THE BABBLE TAKE
Nanny-cams — hidden camcorders that record what your nanny is up to when you're not around — have enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last couple of years. Generally it is legal to make covert, video-only footage of a nanny at work in your own home, while laws on sound-recordings vary from state to state. But, legal or not, use of hidden cameras bring up trust issues and ethical dilemmas that may bother parents who are queasy about such things. Those who sell and manufacture nanny-cams like to cite horror stories that make nanny-cams sound like a moral imperative. However, situations that warrant worry are likely rare. One lawyer points out that if the true aim is to curb bad behavior and protect your children, why not simply tell your nanny that she may be on camera. In any case the ethical aspect may turn out to be the least of your nanny-cam woes. An article in the New York Times shows that if you are using a wireless video camera the signal can be intercepted by any stranger with a cheap receiver who wants to peek into your home, a problem that leaves nanny-cam parents on the other end of a privacy invasion.
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The New York Times
"Thousands of people who have installed a popular wireless video camera, intending to increase the security of their homes and offices, have instead unknowingly opened a window on their activities to anyone equipped with a cheap receiver."
...read the full article
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"To tell or not to tell? That's the burning question for many parents when it comes to videotaping nannies they bring into their homes to care for their children. For some, it's a no-brainer — keep mum about it. Parents validate their decision by pointing to incidents such as a [...] case [...] in which a couple's hidden camera revealed their longtime nanny slapping, kicking and attempting to smother their 10-month-old daughter."
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International Nanny Association
The International Nanny Association (INA) strongly recommends if an employer has installed or plans to install hidden cameras, that the employer discusses the subject with the nanny, preferably before employment commences.
If the nanny does not object to being videotaped during working hours INA recommends that videotaping be addressed in a written and signed nanny/employer work agreement. If the nanny is uncomfortable with the situation she/he should be able to quit or refuse the position without fear of negative consequence. "
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UCLA Journal of Law and Technology
"Should we expect privacy in the home of another? The answer is no. Parents and other proponents of nanny-cams argue that the installation of a hidden camera in their own home is not an invasion of privacy. [...] The court has agreed. In [...] the leading case on this topic, the court ruled that a videotape made by a hidden camera in the residence of the parents of the child was admissible as evidence in the lawsuit against the nanny for assault and child endangerment."
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ACLU
"Indeed, many people find it creepy to be watched unknowingly, The Washington Post reported. In the workplace, however, surreptitious observation is increasingly common, particularly as tiny, concealed video cameras and inexpensive computer-monitoring software make it easier to observe workers without their knowledge."
...read the full article
