Neighbour has intrusive cctv cameras

Call me Al

When you say the gardai said it is a data problem, how did the explain away the child safety issue you flagged?

He's possibly recording a minor in her bedroom and they don't see this as a crime?

Ted222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121932949#Comment_121932949

In fairness, I didn’t push this particular aspect as, whatever else I may think about him, I wouldn’t consider him a perv.

I was surprised though that the Gardai weren’t a bit concerned. They regard it a a potential data breach rather than anything that would fall under their area of responsibility.

Oscar_Madison

ive seen cases in England a few years ago in the papers where house camera owners were taken to court - this was early days of door cameras but still, they seem to take their data and privacy stuff seriously there.

It sounds like you have an ongoing issue with the neighbour that won’t be resolved with a quiet word.

Solicitor advice seems to be the way to go but ask them to outline the potential costs of a court action - this is obviously bringing stress on you and your family so it’s not a small thing at all - I’d imagine you have a strong case here but that’s a total layman’s view not legal advice- maybe under some form of harassment legislation? And even if the cameras are proven to be duds that may not matter as the impact is the same - but again legal advice required.

Id be very disappointed if the courts didn’t look at your case favourably - I set up my own video doorbell recently- very careful to map the boundary of what it recorded and obviously very happy to show anyone who asks just what it records and doesn’t record - I don’t see this ending shortly but you can’t live in this stressed way either

Oscar_Madison

So OP- Irish times a few months ago covered this very topic -here’s a section of it and full article link below - I think you can get a few free IT articles before they paywall it- it’s very good and gives you step by step instructions including what to write what to emphasise- they particularly mention children !!!! Best of luck

“I see from your query that the neighbour in question has been pointing a camera at your property. Under the general data protection regulation (GDPR), the fact he is pointing a camera at your property means that he has certain obligations towards you and your family. As a result of GDPR, he is deemed to be a “data controller”.

Because you are living on your property and he is using a camera to capture images, he is gathering what is called “sensitive personal data” of you. This is the type of data that is most protected by GDPR. As a data subject, you and your family may have certain rights against him.”

https://www.irishtimes.com/property/residential/2024/01/18/what-can-we-do-about-our-neighbours-security-camera-being-directed-at-our-property/#:~:text=Because%20you%20are%20living%20on,have%20certain%20rights%20against%20him.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882033#Comment_121882033

This.

I would be making a claim of harassment against him. This is more than a property dispute if the man is aiming a recording device directly into the bedroom of your young daughter (or any member of your family)

I'd be looking to get an anti social behaviour order against your neighbour ordering him to move the cameras so that he is not directly recording your family in such an obviously intimidating way

Ted222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121942099#Comment_121942099

Thanks for this.

The trouble is that the Data Protection Office doesn’t want to get its hand dirty. Their involvement is limited to accepting his bona fides that he’s not recording. They don’t seek proof. Neither are they willing to discuss what steps they took to investigate the issue. They’re pretty useless really.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121942451#Comment_121942451

I guess taking advice of solicitor is next route -- I think there’s certainly some sort of harassment thing going on here but only a solicitor could advise - the DPC article does call out dummy cameras as a challenge - given your relationship you’ve no way of knowing if they are real or not but to me they’re harassment regardless - but it’s what the law says that counts

https://www.dataprotection.ie/sites/default/files/uploads/2021-11/Guidance%20on%20the%20use%20of%20Domestic%20CCTV.pdf

Ted222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121942542#Comment_121942542

Solicitor I went to tried the route of getting the Data Protection Commissioner to take my concerns more seriously. Fell on deaf ears.

Tefral

Op, I work in this area as an electrical contractor. People who install cameras need to have a PSA licence.

When a camera is installed that overlooks someone's garden, they put in a recording blacked out area on that particular part. Even if it's a PTZ camera, when you move the camera within the zone it comes up automatically as a blacked area. They literally have to do this.

I would wager when they investigated they saw this blacked out area and were satisfied.

You can get an idea of this here

https://youtu.be/fBuy1pipQjg?si=metu2Ze440g66qRM

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121942573#Comment_121942573

Did he mention anything about harassment ?

Ted222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121942642#Comment_121942642

Thanks for that. I think it was someone doing a nixer so I don’t know about standards. Besides, it’s a deliberate act. It’s twisted so it’s pointing more towards my house than it is his own.

Ted222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121942684#Comment_121942684

No not really. I may need a second opinion

Any recommendations?