Apple Fan "thrown out" of Glasgow Apple Store

Overzealous store security in Glasgow? Surely not! The city is practically a policed state - there are bouncers on the door of MacDonald's. Given that the Apple Store is probably the city's prime target for neds, I'm not surprised security are a bit twitchy in there. Guy sees an easy target (blogger with camera) and decides make an example of him with some phony legal chat.

Yep, it's heavy-handed and bad for Apple's reputation, but I don't imagine for a second this directive came from Cupertino. It's just one store in a city with a reputation for sketchy store security.

I dont get this one. I went to the opening of the Glasgow Apple store and went hog wild with the camera and no-one said a word (as did everyone there). Here are my pics -
http://www.photographicdesigns.co.uk/images/reportage/appleglasgow/_applestoreglasgow.htm

I've been back in the store at least once a week and there is always someone snapping away without being bothered by staff. Its a store that just begs to be photographed ^_^

No, this isn't ridiculous. It is standard practice for most retailers. There are many legal and proprietary reasons for them to not want pictures taken.

I like my Apple reseller (not a Apple Store)-they don't seem to care about people taking pictures.

This is crazy! I know the Tartanpodcaster - a.k.a. Mark Hunter. He's a great guy - and has given Apple thousands of pounds of free publicity through his podcasts, evangelism and more.

If this is the way Apple treat loyal customers and friends, then it's pretty disappointing. I also hope that this isn't company policy.

I suggest a Flickr-ing flash mob in protest! Anyone up for it?

> why dont you people realize this is business? with companies like creative coming out with things that look EXACTLY like a shuffle, they HAVE to have rules like this. we just cant go all willy nilly doing whatever we want in these stores with their products and IP

Well Tim you kind of make the opposite point with the example. A company DID come out with something that looked like a shuffle and actually had more features than Apple's and it still went nowhere in the market. I think people like the braintrusts at BR and this legal genius at the Apple store need to realize that there are photos of their stuff out there already, on websites, and that if someone wants a good copy to mess wth they'll go there to get it. Most of the time people just like to show off where they've been and what they've seen, and I'd bet that the dollars that may be lost on IP being mistreated are nowhere near the cost of ill will generated by acting like an asshole when a camera comes out.

Seems a lot of people are missing the point...
It is in no way illegal to take pictures in an Apple store, or any other shop for that matter. Now, the shop being private property means they can ask him to stop - politely, if they're any good at customer service - or they can ask him to leave - again, politely - or, if the guy was being a PITA, have security escort him *gently* from the premises.
I hope the shop assistant was severely reprimanded for this.

After looking at the photo's I think this guy just got in people faces.

Photo's of the staff = NOT GOOD.

Hi, I'm the 'tartan podcaster'. If I was taking photos of the punters, fair enough, step in. But I only took one photo specifically of people; it was the guys at the Genius Bar. The staircase photo has a woman in it, but she's secondary to the subject of the photo; the staircase.

Yes, it's a bit weird talking on the phone and noting down parts of the conversation, but my limited understanding of Apple stores is that they're laid back places; come in, use the machines, browse, sit in the 'theatre' area (if it has one), without any pressure or interference from staff. Granted, Scotland has only had it's Apple store for about 2 months (?), so my actual 'in store' experience is limited. Although, on my only other trip to the store my daughter and I used one of the iMacs in the 'For Kids' area for ages and we both played around with the iMacs downstairs in the main retail area too. I chatted with one of the staff, took some pics with my mobile phone, without any incident.

I'm hoping to be visiting the store to buy a MacBook Pro at some point and I hope to be able to record the process for my podcast and take photos for my site. Will I be allowed to, I wonder? I hope so, I'll be spending £1500!

I've taken photos of that very store *before it had opened to the public*, and again the day after, and nobody batted an eyelid.

I'd imagine the employee was somewhat at the end of his tether (not least because people have been asking all damned day where the hell the iPod Touches are) and didn't think too clearly.