Housemate set camera up in house without our knowledge

[Raindrops2019]

Housemate set raspberry pi up in kitchen that recorded us without our knowledge. Pi has a camera on it. I am furious, rest of house indifferent. AIBU or are they?

What the hell was he looking to capture?

I'd be fucking furious.

I'd be livid and wondering where the other cameras are. Have you checked the bathroom?

Why? It’s an evasion of privacy.

Thank you. I feel sick. I have come down in the middle of the night for a glass of water sometimes. We are similar fields of study, too. I just cannot understand why no one seems bothered. Landlady is indifferent - says there is nothing she can do but police said it was for her to deal with. I am thinking of contacting his university tutor/head of dept.

He is working on a project sequencing film scenes through machine learning. I presume he will say he wanted to track motion in front of a lense, etc, etc. When I found the camera I said no recording bt then found he had moved camera to front room and started recorded front of house. Then set up a different thing (not sure what it is) to automate watering plants that works from his computer It doesn't have a camera on it (that I can see) or recording device.

That won't be the only camera. Beyond creepy: it's either a control thing or a sexual thing or both. What reason did they give & have they taken that one down? I'd be very, very careful & wary of them from now on. I wouldn't want to be alone there with them either.

Yep, very odd and invasive. I’d be furious too. Don’t let the landlady shrug this off, there is something she could do and she needs to get on it. Who knows who he’s sharing this stuff with.

He is controlling actually. I have noticed a few things. we are in similar fields and after a while I noticed that he would twist conversations in a way I have rarely experienced before. Always ended up with him giving me advice or the implication that I don't really understand the field. A lot of what I would call 'talking down'. Also, refused to pay share of TV licence when we split everything 4 ways as he said I should have notified him that I was paying the bill. Has done no cleaning and when I have said he needs to do his share has suggested we get a cleaner. I have said 'get a cleaner in to do your share' but he has not done anything about this but rest of house go along with this and I am left fighting it myself. I know that the obvios answer is to leave but I feel he has violated the house contract and rules so he should be the one to leave, not me.

Have good friend 's house to stay at plus family so am OK but very angry.

Always ended up with him giving me advice or the implication that I don't really understand the field.

^

Yup.

Mansplaining.

I'd report the recording. It's not on. As for cleaning I'd leave all his shit outside his room. He's a bullying cunt.

Extreme mansplaining from someone so clueless it is a joke. But refusing to pay the bill and the uncomfortable feeling I have are making me think that I have to take action. It isn't right that I have to move.

He is away a lot and out all day.

Recording people without their permission is wrong, but I don’t see what his automated watering system has to do with it, apart from proving he is interested in gadgets/AI/etc, which actually makes the camera seem just terribly ill-judged to me rather than deliberately wrong, as it suggests he is just a mega nerd (speaking as sister of one with similar watering system, robots etc). That doesn’t mean I think camera recording without permission is not wrong or he’s not a crap housemate to not pay bills etc, just that it is probably more a case of nerdy lack of awareness and less sinister than it appears 🤷‍♀️
Hope you spoke to him before approaching the polis..?

I'm not sure the uni could do anything but postgrad research requires participants permission and wouldn't pass validity/credibility checks here (he is an international student) so I am sure they would at least have to take hime aside and point out that it is unethical (to say the least). I checked and it is illegal if recordings have taken place in a space you can reasonably expect privacy (your kitchen , for example).

I'd cancel the fucking TV license. Without telling him. 'You refused to pay the bill, go get streaming services then, fucker.' I had a few like this and you have to really grow a spine and tell them to go and fuck themselves. He twists any conversation you hold up a hand: 'Not going to put up with mansplaining. This is over,' and leave.

Hi Cyberworrier, I get your point. Actually I am not buying the supernerd thing with him. He acts it but for someone who behaves as though he knows a lot, he doesn't actually think along those lines. I know super nerdy guys and have friends like that. There is more intent in this guy, I think. That is not to say that he wasn't innocently trying out the tech for a project but a 31, he has to show a bit more awareness of the people he lives with even if there is no creepy/sexual motive.

@timshelthechoice , yes it is cancelled. I am putting my foot down and not having this nonsense and have told him so several times. He keep out of the house most of the time but I think I will leave. Landlady has a lot on doesn't want to get involved which hardly makes me want to keep paying rent but house is a very good deal.

Apologies for typos, am very tired.

Also, thanks for your replies. I cannot understand why the others are n't bothered and tolerate it. I appreciate they have their own stuff going on but still.

Raindrops - without wanting to alarm you, have you checked very carefully in all other rooms - especially the toilets and bathroom - to ensure that there are no hidden recording devices? You may need to google to see where to look but someone who does not respect people's privacy in their own home may well be prepared to transgress other boundaries in a far more sinister way?

I know that the obvios answer is to leave but I feel he has violated the house contract and rules so he should be the one to leave, not me.

This is true, but he won't move out and you'll only get more anxious and angry. Take control of the situation and go. You don't want to be there any more. He sounds revolting. Really creepy. Get out and find sane, positive room mates. He won't improve.

@truthisarevolutionaryact

I did think this and did check and what makes me angry is that I have had to 'think' this. Does that make sense? I will check again though because I know cameras can be very small. Will post a pic.

I think it's appalling and don't know why other housemates aren't bothered.

YANBU. He sounds infuriating. Tough shit if your landlady doesn't want to deal with it, that's her job!

He just sounds like bad news and an extreme boundary pusher, totally understand why you feel the need to push back but he's not going to fight fair ...at all

@milliefiori yes. There is no point in reasoning with someone like this. I will move.