[deepsun]

Once I rented an apartment in US, and the documents said that they can make videos, pictures and audio recordings of me and my family, and use it for their own purposes including commercial. I objected, but their position was that no one is going to involve legal department for me, and I am free to go away.

[engeljohnb]

Rentals are exactly what I was talking about. Supposedly you can always go to someone else, but we all know in practice we can't just go without housing and if everyone decides you're "difficult," you're SOL.

Earlier this week a potential landlord offered me a lease saying I had already inspected the property and found no issues with it.

I asked for a chance to actually inspect before signing, and even said I would settle for a good quality video walkthrough. They told me the unit was "not available for viewing" because it wasn't finished yet, and by the time it was finished it would likely be taken.

So why did you ask me to sign a contract saying I inspected a property that it's conceptually impossible to inspect??

I asked if they could change that part of the lease. They said they were "unable" due to "demand and interest in the property."

Of course, still not as insane as your story.

[smcleod]

Pretty sure that's a violation of fundamental human rights as it's your place of living. Surely that can't be legal, even in the US can it?

[monkpit]

It doesn’t mean _inside_ the apartment. It means if they decide to film a commercial and you’re walking your dog in the background, they don’t have to ask you.

[aesh2Xa1]

It does mean on the property and including inside facilities.

Maybe that's at the gym or by the pool, and maybe you're actually not comfortable becoming a swimsuit model.

[bigiain]

That sounds a lot like a rationalization desperately grasping at "surely it's not as insane as it sounds, what it _must_ mean is ... "

I would want to read and perhaps get legal advice before relying on that interpretation - and before finding I signed over rights to my landlord to make candid porn of me and all his other tenants.

[somenameforme]

Contracts don't and can't override laws.

[computerdork]

Am pretty sure he's right. I rent out my house, and it is very illegal for the landlord to record video inside the house (or even of the driveway). You are infringing the privacy of your tenants and is a huge no-no.

Yeah, if you accidentally recorded families walking through their homes unclothed, this could land a landlord in jail.

[wtallis]

The contract terms could very well have actually had a meaning that included filming inside the apartment. The existence of other laws overriding the contract isn't actually the same thing as the contract not having that invasive meaning.

[nkrisc]

If it didn’t say it, it doesn’t mean it.

[gerdesj]

Thank goodness you read the contract they signed and provided competent legal expertise throughout the process.

[thayne]

That is probably why it is in there, and probably how it would be used in practice. But these types of documents are almost written to be as broad and ask you to give up as many rights as possible.

[smcleod]

Oh right, that's not so bad. Isn't that just being part of modern society? It would be nice to opt to never be recorded but also, it's outside.

[abawany]

I've also read reviews of Greystar properties where the reviewers expressed shock at being forced to consent to such abuse.

[bsder]

> and I am free to go away.

This is the crux of the problem when landlords are allowed to form or join an "association" that gets too pervasive.

This was at the heart of the RealPage lawsuits.

[plagiarist]

I found some shit like that in a gym contract, which I then declined.

[m0llusk]

This is basic security. Cameras around entrances, exits, and common areas have become critical for safety and preventing mail theft.

[collingreen]

There is no version of basic security that extends to commercial use of your likeness in their marketing.

Be reasonable.

[deepsun]

If it said so in the contract I would not have any issues, something like "recordings of you are available only to authorized security personnel, can be provided to you upon request for a reasonable price covering filtering and other paperwork, and can be shared solely for security and legal purposes".