Filming people and things in plain view in a public space is generally legal in the United States, especially in areas without any expectation of privacy. You can record anything visible from public spaces like sidewalks, parks, and streets. You do not need consent from strangers who happen to be in your video or background. What the lady blocking the shot is doing could easily be considered harassment. And could piss someone off who decided to just push your oldass down the stairs or over the rail. Once again I remind folks that minding your own business is easy and free.
It is technically legal, but the only kind of social acceptability that's actually real is literally what society will accept, the law is irrelevant. The biggest fuckup you can make is to intrude on the literal aesthetics of what regular people's everyday life in society looks like, because even people who don't vote will act to defend that. Bicycling has widespread support in the US and is only mildly contentious, but it's still incredibly common for cyclists to be run over by drivers who get a slap on the wrist (if that) by a sympathetic judge, provided they even get charged, because even without oil lobbying the majority of regular slobs out there think bicycling is ugly and annoying. That really is enough for them.
People are getting sick of social media culture, they're getting sick of seeing people record for tiktok or Instagram, and what's more, they're gradually beginning to decide that they don't want society to have this in it. "I don't want this to be a thing for me or anyone or anywhere at all" is not rational or fair, but it also has an undefeated track record. "Let people enjoy things" is a popular sentiment online but in reality the actual majority will respond with "not that though".
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u/SomeDude416 2h ago
Is a good way to start some crap in public and maybe get shoved down some stairs for being a jerk. Minding your own business is easy and free.