St. Petersburg, FL asked in Copyright, Intellectual Property, Criminal Law and Entertainment / Sports for Florida

Q: Can I secretly record, in Florida, at a church event. If possible I will openly use my phone. Faces will be blurred, etc

I am attending an event in Florida at a church, a 'healing school'. I don't believe you have to sign any documentation to say you can't film. If I can film anything whilst there openly with my phone, I will. But I would like to wear a secret camera if not.

This is an investigation into faith healing. The final product will have anyone's faces blurred and voices changed.

Secondly, what if I ONLY RECORD myself and NO ONE else?

2 Lawyer Answers

A: no, secret recordings are not legal in this situation because you are not a licensed investigator

James L. Arrasmith
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Answered

A: Recording in Florida requires careful consideration of legal requirements. Florida is a "two-party consent" state, meaning all parties being recorded must give their consent for audio recording in situations where there's a reasonable expectation of privacy. Religious gatherings inside a church typically fall under this category of privacy expectations.

If you're only recording yourself without capturing anyone else's voice or image, that would be legal since you're consenting to your own recording. However, in a church setting, it might be challenging to avoid capturing others inadvertently. Even if you blur faces and alter voices later, the initial act of recording without consent could violate Florida Statute 934.03, which carries potential criminal penalties.

The best approach would be to contact the church organizers directly and request permission to document the event. Many religious organizations are open to transparency and might welcome the opportunity to share their practices, though they may have specific guidelines about how and what can be recorded. If they decline permission, consider taking written notes instead, as this would keep you within legal bounds while still allowing you to document your observations.

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