they have a right to be at that playground or not, they do not have a right to litter the area.

You have misquoted me. I wasn't saying that they hadn't done it. I said that it was possible and that this was only one side of the story, and that the individuals concerned had no possibility to defend themselves. I have already said numerous times that I disagree with them being there if they are being a nuisance...

As for "immature shapes of faces", some people look younger/older than their actual age - you cannot judge from a photo...

As for pixelating her child's face - that should be at the discretion of the parent who posted it... She should decide before posting if that would put her child at risk or not...

I disagree with them being there at all, full stop. Personally I find it somewhat creepy that youths, let's put them somewhere between 15 and 18, would wish to hang around a playground clearly designed for younger kids. Call it a generalisation if you will, but the name Jamie Bolger popped into my head as soon as I saw the photo.

Maybe you should go and read through the posts again (if you actually read them in the first place). Nobody was condoning what they are doing!

I also really don't understand the big argument over posting people's photos without express permission. If you go outside and present yourself a certain way to the world at large, beyond the 4 walls of your home, then you shouldn't have a problem being photographed as such and posted online.

Oh, FFS! Thank God we don't have you as judge and jury for society!
Go and read through all of the posts, FFS!!

Here's a gallery full of photos of people taken without their permission. Wooooooo! Should it be taken down?

If they request it to be, yes. But these people aren't being accused of anything are they? :-)

Well, now that you mention it, other than some fairly serious coiffureal (?) faux-pas, no. That said, the argument which usually arises is over whether it is right or not in general, not just when the person is being accused of something.

Already done, now twice.

And?

Accused? Their actions at the time of the photo speak for themselves. No need for accusations.

Haven't we had this discussion before and wasn't it decided that it is illegal to post the image of a person without their consent if they are the main focus of the photograph?

Yes, we have:

Posting someone's image without their permission

where Sarabyrd quite clearly had a different stance with regards to privacy and photos... ;-)