A recent court case is a useful reminder that personal use of CCTV and video doorbells sometimes falls foul of data protection law.
Does data protection law apply to personal CCTV and video doorbells?
The Claimant, Dr Mary Fairhurst, brought proceedings against the defendant, Mr Jon Woodard. The Defendant’s ‘Ring’ video doorbell and three security cameras captured images of the Claimant’s house, garden and parking space, and had the capability to capture some conversations. He said they had been installed in good faith to deter burglars.
However, a judge at Oxford County Court decided that data protection law had been breached and that the use of the devices had contributed to harassment. The Defendant was unable to justify his activities because he had captured more data than he needed, including some beyond the boundaries of his property, and had misled the Claimant about how and why the cameras operated.
How does this affect my business?
It is imperative that business owners consider these laws before implementing CCTV or other cameras on their premises. Proper consideration needs to be given to who will be filmed, and there are a number of steps to take especially if members of the public or employees are likely to be caught on camera. If you would like further advice, please get in touch with one of our data protection lawyers.
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Our specialist lawyers can help caravan park operators and businesses understand how to comply with their data protection obligations, and how to help their customers comply with theirs.
