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What’s Your Liability Installing Covert Cameras?
Secret residential video camera installations can be a potential liability nightmare.
Do you have a company policy regarding the installation of covert cameras (aka nanny cams) in a home?
If you don’t, you should.
Nannies sometimes use the homeowner’s dwelling as their own home. What if the covert camera catches the nanny harming the children or performing inappropriate acts?
The homeowner will obviously not hire the babysitter again. But could this potentially open up the installer to legal charges?
According to expert alarm attorney Ken Kirschenbaum of Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum, it is vital that you check your state regulations before doing an installation like that. Covert audio recording is almost universally illegal.
“I would be concerned about installing covert cameras, even in a home," Kirschenbaum says. "Invasion of privacy certainly can take place in a home and some jurisdictions make it a crime not only for the property or end user, but the installer.”
Do you install covert residential camera systems? Tell us why or why not.
If you don’t, you should.
Nannies sometimes use the homeowner’s dwelling as their own home. What if the covert camera catches the nanny harming the children or performing inappropriate acts?
The homeowner will obviously not hire the babysitter again. But could this potentially open up the installer to legal charges?
According to expert alarm attorney Ken Kirschenbaum of Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum, it is vital that you check your state regulations before doing an installation like that. Covert audio recording is almost universally illegal.
“I would be concerned about installing covert cameras, even in a home," Kirschenbaum says. "Invasion of privacy certainly can take place in a home and some jurisdictions make it a crime not only for the property or end user, but the installer.”
Do you install covert residential camera systems? Tell us why or why not.
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Article Topics
Blogs · Business Resources · Installation · Legal · Security · Legal · Installation ·About the Author
Jason Knott, Editor, CE Pro
Jason has covered low-voltage electronics as an editor since 1990. He joined EH Publishing in 2000, and before that served as publisher and editor of Security Sales, a leading magazine for the security industry. He served as chairman of the Security Industry Association’s Education Committee from 2000-2004 and sat on the board of that association from 1998-2002. He is also a former board member of the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation. He is currently a member of the CEDIA Education Action Team for Electronic Systems Business. Jason graduated from the University of Southern California.
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