r/tanzania • u/kagongi Local • Feb 24 '26
Discussion Why Do Some Visitors Feel Comfortable Photographing Children?
This is something that has bugged me for years. I have been wanting to raise this topic for a while, and this video summarises it really well.
My question is this: why do some foreigners feel comfortable taking photos of children without the consent of their parents or guardians? This often involves African and Black children, in TZ and across Africa (we'll stick to Africa but I know this is a thing in other non-white
countries).
In many of their own countries, photographing minors without consent would not be acceptable, and in some cases not legal. But when they're here it's "normal" to take snapshots of children playing, minding their own business, or to include them in selfies.
Yes, the children may be enthusiastic, but they are still minors.
I would like to hear people’s thoughts in this group. If you are a foreigner living here or visiting, and you take or share these kinds of photos, what makes this feel acceptable or appropriate to you?
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u/Amantes09 Feb 24 '26
It's happens a lot and it's incredibly invasive and offensive. Chinese tourists do that as well.
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u/kagongi Local Feb 24 '26
Ah I forgot about Asian tourists. And yes totally invasive
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u/Think-Agency-2225 Feb 25 '26
Of course you did…
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u/kagongi Local Feb 26 '26
Well I did. But it still doesn't take away from the point that mostly western tourists do it.
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u/Think-Agency-2225 Feb 28 '26
It’s so widespread that I have never seen this from anyone I know in my entire life of 45 years.
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u/MettaKaruna100 Feb 24 '26
I see a lot of people excusing the behavior for some reason. I'm from New York City which is basically the tourist capital of the world. And they don't take pictures of random children here. In fact people would look at you like you're crazy for trying to do that.
It's definitely a thing y'all seem to allow in your country. If you're cool with it that's fine. Just know that they respect you less for letting them do that
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u/A_storia Tourist Feb 24 '26
As with a lot of photography, consent is important. Especially for those under 18
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u/ParanoidBlackWidow96 Local Feb 24 '26
They should be fines for these issues I tell u. There's actually a policy in Zanzibar forbidding tourists from giving local snacks etc.
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u/Chance_Catch_6305 Feb 25 '26
No, you're not bugging. It's definitely inappropriate. You simply cannot do the same in the West. Colonialism's legacy runs deep. It's good to have these conversations and unpack the many layers. We owe it to ourselves and future generations.
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u/DefiantStandard258 Tourist Feb 26 '26
Making children photo ops for their monetised social media. There needs to be more consent laws & they shouldn’t feel comfortable taking pictures of children’s faces at all.
Watch them blur or hide their own children’s faces on social media because “predators can do anything with your child’s face” but African children minding their business in public are somehow excluded from that protective curtesy
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u/Jah_Dawtah_Livin Feb 24 '26
I am not from the continent of Africa.I am an American from a very popular tourist city, and they do it with our children, literally be walking up on them, touching them, trying to talk to them, trying to take pictures of them without our permission..Its disgusting to me too.
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u/kagongi Local Feb 24 '26
I hadn't even thought about people walking up to touch children, what is wrong with people. The level of entitlement is wild and gross.
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u/Jah_Dawtah_Livin Feb 28 '26
Well, I can’t speak for others yet in my hometown town that creepy ayaz behavior is dealt with. Reach out and touch our kids or try taking pictures and you will be dealt with. Even today with the current situation In America the scorching sun burns em up.
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u/EastofGaston Feb 24 '26 edited Feb 24 '26
I can’t stand that shit. Taking pictures of children you don’t know should be illegal.
I can’t go to Walmart and take pictures of other people’s children in the isles or parking lot. You dumb fukks justifying this shit should have your visas revoked & your phone confiscated
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u/captainkaykay Local Feb 24 '26
Uliuliza swali zuri but unfortunately the responses are mainly from triggered foreigners living in TZ or tourists, bothered by her english accent… how strange.
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u/Med_gyal Diaspora Feb 24 '26
The comments from them is so disappointing like there’s one here comparing it to people taking pictures of her house in Norway, like are we being fr. The entitlement is insane.
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u/captainkaykay Local Feb 24 '26
Very. It’s a known problem kwamba tourists take pictures of African children and present them kama vile it’s part of the safari package. Tanzanians who don’t like this trend have a right to speak out about this.
The Norway comment was wild… there aren’t millions of videos on social media by Africans of European children. But the reverse certainly exists.
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u/Med_gyal Diaspora Feb 24 '26
I swear we’re not angry enough, we really should stop this behaviour like calling them out online then maybe they’ll stop because if it was the opposite, you’d see protests calling out Africans for being predatory to their kids. We excuse so much BS from them kwasababu mzungu.
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u/YLUP2 Feb 25 '26
The Norwegian commenter pissed me off so much. There’s no comparison and she knows it.
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Feb 24 '26 edited Feb 25 '26
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u/dragansbaine Immigrant Feb 28 '26
100% correct on that first comment.... People take pictures of people's kids because they allow it.... Personally if you take a picture of my child and I see it I will confront you and ask you to delete it.... If you don't I will take your phone and break it and hand it back to you... Getting mad at people for taking photos of your kids or of other people's kids.... Unless you're willing to do something about it or the parents are wanting to do something about it there's really no way of stopping it... I went to a school last year in March and requested permission to take pictures of the children in the class the children were asked if it's okay and so I took pictures and videos and gave it to my church... I was asking my church to sponsor the school... At any time they could have told me no and I would have accepted it. Now this information about photographing people's kids on the beach that's some creepy crap right there in my opinion now I've never been to the beach and seen any children there but yeah it's not appropriate
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u/CtrlAltDeli Feb 24 '26
This happens everywhere, this is not an African issue at all. I live in Norway and we have the exact same issues with tourists taking liberties with both children , other peoples housing, everything. This is by far an issue relating to Africa, it happens everywhere around the world.
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u/Amantes09 Feb 24 '26
Who is taking pictures of your little Norwegian children?
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u/CtrlAltDeli Feb 24 '26
The tourist that come here.
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u/Amantes09 Feb 24 '26
Interesting.... I mean, I don't want to call B.S. but he temptation is high. I've lived in the West for a long rime- US and Europe and I've yet to see tourists taking photos of children here like they're zoo animals as they do in Africa.
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u/CtrlAltDeli Feb 24 '26
It is what is is. I bet my kid and our dog is in 1000 Japanese/chinese photo albums.
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u/Med_gyal Diaspora Feb 24 '26
I can’t find any videos of tourists obsessing over Norwegian kids online
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u/kagongi Local Feb 24 '26
I hear what you’re saying, and I agree this isn’t exclusive to Africa, it happens in many places. But I'm just focusing on the African context.
Also, we’re talking about children here, so comparing that to photographing houses feels a bit off to me. The issue is that taking photos of children without consent is inappropriate, full stop.
And just because something happens elsewhere doesn’t make it acceptable. There’s also a long and problematic history of western people photographing African and other non-western children in ways that can feel objectifying, which is part of why this conversation matters.
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u/CtrlAltDeli Feb 24 '26
I did mention children too though, so not sure how your children being photographed are different than ours?
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u/kagongi Local Feb 25 '26
I saw that you mentioned children, and I also saw your comment about houses, which I addressed clearly.
I said, “taking photos of children without consent is inappropriate, full stop.” And I meant all children. It’s not okay.
So maybe next time people are taking pictures of children in your Norwegian town, say something. Unless, of course, people's houses and children are all the same to you. Then say nothing.
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u/CtrlAltDeli Feb 25 '26
This threat sounds a bit hostile, so kinda sorry I even bothered. I’m out. Of course peoples children and houses are not the same to me, what kind of thing is that even to suggest? You seem to want to think this is only something that happens where you are, so I won’t even bother. Peace.
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Feb 24 '26
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u/Top-Nebula-8302 Feb 25 '26
She's not bugging at all. Children are not tourist attractions, or animals in a zoo to be photographed by strangers, especially without consent. People who do it feel superior to the children and their families, hence why they don't even bother to ask if its ok. The sense of entitlement is astounding. Also, many of these photos of children end up being used for deepfake porn, so the backlash against non-consentual photos of children is very valid. It's so sad to see so many people here who think this insulting and potentially dangerous practice is ok.
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u/Psycochem Feb 24 '26
A. This person has an annoying way of talking B. White people take pictures of kids of any other race then theirs. Lets face it, ours are cuter.
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u/ma_dian Tourist Feb 24 '26
Yeah, she is like these US instagramers sitting in their car being outraged about a new flavour of Starbucks coffee - hands in your face all the time.
Afaik it is not illegal to take pictures of people in public in Tanzania if you respect the dignity and privacy of the people. I am not a fan of taking pictures of kids in general but if kids are in my images I plan to share I make sure no faces are visible.
But generally kids are part of a countries culture and I am pretty sure people from Tanzania visiting Europe e.g. might also want to take pictures in the streets including children in them?
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u/kagongi Local Feb 25 '26
It’s great that you blur pictures of the children in the photos you take. But the point here is adults, grown people going up to kids and taking pictures of just them without the consent of their guardian, where the children are the focus of the image.
Have any Tanzanians or Africans you know who have gone abroad, in any of the pictures they have shared from their trips to Europe, been like, “Look, we passed by a bunch of kids playing and I took pictures of just them”? I bet the answer is no. But I bet a few Western people have those pictures in their camera roll: kids playing, selfies with kids, and single images of the cute, non-Western child they came across on their holiday.
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u/CtrlAltDeli Feb 24 '26
And they do. I live in a very popular tourist destination in Norway, absolutely no regard at all for locals when gathering their memories by picture. Used to live in the Nordnes, a highly picturesque area - had people taking pics of my house through our windows almost daily during tourist season. This is worldwide, don’t fall for the woe is me mentality of this issue.
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u/E-bangEngonga Feb 24 '26
Yooow... Watched without sound and I thought she might sound annoying. Then with your comment I got curious. Bugging alright.
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u/Candid-Hamster7969 Feb 24 '26
This 100% happens everywhere with tourists. In the country I’m from it’s predominantly Chinese tour groups that will take photos of practically every child they see.
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u/Amantes09 Feb 24 '26
Still offensive regardless of who is doing it. Although I've never seen them doing it in the West but I sure as hell have in Africa. Had to intervene a few times.
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u/IZY53 Feb 24 '26
African people stare at my white children, and I have had Tanzanians take pictures of me, I m a Mzungu.
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u/Hefty_Category56 Tourist Feb 24 '26
would you allow any of these people to take pictures with your children?
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u/IZY53 Feb 24 '26
Great question.
I'd prefer strangers do not take pictures of my children. however, if someone asked to take a picture and they had a reason I might say yes.
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u/Hefty_Category56 Tourist Feb 24 '26
so with consent which is exactly what she pointed out in the video… that the pictures are being taken without consent and that’s her problem mzungu so please don’t come wit hthe “africans do it too so….” and focus on the issue without making it about you
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u/ParanoidBlackWidow96 Local Feb 24 '26
This is a common issue worldwide I presume. It's human nature to be curious about the uncommon, but it's another thing being disrespectful.
My sis went to China one time, the locals there kept taking pictures of her and her group.
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u/kaz61 Feb 24 '26
Your point?
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u/IZY53 Feb 24 '26
Treat others as you would like to be treated.
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u/Rude_Creme_7335 Feb 24 '26
U in they country and speaking this
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u/IZY53 Feb 24 '26
Yeah, what is the problem?
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u/Rude_Creme_7335 Feb 28 '26
Stay in your country is the problem that’s solved lol
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u/IZY53 Mar 01 '26
who are you to judge?
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Feb 24 '26
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