Controversy over posting

Students as involuntary “models” for ÖVP advertising

This ÖVP post on Facebook is causing anger. The party had failed to obtain parental consent (the "Krone" has covered the children's faces).(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Reuters/Hollie Adams zVg/privat)

The ÖVP Lower Austria is also using social media to convey the political messages of its party leader Johanna Mikl-Leitner to the electorate. The party relies on memorable images and snappy texts. However, a photo of a school class backfired...

Markus Z. couldn't believe his eyes. Johanna Mikl-Leitner's Facebook page featured a photo showing the governor surrounded by a group of schoolchildren – including his nine-year-old daughter. Z. had no prior knowledge of this, let alone given his consent.

Computer scientist outraged
"It was a friend who first brought this post to my attention," Z. told the "Krone" newspaper. As a computer scientist, Z. is familiar with the relevant data protection regulations: "I contacted the relevant authorities and also immediately requested that the ÖVP Lower Austria, which operates this page, delete the image."

My nine-year-old daughter asks me how it can be that she shouldn't post photos of herself on the internet, but the governor does.

Markus Z., Vater einer betroffenen Volksschülerin

Political message
The Facebook post does not report on the governor's visit to the girl's elementary school, which, incidentally, took place six months ago. Rather, it promotes a political message from Mikl-Leitner (see facsimile). "In a post like this, the image can no longer be separated from the text," says Z., who sees this as the exploitation of children for party advertising.

ÖVP: "Bitter mistake"
The ÖVP is contrite: "A bitter mistake has been made." They mistakenly assumed that parental consent had been obtained. In any case, the photo was removed immediately. However, Z. only received an apology after the media began investigating.