Are you Compliant with CCTV Laws?

CCTV laws are there to protect an individual’s right to privacy. Whether you are considering installing CCTV cameras within your business premises or would like to add them to the side of your home for an extra layer of security for you and your family, you must ensure you remain compliant with CCTV laws and specified regulations.

Here are a list of digestible guidelines you should follow in order to ensure your CCTV cameras provide you with total peace of mind, whilst respecting others right to privacy.

It should be noted that CCTV used on your own property is exempt from the Data Protection Act unless the reach of the cameras captures someone else’s property or a public area. One of the main guiding principles for CCTV is to ensure that its use is not disproportionate and is entirely necessary for what you are looking to achieve. If the recordings captured from your CCTV cameras extend beyond the boundaries of your home, you are not breaching the DPA, however, you may need to take certain steps such as:

• Ensuring the equipment is only used for its intended purpose and putting appropriate safeguards in place to ensure it can not be misused. At its simplest, safeguarding measures may include informing anyone you live with not to misuse the equipment. However, further resources may be put into place to ensure you can reasonably prove that the CCTV cameras are only operated for the specific ways intended (such as to safeguard your home) and not to be misused.
• Activate settings to ensure that any recordings captured by the CCTV are held securely and only allow authorised people to access the footage.
• To allay any fears your neighbours may have about their privacy being invaded, consider inviting them to view the footage captured and explain to them how and why you intend to use the CCTV.

At Wilson Alarm, we can advise you on CCTV laws and the various types of systems and features you may use in order to minimise potential privacy issues. If you would like more information on our wide range of security systems, contact us today on 0116 245 3030 or fill out our online enquiry form.