Interior cameras in people's homes... why?
August 4, 2024 8:15 PM Subscribe
I've noticed that many of my friends have cameras in their homes, such as in their kitchens/living rooms. I personally find it super creepy and can't feel at ease/feel truly like myself when there are cameras inside people's homes. I'm trying to understand—why?
This might be considered a logical fallacy, maybe not, but in the 1990s, nobody had cameras in their homes. We survived perfectly fine back then, so why is there such a pressing need for cameras?
I can somewhat understand some exceptions, such as monitoring kids/nannies (although I still think that's creepy), the elderly who might need help, or watching pets while afar. Of course, those who live in high crime areas might want those cameras to help protect their homes, so that also would be understandable, especially in a non-roommate or shared home situation.
But among some of my friends, and from what I've gathered online (from forums, etc.), it seems okay/even the accepted "consensus" to have cameras inside one's private home, especially in interior shared common areas (living rooms, kitchens, hallways even). This is especially perturbing when it's at nice homes in nice suburban areas where there's a narrow/no chance of crime. I can't imagine being a kid nowadays and being watched all the time when in the living room, and it'd possibly open our world up to be more surveillance-based as that's what they had grown up with and are used to it. I feel so fortunate that I grew up in the 90s, before social media/cameras became commonplace.
I just don't get it. There was seemingly a brief period in the mid-2000s when people protested "Big Brother", including cameras, and felt private companies were becoming too fascinated/invested in spying. Then, it seems like in the 2010s, things flipped and people were buying home cameras en masse.
Just to be clear, I'm grudgingly okay with outside entry/porch/dock cameras, because at least that makes some sense, especially with package robberies on the rise.
But inside? Please enlighten me. Why are people getting those cameras en masse, when we survived perfectly fine as a species without them in the 2000s and earlier? Same with baby monitors—cameras to watch babies. I mean, back in the caveman days, even the concept of baby monitors probably wasn't existent at all yet. Weren't noise-based baby monitors good enough? And pets lived just fine in those days without cameras watching their every move. And some of those cameras (home/baby) might be subject to hacking and being broken in/watched by others. Just ugh. It makes my skin crawl, and I don't get it.
I would love your perspectives to help me understand, thank you! (And nothing in specific triggered this post—I'm not upset. I'm not having a RSD reaction. I'm simply wondering and opening up for discussion. I know I can't control what people have set up in their houses and I am okay with it, because it is their property, after all—but it does mystify me and creep me out, and wanted to understand further why those technologies are used, especially when we lived just fine without them for centuries.)
This might be considered a logical fallacy, maybe not, but in the 1990s, nobody had cameras in their homes. We survived perfectly fine back then, so why is there such a pressing need for cameras?
I can somewhat understand some exceptions, such as monitoring kids/nannies (although I still think that's creepy), the elderly who might need help, or watching pets while afar. Of course, those who live in high crime areas might want those cameras to help protect their homes, so that also would be understandable, especially in a non-roommate or shared home situation.
But among some of my friends, and from what I've gathered online (from forums, etc.), it seems okay/even the accepted "consensus" to have cameras inside one's private home, especially in interior shared common areas (living rooms, kitchens, hallways even). This is especially perturbing when it's at nice homes in nice suburban areas where there's a narrow/no chance of crime. I can't imagine being a kid nowadays and being watched all the time when in the living room, and it'd possibly open our world up to be more surveillance-based as that's what they had grown up with and are used to it. I feel so fortunate that I grew up in the 90s, before social media/cameras became commonplace.
I just don't get it. There was seemingly a brief period in the mid-2000s when people protested "Big Brother", including cameras, and felt private companies were becoming too fascinated/invested in spying. Then, it seems like in the 2010s, things flipped and people were buying home cameras en masse.
Just to be clear, I'm grudgingly okay with outside entry/porch/dock cameras, because at least that makes some sense, especially with package robberies on the rise.
But inside? Please enlighten me. Why are people getting those cameras en masse, when we survived perfectly fine as a species without them in the 2000s and earlier? Same with baby monitors—cameras to watch babies. I mean, back in the caveman days, even the concept of baby monitors probably wasn't existent at all yet. Weren't noise-based baby monitors good enough? And pets lived just fine in those days without cameras watching their every move. And some of those cameras (home/baby) might be subject to hacking and being broken in/watched by others. Just ugh. It makes my skin crawl, and I don't get it.
I would love your perspectives to help me understand, thank you! (And nothing in specific triggered this post—I'm not upset. I'm not having a RSD reaction. I'm simply wondering and opening up for discussion. I know I can't control what people have set up in their houses and I am okay with it, because it is their property, after all—but it does mystify me and creep me out, and wanted to understand further why those technologies are used, especially when we lived just fine without them for centuries.)
I know people with either fake or entirely inactive cameras, set up as above for vacations and never removed.
posted by sagc at 8:22 PM on August 4, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by sagc at 8:22 PM on August 4, 2024 [2 favorites]
Also, I notice you list a bunch of reasons people might have cameras, and dismiss them as unnecessary. Other people might disagree, and get utility from them. "We've lived without them for centuries" is true of most technologies; it doesn't really speak to the value of any given technology.
You've asked a couple questions that seem to show a pretty idealized view of the past, or at least one without a ton of nuance; there's no reason to assume people concerned about "Big Brother" as a group have changed their takes, and you might want to consider that the main reason cameras weren't prevalent in the past was simply that they were out of reach of the average person.
posted by sagc at 8:32 PM on August 4, 2024 [17 favorites]
You've asked a couple questions that seem to show a pretty idealized view of the past, or at least one without a ton of nuance; there's no reason to assume people concerned about "Big Brother" as a group have changed their takes, and you might want to consider that the main reason cameras weren't prevalent in the past was simply that they were out of reach of the average person.
posted by sagc at 8:32 PM on August 4, 2024 [17 favorites]
Huh, the interior cameras in my home were explained as a bordello requirement. Interior cameras are not common, as far as I know. As of 7 years ago, I don't recall interior cameras being common in US homes either. The only time I recall cameras were baby monitors and to be sure that your baby's minder was not doing shady stuff. But throughout the house monitoring on the regular was not common.
posted by jadepearl at 8:33 PM on August 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by jadepearl at 8:33 PM on August 4, 2024 [1 favorite]
I mean, back in the caveman days, even the concept of baby monitors probably wasn't existent at all yet.
And the infant mortality rate was enormous.
But more importantly, the safer people feel the more scared they get of losing that. It's a vicious circle of people trying to completely remove risk from their lives, and an ecosystem of businesses helping them along.
I have a friend who is all about the automated home and for some reason cameras go with that. On the other hand my favorite text exchange with him from the past few years was when he was on vacation.
Him: "Did you just feed my cats with a bag over your head?"
Me: "You'll never know, will you?"
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:42 PM on August 4, 2024 [31 favorites]
And the infant mortality rate was enormous.
But more importantly, the safer people feel the more scared they get of losing that. It's a vicious circle of people trying to completely remove risk from their lives, and an ecosystem of businesses helping them along.
I have a friend who is all about the automated home and for some reason cameras go with that. On the other hand my favorite text exchange with him from the past few years was when he was on vacation.
Him: "Did you just feed my cats with a bag over your head?"
Me: "You'll never know, will you?"
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 8:42 PM on August 4, 2024 [31 favorites]
We put them up to watch the dogs when we’re away. Also, we have simplisafe security monitoring, and if you use their cameras, they can log in to them in the event of an alarm to attempt to verify if emergency services are needed. (We do not use this, but obviously people do. )
posted by bluloo at 9:15 PM on August 4, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by bluloo at 9:15 PM on August 4, 2024 [3 favorites]
People who live alone like to be able to make sure no one's roaming around their house when they're away.
posted by The otter lady at 9:25 PM on August 4, 2024 [11 favorites]
posted by The otter lady at 9:25 PM on August 4, 2024 [11 favorites]
I have one in my living room; it's a relatively recent addition, which I placed when my dog got sick and I wanted to be able to check on him while I was out. Turns out it's also great for peace of mind while I'm traveling. I can turn it on and off remotely, and it's never on when I'm at home.
posted by rhymedirective at 9:28 PM on August 4, 2024 [4 favorites]
posted by rhymedirective at 9:28 PM on August 4, 2024 [4 favorites]
[B]ut in the 1990s, nobody had cameras in their homes.
I'm going to dispute this part. Granted, you are referring to security cameras, but JenniCam and anacam were two exceptionally popular websites where the hosts had webcams up in their homes so people could watch their everyday lives. JenniCam started in 1996 and anacam in 1998. Both lifecasters have Wikipedia pages. Again, security cameras and webcams for lifecasting are two different things but they are both interior cameras showing the home, and it started in the 1990s.
I don't have any interior cameras (I have two exterior cameras), but I've thought about it. Why? Because when I'm on vacation, I like to make sure my house isn't burning down, or flooded. And living in a forest in the western US in an area prone to flooding, both of those are real possibilities.
posted by Meldanthral at 9:28 PM on August 4, 2024 [3 favorites]
I'm going to dispute this part. Granted, you are referring to security cameras, but JenniCam and anacam were two exceptionally popular websites where the hosts had webcams up in their homes so people could watch their everyday lives. JenniCam started in 1996 and anacam in 1998. Both lifecasters have Wikipedia pages. Again, security cameras and webcams for lifecasting are two different things but they are both interior cameras showing the home, and it started in the 1990s.
I don't have any interior cameras (I have two exterior cameras), but I've thought about it. Why? Because when I'm on vacation, I like to make sure my house isn't burning down, or flooded. And living in a forest in the western US in an area prone to flooding, both of those are real possibilities.
posted by Meldanthral at 9:28 PM on August 4, 2024 [3 favorites]
The “good ol’ days” era you seem obsessed with had significant higher crime rates (including burglary) than the present day across basically every urban area in the USA, so you might want to revisit your statement of “lived just fine without them” since it is basically untrue for the reasons people tend to get cameras in the first place.
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 9:53 PM on August 4, 2024 [13 favorites]
posted by Back At It Again At Krispy Kreme at 9:53 PM on August 4, 2024 [13 favorites]
Indoor cameras are cheap to buy and set up now. They were much harder to buy and set up fifteen years ago, before cloud services were commonplace, camera sensors have become both cheap and high quality, and everyone has an always-connected smartphone in their pocket where they can get notifications and pull up a live feed. People were not against the idea of indoor cameras, they just never had the option to buy them.
This is especially perturbing when it's at nice homes in nice suburban areas where there's a narrow/no chance of crime.
People who live in the nice suburban areas are often the ones who have the most stuff to lose and the most afraid of crime, regardless of the actual risk or rationality. "White flight" was huge in the 50s and 60s, but is still going on today, aided by cable TV news and social media.
posted by meowzilla at 10:58 PM on August 4, 2024 [8 favorites]
This is especially perturbing when it's at nice homes in nice suburban areas where there's a narrow/no chance of crime.
People who live in the nice suburban areas are often the ones who have the most stuff to lose and the most afraid of crime, regardless of the actual risk or rationality. "White flight" was huge in the 50s and 60s, but is still going on today, aided by cable TV news and social media.
posted by meowzilla at 10:58 PM on August 4, 2024 [8 favorites]
Where I live I know some people have them because there have been a lot of apartment break-ins. That way they have something they can give the police, they know what method the burglar took to get in, and sometimes they post the video to neighborhood groups so people can keep an eye out for the person if their face is visible or keep their 3rd-floor windows closed or whatever.
You know you can just ask your friends, right? Casually? Doesn't have to be a thing.
posted by trig at 12:08 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
You know you can just ask your friends, right? Casually? Doesn't have to be a thing.
posted by trig at 12:08 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
Also, back in the'90s cameras may not have been much of a thing but alarm systems with motion detectors absolutely were. I wonder if these days if you sign up with an alarm system company what they give you is a combined camera/motion detector. (Easy to look up if you're curious.)
posted by trig at 12:13 AM on August 5, 2024 [4 favorites]
posted by trig at 12:13 AM on August 5, 2024 [4 favorites]
Some of the companies that provide the cameras and service want you to have a camera inside placed in such a way that entrance/exit points are covered. Cameras had motion detectors and would send a notification to her phone. She could check snapshots of who entered or turn on full video to see what was happening, video was never on 24/7.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 12:24 AM on August 5, 2024
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 12:24 AM on August 5, 2024
If you "can turn it off and on remotely" rest assured so could someone else.
posted by Ardnamurchan at 2:15 AM on August 5, 2024 [11 favorites]
posted by Ardnamurchan at 2:15 AM on August 5, 2024 [11 favorites]
We have four or five security cameras in different rooms in our house. When they are turned off, the camera lens is completely covered and there’s no chance of accidentally filming/transmitting. 100% of the reason why we got them is to keep an eye on our cats when we’re not home, and since they are mounted it makes way more sense to leave them up rather than physically unscrew the mounts and remove them. We also find that while we initially used them for when we were on vacation, it’s really reassuring to be able to pop in and look at the cats any time we’re out of the house. Our cats are 16 and 12 and until recently we had a 14 year old cat as well. They have all had health issues as they aged and I love knowing that if they are in distress we can see that and come home, rather than only finding out they weren’t okay when we got back.
posted by kate blank at 3:45 AM on August 5, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by kate blank at 3:45 AM on August 5, 2024 [3 favorites]
I feel the same way as you do about cameras. I wouldn’t want them in my home. I housesit a lot and find it incredibly creepy to know that I might be being filmed going about my everyday life.
My guess as to why so many people are ok with this - you mention that you can’t feel at ease/truly like yourself when cameras are on. I suspect some people never really do - they’re always editing their behaviour for public viewing, even when they’re in private, and so cameras feel like less of a violation to them.
posted by wheatlets at 5:09 AM on August 5, 2024 [4 favorites]
My guess as to why so many people are ok with this - you mention that you can’t feel at ease/truly like yourself when cameras are on. I suspect some people never really do - they’re always editing their behaviour for public viewing, even when they’re in private, and so cameras feel like less of a violation to them.
posted by wheatlets at 5:09 AM on August 5, 2024 [4 favorites]
People have a warped sense of crime and safety. It seems they worry more about burglary and smash and grabs more than you and I worry about privacy being invaded, or crime coming from companies or the government. (I’m still shocked anyone uses a period tracking app or an Alexa type device at this point)
posted by raccoon409 at 5:10 AM on August 5, 2024 [14 favorites]
posted by raccoon409 at 5:10 AM on August 5, 2024 [14 favorites]
The only people I know who have cameras in their homes use them for watching their pets. Sure, some of it might be about having a way to check in to see if your pet is safe, but I think it's also that if you have 5 minutes of free time you can open up the app and see what cute thing your pet is doing.
posted by capricorn at 5:15 AM on August 5, 2024 [7 favorites]
posted by capricorn at 5:15 AM on August 5, 2024 [7 favorites]
Have you asked your friends with cameras?
I've worked with people who like to watch their dogs sleep on the couch all day. Also, babies.
posted by betweenthebars at 5:41 AM on August 5, 2024 [2 favorites]
I've worked with people who like to watch their dogs sleep on the couch all day. Also, babies.
posted by betweenthebars at 5:41 AM on August 5, 2024 [2 favorites]
Dogs.
I like to watch my dogs. When in away or when I'm in another room.
I just last night confirmed a new weird dog behavior with an inside camera that I've been unable to catch in person .
The outside cameras are 90% for me to see what the dogs are barking at and 10% security.
posted by phunniemee at 5:43 AM on August 5, 2024 [4 favorites]
I like to watch my dogs. When in away or when I'm in another room.
I just last night confirmed a new weird dog behavior with an inside camera that I've been unable to catch in person .
The outside cameras are 90% for me to see what the dogs are barking at and 10% security.
posted by phunniemee at 5:43 AM on August 5, 2024 [4 favorites]
Well, to counter your basic premise - to my knowledge, I have never been inside a home/apartment with an interior camera, so this may be less common than you think. But I'm in agreement with you that the level of home security these days is more rooted in paranoia (amped up by advertising) than need. And I say this as someone whose childhood home got robbed at least twice - my parents still don't have any security system. Their attitude (as is mine -I've also had two of my apartments broken into) is that whatever value of things rarely stolen might be, is far lower than the cost of a security system.
posted by coffeecat at 6:01 AM on August 5, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by coffeecat at 6:01 AM on August 5, 2024 [3 favorites]
Actually, that might be part of the reason - a lot of the equipment these days is much cheaper than it used to be and I think a lot of people don't pay for service subscriptions.
posted by trig at 6:04 AM on August 5, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by trig at 6:04 AM on August 5, 2024 [2 favorites]
I've noticed that many of my friends have cameras in their homes, such as in their kitchens/living rooms. I personally find it super creepy and can't feel at ease/feel truly like myself when there are cameras inside people's homes.
Also, you can just. Like. Talk to people. If I had someone over and they were like "the cameras freak me out," and weren't comfy about it even if I clarified they're live view only, I'd turn them to the wall. No problem. They're my friends, I'd want them comfortable in my home.
posted by phunniemee at 6:11 AM on August 5, 2024 [5 favorites]
Also, you can just. Like. Talk to people. If I had someone over and they were like "the cameras freak me out," and weren't comfy about it even if I clarified they're live view only, I'd turn them to the wall. No problem. They're my friends, I'd want them comfortable in my home.
posted by phunniemee at 6:11 AM on August 5, 2024 [5 favorites]
I have anxiety and a cat. When I travel, I have a cat sitter drop in once a day but that still means the cat's alone for a good stretch of time (which she prefers to having a cat sitter in her space but stresses me out). I have a couple cameras that can pan to her favorite sleeping spots and her food/water situation so I can check in when I travel and make sure everything's okay. The cameras aren't on all the time. I turn them on, make sure everything looks good, turn them off again.
posted by Babytown Frolics at 6:12 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by Babytown Frolics at 6:12 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
Re big brother, it is worth keeping in mind that not all cameras are created equal. We keep a baby monitor (and actually we do mostly use it for noise, but being able to glance at the situation from the monitor is way less disruptive than poking our heads in). It does not connect to any internet. It does not record. The camera feed cannot be accessed from a phone app or computer or from any device other than the receiver that came with it, and its range is barely outside the walls of our home.
posted by solotoro at 6:23 AM on August 5, 2024
posted by solotoro at 6:23 AM on August 5, 2024
Insurance. They probably got renters insurance or home owner insurance and they were told that with cameras their rates would be much lower.
They may be aware that if they have a burglary or a fire or a flood they can send the footage to the cops, electronically, because without the footage the cops won't file a report, let alone anything like coming out to the house. No footage, no report, no crime, no insurance payout. You want to prove that the flood came from an apartment somewhere above yours and was not your fault? Footage of sheets of water streaming from your ceiling is necessary to prove it.
Tech creep. Everyone else has a system, and it is so cool and so useful to be able to change your thermostat settings remotely, and open your garage door, and start a kitchen fire by telling Alexa to turn the heat on under an empty pot, and have your front door unlock itself to let the Amazon delivery person bring their packages inside! But if they didn't have a good indoor camera and AI assistant system, they wouldn't be able to bring hook ups home because their date would take one look, sneer and walk out on them. But they have the latest version and this PROVES they are successful!
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:37 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
They may be aware that if they have a burglary or a fire or a flood they can send the footage to the cops, electronically, because without the footage the cops won't file a report, let alone anything like coming out to the house. No footage, no report, no crime, no insurance payout. You want to prove that the flood came from an apartment somewhere above yours and was not your fault? Footage of sheets of water streaming from your ceiling is necessary to prove it.
Tech creep. Everyone else has a system, and it is so cool and so useful to be able to change your thermostat settings remotely, and open your garage door, and start a kitchen fire by telling Alexa to turn the heat on under an empty pot, and have your front door unlock itself to let the Amazon delivery person bring their packages inside! But if they didn't have a good indoor camera and AI assistant system, they wouldn't be able to bring hook ups home because their date would take one look, sneer and walk out on them. But they have the latest version and this PROVES they are successful!
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:37 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
I can't think of anyone I know who has interior cameras, so I do wonder if some of this is a specific location/culture/income bracket/whatever situation.
But for what it's worth,, there was a time where if I lived alone I would have had a camera or two specifically for checking in on the cats when I'm away, pointed somewhere it wouldn't be a huge deal if somehow one did get hacked. Having had a pet die while I was on vacation sticks with me and makes me somewhat anxious about them, and it would be nice to be able to check in once in a while and see everyone alive and well. I never did set up cameras, though, because I didn't want my partner or visitors to ever have to worry about unknowingly being on camera.
And these days, if I really felt like I needed that, I could get an upgrade to the microchip-enabled cat feeders that would tell me which specific cats were eating and when, so I could have my 'proof of life' in a much less potentially invasive way. (Still hackable, sure, but honestly it's hard for me to imagine what dastardly deed someone could do hacking into the records of when my cats eat. Probably the worst they could do is disable the feeder, and I always have a spare food dish out when I travel in case of feeder malfunction, so that wouldn't be a big deal.)
posted by Stacey at 6:50 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
But for what it's worth,, there was a time where if I lived alone I would have had a camera or two specifically for checking in on the cats when I'm away, pointed somewhere it wouldn't be a huge deal if somehow one did get hacked. Having had a pet die while I was on vacation sticks with me and makes me somewhat anxious about them, and it would be nice to be able to check in once in a while and see everyone alive and well. I never did set up cameras, though, because I didn't want my partner or visitors to ever have to worry about unknowingly being on camera.
And these days, if I really felt like I needed that, I could get an upgrade to the microchip-enabled cat feeders that would tell me which specific cats were eating and when, so I could have my 'proof of life' in a much less potentially invasive way. (Still hackable, sure, but honestly it's hard for me to imagine what dastardly deed someone could do hacking into the records of when my cats eat. Probably the worst they could do is disable the feeder, and I always have a spare food dish out when I travel in case of feeder malfunction, so that wouldn't be a big deal.)
posted by Stacey at 6:50 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
Beyond the "watch the pets while at work" factor...
We put our cameras up after we got burgled. I have deliberately kept them out of the inside of the house, and have specific blind regions in the back yard, but boy that sense of "my space has been invaded and I have no recourse" made it super tempting to put up interior cameras.
Even with the exterior cameras we have up, I don't know how much we'd have to go on of we got burgled again, but... I'm pretty easy going about a lot of things, and it's really hard to capture and communicate the way I thought about my home before and after the burglary. If I weren't as conscious of the issues of the surveillance state and creeping public/private intersection and the fact that every camera is also a vulnerability point, I could have totally seen going with a few interior cameras.
posted by straw at 7:09 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
We put our cameras up after we got burgled. I have deliberately kept them out of the inside of the house, and have specific blind regions in the back yard, but boy that sense of "my space has been invaded and I have no recourse" made it super tempting to put up interior cameras.
Even with the exterior cameras we have up, I don't know how much we'd have to go on of we got burgled again, but... I'm pretty easy going about a lot of things, and it's really hard to capture and communicate the way I thought about my home before and after the burglary. If I weren't as conscious of the issues of the surveillance state and creeping public/private intersection and the fact that every camera is also a vulnerability point, I could have totally seen going with a few interior cameras.
posted by straw at 7:09 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
I feel like most people are not addressing the part I am also wondering about...do people who have cameras simply forget about them? Don't feel like they're being watched? Don't worry about scratching their genitals, etc, or that someone will be able to data breach the footage and learn about them, spy on them, etc?
What are the things about modern surveillance tech that put their minds at ease about these concerns? Please don't belittle these concerns if they don't concern you, but it seemed central to the question and I could have written this question word for word so I'm curious.
posted by tiny frying pan at 7:14 AM on August 5, 2024 [3 favorites]
What are the things about modern surveillance tech that put their minds at ease about these concerns? Please don't belittle these concerns if they don't concern you, but it seemed central to the question and I could have written this question word for word so I'm curious.
posted by tiny frying pan at 7:14 AM on August 5, 2024 [3 favorites]
I don't think this is as common as you think. I've only met one person with cameras inside their home, and it was to make sure their cat was getting along with their new kitten.
I share your feelings about surveillance, but I considered buying indoor and outdoor cameras a few months ago because my property manager had a guy working on the apartment next to mine and he made me uncomfortable. Since he knew where I lived and my schedule, and could possibly get a key to my apartment from the property manager if he really wanted, I was worried he might try to get into my home. I live alone and definitely couldn't defend myself if someone wanted to harm me. It was a really scary time.
I ended up getting one of those door security bars instead after a friend pointed out that a camera wouldn't protect me from harm, just document it, so that the police, famously invested in the safety of poor Black people like myself, could surely do a thorough investigation and stop at nothing to bring the criminal to justice. But I really can't overstate how upsetting it was to be so scared in my home all the time. I would've sacrificed a lot to not feel that way anymore.
posted by birthday cake at 7:23 AM on August 5, 2024 [7 favorites]
I share your feelings about surveillance, but I considered buying indoor and outdoor cameras a few months ago because my property manager had a guy working on the apartment next to mine and he made me uncomfortable. Since he knew where I lived and my schedule, and could possibly get a key to my apartment from the property manager if he really wanted, I was worried he might try to get into my home. I live alone and definitely couldn't defend myself if someone wanted to harm me. It was a really scary time.
I ended up getting one of those door security bars instead after a friend pointed out that a camera wouldn't protect me from harm, just document it, so that the police, famously invested in the safety of poor Black people like myself, could surely do a thorough investigation and stop at nothing to bring the criminal to justice. But I really can't overstate how upsetting it was to be so scared in my home all the time. I would've sacrificed a lot to not feel that way anymore.
posted by birthday cake at 7:23 AM on August 5, 2024 [7 favorites]
We have interior cameras. Have had them since we had kids. They do not record 24/7. They are basically motion detectors that record when "armed" and triggered. I am 100% certain this is the case as they use aa batteries and would die in days if they constantly big bothered us. Basically we have 2 zones. Humans live here and elsewhere (outside, patio, garage etc). The former group never arms unless we're gone all day or on vacation, and is strictly manually armed. The latter arms ever night at 11pm and turns off at 7am. We live in a nice safe neighborhood. We have had stuff disappear, car doors tested, stuff stolen from neighbors etc. So that's why outside. Why inside? 1. See previous sentence. Escalation isn't unreasonable. If someone checks our car handle every night and after a few days realizes we aren't home... And 2. Pets. For long days or when. Having pet sitters we can keep an eye on our home (crazy things happen, tree branches break windows, hail storms etc etc... It's just a nice bit of comfort.
So, perhaps as a method to address, next time make it idle conversation... Oh I see you have cameras. I'm not sure I could have those inside my home, what are you thoughts? Is there a brand you might recommend? (if you asked me like this I'd definitely tell you about them not recording and show you the app confirming that and then tell some more specific stories about why we got them... Spoiler, zero hypotheticals in my entire answer....)
posted by chasles at 7:32 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
So, perhaps as a method to address, next time make it idle conversation... Oh I see you have cameras. I'm not sure I could have those inside my home, what are you thoughts? Is there a brand you might recommend? (if you asked me like this I'd definitely tell you about them not recording and show you the app confirming that and then tell some more specific stories about why we got them... Spoiler, zero hypotheticals in my entire answer....)
posted by chasles at 7:32 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
Are you sure the cameras are plugged in/powered? I have a pet camera and I just unplug it when I come home. This is particularly likely to be true if the camera is in a conspicuous location, which they likely are if you’re noticing them. Always plugged in cameras are often tucked away in a more hidden way. More visible cameras are more likely to be ones that are only in use when people are away.
posted by brook horse at 7:35 AM on August 5, 2024
posted by brook horse at 7:35 AM on August 5, 2024
I think I'm the target audience for this question - I have two cloud-based cameras in my main living spaces (used for watching my dog, who has a history of separation anxiety; peace of mind on vacation; and sometimes just plain laziness to answer questions like "wait, did we close the back door?") as well as a not-internet-connected video baby monitor.
Here are some of the axes on which I think about privacy and the ways that I address those:
-my privacy from strangers: I'm well aware that a motivated bad actor could potentially view the video feed from my cloud-based cameras. Like so many other risks in life (someone driving onto the sidewalk and hitting me, for example), I'm aware they exist and it would suck if it happened but just don't spend that much time thinking about it. If someone does do that, that's on them - and I'm honestly not all that worried about what they could do with a video of me picking my nose or nursing my child, I guess.
-my guests' privacy from me: when guests stay independently at my house, I tell them exactly where all the cameras are and that they're welcome to unplug them (they have no battery backup). Sometimes they want to keep them on (if someone is staying here independently, it's because they're dogsitting) but that's their call. For short-term guests visiting or staying here while I'm also here, I don't think privacy from me is too big a concern because I'm already physically there in the shared spaces where the camera is, but if they did voice something, I would not have an issue with unplugging the camera temporarily. I don't have any cameras in sleep spaces or bathrooms or anything weird like that.
-my child's privacy from me: this is one I have started thinking about for the future; I think it's healthy for my kid getting the space to make choices and take risks independently without learning that everything is always being watched or can be played back. That's a concern for when he's older, though; right now he doesn't even understand that we're separate people yet. And for now, the video monitor gives me more information to determine "is this the sound of active sleep or is he awake?" than an audio-only monitor would.
posted by mosst at 7:49 AM on August 5, 2024
Here are some of the axes on which I think about privacy and the ways that I address those:
-my privacy from strangers: I'm well aware that a motivated bad actor could potentially view the video feed from my cloud-based cameras. Like so many other risks in life (someone driving onto the sidewalk and hitting me, for example), I'm aware they exist and it would suck if it happened but just don't spend that much time thinking about it. If someone does do that, that's on them - and I'm honestly not all that worried about what they could do with a video of me picking my nose or nursing my child, I guess.
-my guests' privacy from me: when guests stay independently at my house, I tell them exactly where all the cameras are and that they're welcome to unplug them (they have no battery backup). Sometimes they want to keep them on (if someone is staying here independently, it's because they're dogsitting) but that's their call. For short-term guests visiting or staying here while I'm also here, I don't think privacy from me is too big a concern because I'm already physically there in the shared spaces where the camera is, but if they did voice something, I would not have an issue with unplugging the camera temporarily. I don't have any cameras in sleep spaces or bathrooms or anything weird like that.
-my child's privacy from me: this is one I have started thinking about for the future; I think it's healthy for my kid getting the space to make choices and take risks independently without learning that everything is always being watched or can be played back. That's a concern for when he's older, though; right now he doesn't even understand that we're separate people yet. And for now, the video monitor gives me more information to determine "is this the sound of active sleep or is he awake?" than an audio-only monitor would.
posted by mosst at 7:49 AM on August 5, 2024
Oh, there's also my partner's privacy from me (and vice versa) - honestly, I don't really think about this one much; if my partner is using cameras to check up on my in a malicious way (they aren't), we have bigger problems than the camera itself. And I have no issue with my partner checking the cameras to answer non-invasive questions like "is she home?" or "did she forget the diaper bag at home or at the place?" (I've used the camera to answer the latter question several times recently, oops).
posted by mosst at 7:56 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by mosst at 7:56 AM on August 5, 2024 [1 favorite]
I have cameras in my kids' rooms and in my living room. They're amazing, I love them, and they save me a TON of energy. I don't sit there staring at my kids all day. But the cameras mean:
- If someone makes a weird noise (constantly), i just open the app and glance to see what's going on. I don't have to get up myself or fully stop what I'm doing. It changes my supervision task to a 5 second interruption in my work instead of a 5 minute interruption in my work.
- Last night after the kids' bedtime, I got to chatting with a neighbour so I turned on my camera app like a baby monitor and tucked it near me so I could hear if the kids woke up. We were chatting on the other side of the yard so I wouldn't have physically been able to hear the kids if they called me. And the kids were indeed asleep so I got to enjoy a very pleasant impromptu hourlong chitchat with absolutely no worries or guilt.
- I peek in when I have a new babysitter, less to surveil and more to hear if anyone is freaking out. I don't care about the minutia of what they're doing, and I can barely hear what they're saying. I just want to know if anyone is shrieking in misery - especially when my kids were really small and I was new at leaving them.
- My husband hollered that he had to step outside yesterday for a minute while I was upstairs and our toddler was in the living room. I don't like leaving toddler "alone" for that long so I turned on the camera. Kiddo was actually out of my sight behind a corner but I could hear calm happy babbling so I knew there was a stuffie tea party happening and all was well, which allowed me to finish a task without a chaos engine slowing me down, and gave kiddo some safe time for self-directed play.
- My kid flops around when sleeping so I peek a few times a night because I don't like when kiddo sleeps mushed up against the bedrail. But if I open the door to check, the sound might wake the kid. So the camera means I can look with zero risk of waking kiddo.
- A male family friend was in town and I don't know him super well and wanted to be sure I trusted him so I peeked in a few times when he was over.
So far from "surveilling" my kids, the cameras actually let me quickly peek in without breaking the kids' flow, and then decide NOT to intervene. My kids are little (3 and 6) and can play alone for 15-30 minutes BUT can also cause a shitstorm or sneak out of the house or other stupid shit like that, so if I didn't have cameras I would NEVER get a moment's peace without them in line of sight. When we're all home, I probably look in at my kids about 15 times a day which is 5 trips up and down the stairs I don't have to take and 5 times hollering "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, EVERYTHING OK DOWN THERE?" and 5 times risking waking someone up.
The cameras are amazing, I love them, they make my kids safer, the moments I'm not checking in allow the kids to practice feeling independent and playing "alone" for short periods, and, most blessedly, they let me have some precious moments to multitask. They save me a TON of energy, time, guilt, and distraction!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 8:00 AM on August 5, 2024 [5 favorites]
- If someone makes a weird noise (constantly), i just open the app and glance to see what's going on. I don't have to get up myself or fully stop what I'm doing. It changes my supervision task to a 5 second interruption in my work instead of a 5 minute interruption in my work.
- Last night after the kids' bedtime, I got to chatting with a neighbour so I turned on my camera app like a baby monitor and tucked it near me so I could hear if the kids woke up. We were chatting on the other side of the yard so I wouldn't have physically been able to hear the kids if they called me. And the kids were indeed asleep so I got to enjoy a very pleasant impromptu hourlong chitchat with absolutely no worries or guilt.
- I peek in when I have a new babysitter, less to surveil and more to hear if anyone is freaking out. I don't care about the minutia of what they're doing, and I can barely hear what they're saying. I just want to know if anyone is shrieking in misery - especially when my kids were really small and I was new at leaving them.
- My husband hollered that he had to step outside yesterday for a minute while I was upstairs and our toddler was in the living room. I don't like leaving toddler "alone" for that long so I turned on the camera. Kiddo was actually out of my sight behind a corner but I could hear calm happy babbling so I knew there was a stuffie tea party happening and all was well, which allowed me to finish a task without a chaos engine slowing me down, and gave kiddo some safe time for self-directed play.
- My kid flops around when sleeping so I peek a few times a night because I don't like when kiddo sleeps mushed up against the bedrail. But if I open the door to check, the sound might wake the kid. So the camera means I can look with zero risk of waking kiddo.
- A male family friend was in town and I don't know him super well and wanted to be sure I trusted him so I peeked in a few times when he was over.
So far from "surveilling" my kids, the cameras actually let me quickly peek in without breaking the kids' flow, and then decide NOT to intervene. My kids are little (3 and 6) and can play alone for 15-30 minutes BUT can also cause a shitstorm or sneak out of the house or other stupid shit like that, so if I didn't have cameras I would NEVER get a moment's peace without them in line of sight. When we're all home, I probably look in at my kids about 15 times a day which is 5 trips up and down the stairs I don't have to take and 5 times hollering "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, EVERYTHING OK DOWN THERE?" and 5 times risking waking someone up.
The cameras are amazing, I love them, they make my kids safer, the moments I'm not checking in allow the kids to practice feeling independent and playing "alone" for short periods, and, most blessedly, they let me have some precious moments to multitask. They save me a TON of energy, time, guilt, and distraction!
posted by nouvelle-personne at 8:00 AM on August 5, 2024 [5 favorites]
I just put one in because pets. We have a cat that opens doors, so I set one up that watches the front door. It can't see anything other than the front and garage doors. It has to be physically pointed in another direction to see anything else. The required app has settings to monitor pet, human or other motion and I set it to only monitor pet motion. So far he hasn't tried the door since I put it in but you never know. He's so quiet and stopped singing of his success when I kept catching him so this was what I came up with.
It's not the only thing we're trying. He has an outside play pen he uses twice a day and a bright orange collar in case he really does make an escape. But I wanted eyes on the door when I'm in another room or away from the house.
posted by fiercekitten at 8:06 AM on August 5, 2024
It's not the only thing we're trying. He has an outside play pen he uses twice a day and a bright orange collar in case he really does make an escape. But I wanted eyes on the door when I'm in another room or away from the house.
posted by fiercekitten at 8:06 AM on August 5, 2024
I had an Abode alarm system with a glass breaking alarm. It doesn't call police/fire, it calls you. I had it go off while I was at work and raced home to see what the emergency was. Cat knocked a coffee cup off the counter. So after that I got a camera and connected it to the alarm with ITTT so I could check what the emergency was. Have since disconnected both but it took me years to get around to removing the camera. Just take a cruise on Nextdoor if you think nice areas don't have burglary, breakins, peeping toms, etc.
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:13 AM on August 5, 2024
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:13 AM on August 5, 2024
From Ring's terms of service:
Ring will only provide video content in response to a valid search warrant or with the verified consent of the account owner. When seeking video content, it is highly recommended that the search warrant include the MAC ID for the device associated with the video ( see “Finding the Device MAC ID” in these guidelines for instructions). This is the fastest and most reliable way for us to identify the correct account and locate the video sought. If the MAC ID is unavailable, we may be able to search by email address, name, street address, and/or telephone number. Please note, however, that responding to these requests may require additional time. We recommend including as many of the above identifying items as possible in the event you do not have the device’s MAC ID.
The search warrant should also include the date(s), time(s) and time zone of the requested video(s).
In general, Ring has access to videos only if the user has a current Ring Protect plan subscription that was in place at the time of the event. The subscription allows Ring to retain such videos for no longer than 180 days. At any time during the retention period a user may delete a video. As such, depending on the date at issue and whether a user deleted a video or videos, it is possible that Ring will not have access to any videos even if the user is a current Ring Protect plan subscriber.
I'm not making this shit up to amuse myself.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:43 AM on August 5, 2024 [3 favorites]
Ring will only provide video content in response to a valid search warrant or with the verified consent of the account owner. When seeking video content, it is highly recommended that the search warrant include the MAC ID for the device associated with the video ( see “Finding the Device MAC ID” in these guidelines for instructions). This is the fastest and most reliable way for us to identify the correct account and locate the video sought. If the MAC ID is unavailable, we may be able to search by email address, name, street address, and/or telephone number. Please note, however, that responding to these requests may require additional time. We recommend including as many of the above identifying items as possible in the event you do not have the device’s MAC ID.
The search warrant should also include the date(s), time(s) and time zone of the requested video(s).
In general, Ring has access to videos only if the user has a current Ring Protect plan subscription that was in place at the time of the event. The subscription allows Ring to retain such videos for no longer than 180 days. At any time during the retention period a user may delete a video. As such, depending on the date at issue and whether a user deleted a video or videos, it is possible that Ring will not have access to any videos even if the user is a current Ring Protect plan subscriber.
I'm not making this shit up to amuse myself.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:43 AM on August 5, 2024 [3 favorites]
I got one to be able to see the kitchen counter and catch my cat on it, to break him of the habit, which like 99% worked. We ended up moving it to the room where the cats' automatic feeders are but where we only pass through but keeping it off the vast majority of time *except* when we are travelling and turn it on just to peep in on the cats at mealtime. I basically only have it now because I miss my cats when I travel and want to see them - though one time it helped us to figure out that one of our cats had closed herself in a room because she didn't show up for mealtime so we were able to alert the cat sitter of that.
There's not even any video storage set up on our camera - it's purely streaming, locked on a separate network from my main network and with two-factor authentication to get into it.
But I feel the same way as you do about cameras in living spaces and also any smart devices like Alexa that listen. No thanks. I'm not convinced about having them for security purposes because it's not like they deter crime - they just record it going down so, what, maybe the cops can pretend to take it a little more seriously and still do nothing about it? Meh.
posted by urbanlenny at 8:44 AM on August 5, 2024
There's not even any video storage set up on our camera - it's purely streaming, locked on a separate network from my main network and with two-factor authentication to get into it.
But I feel the same way as you do about cameras in living spaces and also any smart devices like Alexa that listen. No thanks. I'm not convinced about having them for security purposes because it's not like they deter crime - they just record it going down so, what, maybe the cops can pretend to take it a little more seriously and still do nothing about it? Meh.
posted by urbanlenny at 8:44 AM on August 5, 2024
>do people who have cameras simply forget about them? Don't feel like they're being watched? Don't worry about scratching their genitals, etc, or that someone will be able to data breach the footage and learn about them, spy on them, etc?
Yeah. I totally don't care. I don't have cameras in any rooms that I'm habitually naked in. My cameras do occasionally see me naked or doing something a bit uncouth but for every normal lady who scratches her butt (me) I know there are HUNDREDS of other people who are much more interesting than me (celebs, athletes, politicians, adult entertainment stars, etc) and many of them are doing MUCH weirder, more titillating, or more scandalous stuff than little old me.
So I know where the cameras are and I don't go OUT OF MY WAY to do nude or weird things in front of my cameras, but I also definitely don't try hard to hide anything and I'm fine if the cameras (or my husband) gets a brief incidental glance at me living like a normal human with a body.
When people are at my house, including sitters, I tell them where the cameras are (consent) and toss a tissue over the living room camera, flip it to the wall, or unplug it, if it's not actively being used to watch the kids. And when we give a babysitter camera access occasionally, I'm careful of what the camera sees because I'm an employer and it's her workplace.
But otherwise I just absolutely have decided not to care. I have a normal boring human body and I do normal boring human things sometimes. Even if someone put it on a billboard in Times Square it honestly wouldn't be that interesting or scandalous. Guarantee that everything I do, you all do too.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:24 AM on August 5, 2024
Yeah. I totally don't care. I don't have cameras in any rooms that I'm habitually naked in. My cameras do occasionally see me naked or doing something a bit uncouth but for every normal lady who scratches her butt (me) I know there are HUNDREDS of other people who are much more interesting than me (celebs, athletes, politicians, adult entertainment stars, etc) and many of them are doing MUCH weirder, more titillating, or more scandalous stuff than little old me.
So I know where the cameras are and I don't go OUT OF MY WAY to do nude or weird things in front of my cameras, but I also definitely don't try hard to hide anything and I'm fine if the cameras (or my husband) gets a brief incidental glance at me living like a normal human with a body.
When people are at my house, including sitters, I tell them where the cameras are (consent) and toss a tissue over the living room camera, flip it to the wall, or unplug it, if it's not actively being used to watch the kids. And when we give a babysitter camera access occasionally, I'm careful of what the camera sees because I'm an employer and it's her workplace.
But otherwise I just absolutely have decided not to care. I have a normal boring human body and I do normal boring human things sometimes. Even if someone put it on a billboard in Times Square it honestly wouldn't be that interesting or scandalous. Guarantee that everything I do, you all do too.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 9:24 AM on August 5, 2024
Response by poster: You know you can just ask your friends, right? Casually? Doesn't have to be a thing.
Have you asked your friends with cameras?
Also, you can just. Like. Talk to people. If I had someone over and they were like "the cameras freak me out," and weren't comfy about it even if I clarified they're live view only, I'd turn them to the wall. No problem. They're my friends, I'd want them comfortable in my home.
Yes, I have asked my friends. Their answers ranged from pets/children safety to crime/safety, similar to some of the answers here. I wanted to get a wider range of answers coming from different parts of the world. :)
Interesting perspectives. As a Deaf person (and yes, most of my friends are Deaf as well), having interior cameras might be beneficial if I'm off on vacation and wanted to make sure water wasn't running, for example, or to make sure my pet didn't accidentally turn on the kitchen sink or stove or something (if I had a pet). However, it's still creepy AF to me, especially with the use of them in bedrooms, and that would be a hard no. When I lived at a house for a while, I went on a tour before signing the lease. When I visited, I noticed cameras in the living room and the bedroom I was going to stay in. As I knew the landlords personally, I talked with them and they removed the cameras completely, but kept the exterior entrance, garage, and front door landing cameras on, which I was fine with. I didn't spend much time in those areas, so it didn't affect me. I didn't have access to those cameras' footage, though. I think they had the camera on in the bedroom to make sure other tenants didn't enter the (vacant) bedroom to steal anything. Kind of a bit extreme, but oh well.
I still kind of struggle with the idea of taking advantage of certain convenient technology, especially if we lived in a period of time that those technologies weren't available, yet we lived through them just fine; however, I can understand a lot of people preferring cameras/other technologies out of convenience or pure laziness. It's human nature to want to find shortcuts/the easy way, IMHO, and I do that myself, in other ways.
If I had it my way, I'd probably add exterior cameras and only have them turn on when someone/something came up, and more likely to do so if I lived in a rougher area. Otherwise, no cameras, but might set something ad hoc to watch the kitchen area when I'm on vacation just to be safe.
posted by dubious_dude at 10:15 AM on August 5, 2024
Have you asked your friends with cameras?
Also, you can just. Like. Talk to people. If I had someone over and they were like "the cameras freak me out," and weren't comfy about it even if I clarified they're live view only, I'd turn them to the wall. No problem. They're my friends, I'd want them comfortable in my home.
Yes, I have asked my friends. Their answers ranged from pets/children safety to crime/safety, similar to some of the answers here. I wanted to get a wider range of answers coming from different parts of the world. :)
Interesting perspectives. As a Deaf person (and yes, most of my friends are Deaf as well), having interior cameras might be beneficial if I'm off on vacation and wanted to make sure water wasn't running, for example, or to make sure my pet didn't accidentally turn on the kitchen sink or stove or something (if I had a pet). However, it's still creepy AF to me, especially with the use of them in bedrooms, and that would be a hard no. When I lived at a house for a while, I went on a tour before signing the lease. When I visited, I noticed cameras in the living room and the bedroom I was going to stay in. As I knew the landlords personally, I talked with them and they removed the cameras completely, but kept the exterior entrance, garage, and front door landing cameras on, which I was fine with. I didn't spend much time in those areas, so it didn't affect me. I didn't have access to those cameras' footage, though. I think they had the camera on in the bedroom to make sure other tenants didn't enter the (vacant) bedroom to steal anything. Kind of a bit extreme, but oh well.
I still kind of struggle with the idea of taking advantage of certain convenient technology, especially if we lived in a period of time that those technologies weren't available, yet we lived through them just fine; however, I can understand a lot of people preferring cameras/other technologies out of convenience or pure laziness. It's human nature to want to find shortcuts/the easy way, IMHO, and I do that myself, in other ways.
If I had it my way, I'd probably add exterior cameras and only have them turn on when someone/something came up, and more likely to do so if I lived in a rougher area. Otherwise, no cameras, but might set something ad hoc to watch the kitchen area when I'm on vacation just to be safe.
posted by dubious_dude at 10:15 AM on August 5, 2024
As a public defender I would rather cut off a pinky than have interior cameras in my house. But I think most people don’t realize how easy it is for these devices to be used against them. People also put them up to guard against cheating, or to monitor children’s behavior.
posted by corb at 10:25 AM on August 5, 2024 [6 favorites]
posted by corb at 10:25 AM on August 5, 2024 [6 favorites]
Just this morning I watched a cartoon on TikTok where one stick figure guy was bragging to the other that he was a genius. Why? He installed interior cameras, including one facing the couch. Again, why? The next time they lose the remote, they can just rewind the camera recording to see where they put the phone down!
Ostensibly, this could work for people who are constantly losing their keys, phone, glasses, etc. It's silly, and I don't know how likely it is that anyone but the cartoonist would think of that.
The people I know who have these cameras primarily have them for three reasons:
* watching their pets from work (as a calming sort of entertainment)
* watching their tween/teen kids to make sure nobody's having people over if they shouldn't, or that the kids aren't endangering themselves. A quick, "Stop jumping on the glass table" phone call does wonders.
* monitoring their elderly parent(s) in the parents' or their home in case of falls or increase in dangerous dementia-related behavior. Sometimes, you can't tell what's going on unless you see a wider variety of behaviors; lots of elderly parents of my clients have asked for his, because they like someone they know/love being able to check on them, as if they were in the next room.
Other reasons why I imagine see it being useful (from the owner's perspective):
* catching your little kid or pet doing something funny and worthy of displaying on TikTok or FB or IG or wherever people put those things
* monitoring a new baby sitter or house sitter or pet sitter to feel comfortable with their activities
* looking for signs of ghost activity (I mean, not me, but if you're the sort of person who thinks you've got poltergeists, you'd want to catch them in the act, no?)
* to make sure your landlord wasn't coming in when you were at work
* to make sure your mother-in-law wasn't coming in while you were at work and snooping, moving things around, etc. (In the 1950s, my mother's father-in-law used to come in when she was elsewhere, and he'd rearrange the furniture! She'd have loved this kind of technology.)
* I recently read that people with schizo-affective disorders may have visual hallucinations but (intriguingly) when they look at the same space through their phone cameras, they do not see the hallucination. If that's true, cameras (and the ability to play things back) might offer a comfort.
* to monitor a household member who sleepwalks or otherwise has experiences they cannot recall, like seizures to help log occurrences for the doctor.
I've been a victim of crime twice in the past year, both times with my car in my parking lot and there's no way for me to point a camera there, or I would. When I lived on the ground floor in a previous city, had these cameras been affordable in the 90s I absolutely would have had them to catch the peeper/creeper who kept trying to get into my apartment.
As for your baby comment, OP, my friend's baby was a preemie and only out of the NICU a week when he stopped breathing. A noise-only monitor would not have caught that during his nap, but because my friend has a video camera monitor, she immediately saw him struggling, sprinted to his bedroom, called 911, and was able to do infant CPR until the paramedics got there.
Some people care a lot more about privacy (vs. safety, or other things) than others. I care more about safety than privacy for myself. Yes, cameras could be hacked, but as long as I don't have one in my bathroom, I'd be a lot more worried about someone accessing things I'm writing on the computer/internet than things I'm doing in my house. Each person's mileage may vary.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 4:53 PM on August 5, 2024
Ostensibly, this could work for people who are constantly losing their keys, phone, glasses, etc. It's silly, and I don't know how likely it is that anyone but the cartoonist would think of that.
The people I know who have these cameras primarily have them for three reasons:
* watching their pets from work (as a calming sort of entertainment)
* watching their tween/teen kids to make sure nobody's having people over if they shouldn't, or that the kids aren't endangering themselves. A quick, "Stop jumping on the glass table" phone call does wonders.
* monitoring their elderly parent(s) in the parents' or their home in case of falls or increase in dangerous dementia-related behavior. Sometimes, you can't tell what's going on unless you see a wider variety of behaviors; lots of elderly parents of my clients have asked for his, because they like someone they know/love being able to check on them, as if they were in the next room.
Other reasons why I imagine see it being useful (from the owner's perspective):
* catching your little kid or pet doing something funny and worthy of displaying on TikTok or FB or IG or wherever people put those things
* monitoring a new baby sitter or house sitter or pet sitter to feel comfortable with their activities
* looking for signs of ghost activity (I mean, not me, but if you're the sort of person who thinks you've got poltergeists, you'd want to catch them in the act, no?)
* to make sure your landlord wasn't coming in when you were at work
* to make sure your mother-in-law wasn't coming in while you were at work and snooping, moving things around, etc. (In the 1950s, my mother's father-in-law used to come in when she was elsewhere, and he'd rearrange the furniture! She'd have loved this kind of technology.)
* I recently read that people with schizo-affective disorders may have visual hallucinations but (intriguingly) when they look at the same space through their phone cameras, they do not see the hallucination. If that's true, cameras (and the ability to play things back) might offer a comfort.
* to monitor a household member who sleepwalks or otherwise has experiences they cannot recall, like seizures to help log occurrences for the doctor.
I've been a victim of crime twice in the past year, both times with my car in my parking lot and there's no way for me to point a camera there, or I would. When I lived on the ground floor in a previous city, had these cameras been affordable in the 90s I absolutely would have had them to catch the peeper/creeper who kept trying to get into my apartment.
As for your baby comment, OP, my friend's baby was a preemie and only out of the NICU a week when he stopped breathing. A noise-only monitor would not have caught that during his nap, but because my friend has a video camera monitor, she immediately saw him struggling, sprinted to his bedroom, called 911, and was able to do infant CPR until the paramedics got there.
Some people care a lot more about privacy (vs. safety, or other things) than others. I care more about safety than privacy for myself. Yes, cameras could be hacked, but as long as I don't have one in my bathroom, I'd be a lot more worried about someone accessing things I'm writing on the computer/internet than things I'm doing in my house. Each person's mileage may vary.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 4:53 PM on August 5, 2024
Different attitudes toward privacy, maybe a “Nothing to hide” mindset. We installed outdoor security cameras after a series of break-ins in our neighbourhood. In theory, I would install a baby camera but then get rid of it. I dislike being ‘watched’ and don’t want to normalise it for any future kids. Particularly not teenagers.
I was intrigued by an example up thread of peeping in on male family friend. Presumably this was done with his knowledge? I know I wouldn’t step foot in a house where I was being watched unawares.
posted by primavera_f at 5:23 PM on August 5, 2024 [2 favorites]
I was intrigued by an example up thread of peeping in on male family friend. Presumably this was done with his knowledge? I know I wouldn’t step foot in a house where I was being watched unawares.
posted by primavera_f at 5:23 PM on August 5, 2024 [2 favorites]
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