We are preparing to began a Facebook presence and am unsure about when we need to obtain a photo release form when posting pictures of people/customers online. We want to post pictures (for example: when we donate money to people/places), and we have a photo release form in our policy which we will have them sign, but what (if anything) is needed if we want to share someone else's post? Do we need to get a release for from the people in a picture on someone else's post...?

Thanks!

Eeeeek. I hope not. I imagine that whomever posted the original content would be held responsible, but I'm only guessing. Facebook has a lot of rules and perhaps that is one of the many. Hoping someone with knowledge will respond, you've gathered my interest too.

our bank obtains a release when we want to include a non-employee in a photo. we do not share posts from others.

We obtain a release as well. A long time ago (before I was involved in compliance here). The bank took pictures at an event and posted one on a billboard.

Someone's child was in the picture and you can guess that they were none too happy about their child being on a billboard - from that point we got a release every time. Internet is considered print ads, so we subject them to the same scrutiny as our other print ads.

just use iStock photos of random people instead hahaha

Ok. Thanks for the info. So on those that get a release on everyone, what would you do in the event that someone tags the bank in a photo? In this case, we wouldn't have any control over it, unless we chose for tags to not appear on our timeline. In this case I assume that the picture would appear on that person's timeline showing that they tagged the bank, but the banks timeline itself would not show the picture.
I don't know of any other way to prevent peoples pictures from appearing on our facebook page when we don't have a release form. Is this what you do as well?

Thanks!

I post your picture on my page, "Hey look what CN13 was up to." You have no problems with that. But if the bank then grabs the same post, now it's for commercial use and this is when the release is necessary. Plus, you despise the bank, but like me. What would the outcome be? If a child is involved it may be the parent or guardian doesn't care - say they have on a bank t-shirt - that's fine. But (and only once has this happened) I was cautioned the child was in foster care and they didn't want them recognized in a photo. Again, the bank may not be aware, but the bank has the deepest pockets.

Caution is always warranted. I would be hesitant to use anyone else's photo without express written consent.

Do we need to have a release form if we want to just place a person's name on facebook?

Might that be a privacy issue? I would make sure there is documentation that the person said OK to let them know that they are a customer of the bank.