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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Creepy camera in the house

141 replies

chnahingnameagain · 28/07/2021 02:38

At my in-laws house last week I noticed a camera in the main family room, I felt very uncomfortable once I noticed it as I didn't know if am being recorded, it was facing the direction am sitting.
For context, my sil, Bil (both are dh siblings) and mil live in the house along with sil's dd. Dd is 9 years old.
Upon seeing it I didn't ask mil anything as most likely she won't have a clue about it, sil and bil (will call him Pete) were not home.
At the moment my other Bil (will Call him Dave)and his family have come over to stay at mil house, we went over and I noticed the camera is turned on, it records everything on to a sd card, (I looked up the camera model and description)
I asked about the camera and was told it's to keep an eye on sil's dd, sil works from home, that's fine they want to use it as a nanny cam or whatever, but here is my aibu why is the camera left turned on when everyone else is around at the house, we've had quite a few family gatherings in the last two weeks, and just makes no sense to leave the camera on. Why not have it turned off? It's recording all our conversations, myself and daves wife were having a private convo, we forgot about the camera and at the time didn't know it's always turned on, we are both extremely annoyed that we were not informed about a camera being there and recording everything. When everyone is around it is a complete invasion of privacy to keep the camera on. There's just no need as dd isn't on her own and sil isn't working now.
From what Pete said, it seems the camera will remain turned on and that's that.
Pete has form for being nosey and going through other siblings private mssgs and emails, So I very much can see him playing back the footage to see what we spoke about, yes he has a lot of time on his hands!
On the day I noticed the camera, I had a new handbag, sil was working upstairs so I didn't see her, a few days later she asked me about that bag, I asked her has she seen the bag as I don't remember having the bag with me when I last saw her, her face froze and she stopped saying anything , I realised she must've viewed me in the camera with the handbag!

Do we have a right to be annoyed? Especially seen as they never informed us we are being recorded? Or it's their house and entitled to keep it on permanently?

OP posts:

debwong · 04/08/2021 18:41

@MrsPsmalls

We have an echo show in the sitting room that obviously is a camera, as do many many people. It's to see who's at the door and to check on the cat when we are out. But we could drop in on anyone's conversations if we fancied it, not that we do. From everyone's outrage here are people really not aware theses sorts of things are everywhere?

I was not aware of this, no.

worldandsky · 04/08/2021 22:17

@debwong I have echo devices around my house, you can't drop in to conversations in a room without the people in the room realising, the echo will make a loud sound and the blue light will come on so people would be aware.

BlackAlys · 06/08/2021 19:32

@MzHz

but now at 9 years old need a camera

Is Pete attracted to 9 yo girls? Is this it? She’s getting “interesting”?

I think there is something REALLY wrong going on here

This.

Seriously worrying. I wouldn't ever
Go over.

worldandsky · 06/08/2021 20:00

I would hope not. He certainly does not seem to be anything of that sort.

SuperSecretSquirrels · 06/08/2021 20:20

Creepy as all hell. You all need to stand up to him. I genuinely also think he needs professional help for his control issues.

billy1966 · 06/08/2021 20:36

@worldandsky

I would hope not. He certainly does not seem to be anything of that sort.

What sort is that?

Unfortunately people most often do not know THAT sort until it is too late.

Does the 9 year old stay over?
Is their any possibility that there is a camera in the loo or bathroom?

I would be massively suspicious of him.
I would be checking it out.

If he has cameras in the bathroom, it would be a police matter, likewise and bedroom that the 9 year old would be staying in.

SuperSecretSquirrels · 06/08/2021 21:21

From a quick Google, according to the Surveillance Camera Commissioner issued guidance on the use of CCTV systems on domestic premises, anyone who might be recoded needs to be informed, usually done by putting up a notice (like is done with CCTV cameras in public places). The Bly real difference is that GDPR rules may not apply if it is a solely domestic situation.

Seems to be the same for those with nanny cams, pet cams, home security cams etc.

SuperSecretSquirrels · 06/08/2021 21:22

only real difference

Still1nLove · 06/08/2021 21:40

This is so creepy. Definitely refuse to go around there.

I would raise concerns about cameras in other rooms. Is there anyway if detecting them?

Does dn live there? These are the sort situations where people get away with abuse, the family don’t address weird and intrusive behaviour and the child feels that there would be no support or intervention if they speak up

worldandsky · 06/08/2021 22:03

Dn does live in the house. We are not aware of any other cameras, haven't seen any more other than that one. But if they are discreetly placed we wouldn't know about it. It would be weird as hell if there was one in the bathroom as both his mother and sister use the bathroom. I imagine it would have to be plugged in somehow, there is no power socket in the bathroom.

billy1966 · 07/08/2021 08:27

@worldandsky

Not necessarily.

Wireless and battery run.

Bathrooms and bedrooms are prime places for creeps to place them.

I really think there is more to this.

There is nothing benign in what you have written.

He's a freak and if you could have a right nose around the house to check I would.

The 9 year old niece is his daughter or not?

Perhaps ring 101 for information.

worldandsky · 07/08/2021 14:05

The 9 year old is his niece, his sisters child.

Tisha0 · 08/08/2021 04:31

If I knew of this in real life, I’d report it to (in my country) child services. This is not right or appropriate to be done to a young girl in her home.

billy1966 · 08/08/2021 15:14

@Tisha0

If I knew of this in real life, I’d report it to (in my country) child services. This is not right or appropriate to be done to a young girl in her home.

So the uncle of a child is possibly filming her without her knowledge?

Definitely report and see what 101 say.

Creepy as hell.

daisycottage · 08/08/2021 15:52

Check on insecam.com to see if it's being broadcast to the entire planet.

ChainJane · 08/08/2021 17:13

@daisycottage

Check on insecam.com to see if it's being broadcast to the entire planet.

Thanks for the link, I'm pretty sure my camera is secure but scrolling through that site now. Fortunately there are only a few hundred in my country, there must be hundreds of thousands of cameras out there. So far they've all been external cameras, not people's living rooms/bedrooms/bathrooms.

Most of it seems fascinatingly mundane, just watching some guy walking his dog in Leicester.

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