Be called the P word

[Olddaddy]

Last Monday night I stayed at Quarter silom 

And as my Filipino bf likes to talk to everyone, he ended up meeting a young guy 22yo from Sweden whilst doing the laundry washing  🧺 

Anyway to cut a long story short , I got talking to the Swedish backpacker guy who had travelled also to India and Philippines and had his Instagram accounts etc he was amateur  photographer 

He had a lot of pics and some with smiling children in the Philippines and India 

He said something a bit troubling 

"I can't post the pictures of me standing with the smiling children in India or Philippines as people write nasty comments that I'm a pedophile he said 

They even DM me he said and write threats 

I was a little startled 😮 , but he is probably right , lot of crazy people out there making assumptions because some 22yo kid travelling the 🌎 is taking photos 

Amazing that something so innocent a young guy can be called that because he takes pics with children or young people he is assumed to be a pedo in the West

Unbelievable how everyone hates each other in the West and angry making assumptions 

 

 

 

[Pete1111]

I have a couple of framed prints from a famous photographer, Vivian Meier.  One is a B&W image of boys digging clams on the beach, their mother's up on the pier chatting, from around 1960, Flushing NY.  It's a great photo.

How times have changed, I worry someone will jump to conclusions, because of the subject matter.  

[unicorn]

18 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

...Unbelievable how everyone hates each other in the West and angry making assumptions 

That other website used to be completely whack-o about it also. I don't know if they still are (haven't participated in years). I once posted a picture of a shirtless hunk, and got banned for a month because his clothed minor son was also in the photo (which I picked up on the hunk's own Facebook page). I'm not sure it's just a western thing. I remember reading a sign in what I seem to remember being in a southeastern Asian country. The sign stated that under no circumstances were children allowed in any photo which foreigners took (obviously directed at foreigners, since written in English). Wokeness can go overboard, as in this instance. 

Of course, sometimes wokeness is called for. It's difficult to believe some people at Target thought this was a good idea:

"Target’s costume cleared design, approval, photography and publication before social media pointed out the racist imagery, meaning the cultural review apparently began after the product went viral."

 

[vinapu]

18 hours ago, Olddaddy said:

 

Amazing that something so innocent a young guy can be called that because he takes pics with children or young people he is assumed to be a pedo in the West

Unbelievable how everyone hates each other in the West and angry making assumptions 

 

 while I agree with you on the subject please keep in mind  that  you may be guilty as charged talking about assumptions . What in his story makes it sure that those writing nasty comments and issuing treats are just and only  Westerners ?

One of my closest friends was chased away for  the same crime of taking pictures of random children at play  by locals in the rural Guatemala

[Travelingguy]

Taking pictures of children doing everyday activities is one thing.  Posting pictures of children online is more complicated and should be approached with caution and respect for the child(ren)‘s privacy and right to be a kid

[Keithambrose]

6 hours ago, Travelingguy said:

Taking pictures of children doing everyday activities is one thing.  Posting pictures of children online is more complicated and should be approached with caution and respect for the child(ren)‘s privacy and right to be a kid

I have helped to support a children's home in Cambodia  for many years, and know the staff well. However their rule is that you are not allowed  to take pictures of the children.  That's fine by me. Cambodia  is a well known country for paedophilia. 

[unicorn]

22 minutes ago, Keithambrose said:

I have helped to support a children's home in Cambodia  for many years, and know the staff well. However their rule is that you are not allowed  to take pictures of the children.  That's fine by me. Cambodia  is a well known country for paedophilia. 

Yes, that was the country. 

[Riobard]

This story explains why I’d consult counsel first when spontaneously stopped to take a multigenerational family photo, pricing regulatory risk accordingly. And display my rate card with required minimum, as well as contract application. Separate brochure and adjusted fees in German for making one. 

It’s all very solemn but one can always break the ice by joking “OK, where is it?” Unless, of course, German (see above). 

[Mavica]

On 8/26/2026 at 12:02 AM, Olddaddy said:

"I can't post the pictures of me standing with the smiling children in India or Philippines as people write nasty comments that I'm a pedophile he said 

If immigration officers in many countries examine a cellphone, which they almost all universally have the right to do - and many are doing, storing photos such as these can trigger an investigation or the traveler being put on an international list of suspected pedophiles or abusers of children (take your pick).  Right or wrong, there can and have been negative consequences.

[khaolakguy]

The world was a more innocent, perhaps naive, place once. We know better now that wolves prowl in plain sight. Eg the Saville, Glitter and Harris's of this world. Many many more that are not celebrities. So we need to give up a little of our innocence/freedom to protect those that don't understand the risks. AI easily turns an innocent image into a monstrous fantasy.