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90% of CCTV is illegal

Danny | 31.05.2007 07:15 | Other Press | Technology | Birmingham

CameraWatch was launched in Edinburgh yesterday. Despite it's name, it is not an activist group, it is an industry-funded advisory group. However, it did start with a few tips that may be useful to activists facing prosecution using CCTV images.

"Research shows that up to 90% of CCTV installations fail to comply with the Information Commissioner's UK CCTV Code of Practice and many installations are operated illegally. That has profound implications for the reputation of the CCTV and camera surveillance industry and all concerned with it. It‚s clear there is a need for an organisation dedicated to promoting the legal and effective use of CCTV. I’m not surprised there’s confusion. It’s a complex area not just covering appropriate siting and signage issues, but also various pieces of legislation. In particular, the Data Protection Act covers images of people and requires they are held securely if the data is to be used as legal and admissible evidence. Storing images of people is also impacted by the EU Human Rights Act. As things stand today, clever legal counsel could drive a horse and cart through most CCTV evidence and that is not in anybody’s best interests." (except the defendents !)

 http://www.firmmagazine.com/members/news.php?id=702


"The Data Protection Act is breached in several common ways. The most frequent is the failure to keep camera tapes secure. Under the Act, human images should be treated as confidential information in the same way as names, addresses and phone numbers. The arrival of digital cameras poses yet more problems; for the images can be transferred across open internet connections rather than remaining on a closed loop. Viewing monitors are often wrongly sited in public areas, so other people can see who is being filmed, and a number of the 3,500 CCTV systems are not registered under the Data Protection Act, as is required. Additionally, cameras are frequently used for another purpose than the one for which they were registered and the necessary clear signage is regularly missing."

 http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article1862457.ece

Danny

Comments

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hard to find information

31.05.2007 09:36

hi.

you said that "3,500 CCTV systems are not registered under the Data Protection Act". how do i find out the owner/maintainer of a cctv? is there a legal way to request a contact/name?

lets say i think that the CCTV some streets from here is registered but misused, whom do i have to contact?

mygod


Hard to find Information Commissioners

31.05.2007 12:06

That's a good question. Presumably we have to make a Freedom of Information request for a list of all the CCTV systems which are Data Protection Act / Human Rights Act compliant, or a specific request for individual systems. I've been phoning my local Information Commissioner for verification of that but haven't been able to get past the telephone answering system yet. I'd suggest you contact these people directly too, and update here if you learn anything please.


Information Commission
Contact our Head Office:

By telephone:

ICO Helpline:
08456 30 60 60
01625 54 57 45

Fax: 01625 524510

Press and media enquiries:

Phone: 020 7025 7580

Fax: 020 7025 7588

By post: The Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

By email: If your enquiry is about a new or existing notification under the Data Protection Act, please email  notification@ico.gsi.gov.uk. You may find it helpful to read more about notification and the need to notify before sending your enquiry.

For any other enquiries about the legislation we are responsible for, or to submit a complaint electronically, please use our online enquiries form. You may find it helpful to read more about us or learn more about how to complain before sending your enquiry.

If your enquiry is not about the legislation we are responsible for, please email  mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk.
Regional Offices

In addition to our head office in Wilmslow, we also have offices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you would prefer to contact one of these offices please use the following contact information.

Please do not send notification forms or fees to our regional offices. These are processed in our Wilmslow Office.
Scotland
Information Commissioner's Office - Scotland , 28 Thistle Street , Edinburgh , EH2 1EN
telephone/fax: 0131 225 6341
email:  scotland@ico.gsi.gov.uk
Wales
Information Commissioner's Office - Wales, Cambrian Buildings, Mount Stuart Square, Cardiff, CF10 5FL
telephone: 029 2044 8044
fax: 029 2044 8045
email:  wales@ico.gsi.gov.uk
Northern Ireland
Information Commissioner's Office - Northern Ireland, Room 101, Regus House, 33 Clarendon Dock, Laganside, Belfast, BT1 3BG, Northern Ireland
telephone: 028 9051 1270
fax: 028 9051 1584
email:  ni@ico.gsi.gov.uk
Points to be aware if contacting us:


1. Disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
As a public authority all written material, including emails held by us, may be considered for release under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 unless failing with a statutory exemption.

2. Security and Emails
Please be aware that both inbound and outbound communication by email is not secure as messages can be intercepted.

Danny
- Homepage: http://https://www.ico.gov.uk/Global/contact_us.aspx


Kafkaesque

01.06.2007 10:14

The Scottish number which put me on a telephone answering system yesterday has now been disconnected today. I emailed but never got a response. I phoned the London office who gave me this number 01625545700. I was treated to a selection of classical music for the next ten minutes, and I'd almost identified what the music was when a person interrupted and drew me back to reality.

I was told that the information is available online ( somewhere unspecified ) but not in a useful form. I was told I'd have to make a specific FOI request to these people, who would respond with 21 working days. I asked if there would be a charge and was told that depends on the nature of your request and whether the person I eventually talk to decides to charge me.

I've read a lot of Kafka and know many civil servants so I enjoy this sort of stuff. If you are easily frustrated you'd be better off leaving this to me, but if red-tape doesn't bother you then write to these people:

 informationrequestteam@ico.gsi.gov.uk

Danny


CCTV Info

29.06.2007 15:32

every cctv operator by law must make available a public information leaflet outlining the uses for the system, and how to go about gettting acces to your data.

if it's a camera on a pole in the street it's probably operated by the local council if it's on a commercial building it's likely to be a private system.

steve cupples
mail e-mail: stevecupples74@hotmail.com
- Homepage: http://www.datpro.co.uk