CCTV of swimming pool playing in cafe

[Imdunfer]

Looking for advice on whether it would be rational to make a formal complaint about this.

The gym I use has just started playing the live CCTV feed of the swimming pool area into the cafe.

I'm very unhappy about being watched in my swimming costume by people I can't see watching me, but also there are children's swimming lessons going on in the pool as well and that feels like a safeguarding issue.

I've talked to the guy manning the desk and he brushed it off.

UABU - you are being unreasonable, there's nothing wrong with people you can't see being able to watch you and little children in wet swimming costumes.

UANBU - make a formal complaint

It’s irrelevant what ops issue is with it. It’s still a safeguarding nightmare and should be stopped. Unfortunately there are a lot of perverts out there and things like this are honey to bees.

What safeguarding issues are there..?

The pool is publicly available, has a viewing area, glass walls, probably open showers and changing rooms. What issue does the CCTV bring that these don't?

Well, there is a difference, in that on the beach, if someone was close enough to watch you (as in actively staring for a long period of time rather than just you being temporarily in their line of sight), or film you/your kids, you'd likely a) notice, and b) be close enough to go and tell them to stop, and/or move away/cover up. With the footage streaming in a completely different room, the people on the camera wouldn't be able to do this.

On a beach you can tell if the beach is empty, busy, or somewhere in between, and, if you are self-conscious about how you look, or people watching your children, or whatever, can decide what you/they wear on the basis of who is around to see you. OP can't tell from the pool whether the cafe is busy or empty.

Of course, we don't know if any of these are the reasons she doesn't like it, because, despite being asked, she hasn't explained! But I don't understand why people are being obtuse and pretending the two scenarios are exactly the same. There are differences, even though lots of people wouldn't think the differences are so significant as to care.

@latetothefistingdidn’t she say the cafe was empty and thus the cctv can’t be used for safety reasons as no-one would be there to act on any safety incidents they saw…?

Which also begs the question: if it’s so empty as to be a pointless CCTV screen, who is she worried about watching the screen?!

Agree. Id wonder how this got through GDPR and the need for this footage to be shown where it is.

I wouldn’t be happy about this. The gym I go to doesn’t have a lifeguard in the pool area. The CCTV is monitored by staff at reception but the screen doesn’t face out to the public/cafe area. I don’t see why it should.

@34feeling54
I'd wonder how this got through GDPR and the need for this footage to be shown where it is.
I would say the Gym management have no idea about their responsibilities here. There is probably nothing documented, no data controller appointed, no control over access or retention of data. The OP should certainly take it further.

The cafe in our leisure centre overlooks the pool, people often sit there and watch whilst their kids are doing swimming lessons, likewise, the gym classes are displayed on screens in what is effectively a communal area again so parents can watch. Just don’t see why this is such an issue, most people wear a swimming costume/ sunbathes if abroad or even in UK weather permitting, should that be banned incase people are watching

I think you are possibly overthinking this.

I wouldn't like this much either. If some dodgy bloke is on the poolside/in the seating area staring at kids having lessons for example, or "coincidentally" always turns up at that time despite not being a parent, it's likely to be noticed; less so if it's in a corner of a cafe and people can't even easily see what he's watching (or doing under the table, as others have mentioned). And apart from anything else, it seems completely pointless and unnecessary, so why can't they just stop doing it?

Why does being able to see who is watching you make you happier about it?

I wouldn't approach this as a complaint, as if there's a right and a wrong approach, but as useful feedback. Just from the thread we can see that some other women would feel similarly uncomfortable & they might lose customers, even though many wouldn't bother & it may have been done with good intentions. It sounds like the pool might be an unusual shape with an area to sit in the water out of the way if length swimmers. Could they tilt cctv away from this area?

I don't understand why it's ok for people to 'watch" you in person but not on a screen. People are highly unlikely to be watching you though.

You probably could find another pool where you don't know where the CCTV screens are.

I was trying to work out why I felt this was different to viewing poolside and I think this is why. Although at our pool it's a massive window and the cafe is right there so I suppose it would be the same really.

I think amount of CCTV out of control, I support you complaining!

Just ask management about why the CCTV is on 24/7.
Perhaps they can turn it onto a cartoon or people doing weights while you, or anyone else who feels uncomfortable, swims.

It will be so parents can keep an eye on their children which is more important. So in my opinion yes YABU. I understand you say that some parents stand and watch but in busy lessons that would not be appropriate. I shouldn't imagine anyone is sitting watching you in your costume and if they are, presumably they could just see you in the pool.

You probably could find another pool where you don't know where the CCTV screens are.
Any properly run pool will have notices clearly displayed stating that CCTV is in operation.

Yep, I think you're probably right there.

Their obligations are probably pretty light if it's not being recorded. They need a purpose and transparency for the people being recorded.

@Mithral
They have a legal obligation to have notices clearly displayed stating that CCTV is in operation, regardless of whether it's being recorded or not.

A friend’s relative recently had a heart attack while swimming (gently) in the unmanned gym pool. He is only alive because he wasn’t long in the water. I’d rather be seen.

That's what I meant by transparency.

Yabu. It will be so that parents can watch swimming lessons. In most pools there would be a spectators gallery so this isn’t any different really.

Dont go to Tenby in summer.