THE LONDON MET Police have come under fire after a photo of comedian Michael McIntrye taken from a police helicopter was posted on the National Police Air Service twitter account.
The photo on the @NPASLondon account has since been deleted.
It was posted at around 8am this morning with the caption: “Whilst on tasking in central London this morning we spotted a certain energetic funny man… Can you guess who?…”
A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said the tweeted photo does not breach data protection legislation:
We are aware of the tweet and, as far as we are aware, it does not breach any data protection legislation. We feel however it was inappropriate and it has since been removed.We will be speaking to the person who posted the tweet.
However, a spokesperson for the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has released a statement saying it will follow up on the matter:
Police forces like all other organisations must comply with the Data Protection Act. The police especially must ensure that they have legitimate grounds for processing personal data and disclosing images of this nature without a justifiable policing purpose could potentially breach the Data Protection Act. We will follow this up with the force concerned.
Reaction
Many Twitter users expressed their concern that the tweet was inappropriate.
Criminal and human rights lawyer Simon McKay told BBC News that while the photo being taken is unlikely to be an invasion of privacy, “its needless publication almost certainly is, assuming Michael McIntyre didn’t consent, which seems likely”.
A representative for McIntyre’s said the comedian has no comment.
McIntyre is due to perform a gig at the Ipswich Regent tonight ahead of his Happy And Glorious UK and Ireland tour.
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