Can I photograph people in a public place?
Conditional: taking a photo in a public place is generally allowed; publishing an identifiable person without a lawful basis isn't. Merely taking a photo in public isn't banned per se (the personal/household-use exemption can apply). But publishing or sharing an identifiable person to third parties without a lawful basis falls under GDPR and Law 4624/2019, and can be a personality-rights tort (Civil Code 57–59) or a crime (Art. 38). Lawful bases beyond consent: legitimate interest (incidental crowd shots), journalism/public interest. Filming police on duty is legally contested — there's no explicit statutory right. In short: take yes, publish carefully.
📋 The rules
- Taking a photo in public: generally not banned
- Publishing an identifiable person: needs a lawful basis
- Bases: consent, legitimate interest, journalism
- Filming police on duty: contested, no explicit right
- Authority: HDPA; civil claims/interim measures
🔓 Exceptions
- Incidental crowd/background shot: legitimate interest
- Journalism/public interest (Art. 28, Law 4624/2019)
- Personal/household use without sharing: outside GDPR
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Unlawful processing/publication of personal data is a crime (Art. 38, Law 4624/2019): basic form up to 1 year; for sensitive data ≥1 year and a fine up to €100,000; with intent of gain/harm over €120,000, up to 10 years. Add HDPA administrative fines (up to €20M/4%) and civil damages. Beware two myths: "GDPR bans photographing people in the street" — wrong (it's publication/processing that's restricted); and "you have an absolute right to film police" — overstated, it's contested. To stay safe: capturing for personal/evidentiary use is defensible, but publishing identifiable faces without consent/public interest carries real legal risk.
📎 Official sources
- Law 4624/2019 (Art. 38) — criminal penalties →
- Data Protection Authority (HDPA) →
- Civil Code (arts. 57–59) — personality →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I photograph people in the street?
Taking a photo in public is generally not banned, especially for personal use. The issue arises with publishing or sharing an identifiable person to third parties without a lawful basis, which falls under GDPR and can amount to a violation of personality rights.
Does GDPR ban photos in public?
No. GDPR doesn't ban taking photos in public. What it regulates is the processing and, above all, the publication of identifiable people. An incidental shot of a crowd or background may be covered by the legitimate-interest basis.
Can I film police officers on duty?
It's legally contested. There's no explicit statutory right. Capturing for personal or evidentiary use is defensible, but publishing officers' faces raises data-protection issues and carries real legal risk.
Do I need consent to publish a photo?
Usually yes, unless there's another lawful basis, such as legitimate interest in an incidental shot or the journalism exemption for matters of public interest. Publishing an identifiable person without a basis can lead to damages and a removal request.
What do I risk if I publish unlawfully?
Unlawful processing is a crime, with imprisonment up to 1 year in the basic form and heavier penalties for sensitive data or intent of gain. Add HDPA administrative fines and civil damages, and the affected person can seek interim measures.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “photography public place law greece”
- “gdpr photos of people”
- “filming police officers greece”
- “publishing photo without consent”
- “law 4624/2019 personal data”
- “personality rights photo”