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| Has Michael McIntyre become the unwitting subject of a privacy row? | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| The comedian Michael McIntyre may just have become the unwitting subject of a privacy row after the police appeared to tweet a photo of him in the street. | The comedian Michael McIntyre may just have become the unwitting subject of a privacy row after the police appeared to tweet a photo of him in the street. |
| The tweet, posted by the NPAS London Twitter feed for helicopters used by the Metropolitan Police, asked followers to guess which "energetic funny man" they had spotted in the capital. | The tweet, posted by the NPAS London Twitter feed for helicopters used by the Metropolitan Police, asked followers to guess which "energetic funny man" they had spotted in the capital. |
| It prompted a less than enthusiastic response - with some tweeters objecting that the comedian's privacy had been invaded or that the tweet was "creepy". | It prompted a less than enthusiastic response - with some tweeters objecting that the comedian's privacy had been invaded or that the tweet was "creepy". |
| Later on Wednesday, the NPAS [National Police Air Service] London Twitter feed deleted the tweet following the barrage of criticism. | Later on Wednesday, the NPAS [National Police Air Service] London Twitter feed deleted the tweet following the barrage of criticism. |
| A spokesperson for McIntyre said the whole thing was ridiculous, telling The Independent “They should be spending their time more wisely.” | A spokesperson for McIntyre said the whole thing was ridiculous, telling The Independent “They should be spending their time more wisely.” |
| Users are questioning whether the police should have been using their helicopters and cameras in this way. | Users are questioning whether the police should have been using their helicopters and cameras in this way. |
| @NPASLondon you guys must love privacy! Aiming at a celeb is no excuse. | @NPASLondon you guys must love privacy! Aiming at a celeb is no excuse. |
| @NPASLondon Not acceptable. National Police Air Service, too trivial & abuse of privileged access to images. How about the Queen gardening? | @NPASLondon Not acceptable. National Police Air Service, too trivial & abuse of privileged access to images. How about the Queen gardening? |
| Rob Wilton tweeted: "Did you seek the individual's consent? Or is this an abuse of your considerable surveillance powers?" | Rob Wilton tweeted: "Did you seek the individual's consent? Or is this an abuse of your considerable surveillance powers?" |
| The photo was at least "kinda creepy", as one user put it. | The photo was at least "kinda creepy", as one user put it. |
| @NPASLondon Wow. That's kinda creepy | @NPASLondon Wow. That's kinda creepy |
| @NPASLondon this is out of order. Are you snooping on anyone else going about their day? | @NPASLondon this is out of order. Are you snooping on anyone else going about their day? |
| @NPASLondon Very creepy. Stalkers. Big Brovah, always watching you. | @NPASLondon Very creepy. Stalkers. Big Brovah, always watching you. |
| Rosie R added: "Wonder how Mr McIntyre feels about this invasion of privacy! Did you ask his permission to tweet it?" | Rosie R added: "Wonder how Mr McIntyre feels about this invasion of privacy! Did you ask his permission to tweet it?" |
| The NPAS said the tweet did not breach the law "as far as we know" but that it was deleted because it was felt to be inappropriate. | The NPAS said the tweet did not breach the law "as far as we know" but that it was deleted because it was felt to be inappropriate. |
| Supt Richard Watson, ground operations director at the NPAS, said: "We are aware of the tweet and, as far as we are aware, it does not breach any data protection legislation. | Supt Richard Watson, ground operations director at the NPAS, said: "We are aware of the tweet and, as far as we are aware, it does not breach any data protection legislation. |
| "We feel however it was inappropriate and it has since been removed. | "We feel however it was inappropriate and it has since been removed. |
| "We will be speaking to the person who posted the tweet." | "We will be speaking to the person who posted the tweet." |
| The National Police Air Service, whose headquarters are in West Yorkshire, operate helicopters on behalf of police forces up and down the country including the Met. | The National Police Air Service, whose headquarters are in West Yorkshire, operate helicopters on behalf of police forces up and down the country including the Met. |
| The Metropolitan Police started using the NPAS earlier this year. | The Metropolitan Police started using the NPAS earlier this year. |
| Due to budget restraints, the NPAS has recently said it will be closing 10 of its helicopter bases to offer a ‘more efficient service’. | Due to budget restraints, the NPAS has recently said it will be closing 10 of its helicopter bases to offer a ‘more efficient service’. |