Progress Paparazzi: When Trackers Get Creepy

If you were at the NHGOP dinner Monday night, there’s a chance this guy took your photo from his car. Feel uncomfortable about that? Us, too. Think you have a fair expectation of privacy in a parking lot at a private event? Think again.

Tracking is a somewhat noble thing to do, when done in an upfront, fair and acceptable manner. By upfront, fair and acceptable, we mean holding your target accountable by being in their face. They know you’re videoing or photographing them. Both parties do it. Organizations of all types engage in this tactic. But it’s almost exclusively done with the target’s knowledge or at least a reasonable expectation that you could be being photographed. As civilized humans engaging in political discourse, we expect some level of courtesy even if we disagree.

When does tracking cross the line?

Well Monday night, when we witnessed this guy photographing  guests arriving at the NHGOP dinner, we thought it crossed the line to creepy.

If you’ve spent any time around the state house, you’ll recognize this guy. We’re told he is a paid staffer for the liberal advocacy organization Granite State Progress, whose sole purpose in life is to bully Republican elected officials. He videos as many committee meetings as possible to find language that can be taken out of context and pushed in the press, or at least the Huffington Post.

Apparently this guy has crossed over into Paparazzi work. This is a new low in New Hampshire politics.

So next time you are at a Republican event, look out for this green Subaru. And don’t pick your nose in public, because there’s a fair chance that this guy has you in his viewfinder and it could end up as part of the next Republican hit piece on the Huffington Post.

2 Responses to “Progress Paparazzi: When Trackers Get Creepy”

1. Steve Mac Donald says:

   May 29, 2013 at 11:01 am

   Here’s a better picture of the same guy at the Honor Your Oath rally.

   http://granitegrok.com/blog/2013/04/name-that-tracker

   Reply
2. Seth Cohn says:

   June 10, 2013 at 6:18 pm

   That’s Tim Chrysostom of Canterbury

   Reply