Morocco Weddings Hire ’Photo Police’ to Protect Privacy at Celebrations

This "commando" job is in vogue in Morocco. Their role is to prevent guests at weddings or private parties from taking photos and posting them on social networks, without the consent of the newlyweds or the organizers, which constitutes an "invasion of privacy". Sources have confirmed to Hespress that this summer, these "commandos" have been more in demand than last summer, indicating that "other Moroccan cities are starting to use these services which are currently in high demand in Casablanca and in certain northern cities where they first appeared".

"Newlyweds in Casablanca have started to use this service more as a solution to a problem that Moroccan weddings were facing, namely the leakage of wedding photos to social networks," said Siham Bendades, head of a team of commandos in Casablanca, specifying that the team also receives requests outside of Casablanca, "notably in Khouribga and Berrechid, and even outside the region, such as in Meknes for example".

To prevent any mishaps during these celebrations, the newlyweds or organizers inform their guests "that taking photos is prohibited and that there is a dedicated team for this purpose," details Bendades, adding that to distinguish themselves from the guests, the "commandos" wear a badge. More and more Moroccans have started to "understand this profession and its importance," added Bendades, assuring that "guests at these festivities are treated with flexibility".

Is the exercise of this profession legal? To this question, Bendades replies: "The contract is initial between the family and the guests, and we, as "intermediaries", offer a specific service within the framework of private security... The problem arose only once with a Moroccan residing abroad, whose father considered that the request to delete the photos she had taken was contrary to the law, and that there was no legal basis to search her phone, but he finally understood that we were acting at the request of the family and that our initiative was not personal".