Article Presented by:
Todd Concklin
Hidden cameras have reached such a sophisticated level that they can operate in almost any environment and are becoming increasingly difficult to detect. Not only is this surveillance device increasingly versatile, it has become increasingly affordable. Now surveillance devices such as the button camera is not simply stuff of spy movies and it has become cheap enough to be used anywhere at anytime.
Long ago, surveillance cameras were bulky or too expensive to be an effective device to monitor a person's home or office. Now with the use of wireless devices and improved optical technology, cameras have become an effective way of keeping an eye on your property and eliminating the need to rely on your neighbor to "keep an eye on things." Several environments that people benefit from hidden cameras have been the family home or at the office/business premises.
Spy Camera Development
The use of surveillance cameras has increased, particularly in public places, and their effectiveness is clearly seen everyday in news reports. How many times has viewers seen footage taken from security camera showing illegal acts taking place? Who could forget the incident in 2002 when a mother hit her four-year-old child in the car park of a department store after checking to see if anyone was watching. There was someone watching, but the witness was sitting in front of a monitor in a remote location studying the activity on one of the many cameras installed around the parking lot. That footage ultimately spread around the world.
Surveillance cameras have been used increasingly by law enforcement and the media. In this decade, with the help of advanced miniaturisation technology, surveillance footage has become a powerful tool in the fight against illegal activity. It's hard for a criminal "caught in the act" on video to deny what they've done.
Now cameras are becoming increasingly common in public areas. Why not have those same levels of security in your own private space?
The rise of the use of hidden camera has resulted in several privacy groups raising concerns about the use of the hidden cameras, claiming it is an invasion of privacy. Dana Hawkins and Margaret Mannix wrote in an article published at the National Workrights Institute, that hidden cameras have become a significant threat to people's private space:
"Technological advances and the spread of online discourse and commerce have led to ever more pervasive intrusions into our private lives: hidden cameras in bathrooms, the explosion of random urinalysis by companies and schools, and parents and spouses installing surveillance software on their home PCs to catch cybershenanigans. (Hawkins and Mannix, 2000)"
Much of the debate on the hidden camera has been on its use in public space, or in private space where the owner is unaware of the surveillance.
Hidden Cameras Available
The hidden camera is now also extremely versatile. For example at www.safe-tcam.
com, a business specialising in surveillance equipment, they sell over 70 everyday objects that conceals a camera. Hidden cameras are available in products from soft animals, to keep a watchful eye over children and their sitters, to smoke detectors and briefcases for the office environment. Video doesn't lie. Employees cannot deny theft or other misdeeds on the job when the employer shows them the video.
There are even "dummy cameras" that look like the real thing. They have blinking red LED lights and a real looking cable. Mounted in plain sight, people think they are being observed and act accordingly. They are a great low cost (around $30.00) deterrent.
Hidden cameras are becoming increasingly popular because they are easy to use and provide more security.
Using a Hidden Camera
When using a camera it is important to be smart as to where it would be placed. Hidden cameras have improved in quality but have limited remote manoeuvrability. It would be difficult and expensive to cover every square inch of your house. It is smarter to use a camera in areas where it would be most effective.
For nanny cameras it would be best to position a camera so it can monitor such places as time out areas. For example, a troubled child would regularly be sent to a time out area. By having a camera keep track of these areas a parent can keep track of the child's behavior and how a sitter might deal with that behavior.
Remember most people you are attempting to keep an eye on have already been invited into your home or office, so a hidden camera in hallways or overlooking doorways would only capture limited activity and may miss significant moments. Have cameras in positions that clearly record activity around valuables in the house.
Most cameras, especially the wireless ones, can be relocated easily, so if you notice that things have been moved around in your house, place a camera near those areas.
About the Author:
Todd Concklin
Concklin Internet Affiliates
PO Box 605
Montgomery, NY 12549
For more information on hidden cameras and their applications, visit http://www.safe-tcam.com or contact us at: info@safe-t-cam.com
