What’s Greenfield’s Deal With People Recording Her Online Events?

Theresa Greenfield, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Iowa’s U.S. Senate race, scheduled a virtual “meet and greet” on Tuesday tonight, which is part of her “Hear it from the Heartland” tour. 

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many candidates are holding fewer or smaller in-person events. In Greenfield’s case, she has held no in-person events. (This begs the question, can you do a “tour” online?) 

Checking out the invitation page for the meet and greet, I find a legal disclaimer. 

Some of it is understandable. First, Greenfield’s campaign makes it know that participants may be recorded or photographed. 

That disclaimer reads, “Please be aware that Theresa Greenfield for Iowa (the “Campaign”) will be videotaping, recording and taking photographs during this virtual event. By entering into or in any way participating in the virtual event, you irrevocably consent to and authorize the Campaign, and its agents and licensees, to make photographs, videotapes and other recordings of your voice and likeness (“Materials”) and to use the Materials, or any portion thereof, in any and all manner and media and for any purpose without compensation.”

Obviously the campaign wants to be able to use that footage and those photos. Chasing down everyone who participated to get permission is onerous, it’s better to have a boilerplate disclaimer.

Then you read further and run into something I find to be extremely odd.

“Unless you have obtained prior approval from the Campaign, you also agree to not record, reproduce, transmit or stream from the virtual event, in any manner or by any means whatsoever, any portion of, or the entirety of, the event, including making any photographs, videotapes or other recordings. Any video, recordings, photographs or other media of any kind generated during the virtual event shall be the sole property of the Campaign, and you irrevocably release the Campaign and anyone acting under its authorization from any and all liability or claims in connection with such usage. You understand and agree that the Campaign will proceed in reliance upon such grant and release and that such rights are therefore irrevocable and granted in perpetuity,” the disclaimer reads.

So, no recording. She’s not campaigning in person, and no one can record the event except for her campaign. I emailed Greenfield’s communications director to ask if there was an exception for the press. At time of publication, I have not heard back, but will update this article if I do.

We saw before the primary that Greenfield already has a problem with cameras, and now she doesn’t allow her online campaign events to be recorded unless the campaign gives permission. 

What is she hiding? (Well, we already know she’s trying to hide from her biography.)

Granted, recordings of her previous online events don’t exactly inspire confidence, so I guess it is somewhat understandable. I would probably hide as well.

But I’m not running for U.S. Senate.

Here’s a screenshot of the event page since it will likely be inaccessible after the event: