Well, it seems to me that's stretching the meaning of words well beyond breaking point. respecting? It sounds like it was uninformed 'consent' doesn't it, like he didn't understand the licence. I get the feeling it's very hard for experts in this area to relate to people who aren't, especially without trying at all to do so, and they come over sounding like unfeeling Vulcans.
There’s nothing unethical about respecting people’s freely chosen and publicly expressed wishes.