Two women are repeatedly blinded by a nearby group’s camera flash as they take multiple videos at a late-night sushi spot, ignoring the women's polite requests to stop filming, the group goes on to mock them further: 'The flash shining at us'

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Nov 20, 2025 6:00 PM EST

We genuinely think that this could be a Top 10 internationally-recognized worst public pet peeve! It's no shock that people don't just jump with joy at the idea of someone shining a flashlight into their eyes and filming them in a dark restaurant without their consent… we'd also prefer to eat our Maki in peace, without the impression that the 6 a.m. sunrise has come early. We can also all mentally picture the type of obnoxious 'phone-eat-first' individuals who use every piece of fish as an opportunity to film a full-on video production in public, instead of simply snapping one picture of all the dishes and politely slipping their phones into their bags.

Maybe it's an age thing… however, I'm in my early 20s, and I have had a similar experience with two moms who were using their flashlights as a temporary lamp in a dim sushi restaurant. Now, their intentions weren't the same, but we, too, eventually had to politely ask them to turn their flash down, because as sweet as they were, we preferred our sushi with a side of soy, not a side of 30 lumens…

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  • These two women were fed up with this group's intentionally bright filming. It wasn't about the pictures; it was about the fact that those pictures were disturbing everyone else around them. After one woman politely went up to them, requesting they stop filming, the group only mocked her and proceeded to film the pair more. Perhaps instead of making enemies and avoiding further inappropriate disruptions, they should get the staff involved from the get-go.

  • Two woman taking a picture with the flash on inside of a restaurant
    via Ivan S

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • AITA for asking someone to stop filming at a restaurant?

    I went to a late night sushi restaurant after a stressful day at work. There was a group of loud people at a table near us.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • I was trying to chill and there was a flash of light and one of the group was filming the others with the flash on and myself and my friend were the background (I don't think that was intentional).
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • I was annoyed because I hate being filmed but tried to ignore it. They were filming for a couple minutes.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • They ended the video but starting filming a few minutes later, again with the flash shining at us.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • I stood up slightly and I mouthed to one of the girls to turn off the flash, she laughs and looks away from me.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • I got pissed off and walked over to the table and asked the person filming directly to turn off their flash as it was bothering me and my friend.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • Two women sharing sushi
    via Ivan S

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • They all looked at me like I was insane and she turned it off after I repeated myself twice.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • I went back to my seat and she starts making aggressive comments about people having "sensitive eyes" and the group was laughing and looking over at me and my friend.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • I think I could have been the asshole because they were having fun and I came over and potentially embarrassed her.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • Maybe I should have just ignored it and got over myself. However, I think it's really inappropriate to film others at a restaurant (even accidentally) and at first I chose to ignore it and then subtly asked them to stop before coming over.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • I also could have been extra irritable and overreacted after my terrible work day.
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • Uubilicious_The_Wise Basically, yes. If you're the manager or staff then different story. If you're not then you call the manager or staff and let them deal with it. For all you know they don't have an issue with it.
    via Uubilicious_The_Wise
  • OP Dazzling-Distance460 Oh I'm not saying I that I shouldn't have told a manager or server. It was a busy restaurant and in an ideal situation, or if I was more even tempered, I would have found a better way. Hence feeling a little guilty and making this post But, if you are asked to stop doing something that makes others uncomfortable and you respond by doing it more intensely to upset them. You really should work on being a more empathetic person
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • Annoyed woman looking confused
    via dean-drobot

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Uubilicious_The_Wise In this situation you talk to the wait staff. Whilst I agree with you about not being filmed, you are in public. If I'm at that table that was filming and you come over to us like that then I promise you, I'm the kind AH who gets everyone at the table to take out their phones and start filming. Sorry, but I have to say YTA here. You're in public and in a place with no reasonable expectation of privacy. If you want to not be filmed you either ask the wait staff to move you or
    via Uubilicious_The_Wise
  • OP Dazzling-Distance460 Okay, so if someone came over and asked you to stop doing something that made them feel uncomfortable in a shared space you would double down and do it more? If someone expressed to me that something I was doing in public was impacting them was making them uncomfy, I would apologise and stop, even if my ego was a little bruised and I felt it was unjust. Each to their own I guess. I'm sure your reaction makes the world a better place
    via Dazzling-Distance460
  • LohkeUncensored NTA filming in a casual setting, without respect for other people, have gotten out of hand
    via LohkeUncensored
  • NTA Thanatofobia But only because they where using their flash while filming and i can 100% see how that can be VERY annoying for other people, especially in a restaurant. I mean, you didn't ask them to stop filming, you asked them to stop using their flashlight. If they weren't using a flash, you wouldn't even have noticed it...........
    via Thanatofobia
  • EffableFornent Nta, some people just don't know how to behave. But the staff probably should have dealt with it.
    via EffableFornent
  • Fancy-Still-4297 NTA. it was really rude of the people shining bright lights. I'm prone to migraines and bright lights are a definite trigger. you were extremely polite and way beyond tolerant. I would have also asked them to edit our faces before posting. with the snarky remarks they probably wouldn't have but I've ended a similar request with "for security reasons I can't allow my face to be on the internet-I'll pursue my legal rights if my face appears when you post."
    via Fancy-Still-4297
  • Mediocre-Metal-1796 NTA i'm surprised the waiter didnt tell them to behave
    via Mediocre-Metal-1796
  • PDK112 The restaurant may be open to the public but it is private property. The diner who is causing a disturbance by shining a bright light at other patrons can be told to leave and trespassed if they refuse.
    via PDK112
  • Sharp-Session NTA and you did everyone a service by embarrassing her. These people need to experience shame. I wish more people would call this behavior out.
    via Sharp-Session
  • Complex_Activity 1990 NTA. But I would have just asked the staff to tell them.
    via Complex_Activity

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Tags

staff privacy work day sushi public inconsiderate restaurant tension filming complaint uncomfortable entitled laughing on purpose waitress permission flash entitled people
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