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

I don't see the problem and I am huge on safeguarding and keeping kids off of the internet.

No one is going to be arsed about the average Dawn or Nicky in a swimsuit doing her weekly swim. Literally not a single person. There's nonces everywhere. Literally everywhere. They'd pick hanging around a kids park over a small screen in a cafe. Also, if the screen wasn't there surely they'd just go into the pool or use the pool to look at everyone?

This is also no different to a viewing gallery. In fact it will be even less favourable as the images won't be as clear as watching it live.

It's because they are only supposed to process data in specified ways for specified purposes.

They probably don't actually have a documented reason for doing this, it's just happening.

When you see shonky, lazy practice, it does make people uncomfortable.

Even though the risk is almost impossible to quantify - that's not how the CCTV rules are supposed to work. The operator should set out how they will use it and for what purpose - and their use and purpose must be justifiable to be lawful.

Except CCTV data is covered by data laws, so it's completely different.

Me telling someone my address is no different to the gym telling someone my address - but one is legal and one is illegal.

What size is the tv the cctv is on? It must me 100” or something if people can actually see you particularly. When you’re in the pool do you constantly watch the people in the seated viewing area to see who’s looking at you? Sounds a bit self absorbed. Nobody actually gaf, is it a case where a big fat elderly man looks at you and you’re horrified but a 6’4” well toned gorgeous looking man is gawping at you and that’s ok? You just want to observe it’s the right people looking at you? If I was sat in a pool cafe I’d be looking out for my kids if they’re in the pool, not some whiney woman looking round to see who’s looking at her instead of swimming or playing with her kids in the pool 😂

@Cob81
Would it be a concern to you if your children in a swimming pool were being recorded on CCTV without your knowledge?

If the perverts want to watch the kids their sick minds are going to the viewing gallery, not the cafe to watch through a tv!! OP is only concerned about people watching her who she can’t see, she’s already stated this, said she can see who is watching her from viewing gallery, no concern about kids and as I said, they ain’t going to watch through a tv when they can see the live version!! They will place themselves IN the pool to get the up close viewing, they have absolutely no interest sitting in a cafe watching through the tv!!

But it’s not without my knowledge?? Every pool has cctv in it, if someone were to drown they’d need footage of the incident to see what went wrong, where lifeguards were etc, who wasn’t doing their jobs correctly, EVERY pool has cctv, why would you think they don’t?? And no it been shown in the cafe wouldn’t annoy me, as I already said, the perverts are in the pools, they’re not watching through a tv in a cafe!!

I think you’re being unreasonable and it’s odd that you think people really care about you in your swimming costume! If you don’t like it find another gym!

The op has said there are no notices about CCTV. That is illegal.
The pool I attend has no cctv covering the pool area.

I never understand this. Obviously it's alarming to think about paedophiles looking at my kids . But realistically it's going to happen at some point and they are more in danger from people they know than somebody looking at them swimming on a tiny TV screen, which doesn't actually harm them and might benefit other kids and parents who want to keep an eye on their lessons.

I assume it so parents can enjoy a coffee while still being able to see their kids during swimming lessons. A little inappropriate but I doubt they would change it for you.

Sadly lots of women shaming you here for having concerns about your privacy and possibly safety. Is it any wonder women don't speak up. What many of them are actually forgetting is that they are women (not men) who aren't attracted to other women (or kids).

I have worked in and spent lots of time in Leisure Centres. In one a guy got arrested for watching women over the top of doors and having a wank. Another, the actual manager, sexually harassed me and told me he was watching me on CCTV in the pool (despite telling me I was ugly!). Absolutely, you should be able to voice your concerns without fear of being shamed by anyone, most of all other women!

Yes, where does it end, if we see no one swimming should be seen be nonswimmers-should outdoor pools not let anyone sit round the pool who isn't swimming? Sure, some of the watchers could be dodgy, but dodgy people could just choose to go and swim themselves, so all banning watchers would do is mean they get in the water themselves.
When I was a kid, a hotel had glass round the pool, so people eating in the bar could watch swimmers. They replaced the glass with solid walls, presumably due to complaints about watchers, but that made things less safe, as it meant I was then swimming alone, and if anyone dodgy came in/if a lone adult got into trouble swimming, there would no longer be people eating lunch who might notice quickly.

It’s not so much the watching it’s the possible misuse of such videos

I would leave this gym.

Are the people in the unstaffed room also being filmed, and is this also being broadcast to all gym members?

Are people using gym equipment, playing badminton, etc also being filmed and is that being broadcast to all gym members?

Does the pool have signs up saying swimmers are being filmed and the live footage is being is shown in other areas of the gym?

I understand the usefulness of CCTV but I would hate being filmed AND broadcast while going about any of my daily business.

I would make a complaint for safeguarding and GDPR reasons, more about the kids than anything else. It shouldn't be broadcast with no good reason.