Effort Required for a Corporate Thrust

In the 45 days since I asked in the brand-new commercial Starbucks Coffee Company group on Flickr (on September 28) if Starbucks permits photos in their locations the company has been unable to articulate that they do or do not allow casual photographs to be made on their property and within their establishments.

It's more than a bit ironic, if not downright absurd, for them to attempt to establish a fan group of photographers on a photography forum website, such as Flickr, without a clearly stated and unequivocal policy that photography is permitted within their locations. There have been many reports that cameras, especially large ones, freak out the coffee makers, managers and sub-managers, and even the cleaning staff. There are many anecdotal reports of people being harrassed, yelled at, and demands such as that they leave and or delete their photos immediately appear to be commonplace. (You can be asked to leave the premises for whatever reason, but can not be forced to delete photos at any time by a shop owner or employee, meaningless threats notwithstanding.)

One of the most interesting aspects of this caffeine crazed situation is that many managers and employees have quoted 'Company Policy' while yelling and making demands of people with cameras that range from iPhones to Nikon D3 's. The 'Company Policy' seems to emanate from the 'Manager's Handbook' or guide to running the business, wherein the edict that photos shall not be made upon Starbuck's property is apparently engraved.

Last, the interesting thing about a policy of photo-permissibility entering the Starbucks culture is that, of course, all the normal rules would apply: you could not sell your photo for advertorial or other commercial use without explicit permission of the people in it, and for safety's sake, the explicit permission of the property and trademark holders whose image components appears prominently within said photos -- without fear of potential civil liability (actionability.) IOW, though Sbucks allows you to take personal photos onsite, you cannot run them as an ad for Gucci in Vogue without lots of paperwork (see your attorney,) which you will not likely get. Grow up, you know better by now. Starbucks need have no fear of you casual photogs, because you understand all this right? Right?

Juan Valdez is rolling over in his hacienda....

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