Why the Naxvegas party scene is being threatened by privacy policy
A phot capturing the entrance of Groundless Lounge.
I am sure that if you look hard enough you will find a photo of yourself having a good time in a club on their social media pages, that is if you are a partygoer.
The photos were probably taken by the establishment without your consent. You see, with the rise of social media came the impending need to document every minute of our lives and share those moments online.
This concept, which was mainly practised by individuals, was quickly adopted by business owners in the entertainment industry who wanted to attract customers to their businesses.
However, despite being an ideal marketing move, taking pictures of customers as they go about their business in an establishment has now become a sour fruit to swallow for club owners who have relied on it.
This comes after the Casa Vera club was fined Sh1.8 million for using a patron's image without her consent.
Back home, although no one has been fined, Nakuru is famous for its party scene - it has even been dubbed NaxVegas - and taking photos has become the norm at several popular clubs.
Mtaa Wangu spoke to Anderson Mwambonu, photographer at Chilis Tavern, who disagrees with Data Protection Commissioner Immaculate Kassait's clear and categorical policy on taking pictures without customers' consent.
"As a photographer, I feel affected because now my boss could see me as not being useful in the premises," said Mwambonu.
According to the photographer, taking photos and videos online was a way of showing that the clubs were providing the best services without any malice.
"There are better ways to regulate this kind of thing by letting the revellers know that taking videos and pictures is a necessity to promote the club and if one is not comfortable, they should have a secluded place," he expresses.
Carol Mungai, a marketing officer at the Groundless club, says the policy is not really new to them as they have always had it in place.