To a certain extent, there seems to be a negative stigma surrounding the idea of “hidden” cameras in our homes. However, as many of us know, they can actually be quite useful. Whether you’re a parent or just someone looking to add a bit of additional security to your property, they could be helpful for you.
While you might hear a lot about how they’re a “violation of privacy” or something like that, there are clear and demonstrable instances of when they’ve ended up protecting children or other people from their caretakers. This is just one example of that: https://ir.stonybrook.edu/xmlui/handle/11401/8606.
So, if you’ve been considering getting one but you’ve been on the fence about it, this is the article for you. We’ll be discussing some of the ways that we can use them ethically, as well as whether or not they’re really worth it in the end.
How they Work
Before we go any further, it’s going to be important to establish how these hidden surveillance cams work in the first place. More often than not, they’re not designed for things like scope-outs or to spy on a neighbor or something like that. Rather, they’re designed to help us keep our families and our homes safe from outsiders or people that we thought could be trusted.
What makes people question their ethics, though? Well, a big part of that is because of the whole concept of making them “hidden.” Why are they designed to be so secret if there’s nothing to hide?
The answer is a bit complicated, but it will probably make more sense after. If the goal of a security camera is to catch someone in the act of a crime, then obviously, whoever set up the cam doesn’t want it to be seen. If the perpetrator notices it, they might stop in their tracks, thus preventing video evidence.
So, that’s one reason why a hidden camera can be so valuable, but there are others as well. The stakes aren’t always as high as crimes, but rather small misdeeds or something like that. Additionally, they can be a source of comfort for some parents.
When you’re a new mother, for instance, leaving your child (or children) at home alone with a new nanny can be a nerve-wracking and at times downright terrifying situation. Even if we wholeheartedly trust the person watching over our kids, that mother-bear instinct is still there. Having a way to check in on things from time to time, without making the nanny feel like they are outright distrusted, can be a nice way to bridge the gap between those feelings.
Just because they are hidden does not automatically make them unethical, and that’s something that we should all try to understand a bit better. Really, as you can see, they have a lot of practical uses in all sorts of different situations.
Are They Worth it?
The other question that we’ll take a moment to ask ourselves is whether or not these sorts of cameras and surveillance systems are worth the money to purchase. After all, many of them can be a bit pricey. However, if you know where to look, you can often find them for under two hundred dollars.
For this type of technology, that’s a pretty good deal, as you can see on this page. The issue, though, is that we need to make sure we are getting high quality as well as a lower price. If you’re seeing a supposed high-tech hidden camera for twenty dollars, there’s a good chance that it isn’t a very good quality one.
Thus, the only real caveat in terms of whether one is worth it or not is the quality behind the price point. Generally, the one hundred and fifty range is where you may want to aim for, to find a way to meet those two points in the middle. That way, you know you’re still getting something adequate for the price range.
As long as you aren’t intending to do anything nefarious with a hidden camera, there really isn’t anything to feel bad about in terms of purchasing one. Exercise your best judgement, and don’t worry about what others have to say about it.
