I F22 have a neighbour that has at least one security camera that faces my house, driveway and garage. I’ve talked with them about it in person and over messenger but they insist that my house is not in view.
I have a prove that that’s a lie but they don’t care and refuse to admit it. They say because it’s a motion activated camera that it’s totally legal to have it looking in that direction and that I’m threatening them with getting some involved.
I told them I want them to either take them down or angel them in an other direction because me and my family are uncomfortable with it.
I’m also not sure if the cameras are even legal were I live at least google says it’s not. It also shows the public road and the garage of my other neighbour. I know that they have at least one more camara that oversees my other neighbours house and I’m pretty certain they don’t know about it. There is also no sign thats warning people that they are being recorded but I don’t know if thats an obligation.
I’m thinking about calling the city hall to ask them if I can do anything in this regard but I don’t want to get them into trouble but I don’t know what to do anymore.
They also blocked me on any platform after we decided not to be friends anymore so I can’t even massage them about this. I don’t want to talk to them in person because I’m very sure that that would only make the situation worse.
(Edit: I’m not in the USA and where I’m located we have very strict privacy laws. I also can’t plant trees or anything like that because in front of my house is the road)
WIBTA for doing this?
NTA to call and find out. You’re making a whole lot of assumptions here; get the real answers. You don’t have to give them a name and address, just ask what codes or other regulatoyr restrictions exist for the municipality regarding cameras on private property. Absent any local or state requirement, you’ll need to deal with it or take steps to block their view. YWBTA if you’re told it’s not illegal and still badger them about it. Plant privacy trees/hedges, etc.
In fact it’s very possible that the relevant codes are published online.
This!! Making yourself informed about the topic is the best way to move forward. Town websites can be very weird to navigate; talking to someone who works for the town/state would definitely be my move
INFO: Are you located in the united states? If so it’s likley that the camera is legal if its filiming what could be seen from a public sidewalk. If its pointed into your your window directly or anywhere you could have an expectation of privacy you may have some grounds to get them to remove it or change it.
To be clear DO NOT REMOVE IT. That will likely get you in trouble with the law regardless if the camera is legal or not.
To be clear, **yes**, you will be the asshole if you continue to press the issue.
In the US, generally speaking you’re not allowed to prevent someone from aiming a camera at your property *from their property*. You have no reasonable expectation of privacy in the front of your home, and if the interior of your home is visible from outside of your property – e.g. through a fence, or window – then you similarly have a diminished or nonexistent expectation of privacy there, as well.
There is no obligation to warn people that you have a camera operating on your property, because no one has a reasonable expectation of privacy in someone else’s private property.
What you need to do is this: **accept that reality moves forward, and the current state of technology and culture is that cameras are everywhere**. Unless he’s doing something that actually affects your life, as opposed to just leads to you speculating, live your life and let them live theirs.
You won’t be able to get their cameras taking down
Unless one is point directly into your window, you will not have a chance
This only is in you are in the US. If you are in another country I have no idea a
In the USA, if it’s legal to look at something with your eyes it’s pretty much always legal to also look at it with a camera. The only way you could get any traction is if he’s trying to peep in your bedroom windows or something specific like that.
YTA- maybe actually find out if it’s illegal before you harass your neighbor about it? Which I’d be willing to bet it isn’t. Anything that’s in “plain view” you don’t actually have any right to privacy over. People can record or take pictures of the outside of your home at basically any time. People’s security systems are going to point to angles that are both capturing public space as well as the outside of your home because the two are adjacent.
YTA. as long as its not pointing in your window and on their property its totally legit.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with contacting state and local government (or an attorney) to find out if their camera placement is legal.
Frankly, you would be less of an asshole to do that than what you’ve *been* doing, badgering your neighbor over their security cameras when you have no idea whether they’re legal or not.
NTA, where I live this is also illegal. Security cameras have to face your own property. So cameras for the front door have to be angled in a way that captures the front door of the owner, not the neighbors.
Not wanting to be filmed on your property is perfectly normal.
If you’re so sure you’re right, just call law enforcement. Why does it matter what they think since you’ve clearly already soured the relationship?
Good thing you added the edit. YTA. How can you expect informed opinions when you don’t give adequate information? Like what country you live in??