The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has urged residents and organisations to familiarise themselves with privacy rules regarding recording people at public events.

It follows the release of a new series of guidance notes focused on recording in public places as well as the use of closed-circuit television and other cameras such as doorbell, ring and dash cameras.

The body said the guidance aimed to increase general understanding of the rights of individuals under Bermuda’s data privacy law — the Personal Information Protection Act 2016 — and help organisations better understand their obligations.

In circumstances where the photographic or video footage of a person is taken in a public setting, whether or not Pipa applies will depend on whether the personal information of the subject was captured by an organisation or an individual in their personal capacity.

The office said if the imagery was taken by an organisation, Pipa would likely apply, whereas it would probably not for images captured by an individual for personal or domestic use.

It said as use of cameras, smartphones and surveillance technologies continues to grow, questions around privacy, consent, transparency, proportionality, accountability and the application of Pipa are becoming increasingly common.

Angie Farquharson, the Acting Privacy Commissioner, said: “Whether you are a business owner installing CCTV or an individual recording in a public place, it is important to understand how Pipa applies and how to respect the privacy rights of individuals.”

Pipa, which came into full effect in January 2025, is Bermuda’s data privacy legislative framework, regulating the use of personal information by organisations in Bermuda.

It aims to protect individuals’ personal information whilst allowing its legitimate use by organisations.