Camera on recording movement on our road: would this bother you?

[Ali85]

A couple of nights ago I noticed something that looked like a small recording device attached to a lamp post at the entrance to our road. It clearly had a sensor as it flashed blue whenever there was movement but it wasn't clear what it was or why it was there.

DH was leaving for work this morning and a man fiddling with it. DH asked him what he was doing and apparently their cat has gone missing so they've put up this camera to see if it goes past. He told DH it has a motion sensor and night vision and it takes a photo every time it captures movement. He was downloading the images to go and look for the cat. The man didn't give any indication that he thought this was unussual and DH didn't say anything because the guy seemed upset about the cat.

There has been someone doing a big local search for a missing cat so I think the're probably genuine but I feel really uncomfortable with them recording the comings and goings on our road. It's a small cul-de-sac that ends in a footpath that goes into a nature reserve so anyone who comes or goes has to go past the camera. It was positioned so it was right across the entrance to the road and pointing directly at the house opposite. It's now been repositioned so it points up the road and would definitely capture any comings or goings from out house (but not into the house).

Would it bother you and WWYD?

@Hen2018

How will it help find the cat?

I have no idea! We're right on the edge of the village so I guess they want to see whether it's going into the nature reserve.

How will it help find the cat?

Should have got a cat cam

@Journeyofthedragons

Yes and a high profile case just proved that ring doorbells can’t record your home

It was recording private property, but even that is a grey area - go on Google Earth and look at your back garden.

I think the fine was so high because it was recording someone else's private property (including audio) but the law itself applies to recoding in public places too.

There's a huge difference between being your image being caught on a dashcam and having all access to and from your property continuously monitored without your knowledge.

I think it’s worth remembering that if it wasn’t for a ring doorbell Sarah Everard’s killer may never have been found.

Ultimately there are cameras everywhere, people walking around with mobile phones, with go-pro’s, ring doorbells, you have no idea where the cameras are, so you have to assume that they’re everywhere. Just don’t be doing anything you wouldn’t want filmed.

@HeartsAndClubs

I think it’s worth remembering that if it wasn’t for a ring doorbell Sarah Everard’s killer may never have been found.

Ultimately there are cameras everywhere, people walking around with mobile phones, with go-pro’s, ring doorbells, you have no idea where the cameras are, so you have to assume that they’re everywhere. Just don’t be doing anything you wouldn’t want filmed.

I thought it was bus cameras that captured the footage of Sarah with WC. There are doorbell pics from before that but if I read it correctly where it happened wasn't in view of anyone's front door.

Even if that was the case I'm not comfortable with footage of one killer justifying recordings being made of anyone at any time when there isn't an expectation that you are being recorded.

This isn't a town centre or public building where you'd know that recording is very likely

I think it’s worth remembering that if it wasn’t for a ring doorbell Sarah Everard’s killer may never have been found.

That's a good example, they had him arresting her/at the petrol station/at B&Q etc too which all helped lead to the conviction.

arresting her

on a buses' dashcam.

But what about doorbell cameras? Or household cctv that show as far as the road and have audio capability? Same deal. Many are illegal. Sellers and manufacturers don't bother telling purchasers to be carefeul and to look at the law surroundig their use!

@HeartsAndClubs

I think it’s worth remembering that if it wasn’t for a ring doorbell Sarah Everard’s killer may never have been found.

Ultimately there are cameras everywhere, people walking around with mobile phones, with go-pro’s, ring doorbells, you have no idea where the cameras are, so you have to assume that they’re everywhere. Just don’t be doing anything you wouldn’t want filmed.

Look, it is really simple. There are rules and regulations around recording people in public. They aren't even all that onerous. So, if you do have a Ring doorbell, just look up the laws, the ICO is easy to Google, and make sure you do what the law requires you to do.

Just like all the other CCTV operators that helped catch her murderer did!

The "if you do nothing wrong you don't have anything to be afraid of" argument is a slow walk into a world you REALLY wouldn't want to wake up in!

We should be arguing for less surveillance, better use of what there is is, what is needed, and much more active regulation around what is neither legal nore needed.

@HeartsAndClubs

I think it’s worth remembering that if it wasn’t for a ring doorbell Sarah Everard’s killer may never have been found.

Ultimately there are cameras everywhere, people walking around with mobile phones, with go-pro’s, ring doorbells, you have no idea where the cameras are, so you have to assume that they’re everywhere. Just don’t be doing anything you wouldn’t want filmed.

Good job you aren’t in charge of the law then- there are regulations for a reason!

Mine camera films movement and covers the pavement. It only stores for 24hrs and it's angled to cover as little as possible
Otherwise I can't get video of the little shits that spend their time throwing bricks/banging on my windows as my window is on the pavement

@Journeyofthedragons

Yes and a high profile case just proved that ring doorbells can’t record your home

It was recording private property, but even that is a grey area - go on Google Earth and look at your back garden.

It’s not continually streaming my back garden- you never see people’s faces on google earth.

Does everyone think it would be ok for their neighbours to have a camera pointed inside their window

The "if you do nothing wrong you don't have anything to be afraid of" argument is a slow walk into a world you REALLY wouldn't want to wake up in!

💯

That phrase gives me chills.

I'd be delighted, tbh.
Might help identify the people who continually break into cars in our road.

We are all constantly on camera if in cities anyway, from shops, from ring doorbells, from dashcams etc etc etc. Cameras pointing down our road would have helped considerably in several incidents over the last few years.