Smart Homes

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Emperor

Could your home security camera or smart doorbell be breaking the law? (www.which.co.uk)

submitted 1 year ago by Emperor to c/smarthomes

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Under data protection laws there is a responsibility to take precautions when processing the personal data of other living individuals, including when using video and audio recording devices.

These rules do not apply if your security camera or doorbell films solely within the boundaries of your private property.

If you have a camera that just points at your private driveway, for example, or covers solely your back garden, then you do not need to worry as you won't be capturing any other private individuals (although, it is worth considering invited visitors and guests when using these devices).

If the camera records outside that boundary, such as the street or neighbouring homes or gardens, then you do have responsibilities under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). This is because you could be capturing audio and video containing other people's private data.

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[–] brewery 3 points 1 year ago

It might be illegal but its pretty much unenforceable. The ICO, who would be responsible, say this: It is difficult to enforce these rules, as it is not easy to find out if the person acts on a request to delete footage. We wouldn’t find it a fair or balanced action to go into a person’s home to find out if they were complying with the law or take other enforcement action. https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/domestic-cctv-systems/ They say the police are unlikely to take action unless you're doing something pretty horrible like recording children somehow.

We have one on our front door. It does gave the street but have set the motion detection so you'd have to be on the driveway for it to record and save. It's arlo so deletes after 30 days or something.

I would say it should be set so you're not recording your neighbours house or garden. That would be annoying. It's easy enough to angle downwards or away.