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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be uncomfortable with a camera right outside my house

19 replies

Oeliilio · 09/12/2020 18:52

I live on a road with a small box junction that’s recently been painted outside my house, it is for a side road next to my house and is pretty unnecessary really.
I came home today and a camera has been installed the other side of the road directly outside my house in front of the box. It’s one that can be turned 360 degrees inside a dome pointing downwards on a hooked lamppost. It overlooks my house and is the same height as my upstairs window, so I presume can look straight in.
Obviously I can put nets at the top I guess, but my immediate reaction having just got home is I’m not happy with the camera. It feels intrusive and I have no idea how the film is used or monitored. Potentially my kids playing their room are seen, us in the front garden etc.
If relevant

  • there are no houses on the other side of the road
-only me and one other house are overlooked by it directly
  • I’ve never seen an accident outside in 12 years
  • the traffic is rarely stationary here so I’m surprised at the box, there’s no lights, just a side road
  • it’s a main road, but it flows
-it’s not in a fixed position, one that rotates and moved up/ down. Have seen the same in the park -not an anti-social or crime area of concern

What would your reaction be if you came home to this? It’s just surprised me.

OP posts:
lidoshuffle · 09/12/2020 19:13

It's a council camera they would have a policy on how it is to be used - not to look into houses etc. The cameras can be programme to 'skip' buildings and zoom right past certain ones.

I'd ask whoever owns it whatt their policy is and to explain your concerns.

MitziK · 09/12/2020 19:38

Think positively - it also protects your home.

WhyDoYouAsk · 09/12/2020 19:43

Free cctv. You might need it one day. I’d be happy tbh.

Jijithecat · 09/12/2020 19:46

I agree with Lidoshuffle contact the relevant authority that the camera belongs to and ask for a copy of their policy. The legislation around surveillance is pretty rigid.
You may find that it's a traffic camera so it might even just be pointing at the road.
In actuality it's unlikely that the camera would be monitored constantly or live time, more likely in response to an incident.

Skysblue · 09/12/2020 23:01

I’d complain and ask for it to be removed on the grounds that it constitutes video surveillance of the inside of your home which is illegal without a warrant. Whoever authorised it probably didn’t even know your house was there. If that gets nowhere then possibly ask for the camera to be set so that it can’t see into your house.

(I don’t see why you should have to buy new curtains just to have privacy at first floor level.)

I am aware of instances where cctv has been controlled in v dodgy fashion - not pervy, but cameras were deliberately adjusted at certain times to avoid filming some officials who did not want to be filmed. I mention this because cctv is not as neutral and fixed as some think.

Original poster
Oeliilio · 09/12/2020 23:42

@Skysblue that was my thought. Whatever policy it’s still in the hands of human operatives. Humans don’t always do as told. It’s definitely not fixed on one spot as I said, it’s capable of 360 rotation, identical to others in the area I’ve seen moving (one caught me parking for a few min on a side road from a great distance, if they can read my number plate from that far they must zoom well. Also that one was moved to issue a ticket, not fixed on the main road it was on. I didn’t even find it at first when I went back to the spot; it was across a main road and pointed down a side road. Went I went back to it it was facing another way, and I saw it move) The Council have different types, this one is designed to have a good range of movement.

If I wanted cctv I’d pay for it tbh. And it would point outwards. And I’d control it.

It’s just the principle of being watched full stop, having a line of sight appear into the front bedroom when there wasn’t one.

OP posts:
Original poster
Oeliilio · 09/12/2020 23:47

Very similar to this, directly outside and level with the window

To be uncomfortable with a camera right outside my house
OP posts:
Adoptthisdogornot · 10/12/2020 02:12

Pretty much everything is hackable, I'm so paranoid about this stuff. There are teenagers in Russia and China or North Korea or wherever who would have a brilliant time perving on you through a traffic cam, it would make me really really uncomfortable knowing it was there. I'd definitely want to do something about it, though what you can do I don't know.

Adoptthisdogornot · 10/12/2020 02:14

Maybe article 8 of the Human Rights Act?

lboogy · 10/12/2020 02:23

I assumed the council needed to post a planning notification. Looks like they don't have to if this is the first you're seeing of this

nosswith · 10/12/2020 07:37

Have you contacted the council? Could it be moved and be less intrusive (both to you and anyone else)?

crankysaurus · 10/12/2020 07:45

I wonder if a section of the camera could be physically taped off, creating a blind spot? I'm sure I heard of that a long time ago.

BefuddledPerson · 10/12/2020 07:46

I'd contact my local councillor to ask them to enquire on my behalf. Find out much more and take it from there. I wouldn't be happy either.

MaskingForIt · 10/12/2020 08:31

There are teenagers in Russia and China or North Korea or wherever who would have a brilliant time perving on you through a traffic cam

Russia, China and North Korea? That’s quite the subset of countries to chose, you big racist.

PawPawNoodle · 10/12/2020 08:42

@Adoptthisdogornot

Pretty much everything is hackable, I'm so paranoid about this stuff. There are teenagers in Russia and China or North Korea or wherever who would have a brilliant time perving on you through a traffic cam, it would make me really really uncomfortable knowing it was there. I'd definitely want to do something about it, though what you can do I don't know.
Yes, they're simply dying to hack into this particular cam and get their rocks off looking at OPs lovely net curtains, just what every teenager wants to do.

OP I'm not sure if you're just objecting on the grounds that no one consulted you first or because you have genuine concerns about your privacy and truly think that personnel will choose to zoom in on your knicker drawer. If its the latter, the council will likely provide you with a copy of their policy which will state that the camera isn't used for that purpose and that'll be the end of it.

CorianderBlues · 10/12/2020 11:28

What she said ^

AcornAutumn · 10/12/2020 11:33

OP you’re right to be concerned but tbh whatever the council say is useless

I’m afraid you’re going to need to get the type of blinds or film that ensure no one can see in.

raspberrymuffin · 10/12/2020 11:53

CCTV cameras can be set up in such a way that they don't record your house - not just a policy, properly programmed so that they don't and can't, even if an operator was stupid enough to risk their job doing it.

If it's a council camera there's likely an Information Governance team who have had to sign off on it. Their sole job is to ensure the council doesn't get in legal trouble even if doing that makes another department's job harder, because this is a highly regulated area. If you get in touch with them they should be able to tell you what has been done for that specific camera to ensure your privacy is not unduly affected.

Adoptthisdogornot · 10/12/2020 21:34

Maskingforit, I have family who work in cyber security, and those 3 countries sprang to mind because they attempt cyber attacks on us a LOT. No offence intended, but Peruvians and Fijiians just don't seem as interested or motivated in this sphere.

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