Is it an invasion of privacy when a video camera is watching your house?

Question

I have an aunt who is having trouble with her neighbor. The neighbor is out to get her, and one way this neighbor is bothering my aunt would be with a video camera pointed at the side of my aunts house to watch every move she makes. This neighbor even calls my aunt to say she is watching her. The camera is not on my aunts property, but on the neighbors property, and my aunt doesn't want to be watched and it is facing the bathroom window, the window isn't really big, maybe 2ft by 2ft. Is that some how against the law, esspecially privacy laws? If it matters, she does live in Utah. I want to know because apparently the police won't do anyhting about it. Thanx

Okay, so all of you have pretty much said that it is harrasment to do what the neighbor is doing, I would like to know why the police won't accept it as harrasment. They say that because the camera is on the neighbors property, that it isn't harrasment, but isn't it if she is calling my aunt?

Answer 1

Fyi there are "fake" video cameras you can buy cheaply from a spy shop. The real ones are expensive and in order for the neighbor to really be video taping her constantly they would have to go to A LOT of trouble- have a vcr running constantly, with wires running from the camera into their home down to a separate vcr, then to the system, plus go back and review hours and hours of tape...it's a cumbersome and expensive set-up. Also the quality of most systems is very poor and I doubt the neighbor is really seeing anything even if she is really doing this. Have you ever looked at the video screen in a convenience store, how grainy and poor quality it is? And that is from just a few feet away. The neighbor may be simply trying to bother her.

Answer 2

No it is not illegal. As long as she is not on her property when she is doing it she is free to film away.

Ever see the photos of the hollywood stars where they ar e inside their house. Those are taken with 500mm telephoto lenses from a ways away.

The calls however could be deemed harrasment or even threats. I would Call the phone company and report the calls as harrasing and threatening. I would also go to the states attorney's office and ask to file charges for the phone calls there instead of the police department.

ADDITION: Have your aunt go to a place like Home Depot and buy the most powerful light she can get. A directional on they have a cone housing with a bulb in the center. Have her plug it in and point it at her neighbors house. It will do two things Drive her nuts and defeat the camera's purpose

Answer 3

This very same thing happened to a friend of mine a couple of years ago. Cops didn't do anything.
The thing may not even be real, but if it is, how hilarious that the freak neighbor spent money on it.
I'd just flip the camera off every time I'd go outside. Or shine a mirror into the lens with the full glare of the sun. Or spray it with Silly String.
Good luck to your aunt.

Answer 4

It is NOT against the law to video tape or photograph outside of the house. Since outside is a public place, individuals does not have the assumption of privacy.

With that said.... this is definitely a harassment, possibly stalking. The intent of the camera is to cause distress on the person. You can prove this by tape-recording the call that basically says... "I'm recording you" and show that this call was made multiple times. Check the local laws on legality of recording calls. Some states only require onside consent. (meaning if you record your own line, and YOU consent, it's ok)

I would definitely advise consulting an attorney. I don't see any privacy laws being broken, but this is not normal, and intent is to cause mental distress. You can perhaps approach it that way.

Answer 5

your aunt could get a mirror and flash sunlight into the neighbours camera and at night use a flashlight to do the same thing.

your aunt could also get a camera of her own, even a fake one and point it at her neighbour.

your aunt could get a garden hose and wet the camera or throw eggs at it and get the lens dirty

your aunt could have some fun and show her boobs at the window.

your aunt could put a blind up in that bathroom window.

it sounds like utah is a fun state, i would like to have some fun with your aunts neighbour.

your aunt should call the police, and keep a record of the phone calls she is receiving and record them on tape. no one has the right to spy on someone and destroy the enjoyment of their home.

all the best.

Answer 6

If the camera was only pointed at the yard, I'd say probably no because what happens in the yard is in public view. But the fact that the camera is pointed at a window and can see inside the house, possibly... Though it could be argued that if it's visible from the neighbor's house, it's in public view. I'd close the curtains., and see about filing a harassment complaint

Answer 7

I can't believe how many people have grossly exagerrated ideas about what privacy rights they have.

It is NOT illegal to watch or video someone from your own property. If hse doesn't want to be watched through her bathroom window.... HANG A CURTAIN!

In fact, if she is nude in front of an undraped window and can be seen from a public area, or from another persons property, SHE could be charged with indecent exposure.

You have NO privacy rights at all in anything you do that can be seen from a public area or another persons property.

Richard

Answer 8

Call the police next time the neighbor calls and threatens/harasses her. Also ask the dpeartment of sex offender at your local police, vidoe taping her bathroom is a form of sexual assault,/ peeping tom.
Also, can someone in the family approach this nutty neighbor and just ask him to stop? maybe just approaching him/her civilly will end it, if not then at least you made a civil attempt and when the police do get involved you did everything possible to end it.

Answer 9

Yes because the law says that you can watch your own property. If it is on your property it cant be in other peoples bedrooms as in if you have kids, or family living with you, unless you have their written permission. Also no bathrooms or changingrooms. That is just wrong if you want to watch people use the toilet. Also if it is pointed at other properties, because since they our not your own you ahve no need to watch it. Your aunts neighbor is just a high tech peeping tom.

Answer 10

I'd suggest asking the police to speak with the neighbor. If that doesn't help, then it's time for your aunt to contact an attorney.