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Home > Top 5 ethical and legal questions about the use of nannycam surveillance systems in your home
June 11, 2008
By: Lynn Bryant
More and more parents are implementing covert
surveillance systems within their home, to monitor the
activity of their children and nannies. Concerned parents
see this technology as a way to get peace of mind and
assurance that their children are happy and being well cared
for. Despite the growing popularity of this technology,
there are numerous ethical and legal concerns that surround
the use of nannycam systems. In this article, we will review
some of the leading concerns that deserve careful
consideration before you begin active video surveillance
within your home.
1. Are there specific surveillance practices that are
expressly prohibited?
The legality of covert video surveillance is perhaps the
most important aspect to investigate and consider before you
move forward with any installation. Before you begin, you
should consult the laws of your specific state in which you
live as laws regarding the practice vary by state. In most
instances however, the practice of using a hidden video
camera to record an unsuspecting individual is not illegal.
On the other hand, it is illegal to record a person's speech
without their consent in many states. For this reason, you
should never install hidden surveillance cameras that
contain audio recording devices.
2. Are there ethical concerns that need to be
considered?
Covert video surveillance is largely an ethical issue as
opposed to a legal one. While the practice may leave you
open to potential legal claims, the fact is there are very
few laws governing the use of hidden cameras. There are many
individuals, however, that feel that hidden video
surveillance is a violation of ethical standards. The fact
is that there are many of us that would not be happy to
learn we were being video taped without our knowledge or
consent. Personal privacy rights are very subjective and can
vary greatly from one individual to the next. If you are at
all hesitant about installing a covert nannycam system
because it may violate certain ethical standards, consider
divulging the practice to your child's nanny as a simple
precautionary measure. That way, if they are uncomfortable,
or disagree with the practice, they can decide for
themselves if they wish to work under those circumstances.
3. What are the pros and cons of divulging your
practice to your child's nanny?
Opinions are divided on this subject. There are those
that believe that revealing the presence of hidden
surveillance cameras defeats the whole purpose of installing
them in the first place. Then, there are those that believe
nannies deserve a simple notification that hidden video
cameras are in place and in use. Most nannies surveyed
agreed with this second approach. Most do not mind being
video recorded as long as they know it from the outset. Some
parents use a nanny's response to the practice as a
screening tool of sorts. They feel that if a potential nanny
knows they will be under surveillance and does not have a
problem with it, then they must be confident in their
abilities and have nothing to hide.
4. Are there steps you can take to protect yourself
from potential legal action?
Any time you implement a hidden video surveillance system
to monitor unsuspecting individuals there is always the
chance the practice will be uncovered, and the individual
will feel their privacy has been violated. While this does
not always mean legal action will ensue, it does leave the
door open for the possibility. The following are several
precautions than can be taken to greatly reduce your chances
of being sued.
- Be careful to place hidden cameras only in the main
gathering rooms of your home. Avoid any locations where
privacy can be reasonably expected.
- Do not perform any audio recording
- Inform your child's nanny that hidden video
surveillance cameras are in use
- Make it a practice to carefully destroy old video
files or tapes after a pre-set period of time
5. Are there any special equipment or placement
configurations you need to consider?
If you do choose to implement a hidden nannycam system in
your home to monitor your children and nanny, you must be
especially careful of where you position the hidden cameras.
Every individual has a basic human right to a protection of
privacy. Video recording an individual in a private or
compromising setting is a direct violation of that right to
privacy. Specific areas of your home where an individual
would have a reasonable expectation to privacy would include
bathrooms, and even bedrooms. In order to avoid any
conflict, you should avoid placing cameras in these
specified locations, and stick to monitoring the main rooms
of your house such as the kitchen, child's bedroom, living
room, and playroom areas.
Even though there is controversy surrounding the use of
hidden nannycams. Many parents feel they cannot live without
them. Some feel they are the only solution that allows them
to feel comfortable leaving their child in the care of
another. If you fit into this group, careful planning and
openness about the practice will go along way toward keeping
everyone happy.
About the Author
Lynn Bryant is a successful freelance writer and
contributor to Video-Surveillance-Guide.com. Your
definitive guide to video surveillance equipment, CCTV
cameras and wireless security systems for home and business.
Also See:
[ Remote
surveillance using AT&T's video security monitoring service ]
[ Home
surveillance with video-based personal security equipment ]
[ Advice on choosing
the right DVR security systems ]
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