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Child Safety – Installing a ‘Nanny Cam’

by Carolyn · 2 comments

Nanny Cam

If you are a parent, it’s natural for you to experience some anxiety when leaving your children alone with another person. This may be a nanny, a babysitter or even a family friend. To help lessen the anxiety of leaving children under the care of someone else, many parents are now choosing to install a ‘Nanny Cam’ to keep an eye on how a caretaker interacts with their children. However, how useful is a ‘Nanny Cam’? Is it legal to capture hidden video surveillance of a professional child caretaker without their knowledge? Here is some information to help you to become more familiar with the concept of a ‘Nanny Cam’.

What is a Nanny Cam?

Basically, a “Nanny Cam” is a hidden camera that you install in a non-visible location inside your home. This camera may be hidden in a potted plant, a stuffed animal, a lightbulb or other common household object. The primary purpose of this camera is to allow you to see how a caretaker interacts with your children while you are not around.

Why Are Nanny Cams Useful?

Recently, there have been a lot of cases of child abuse by caretakers that have gotten extensive media attention. While it is not advised to believe that all nannies have the potential to abuse children, it is still a problem that should cause some concern. While many potentially abusive nannies can be screened out with the proper interview process, it can still be difficult to know when you’re choosing a nanny that is truly dedicated to keeping your children safe.

For a concerned parent, a Nanny Cam can help you to gain insight onto how your nanny interacts with your children while you’re away. It can either provide you with peace of mind, or allow you to identify a potentially dangerous situation for your children.

Are Nanny Cams Legal?

Currently, you are allowed to take video footage of a person without their knowledge (in your own home) in all 50 US States. However, it’s important to remember that not all states have laws that support hidden cameras which also take audio. It is currently not legal to record audio without a person’s consent in the following states:

  • Washington
  • Pennsylvania
  • Oregon
  • New Hampshire
  • Nevada
  • Montana
  • Massachusetts
  • Maryland
  • Louisiana
  • Illinois
  • Hawaii
  • Florida
  • Delaware
  • Connecticut
  • California

Where Can I Buy a Nanny Cam?

If you’re looking to purchase a Nanny Cam, you can usually find a camera that fits your needs by searching online. As stated before, do not purchase a camera that also records audio, especially if you live in one of the 15 states where it’s illegal. Be sure that the camera is small enough so that it can be placed somewhere without your Nanny’s knowledge, and is able to still capture video footage in low-light conditions.

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  • http://www.nationalemergencyid.com C.S.

    Installing a nanny cam is one way we can capture how they take care of our kids. I think having one is very effective. Thank you for sharing.

  • http://www.securenannycam.com/ S.N.C.

    Great article. In regard to use of audio in a nanny cam, it’s actually a bit trickier. US Code Title 18, Section 2512 makes illegal the interception of oral communication in a surreptitious manner (such as a hidden camera).

    There are states (the others not mentioned) that have what’s known as a “single consent” law, where only one party has to consent to the audio recording. However, this would require the person who’s using the camera to actually be present at the time of the recording, which is basically never the case with a nanny cam. This tends to apply to “body worn” cameras – sunglasses, pens, buttons, etc.

    And then in the states mentioned, they require all parties to consent to an audio recording. However, it is important to note that even in a single consent state, this doesn’t allow for use of audio in nanny cameras, since these devices are used to record while one is away (and therefore not party to the recording and so is unable to consent to audio recording).