Photographers collect and process personal data–Personal Data Protection Office at the FOTOEDU 2025
On 8 August 2025, the Muranów cinema in Warsaw hosted a nationwide conference entitled FOTOEDU - Kindergarten & School, devoted to the role of photography in education and issues related to the protection of personal data and children's image. The event brought together photographers, teachers, representatives of educational institutions, and experts in law and psychology.
The speakers also included representatives of the Personal Data Protection Office: Mirosław Wróblewski, President of the Personal Data Protection Office, and Monika Krasińska, Director of the Law and New Technologies Department.
During the panel discussion entitled ‘Building photographers' competence in the field of privacy protection - security of images and other personal data’, experts from the Personal Data Protection Office discussed the most important issues related to the legal processing of personal data, including photographs of children, in a preschool and school environment. Particular attention was paid to the need for a conscious and responsible approach to photography and good practices in obtaining consent and securing visual materials.
"I would like to congratulate you on the submission of the Professional Photographers' Code by the National Guild of Photographers to the Personal Data Protection Office. This is one of the most important steps towards standardisation in the field of personal data protection. Since the beginning of my term of office, protecting the image of children has been a priority for me, and your submission of this Code is an important step in that direction," emphasised Mirosław Wróblewski, President of the Personal Data Protection Office.
Monika Krasińska, Director of the Department of Law and New Technologies at the Personal Data Protection Office, drew attention to the practical and legal aspects of personal data processing by photographers: "Very often, a photographer's product is an image, and its protection is one of the oldest rights. The image significantly influences how we are perceived: at work, in our private lives, and socially. It is a personal asset, but also a piece of data that identifies a person," said Monika Krasińska. She also emphasised the importance of integration and education in the industry: ‘This conference is an excellent space for exchanging experiences, but also for identifying risks and looking for ways to mitigate them. We have increasingly aware customers who ask: where is my image, how is it protected? More and more people know that personal data is their property.’
The Personal Data Protection Office has long emphasised the importance of protecting the image of photographers at work. The FOTOEDU conference is an event entirely devoted to the professionalisation of educational photography, taking into account legal, psychological, pedagogical and marketing aspects. The programme features representatives of the Personal Data Protection Office, as well as experienced children's photographers, educators, psychologists and experts from the photography industry.
The event not only brought together different perspectives: legal, educational and sales, but also provided participants with a space for practice and exchange of experiences through workshops and networking sessions.
‘Today, a photographer is not just someone who uses equipment to take pictures, but a person who collects and processes personal data. That is why I encourage you to join the Professional Photographers' Code. Personal data is the currency of the 21st century. Today, the largest businesses are based on data - the question is, do we know where we have it and how to protect it?’ Emphasised director Monika Krasińska.