A growing public outcry has emerged in Newcastle over content creators filming and uploading videos of vulnerable and homeless individuals to social media without their explicit consent. A petition, initiated by Christine Gray from North Tyneside, has now surpassed 5,000 signatures, urging Newcastle City Council and Northumbria Police to intervene and enforce existing laws more rigorously.
Many of the videos in question reportedly depict people in Newcastle who appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Critics argue these clips, often shared across platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram, exploit their subjects for online engagement and financial gain. Some videos have even been tagged with terms like "funny videos," leading to accusations of mockery and ridicule in the comment sections.
Ms Gray expressed strong condemnation, stating, "It's disgusting, they target vulnerable adults for nothing more than cheap laughs." She highlighted a "massive" safeguarding issue, particularly when individuals are intoxicated and therefore unable to provide informed consent for filming. The petition specifically requests clearer public guidance from the city council on filming vulnerable people in public spaces, alongside stronger enforcement of harassment and public order laws.
Prominent content creators Michael Ballymore and Tin tin, who were named in the petition, defended their actions in a joint statement. They asserted their aim is to act responsibly and within the law, while drawing attention to issues prevalent on the streets that many people witness daily. They refute claims of targeting vulnerable individuals for mockery, stating their focus has always been on raising awareness and that they have even provided support such as paying for hostel rooms, food, and connecting individuals with support organisations.
However, homeless charity The People's Kitchen, based in Newcastle, has publicly supported the petition, confirming that several of its service users have appeared in these online videos. Maggie Pavlou, a trustee for the charity, described the situation as "awful" and "exploitative," noting that the videos often capture people at their most vulnerable moments. While filming in public spaces is generally legal in the UK, data privacy experts, such as Tania Palmariellodiviney from Data Privacy Simplified, suggest that uploading such content without consent could constitute a breach of data protection laws, potentially leading to civil cases.