Are you thinking about installing Hidden or Surveillance Cameras in your place of business? Many employers consider video and other surveillance key to keeping an honest and productive workplace. It keeps employees on the straight and narrow – no fingers in the till, no time clock funny business, no drinking or drugging on breaks. Many business owners and managers also record or review phone calls and emails from the office.

But employers must be careful not to go too far in their surveillance or they will risk being sued by an employee for an invasion of privacy under federal or state law. This article is an overview of the laws applicable to workplace surveillance – you should always talk to your own attorney to determine exactly what the law is in your state.

VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

There are several variables when considering video surveillance in your place of business. Your choices include visible traditional and dome surveillance cameras or hidden cameras, with or without audio. Each of the variables has potential legal implications. Visible surveillance cameras (not hidden in any way) are generally not illegal if they are in a non-private place.

If the camera records sound as well as video, you must comply with federal and state wiretapping and eavesdropping laws. You will need consent of one or all parties to any recorded conversation, depending on your jurisdiction.

Hidden cameras are a slightly different story. Video recording (without sound) is usually okay, even if the camera is hidden unless the person(s) being recorded has a reasonable expectation of privacy, the taping is done for some illegal purpose or there was trespass to record the video.

Courts across the country are finding with more and more frequency that no reasonable expectation of privacy exists with non-covert video surveillance or even with hidden surveillance if the physical space examined is a public space. Note that, if an employer uses union employees, the employer may be required to notify the union of its intention to use hidden cameras, but probably doesn’t have to disclose where the cameras will be installed.

There is a federal law which makes it a crime to secretly capture photo or video images of people in places and situations in which they have an expectation of privacy. Most states have followed suit. These laws are often referred to as “video voyeurism” statutes.

VIDEO VOYEURISM LAWS

As you can see, surveillance technology has advanced so much over recent years that excellent cameras can be completely hidden from view in a number of different ways. These Spy Cameras are a great tool for many employers but can also be used inappropriately. The federal government and most states have recently passed “video voyeurism” laws.

These laws make it a crime to secretly record or distribute images of people in places where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as bathrooms, dressing rooms, locker rooms, hotel rooms and tanning salons.

The federal law prohibits anyone from recording images of an individual’s “private areas” without consent when that individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Every state in the U.S. now has some legal prohibition of video voyeurism or invasion of privacy, except Iowa and Washington D.C. About half of these statutes actually make this kind of video recording a felony. Many have an even harsher punishment for distributing such videos.

You will need to check your home state’s particular laws as the courts from state to state may have differing opinions as to what types of places are expected to be private – bathroom and changing rooms may be “no-brainers” but some states’ courts have even decided that employee break rooms or lunch rooms are “private” for purposes of video surveillance.

OTHER SURVEILLANCE IN THE WORKPLACE

The monitoring of electronic communications such as telephone calls, voicemail, email and IMs is covered by the federal wiretapping and eavesdropping statute – the Electronic Communications Privacy Act. The ECPA does include several business use exceptions to allow employers to perform necessary investigations, protect trade secrets and keep an eye on inventory and receipts.

Under the federal law, the monitoring of things such as email and phone calls is allowed if either the sender or recipient consents or if it is done in the regular course of business. Employers can monitor only equipment which they own and do not have the right to monitor email hosted by a third party (like web-based email programs.

BEST PRACTICES

Whether they have a right to privacy at work or not, many employees find surveillance of any sort offensive. It is good practice for employees to be provided with written notification of the existence or possibility of any monitoring in the workplace – video, audio or otherwise.

Notices can be made a part of a written, distributed policy or a section in the employee handbook. Employees can even be asked to sign a consent to or acknowledgement of the monitoring. If you are cautious, ethical and respectful of your employees and of the law, video and other surveillance in the workplace can be a wonderful tool to keep your business running smoothly and profitably.

By: Sharon Macdonald

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People like to observe and watch what’s going on when they’re away. For security purposes or just to satisfy their desire to spy. Many want to discover what their spouse is doing at home alone or how a babysitter is taking care of the baby when both parents are working.

These people sometimes get confused and don’t even know where to hide their cameras in the house. Which area is safest (meaning that the camera won’t be spotted)? Which place people wouldn’t want to look at and so on.

Below, we’ll try to look at some of the best places in the house where one would want to hide his or her spy camera in order to observe and record various activities in the area.

Hiding Spy Camera in a Bedroom

If a person is concerned whether the spouse is cheating or not, the most obvious place to install a hidden camera would be in a bedroom.

But which place in a bedroom would be best to put the hidden cam?

Nightstand – Ok, most bedroom have nightstands, right. So one of the best places to put a hidden camera into would be a nightstand, behind some regular object, like a clock or radio. You could get a hidden camera already built into a clock and put it right on the nightstand.

Curtain-Rod – Another place could be a curtain-rod. If you can get a tiny spy camera, which is barely seen from a 10 feet distance, you could mount it on the top of the curtain or curtain-rod. You could get much better viewing angle and record everything without much trouble.

TV Set – Many people have TV’s in bedrooms. So putting a tiny camera near the TV or on top of TV would be a good idea. Of course, the spy camera should be hidden and not look like a spy camera.

PC – Some people have PC’s in their bedrooms. One could simply replace the regular speakers with new ones, which already have a spy camera installed and perform secret surveillance this way.

Book Shelf – Placing a hidden camera in a book shelf might be a good idea. Especially when the hidden camera is in a shape of the book.

Placing a Hidden Camera in a Living Room

Teddy Bear – Many people have all kinds of plush toys. It’s possible to simply take one and put a camera inside.

Toy Cars – If there are any toy cars in the living room or any other room, you could put a small micro camera into that toy and spy on the others.

Mirrors – You could buy a two-sided mirror and put a spy camera there. Otherwise, it’s possible to buy a mirror with a hidden camera built inside already.

Lamps – You could take one light bulb or lamp out and put a spy camera inside. Then put the light back and start surveillance. Just make sure than someone doesn’t try to repair it.

Flowers – You could put a small camera inside a flower pot and put it on a windowsill for instance. If you have some flowers in the living room or plants, this won’t look odd.

Switches – Tiny cameras could be placed into light switches. Some light switches have covers, which help mask the spy camera’s lenses.

Placing a Hidden Camera in a Kitchen

Lastly, you might want to put a spy camera in the kitchen. This wouldn’t look suspicious if you put a clock in the kitchen somewhere.

There are already designed spy cameras that look like coffee mugs. Could you find a better place for such item other than kitchen?

Lastly, you could get one of those wearable spy cameras and put it wherever you want. Bedroom, living room, kitchen or office room. Nowhere such item will look suspicious. They can be pens, glasses, lighters, cell phones etc.

By: Dan Crane

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Cities are a hive of activities. People go to schools, do their business, drive around traffic, and sell various things. Unfortunately, a city is also a thriving environment for notorious people and lawbreakers. It is not uncommon in any city that is everyday news about robberies, murders, speeding, DUI, or any other crime.

Due to the presence of these crimes and activities, law enforcement has developed ways and technologies to apprehend or at least monitor the perpetrators. For example, state police monitor regularly monitor freeways on the lookout for drug traffickers. Some policemen are assigned to go undercover and risk their lives during a stakeout. Other crude yet ingenious ways include placing realistic cardboard cutouts of police cars or officers to discourage criminals from doing their crimes! After all, a criminal would hesitate when he sees a police unit before committing a crime.

New technologies include the development of nonlethal weapons and the improvement of exiting technologies, such as, complicated databases and citizen identification. One of the more controversial technologies is the video surveillance camera. These cameras are located in many public places where police think that crime is most likely to happen.

In theory, video surveillance cameras can deter or even prevent crime. In theory, they are able to provide evidence for a crime. But do these theories really sound as good as they are?

To gauge how efficient surveillance cameras prevent crime is a somewhat problematic issue. That’s because there are a lot of vague variables to take into consideration. No matter how skilled policemen and investigators are, they can’t entirely be conclusive that a crime has been planned just because something suspicious came up in the surveillance report. In fact, other factors, such as, law enforcement strategies, the city’s economy, and even the season can contribute to such vagueness.

For example, a recent study shows that since 2006, seventy-three cameras that are installed in the general Washington, DC area have never recorded footage that has helped solve crimes. For the local government, this has been a pain in the neck since it has invested millions of dollars for such equipment only to find out that the system is not as efficient as it was predicted.

So are CCTVs useless? It’s far from it. Knowing that there are hidden cameras around, criminals now think twice before doing their nefarious crimes. In fact, the New York police department stated that along with increased police patrols, video surveillance cameras have made the crime rate in the Big Apple drop to 30 percent. This is especially true in high-crime neighborhoods such as in the Bronx.

Other U.S. cities reported the same results. For example, in New York city’s urban housing centers, crime dropped at 36 percent. In Baltimore, crime rate dropped at 17 percent; in Philadelphia, 37 percent.

Aside from the more nefarious crimes, the presence of these cameras also reduced auto-related crimes and accidents by as much as 41 percent. And, of course, they are always helpful for post-crime investigations.

By: Steve Strong

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Given the recent terrorist attacks, security cameras have taken on a whole new meaning in the 21-st Century. Previously, the thought of security cameras recording and keeping a record of people’s activities were met with strong resistance as a harmful intrusion on our freedoms. How could we allow anybody to watch us, record us and look over our shoulders? Is this not America?

The ACLU and other legal watchdog groups would have been all over the courts to stop them before they became widespread. In the post 9/11 world we cry out for more protection, demanding our government do everything in its power to stop these madmen from hurting people, especially here in America. And security cameras have leaped into the forefront of that battle, recording the movements of ******* bombers and other terrorists, hopefully preventing them from wreaking havoc.

Recently, there were terrorist attacks in London. Four separate locations were hit – three separate subway stations and one double-decker bus. As the airwaves filled with news of the attacks, one bit of information stood out. The investigation into who committed these horrific acts would involve checking the footage on 1800 security cameras around town. 1800 cameras! It turns out that London has the most pervasive security camera system in the world.

By: Damian Sofsian

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If you watch much television or see many films these days, you know that there is almost always a hidden camera watching someone in these shows. If you can believe what you see and read, there’s almost always a camera following your every move.

Is there really? The surprising answer is, maybe.

For instance, when you enter a bank in the U.S., you’re expected to remove any headgear, including hats and hoods, and keep your hands in sight. This is for the hidden camera that’s protecting the bank employees’ and customers’ safety, as well as for the guards you can see.

In the United Kingdom, closed caption television cameras in many areas record every move of people within view of each camera. One recent movie took place almost entirely in the U.K., so that the writers could take advantage of the “hidden camera on every corner” idea to move the plot forward.

In the United States, it’s easier to believe there is probably not a hidden camera watching you, but much of the time there is. When you buy gas at the convenience store, there is a one recording your license plate and a one inside the store. Many fast food restaurants use a one in the register area. The point of these cameras is primarily to deter employee theft, but customers are also captured on video.

Many stores now have a hidden camera watching activity in their stores. This helps deter shoplifting and catch criminals, and also helps the store’s employees feel more secure. So, there may well be a someone watching you from time to time during your day. No one is actually aiming a camera at you personally, or at least probably not, but chances are you make a film appearance several times a day.

By: Richard Novak

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You know the myriad of activities that go on in a large metropolis. People go to offices to take care of business, shop owners try to sell their wares, students go to attend classes, and drivers maneuver the cars and trucks around-such a lively bunch of activities.

Unfortunately, a less-than-pleasant activity also strives in the city-crime. Every city has its share of lawbreakers that disrupt its peace and harmony. Crime can range from simple violations, such as illegal parking and speeding, to really serious ones, such as, murder. To combat them, each city dispatches law enforcers. Law enforcement uses the latest in weaponry, technology, and techniques in catching and apprehending criminals.

However, in most cities, the officers of the law are usually outnumbered. To make up for the disadvantage, they resort to surveillance cameras to monitor public areas. Surveillance cameras alert operators to areas where violations of the law occur, allowing them to dispatch police officers more quickly. Also the images caught on tape can be used as evidence if the criminal does manage to get away.

New types of surveillance camera are in use now in many cities. These are called wireless security cameras. As the name implies, these cameras are not connected by any wires. Standard cameras are connected to a central monitoring system via cables.

These wireless gadgets are gaining popularity. In fact, police units are installing them on several areas in the city. Too, government agencies, businesses, and private citizens are also using them.

The main advantage of a wireless system is that these systems are not limited by cables. That means they can be placed anywhere without much concern about the placement of cables. The signal is carried via a broadcast signal, which can also be accessed through the Internet if permission is approved.

Wireless systems generally use a five-to-one compression ratio. Higher compression rates are also available so that the images would be DVD quality. The downside of this high compression rate is that the hard-disk space of wireless cameras are filled faster than with a cable-fed camera. Wireless systems can time stamp the images.

Furthermore, more advanced wireless security cameras [http://www.sunsecurity.com/security-camera-systems-wireless-security-camera-systems-c-116_167.html] can alert operators by sending them an e-mail if an unusual activity is detected.

There are also disadvantages to the usage of wireless security cameras. For example, digital video recorders can sometimes pick up the signals from these cameras, threatening the security of the images. Also, if one knows the proper frequency, the signals can be jammed. Jamming a transmission means scrambling or blocking the signal so that it does not register properly in the monitors. Jamming a police transmission is a crime and is dealt with severely.

Also, they are not appropriate for long-term surveillance. That’s because transmitting the signal requires a larger-than-usual amount of power, draining the battery power more quickly than their wired counterparts. Also, if they are not stored properly, they can be stolen with ease; there aren’t any wires that are attached to them which helps secure these gadgets to their mounts or posts.

By: Steve Strong

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Some of us feel the need to watch over our children with a surveillance camera when they are babies. Camera surveillance provides information regarding their activities, condition and surroundings. Surveillance seems to continue from the time a child is born until they are watching over us (the parents) in our old age.

New Born

A surveillance system for a new born is referred to as a baby monitor. The most common type of system is a wireless camera often inside of a toy or stuffed animal sending a signal to a monitor. The monitor is portable so the parent can move the monitor with them to any location with in their home to view their new born child. The least expensive system is a battery operated camera and monitor. Baby monitors also come with wireless cameras that are plugged into a wall outlet, eliminating the need for batteries. Since the monitor is portable it will always require batteries.

Another system is a wireless camera transmitting a signal to a receiver then watched on a TV or recorded to a digital video recorder. The wireless camera is located in a housing such as a teddy bear with a transmitter. A signal is transmitted to a receiver where it is viewed on a monitor or recorded to a DVR/ USB. Many camera variations are created through the use of different housings.

As a young child begins to crawl and walk it becomes difficult to monitor their every move with only a single camera and a portable monitor. By placing additional cameras in the play areas and throughout the house it will be easy to view their activities while doing household responsibilities. Most hand held monitors have a viewing capability of at least 4 different cameras. With 4 cameras in operation four different views are available to see the babies activities.

Teens

The teen years are the most challenging for both the parents and teenagers. Families that have surveillance systems connected to the internet can easily check on their children when the children are at home and the parents are away from home. This occurs with a laptop or a computer at a location away from home. Home systems are created with the use of a wireless IP or a directly hardwired camera system connected to the internet. Having the ability to check on the children provides the assurance the children are being responsible while not at home.

Child surveillance is an individual responsibility and everyone has to make their own surveillance choices.

By: Dave Norton

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Surveillance cameras have their good uses. Criminals have been caught and jailed based on undeniable video evidence, cheating spouses have been captured on film and forced to pay greater alimony and child support for their ex-partners, and cops have been suspended for sexual harassment and physical mishandling of visitors and suspects alike. Just some of the few cases you read about that can convince you surveillance is good.

However, what do you do when surveillance cameras intrude upon your most private of private moments? How do you cope when intimate affairs are recorded in video and broadcast for the entire Internet world to see?

How It Can Happen

Generally, surveillance cameras are used for home security and public security. You can install small and portable cameras in your house while the government sets up a surveillance system in your neighborhood ostensibly to deter crime and monitor traffic.

Imagine this scenario: Your partner transferred the cameras to your bedroom because he wants to videotape your bedroom shenanigans without your knowledge. After your bitter separation, he uploads the video over the Internet and it becomes a hit.

Or this: In the interest of adding spice to your relationship, you both agreed to place some of the wireless surveillance cameras inside your bedroom. One messy divorce later, you are faced with an Internet video showing you and your despised ex-partner in compromising positions.

Or this: Video surveillance operators across the street intersection videotaped your intimate moments for voyeuristic purposes. The same perverted individuals broadcast the footage over the web.

In whatever way your lady parts came to be plastered all over the Internet, you must deal with the fall-out of other people’s perversions.

How to Prevent and to Cope

Of course, prevention is always better than the cure. If possible, never allow your partner to videotape your intimate bedroom encounters; never install surveillance cameras in your bedroom no matter what you do; never perform live shows where your privacy can be compromised unless you are on a deserted island; never leave the windows open in any way, either in terms of locking it and closing the drapes; and never let your private videotapes lying anywhere.

However, unfortunate scenarios such as the above mentioned do happen. How to cope boils down to:

* Doing something concrete about your plight – filing complaints and lawsuits is a good first step. You can also seek professional help and your family’s support.

* Forgetting about the past and not worrying about the future. You should take each day as it comes and live for the joys of the present. Learn to appreciate the small things in your life now – your ex-partner is paying you sums of money for alimony and for his bastardization of your relationship, your perverted voyeurs of local public officials are in jail, and you are alive.

* Moving on. If this means that you have to do something drastic like changing your place of residence or something mild like changing your hairstyle, then go for it. Just always remember that life must go on, you were a victim but you cannot be a victim forever, and that it is other people’s problems if they see you as anything less than the worthy person that you are.

In the end, your life should never be ruled by one mistake brought by man’s inappropriate use of surveillance cameras. Life is yours, take it!

By: Nahshon Roberts

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Are you ready to set up a surveillance cam and watch what’s happening around your house? Whether you have a nanny you’re not sure about, you’re afraid of burglars breaking in, or you want to know what your dog is doing when you’re away, a surveillance cam is the ticket. They don’t have to be expensive or complicated. Here are a few of the hottest models on the market.

WiLife Spy Camera

The WiLife Spy Camera is a hidden home surveillance cam that is highly regarded in the home surveillance industry. This camera is high quality and easy to use. It is high definition and powerful.

The greatest feature of the WiLife is that it can be connected easily. It simply plugs into a regular electrical outlet. It is versatile, and can be linked to your computer or any mobile device so you can keep tabs from far away. It’s wireless and has a built-in digital alarm so you can set it easily.

The WiLife is the highest quality model in its price range and is designed specifically for non-techie everybody, so even you can install and use it. This camera is available for $330.

Control Your Camera From The Internet

Many new models are designed to work with the Internet. One model that is very popular is the D-Link DCS-5300G Securicam Wireless by D-Link Systems. This camera shoots high quality film with good, smooth panning. The best thing about it is that you can not only access but control the camera via the Internet.

You can monitor what’s going on away from home, and also pan, zoom and capture still photos using a computer or mobile device. It also has all the most state-of-the-art Internet synchronization features. You can have e-mail alerts sent whenever it detects something. You can set it to record whenever something moves. If you want to upgrade, you can install up to 16 cameras and control them all at once. The D-Link DCS-5300G has retails for $550.

Use A Dummy Security Camera To Fool Dummies Who Want To Break In

This is by far the cheapest security cam available, because it’s really not a camera at all! If you want your home to be more secure but don’t want to invest in a home surveillance system right now, buy a dummy camera for $30 and you will deter almost anybody who wants into your house.

Statistics say that just putting a security guard in a store, even if they don’t do anything, is a major deterrent for shoplifting. “Beware Of Dog” signs work just the same way. Well, a dummy security cam will let everybody know they are being watched, even if they aren’t. Some dummy cameras, like the Smart Home, comes with a motion sensor. It will move and follow its target until they are well off your property!

When buying a surveillance system, it’s important to know what you need it for. That should be the deciding factor. Get the right surveillance cam, and you’ll never have to worry about what’s going on when you’re not home.

By: Andrew Stratton

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In today’s world, even a significant other you have seen for quite a while can be the sort of person who might take advantage of you with hidden camera sex. Most people recognize the danger of someone who is not well known, but it is possible that the person you thought you knew may be having hidden camera sex with you and then selling the results. This can mean a real blight on your reputation, as well as being rather humiliating. In order to avoid becoming a victim, there are some things that you can do to decrease your chances of being taken advantage of in that way.

Do not go to strange places. Hidden camera sex is often something that takes place in seedy motels or in apartments of whomever it is that you are with. If you do not know someone very well, make sure to avoid going back to his or her place. Additionally, if she or he suggests a motel, think of one that you would rather go to. If the other person is insistent, there is a definite red flag there. There are plenty of motel owners who arrange for regulars to have a certain room outfitted with a camera for a cut of the earnings from hidden camera sex videos.

Kick the clothes under the bed. It is possible for seemingly harmless items like hats and button down shirts to have cameras in them. When your lover takes of his or her clothes, do not let them sit at a level that can be seen from wherever you are having sex. Kick them under the bed or playfully move the *********** into a different room, leaving the possible hidden camera behind.

Equip yourself with bug detectors. There are high tech bug detectors made to detect electronic equipment. There are even detectors that can find blue tooth and other wireless technology. By doing a sweep of the room in an effort to locate hidden cameras, you can help make sure that you are avoiding hidden camera sex.

There is no reason to become a victim. With a little caution and a sharp eye out, as well as suspicion of people you are not very well acquainted with (and even some you are), you can avoid being an unknowing participant in hidden camera sex.

(c) 2005 Copyright www.spyassociates.com. This article is about: Hidden Camera Sex

By: Kingston Amadan

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