Photographed by a FotoYu Photographer on a Bali Beach? Your Rights

You can refuse to be photographed and ask for the picture to be deleted. According to detikBali on 19 October 2026, FotoYu photographers had been banned for about two weeks from working in the Desa Adat Intaran area of Sanur after complaints that foreign tourists were photographed while sunbathing without permission.

FotoYu is a photo marketplace app: photographers shoot people in public places, upload the images, and the people in them can find their photos through AI face matching. In Sanur, detikBali reported, a single photo sold for about Rp30,000 (roughly US$2).

What happened in Sanur

• Who imposed the ban: the pecalang (customary village security) of Desa Adat Intaran told photographers to stop, saying they had no permit for photography. Photographers who tried again behind Icon Mall Sanur were warned a second time.
• The trigger: Denpasar council deputy chair Ida Bagus Yoga Adi Putra (Gus Yoga) said there were reports of photographers shooting foreign tourists who were sunbathing, and that a hotel had reportedly complained.
• Where they still work: some photographers moved to northern Sanur, in front of The Maru, which falls under Sanur Kaja.
• Status: there is no written decision yet. Gus Yoga proposed dedicated photographer zones, signs for people who do not want to be photographed, and a community code of ethics. A meeting with the deputy mayor of Denpasar, the village business body (BUPDA) and tourism stakeholders is planned, with no date announced. Lensa Bali (20 October 2026) reported the same facts.

Can someone photograph you on the beach and sell it?

Public space does not mean anything goes. When the FotoYu controversy broke in October 2025, Alexander Sabar, Director General of Digital Space Supervision at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), said a photo showing someone's face is personal data under Law No. 27 of 2022 on Personal Data Protection (UU PDP) and must not be distributed or commercialised without the subject's consent (quoted by JawaPos, 29 October 2025). Komdigi added that people can sue over misuse of personal data under the PDP Law and the ITE Law.

Separately, customary villages in Bali can regulate business activity in their territory, which is the basis for the warnings in Intaran. The exact rules can differ from village to village.

What to do if you think you were photographed

• Say no clearly, on the spot. Raise a hand or say "no photo, please" and ask the photographer to delete the image from the camera in front of you.
• Note the details. Time, the stretch of beach, what the photographer looked like, and if needed a distant photo that does not show their face. This helps if you report it.
• Involve the nearest staff. Hotel security, pecalang or beach staff usually settle it faster than an argument.
• If the photo is already online. Contact the app's help service and request removal. FotoYu's consent page, quoted by CNBC Indonesia (29 October 2025), says users' biometric and location data are destroyed on request or when the account is deleted. Note that to search for your own photos the app asks for a selfie, which means handing over your face data too.
• If it feels like harassment. Photos aimed at your body, taken secretly at close range, or followed by threats should be reported to police on 110 (24 hours). Our guide on how to file a police report in Bali lists the documents to bring.
• Do not take matters into your own hands. Grabbing a camera or posting the photographer's face on social media can turn into a legal problem for you.

How to lower the risk while sunbathing

• Use a hotel's staffed sunbathing area rather than the part of the beach along the public promenade.
• Topless sunbathing is not allowed in public spaces in Bali; see can you sunbathe topless on Bali's beaches.
• Early morning on Sanur Beach is the busiest time for runners and cyclists, which is when sports photographers usually work.
• If you sign up for a fun run or beach event, read the terms: some events allow participant photos to be sold.

If you are looking for a beachfront hotel in Sanur with a more private sunbathing area, AccessiaPass stay vouchers are a practical way to compare options. Other behaviour rules for visitors are on our Bali rules page.

Common questions

Are all beach photographers in Bali now banned? No. As of 19-20 October 2026 the reported ban applies only to the Desa Adat Intaran area of Sanur. No similar rule has been announced elsewhere.

Must a photographer ask before photographing me? There is no specific technical rule for street photographers yet. But according to Komdigi, selling photos of faces without consent conflicts with the PDP Law, so you have solid grounds to ask for deletion.

What if I actually want to buy my photo? That is your choice. Make sure you are comfortable submitting a selfie for face matching and read the privacy policy first. Status checked 25 October 2026 from detikBali and Lensa Bali; the outcome of the village meeting has not been published.