Exclusive: Medford woman says she was secretly recorded at Planet Fitness, video posted online without her consent
The situation is reigniting debate over what is legally allowed when it comes to filming someone in public spaces, and what recourse victims have when that footage appears online.
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A Medford woman says she was deceptively recorded while working out at a Planet Fitness, and only discovered it when the video surfaced online without her permission.
Claire, 22, exclusively told News 12 she filed a complaint immediately after the incident at the Medford Planet Fitness last Thursday. She says she was mid-run when a man wearing Meta smart glasses approached her and tried to start a conversation that she found strange. Hours later, she says she saw a video of herself posted online by a user she recognized - someone she says had always made her uncomfortable.
“Before I could even start describing him or what happened, the worker immediately stopped me,” she said. “He described the man himself because a woman had filed a complaint about him shortly before I left the gym.”
Planet Fitness policy prohibits members from recording others without permission. The situation is reigniting debate over what is legally allowed when it comes to filming someone in public spaces, and what recourse victims have when that footage appears online.
“Unless it’s intimate parts and body parts, there is really nothing you can do criminally,” said David Sarni, a professor at John Jay College. He says privacy laws need updating, and that change often begins with people like Claire speaking out. “If they’re doing it to harass and annoy, then that’s just harassment, which is a violation,” he added.
Meta told News 12 that its glasses activate an LED light when recording, and that the devices should not be used to harass or violate privacy rights. A source says the account involved is now under review.
Planet Fitness says the man’s membership has been terminated. Suffolk police say anyone who believes they are being recorded without consent should contact police or file a report at their local precinct.
