What Is CCTV Used For?
Closed Circuit Television is primarily used to prevent crime (although critics say that criminals simply pick places which are out of range), but CCTV cameras also been used by employers wishing to check up on staff or ensure that customer service is up to scratch. They may be an intrusion on privacy, but they're now a fact of life.
Where is CCTV Used?
CCTV is permissible in public areas including shopping malls, motorways and housing estates. CCTV cameras have become more advanced in recent years and it can now isolate and track identified targets, recognise number-plates, and eavesdrop on conversations.
CCTV has spread in the last few years. CCTV cameras are now used not only on motorways, where you’ll receive warning about upcoming cameras, but also on cash machines, housing estates, and car parks. Regulations require that, where CCTV is used in a public area, there is a sign providing information for contacting the camera operator. These signs should be made visible when you enter a camera-monitored area.
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Like other forms of technology CCTV is becoming more and more advanced. Work is underway to enable CCTV cameras to recognise types of behaviour that have been associated with criminal activity. This catalogue might include, for instance, shouting, pointing, or erratic driving. Cameras are already able to recognise an individual face and track it; the camera will communicate with its network in order to track one person as far as the network reaches, which has raised the hackles of some privacy advocates.
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What are your Rights Regarding CCTV?
Quite simply, you have no right to prevent cameras from recording your movements and behaviour. The camera’s owner is permitted to install one or several cameras and keep an archive of footage that may include you, but (s)he may not use the footage to obtain information about you personally, or to observe your behaviour.
The Data Protection Act
In 1998 the Data Protection Act outlined the responsibilities of those using CCTV. However, because the DPA was designed to protect individual privacy, its guidelines do not apply to all CCTV cameras.
Provided you can show that you are not using the camera to analyse the behaviour (and invade the privacy) of any one individual, then you are entitled to put a CCTV camera anywhere on your premises. If, for instance, the owner of a small newsagent installed a CCTV camera above the till and recorded everything to a tape in case of robbery, this would not usually be relevant to the DPA as it does note violate privacy.
In a domestic context, invasion of privacy is in fact not an issue that affects privately owned CCTV. It is only an 'offence' under the Human Rights Act and that act only applies to the State. i.e. The Government, local government, police, parish councils, Health Care Trusts etc. In other words, an individual cannot infringe the human rights of another individual - in this case, the right to privacy.
A common scenario of privacy invasion using CCTV is when someone uses CCTV cameras to view their neighbour's property. As this is not actually an offence, the police will usually have to resort to using the Harassment Act to resolve the matter.
However, where CCTV cameras are installed specifically to monitor behaviour, identify potential criminals and track individuals, for privacy purposes they must be registered with the Information Commission. These cameras are subject to the DPA.
The DPA ensures that footage is reasonably captured and kept; it should be viewed by a designated staff member and not made widely available. The DPA also requires that the footage be made available to its subjects, where appropriate, and if requested. If you have installed CCTV cameras that will be subject to the DPA (i.e. you’re capturing information of certain individuals) then you can read the Information Commission’s Good Practice Guide online.
I have reported it to the police 3 times know and I don’t think they are going to do anything about it,
It’s making me feel harassed, I have no privacy,
Can someone please help me, i feel my rights have been taken away from me
I am a motorcycle instructor and have asked to follow my trainee and record the test while being tested by the examiner. My decision to do this is to simply provide perfect feedback regards the test. the normal motorcycle test Mod two involves the rider being followed by the examiner on a motorcycle being guided by radio.
I was informed by the examiner that if i film the test he will terminate the test? my question is simple, if i am able to film in public without fear why and is it unlawful to film a motorcycle test ?
I am sad to say given the age we live in, one must always assume that someone may be using CCTV for sinister purposes if they are using a camera that conceals the direction of the lens. This is if they are capturing images that are outside the boundary of their property. If a camera is capturing the activity of a neighbour it is not good enough to simply say that they can do this if they can prove that are not using it for good reasons.
If someone wants to protect their property in most cases it is not necessary to point the CCTV camera outside the boundaries of their property and it should be against the law to do so, period!. I conclude that the rules surrounding the use of CCTV for domestic use are simply advisory and discretionary and there needs to be new strict laws that protect people against the abuse of CCTV for domestic abuse. Depending purely on the human rights act is not good enough .
My son was caught messing around with mates in a large supermarket chain(not stealing or anything serious), when they were asked to leave by a security employee...they gave him some light banter(shall we say), and the man grabbed my son by the hair and dragged him from the shop...The police were called and my son was detained...I turned up at the shop to pick him up, after someone who witnessed it all rang me and told me that my son had been naughty and deserved ejecting from the store, but had been assaulted quite roughly...I spoke to the Store manager and the police officer...I asked if I could see the footage...I was told ,NO...and I asked if it was normal for me not to be able to see it and the Police officer said Yes..this was quite within their rights to not allow this...Where do we stand..any help would be brilliant...thanks
P.s.
Rember humans have a very poor history regarding the use of technology we always find ways of misusing it, this time will be no different we need to control it NOW!!
I live in a communal flat owned by social housing. My home is above the communal bins and for over four years have suffered with antisocial behaviour with flytipping and littering. The landlord installed cctv inside the communal bins, promising to stop the ASB by monitoring the CCTV as the smells from the bins are severely affecting our home and health. Since the camera was installled in February 2016, nothing has changed. I asked the landlord if we could view the cctv to find out who was doing this to us as the matter was worsening but the landlord refused. They refused due to data protection, despite the fact I contacted the police to report the nuisance behaviour affecting our home and health. But the landlord has lied to authorities including the police and MP saying they monitor the CCTV every week and the flytipping and litter is picked up as soon as it is spotted. Which is untrue as we take pictures every week to prove otherwise. The landlord also,said the cctv is deleted automatically after a few days. Previous to this, the other CCTV cameras installed inside the communal hallway and entrance of our building were dummy/fake cameras which was confirmed by staff by denied by management.
Do I have a right to view the footage if any available due to the ASB continuing? Thanks.
Is the company breaking the law if so what casn be done about it please
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