Here's a sentence we shouldn't have to write in 2025: adults without children don't get to commandeer a kids' playground to film content. And yet.

A pair of twenty-something influencers reportedly set up multiple tripods and microphones inside the children's playground at Alamo Square Park on a busy Sunday morning — you know, peak kid time — and proceeded to film their content while children played around them. When a parent politely asked them to relocate literally anywhere else in the sprawling park, they fired back with the now-classic main-character energy: "Adults can enjoy playgrounds too!"

Except, no, they can't. The playground signs at Alamo Square explicitly state "No adults without kids." That rule exists for a reason that should be obvious to anyone with a functioning prefrontal cortex. Parents shouldn't have to explain to grown adults why filming with professional equipment in a space designated for children is, at minimum, inconsiderate — and arguably a violation of posted park rules.

As one SF resident put it: the influencers "weren't trying to frame the Painted Ladies" in their shot. They weren't there for the iconic view. They chose the playground specifically, on the busiest possible morning, and then doubled down when confronted.

This is a small story, but it captures something bigger about how public spaces get treated in San Francisco. We already have enough trouble keeping parks safe, clean, and functional. The last thing families need is to show up on a Sunday morning and find that the swing set has become a production studio for someone's 847-follower TikTok account.

Here's the thing about public spaces: they come with rules and norms. You want to film content in Alamo Square? Knock yourself out — it's a gorgeous park. But the playground has a clear policy, and "I'm creating content" isn't a exemption. Neither is being indignant when someone calls you on it.

The entitlement is the content. Just not the kind they were going for.