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Tokyo Olympics bans fans from posting videos of the Games on their social media accounts

Casey Baseel Jun 2, 2019
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Your medal-worthy Olympic venue videos will have to stay within the confines of your phone, say organizers of 2020 Olympics.

Initially, this article reported that attendees were prohibited from posting both photos and videos, but we’ve since been contacted by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics organizers and informed that photos may be posted on social media. We apologize for any confusion.

The application period for the first round of 2020 Tokyo Olympics tickets just finished, and we’re sitting around anxiously waiting for the results to see which, if any, events we’ll get to go to in-person. As we were killing time, though, we took another look through the extensive fine print on the application form, and we came across something that’ll probably put a damper on a lot of fans’ enjoyment.

The various terms and clauses for the application include a section that states that ticket holders are allowed to take photos, as well as record video and audio, inside event venues, as long as it’s for personal use. That’s pretty standard, though the terms also state that intellectual property right ownership of said photos or recordings is to be held by the Olympic Organizing Committee. Again, though, many would say that’s not so terribly strict.

What’s likely to ruffle many more feathers, though, regards what the Tokyo Olympics apparently feels falls outside “personal use.” The form goes on to say:

“Ticketholder may not transmit or distribute video or audio recordings taken within event venues without the prior consent of the IOC. This includes transmission through television, radio, the Internet (including social media and live-streaming), and other electronic media, including forms which are not currently in existence.”

▼ Yes, even crazy future tech is covered by the ban.

In other words, you’re free to take as many videos of the Olympics as you want, and share them with your friends, as long as you share them the old-fashioned way: by showing them to people you’re hanging out with face-to-face. Want to post them on Twitter or Facebook, even if your only followers are your close personal friends or immediate family members? Sorry, you’ll need to contact the IOC and ask for permission first, so keep your fingers crossed the organization is so well-staffed that they’ve got a team of employees just sitting around waiting to provide clearance so you can share some videos for Grandma or your friends from high school to see.

▼ Luckily, videos of all the great ramen you ate after going to the event are beyond the reach of the IOC’s power.

Granted, it’s not unusual for live events to restrict recording, but that’s not what the Tokyo Olympics is doing. You can record as much video as you want, you just can’t post it on social media. And while Japan has always been particularly restrictive of amateur photography in the show business world (you won’t find a single photo of many Japanese celebrities on their Japanese-language Wikipedia pages), the sports sphere is usually a lot more accommodating.

Sure, it’s understandable that the Olympics’ organizers don’t want people live-streaming entire competition from the stands, but a few seconds of video posted on social media after the contest has been decided, taken from a spectator seat, doesn’t seem likely to turn people away from the official broadcasts from professional media organizations who paid for those rights and want to protect their investments.

Nevertheless, the rules are the rules, and the organization is saying no to sharing those moments from your Tokyo Olympics experience online. On the plus side, at least this might have the silver lining of encouraging fans to keep their phones/cameras in their bags and their eyes on the Games instead of a screen.

Reference: Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympics and Paralympic Games
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Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2)
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