The question stemmed from a verbal clash last Tuesday, after the pro-Palestinian protest march through inner-city university buildings, between pro-Israel associate professor Amanda Kluveld and demonstrating students. In the garden behind the FASoS building, Kluveld felt threatened by their slogans, which she called “hate speech”. She said she filmed the students in order to file a complaint. In response, the students filmed Kluveld, saying they feared publication of the footage on social media.
Gray area
The answer to Ac's question came from director Constance Sommerey, who witnessed the incident. No, without permission of those involved, you’re generally not allowed to record ‘personal information’ - such as faces or voices - on faculty property. This rule applies, she stressed, to both staff and students. But there is a “gray area,” she added: filming for one's own safety, when someone feels threatened and wants evidence to file a complaint. “That's probably allowed.” Both parties used that argument to justify their filming last week.
“Much less gray” of an area, according to Sommerey, is sharing identifiable footage with ‘third parties’ via for example social media, the concern raised by the demonstrating students. That’s not allowed, and so far has not happened, according to her. On Ac's comment that clips of the incident were posted on social media platform X, she replied: “If you have evidence that recognizable footage of staff members or students was shared, please come to us.”
Not traceable
Presumably, Ac was referring to some short clips Kluveld shared last week. The students aren’t visible in those, but their chanting can be heard. Because the voices are not traceable to individuals - no names are mentioned - this kind of footage is allowed to be recorded and shared, Sommerey told Observant when asked.