[frank@do3eet-terminal ~]$ cat /etc/privacy/offlinetags.conf
# Consent Communication Protocol v2.0
# STATUS: ALL 6 TAGS ACTIVE

If you spend a lot of time at barcamps, hackathons, or amateur radio meetings, you know the problem: Am I allowed to post this photo? Who is that in the background? And how do I signal myself what should happen with pictures of me?

This is exactly where Offlinetags come in. They are a social signal for humans – and at the same time, machine-readable markers for algorithms. Since I submitted a Pull Request today to expand the set to 6 symbols, here is the guide for all photographers and tag-wearers (including the new proposals).

1. Tag Me (Green)

The "all-round carefree package" for digital utilization.

• May: Take photos, publish, tag, and apply facial recognition procedures.
• Should ask: In very sensitive contexts, briefly check if a specific platform (e.g., Facebook vs. Mastodon) is okay.
• Do not: Actually nothing – the wish for digital visibility is clearly formulated here.

2. Upload Me (Yellow)

Publication yes, tracking no.

• May: Take the photo and post it publicly on the web.
• Should ask: If you still want to mention the person by name (credits), you should check briefly.
• Do not: Manual tagging in social networks or enriching with metadata for facial recognition.

3. Blur Me (Blue)

Presence yes, identity no.

• May: Photograph the person, provided they are made unrecognizable before publication.
• Should ask: Whether simple pixelation is enough or if the face should be completely "covered."
• Do not: Publish the original image without editing. Facial recognition algorithms must not run over this under any circumstances.

4. No Photos (Red)

The clear boundary.

• May: Point the camera in another direction.
• Should ask: Nothing. The wish for privacy is absolute.
• Do not: Any recording of the person. Also no "back views" or "you can only see a little bit" – respect for the wish comes first.

New (Proposed via Pull Request):

5. Name Me (Purple)

Visibility for credits.

• May: Photograph and publish.
• Should ask: Exactly how the naming should be done (real name, callsign, or nickname?).
• Do not: Publication without clear identification of the author or person depicted. Here's the "deal": photo for fame!

6. Blur Screen (Teal)

The new standard for tech events.

• May: Photograph the foreground (people, hardware).
• Should ask: If you are unsure whether a screen in the background shows critical data (code, passwords, emails).
• Do not: Publish uncensored screen content in the background. Before the image goes online, every monitor in the image area must be made unrecognizable.

It is particularly worth noting that the entire project has been consistently published under CC0 1.0 (Public Domain). I think it’s excellent that these symbols and the underlying idea are truly available to everyone without condition – no legal hurdles, entirely in the spirit of the public good.

[frank@do3eet-terminal ~]$ systemctl status privacy-awareness
● privacy-awareness.service - Respect for Human Signals
   Active: active (running) since Mon 2026-03-23 13:37:00 CET

Offlinetags are a powerful tool to bring the discussion about digital privacy from theory into practice. Which tag will you wear at the next event?

Get typing (or radio me)!

By the way, I will definitely be wearing the Name Me and Blur Screen tags myself as soon as I find a good way to produce them as high-quality pins or buttons.

And honestly: I actually need a seventh tag: “Can’t handle praise”… ;)

Start of heading level 3: ### 📝 Call for Participation: Scientific Survey End of heading.

Fittingly, there is currently an exciting online survey as part of a collaboration between the University of Salzburg and TU Chemnitz. It deals with the communication of photo preferences at public events.

• Goal: Understanding attitudes towards taking photos/being photographed and the communication of personal preferences.
• Time required: approx. 5 minutes.
• Anonymity: The survey is completely anonymous.
• Deadline: Participation is possible until March 28, 2026.

If you would like to support the research project, you can find the link here:
👉 To the Survey (Limesurvey)

Thank you for your support!

[frank@do3eet-terminal ~]$ logout