As a theft prevention measure out, many retail stores utilize cameras to monitor fitting rooms. This practise is on the rise, due to improved engineering and the availability of smaller and less expensive cameras.  Similarly, two-way mirrors are also used for this purpose in some stores.

Contents

  1. Is It Legal to Monitor a Dressing Room?
  2. Should I Contact a Lawyer?

Is It Legal to Monitor a Dressing Room?

The legality of installing cameras in dressing rooms depends on what country the store is located in, and whether the photographic camera records or is simply a live feed. In some states, it is perfectly legal to monitor the dressing room of a retail store past camera or two fashion mirror, and for all intents and purposes, a live, not-recording camera is a modernistic equivalent. In other states, this practice is banned outright over privacy concerns.

Many states have taken a center ground approach, past allowing surveillance, even recorded surveillance, but requiring that the shop post obvious and conspicuous notices to inform consumers that they are being monitored.

In every state, video monitoring in sensitive areas, such as a dressing room, for purposes other than theft prevention is illegal. Such conduct could fall under laws prohibiting voyeurism, which is the act of observing unsuspecting individuals, usually strangers, who may be naked or disrobing, for the purpose of seeking sexual excitement.

Should I Contact a Lawyer?

If you suspect that you have been videotaped for purposes other than theft deterrence, you should contact a lawyer immediately, because this is never legal. Even if you lot accept been videotaped for theft deterrent purposes, yous may desire to contact a privacy or personal injury lawyer.

In some states, the laws on surveillance may be unclear or out of date, and may non even explicitly allow taping. In such instances, any grade of video monitoring may be illegal. A local lawyer can help you to sympathize the laws of your state, and if the store taped you in violation of state constabulary, they may be subject to criminal charges, and in addition, you may be able to recover civil amercement for such an invasion of privacy.