Eats, shoots and leaves: An influencer's guide to public spaces

Zero civic sense,” declared influencer Amulya Rattan after a pedestrian had the temerity to walk through her frame while she filmed a fit check in a public space. The internet promptly clapped back, making it a meme.

Rattan is not alone in testing the boundaries of public space. Indore influencer Prakriti Gaur landed in legal trouble after allegedly lying on a zebra crossing while shooting a reel. And in August, a video showing two girls fighting over making reels at Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park went viral. Last year, influencers Varun Yadav and Aarush Bhola blasted music on a Bluetooth speaker inflight, captioning it “Hawa mein bhi badmaashi.”

Now, influencers at the US Open have been criticised for photoshoots, bright lights and filming during match play. When everyone’s a content creator, perhaps ‘civic sense’ needs a social-media update — and a manner manual for the creator era.

Shoot Responsibly

When content is work, what works as contentFor creator Shenaz Treasury, who has created content everywhere — from restaurants and airports to the Australian Open and football matches — the rule is simple:

“Your content should never become somebody else’s problem.” That means phone over paraphernalia and speed over perfection. “I don’t do multiple takes. One take and I’m done. If it’s not perfect, that’s fine. Sometimes the imperfection actually makes the content better.Digital creator Devika Khade agrees. “If people around you have started noticing or getting affected, you’ve gone too far.”

She avoids large set-ups and repeated takes and says staff shouldn’t be expected to stop working to help create content unless it has been coordinated beforehand.

Naman Kapoor offers a more creator-first take. “I honestly follow a rule I heard on Suits: ‘Forgiveness is always better than permission.’” He usually shoots first and shows the person afterwards, removing them if they remain uncomfortable. Too many rules, he argues, can affect creativity. His philosophy? “It’s not think and upload; it’s upload and think.”

Treasury says the etiquette rule is simple: “Take the photo, make the reel, get the memory — just remember that there are other humans in the room.”

“There’s a funny contradiction now: Creators are invited specifically to create content, but then, people get annoyed when they create content. Clear rules make it easier for everyone. But we can’t put everything on venues either. Some of it is common sense. Being invited somewhere doesn’t mean the entire place suddenly becomes your set” —Shenaz Treasury

“This is still a relatively new space. Everyone is figuring out the rules and guidelines, and people are bound to make mistakes. We’re all human. In fact, I don’t necessarily think there should be too many rigid rules, because I feel like that can affect creativity” —Naman Kapoor

“Creators today do need a stronger sense of etiquette because we’re no longer just taking a picture for ourselves, we’re broadcasting an entire environment to thousands or millions of people. Being a creator shouldn’t mean being unaware of the space you’re in” — Devika Khade

Manner For Creator Age

When is filming an intrusion?

For etiquette experts, it’s when your content starts changing everyone else’s experience. “Etiquette in a gist implies respectfully co-existing with others in any given environment,” says Sunayna A Hak, etiquette and personality coach. Fame, she argues, should bring greater responsibility, not a licence to treat every person or place as a content opportunity.

Etiquette trainer and coach Suneeta Sodhi Kanga gets more specific. “Lights and tripods are, I feel, extremely rude to carry with you, especially lights.” Keep commentary low, don’t block views with endless retakes and make photographs quick. At restaurants, she adds: “Don’t let the food get cold because you’re taking so many pictures and others are just waiting to eat.”

People aren’t props. Don’t monopolise communal facilities, turn friends or staff into an unpaid production crew or assume strangers want a cameo in your reel. And being invited to create content isn’t a carte blanche. “Just because you have been invited or you’re expected to work, you must be mindful of the other patrons or attendees,” Kanga says.

The Creator Code

The dos and don’ts for creating in public

Dos

· Know the rules of the venue before filming

· Respect the host — and everyone sharing the space

· Ask for consent before filming, tagging or posting identifiable people, especially children

· Keep quiet where silence matters — tennis, golf, chess and other events

· Disclose sponsorships and paid promotions clearly.

DON’Ts

· Treat every person or place as a content opportunity

· Intrude into someone’s personal space for a shot

· Use flash, talk loudly or record yourself when it disrupts play or others

· Direct insults, threats or profanity at players, coaches or referees

· Fake or exaggerate content simply to chase views and followers.

Sunayna A Hak, etiquette and personality coach

CHECKLIST

Before posting: Check what your footage/caption implies; look for unnecessary faces, private conversations, children’s details, bills and phone screens.

If someone objects: Consider correction, blurring or removal. Respect a refusal without turning it into more content.

Put The Phone Down

The rise of content-controlled spaces

Restaurants, hotels, galleries and sporting venues are increasingly spelling out what can—and cannot—become content. Some restaurants will restrict the use of additional lighting equipment, while galleries and museums may object to the use of their space for content. Recently Mumbai-based art gallery Art & Charlie had laid out content guidelines for the bench outside their space facing the street. Artezia Hotel in Bengaluru draws a line between holiday snaps and content production. Guests can capture personal moments, but “professional or commercial content creation in shared guest areas requires prior permissions and coordination.” Photography in spaces such as the lobby and pool is also restricted.

Vikram Mayor, director and curator of Gallery Silver Scapes, says photography should not be treated as an automatic right. “At a gallery, do not block artworks for prolonged photoshoots.” Flash is a no-no. Importantly, reels should add context rather than simply turn art into a backdrop. “Turning serious art into a 10-second prop does little for either the artist or the viewer,” says Mayor.

Brands are writing the rules too. Jag Chima, cofounder, IPLIX Media, says campaign briefs may cover “where creators can film, what equipment is permitted, how long they can occupy a space, and whether staff, guests or members of the public can appear in the content.” Agencies, he adds, also have a role in anticipating problems around privacy, safety and disruption.

“The creator is representing the brand throughout the process, not only when the camera is rolling” Jag Chima, co-founder, IPLIX Media.

You’re In My Reel

The consent problem

Someone walking through your shot is different from you deliberately recording their conversation at the next table, says Yukti Gupta, founding partner, Thistle&Law.

The Supreme Court’s Puttaswamy judgment, she explains, recognises that privacy continues in public spaces, although Indian law does not require consent for every photograph. “What you record, the circumstances and how you use it, all matter,” Gupta says.

New technology like smart glasses makes the distinction murkier, as people may not even realise they are being filmed. “Someone agreeing to speak to you is not necessarily agreeing to appear on your public account,” Gupta says. In these glasses, while the light might tell you that the camera is recording, it does not tell you whether the person has agreed as they may not notice it. Ask clearly and explain that how the glasses record audio and video. For a planned promotional shoot, document the permission and intended use.

The same applies to staff. Permission from a manager to shoot does not mean every employee has consented to being featured. “Ask directly, and do not mistake professional politeness for permission.” When deliberately featuring children, Gupta advises seeking parental permission and respecting the child’s discomfort.