Neighborhood camera privacy concerns and common courtesy

[digdoug]

Hi all,

On my neighborhood Facebook group, someone made the following post asking neighbors to change their camera view from capturing their 2nd story. This is not my camera nor am I in any of the captured houses.

I've shared footage from my cameras a few times when we had criminal activity in the neighborhood. I've never received any complaints.

I'm curious if the cameras in their current position are violating any laws or common courtesy? Is the person's request reasonable or not?

I have an opinion I guess but I am curious if mine is way off base and what you guys think.

Thoughts?

Sent from my LG-LS997 using Tapatalk

 

[bigredfish]

In the US, in most jurisdictions, if you can see it standing outside it’s fair game. No expectation of privacy. Now if it were zoomed in to just a window you may have a complaint

IMHO that shot isnt out of bounds at all.

 

[TonyR]

+1^^.

But to keep the one neighbor happy it would be easy to place a privacy mask over those "second story windows" (since it's the ones they complained about). It would take only a few seconds to do and maybe another 20 to post (privately to them, maybe) showing the new view with the mask.... a little grease will usually silence the squeaky wheel.

That being said, should someone break in one day and they come to you, perhaps you'll have the suppressed joy in saying "...too bad I have no usable video of the second story cat burglar that ransacked your bedrooms and stole your jewelry".

 

[coney27]

The standard US law is there is no expectation of privacy where anything is in the view from the public. This applies to homes, pictured as above, and extends even into backyards, windows, open garages and interior of vehicles. People can bitch and moan all they want but it's up to you to beckon to those requests if you desire.

 

[mlapaglia]

the law aside, the cameras would be more useful pointed down more, getting more of the driveway in the shot instead of the tops of houses.

 

[samplenhold]

As others have stated about US Law and expectations of privacy. But if you are under a Home Owners Association set of rules, it could be possible that this issue is covered, or could be covered in the future if some in the neighborhood request it. So maybe 'fixing the issue' would be prudent on the part of the camera's owner. Many unnecessary laws and rules get enacted due to someone getting pissed off. (can I say 'pissed off' on this forum?)

I very much agree with mlapaglia on the usefulness of the view.

As TonyR stated, setting a mask could also be used to give the guy some satisfaction. To get the best view of my backyard, one of my cameras picks up my back neighbor's 1st floor master bedroom windows, part of his pool, and the trampoline that his daughters play on. The first thing I did was to mask that area. It just felt creepy to me to be recording that. He has never asked me about what the camera can see, or maybe he just never noticed it.

 

[ctgoldwing]

The standard US law is there is no expectation of privacy where anything is in the view from the public. This applies to homes, pictured as above, and extends even into backyards, windows, open garages and interior of vehicles. People can bitch and moan all they want but it's up to you to beckon to those requests if you desire.

As an avid photographer I am particularly sensitive to my right to shoot in public places as well as my copyright protections. That said, there is no good reason not to comply with her request.
I have been licensed as an amateur radio operator for 60 years. In all that time whenever a neighbor complained about interference to their TV or audio equipment I never fell back to (my perfectly legal right) to tell them it was their equipment's problem. I would offer to help resolve the problem. It's the right thing to do. It's the neighborly thing to do. Make the world a better place.

 

[IAmATeaf]

Why is that camera angles so high anyway? If that were my cam I’d angle it to cover most of my property and driveway and not the road as it is set currently.

 

[bigredfish]

Completely agree @ctgoldwing

That said, if you’re trying to get a good view of your drive and street, it’s difficult not to get the neighbors house in view.

Two of my neighbors across the street were quite appreciative when I showed one an attempted break in to his car and the other when I showed him and LE footage of the Uhaul truck that backed up to his house and stole their appliances.

 

[bigredfish]

Mine's at 7ft. Hard NOT to get the neighbors house and still see what i need to see..

 

[IAmATeaf]

@bigredfish but yours is clearly centred on your driveway whereas the picture in the OP is centred on the pavement.

 

[coney27]

As an avid photographer I am particularly sensitive to my right to shoot in public places as well as my copyright protections. That said, there is no good reason not to comply with her request.
I have been licensed as an amateur radio operator for 60 years. In all that time whenever a neighbor complained about interference to their TV or audio equipment I never fell back to (my perfectly legal right) to tell them it was their equipment's problem. I would offer to help resolve the problem. It's the right thing to do. It's the neighborly thing to do. Make the world a better place.

I'm not telling OP to be an inconsiderate neighbor I'm just advising him on his legal rights. I too would listen to my neighbor's concern and address them just as TonyR said. A happy neighbor makes it alot better and easier to live next to each other.

 

[h1ckman]

lower it, provide a screen shot, raise it back to where you want it.

 

[IAmATeaf]

lower it, provide a screen shot, raise it back to where you want it.

Why, if it’s there to protect the property it needs to be aimed lower.

 

[SecurityCams]

Keep your neighbor happy, Your rights don't matter. Your relationships do and you may find a neighbor will be there for you when you need them.