Sorry to hear about the experience. We know you were well meaning, but posing a question on the spot like that while recording someone (your video of Surj) really invites that sort of reaction, although his reaction was unprofessional. Not good for both of you. On the spot questions while recording really only works for PR people or subjects who are paid to answer on the spot and know they have to answer. Take it for the experience and move on. Keep on adding value with your documentations. Just be very careful about it!!
The author argues that in 20 years, humanity will be capturing most of its so-called content, and for that reason he's disappointed that he wasn't allowed to record a private conference.<p>I wonder if he would accept the following argument: "In 20 years, humanity will be so sexually liberated that everybody will have naked pictures of themselves on Facebook / Assbook / whatever. Hence it's perfectly OK if I shoot clandestine videos of guys in the gym showers and sell the movies to a porn site."
If it's there policy to not allow recording, then you shouldn't be recording videos. From the video of the confrontation, it seemed like Surj was being reasonable and only proceeded to say "fuck off" after you attempted to record him. This man probably has more important things to do then argue with you about freedom to capture information when it's simply their policy to disallow video cameras.
One of my favorite shows was Cops and they made sure that they got a waivers from even the suspects/people being arrested or else they masked the faces.<p>Everything that happens is not free content. If that were a public space like a park or a street, recording could be accepted. (Thanks to Google street view, we know we have no right to privacy on streets or roads.) But when you record on private property, I think you need to ensure that you get permission from the property owner.