Festival calls for an end to filming others without consent

DGTL, the popular Amsterdam-based music festival, has publicly condemned the growing trend of online shaming targeting festivalgoers, particularly through unapproved videos shared on social media. The organization called for festival attendees to respect each other’s privacy and refrain from filming others without their consent, NOS reports.

The issue has become increasingly prevalent in recent months, with many videos circulating online showing people in nightlife settings. These videos, often filmed without the subjects' permission, frequently garner hundreds of thousands of views, accompanied by hurtful and hateful comments. People are being judged for their clothing choices or their dancing styles, which has raised significant concern.

In response, DGTL issued a statement on its Instagram account ahead of this year’s festival, which traditionally marks the start of the festival season each Easter weekend. The statement encouraged festivalgoers to "keep their phones in their pockets" and to help maintain the dance floors as "joyful, respectful, and free spaces."

“Our dance floors are built on freedom, expression, and connection. They are meant to be safer spaces where everyone can move as they wish, without fear of being filmed, judged, or ridiculed,” the festival organizers said in the post. "Shaming others, especially by sharing content without their consent, goes against everything we stand for."

The post has sparked significant debate, with many festivalgoers engaging in discussions online. Festival director Ellen Evers explained that the level of attention the post received was exactly what they had hoped for. "We wanted to spark a conversation. If people disagree with us, that’s okay, but we want to open up the dialogue,” Evers said to NOS.

DGTL had been troubled by the trend for some time. "Every time we saw these videos, it bothered us," Evers added. "This year, we decided to actively address it by making this call."

While the trend of using mobile phones in nightlife spaces has been discussed for a while, DGTL believes that extreme measures, such as banning phones altogether, are not the solution. Some nightclubs have implemented policies where they cover up the cameras on attendees' phones with stickers upon entry. However, DGTL finds this approach impractical and unsustainable. "We thought about it, but it's a time-consuming issue and not a lasting solution," said Evers. "We don't want to force anything. It's about behavior and creating awareness. The phone is part of our lives, and we don't want to take that away."

DGTL’s initiative is gaining support within the festival sector. The Association of Dutch Music Venues and Festivals has expressed backing for the action, though they noted there has been no unified call within the industry for such a stance. Director Berend Schans called the initiative "a great move."

"Creating a safe and welcoming environment for festivalgoers is key," Schans said. "When people start filming others without consent and exposing them, it crosses all boundaries. It's important to educate attendees about this behavior."