The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has issued a press release confirming that photographs taken for purely personal use (non commercial) are exempt from the Data Protection Act 1998, which means that parents can take photographs and videos of their children and friends participating in school Christmas plays and concerts without breaching data protection law. Detailed guidance to schools on taking photographs is set out in the Good Practice Note which was issued by the ICO in 2005.Source: ICO press release, 4 December 2006.
Accordingly family photos of little James and Christine is their dishcloth head dresses for school nativity are fine and sensible guidance is also provided if you are a press photographer concerning getting consent in advance of the event.
