1) Hidden Cameras in the News
2) Hidden Camera Cases on Television
3) Hidden Cameras and the Law
4) Hidden Camera Alert
5) Promotion - Hidden Camera Detector
Welcome to the monthly email newsletter from Main Street Safety. Each month, we will bring you the latest topics in personal safety, including news articles, legal issues, events and safety products.
January's issue will address HIDDEN WIRELESS CAMERAS, a technology that is a growing opportunity for some and a potential menace for others. While it is quite possible that hidden cameras may deter crime, there are now also opportunities for more video voyeurism as well. We will review some of these issues this month.
1) ---HIDDEN CAMERAS IN THE NEWS---
January 3, 2003
Hancock, Michigan
A local pharmacy owner had installed a hidden wireless camera in the restroom of his pharmacy. In court last year, he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 30 days in jail with charges of eavesdropping. At this time, there are no clear laws in Michigan for this type of crime with a hidden camera, and eavesdropping is the closest legal term. As reported in January 2003, five of his employees are suing the pharmacy owner seeking in excess of $25,000 each.
This type of situation is playing out in many states because there are no clear laws established regarding hidden cameras and video voyeurism. Most states have very vague laws regarding hidden cameras and it is the responsibility of the hidden camera owner and the hidden camera victims to be aware of their state and local laws. As individual states grapple with these issues and the fast developing technologies, victims are seeking redress using civil court actions such as the employees at the pharmacy.
For more details about these stories and others, Main Street Safety offers a weblog with the latest news and commentary about Hidden Cameras. Details can be found at
Our new blog
.
2) ---HIDDEN CAMERA CASES ON TELEVISION---
Lifetime Television presents the debut of "Final Justice" with Erin Brockovich this Friday, January 17 at 8 PM ET. Check your local TV listings for the exact time and for the exact time and cable station. Part of this program will review the story behind the Lifetime TV Movie "Video Voyeur: The Susan Wilson Story".
Susan discovered hidden cameras in her Louisiana home that were placed there by her neighbor. Once the actual cameras and videos were found, Susan contacted the local authorities, only to find that there were no laws on the books that had been broken. In other words, video voyeurism was not considered a crime.
From this personal tragedy, Susan Wilson worked diligently to bring legislation against acts of video voyeurism using hidden cameras. The original movie "Video Voyeur: The Susan Wilson Story" can be seen during occasional rebroadcasts on Lifetime Television.
3)--HIDDEN CAMERAS AND THE LAW--
Currently there are no clear federal laws regarding the inappropriate use of hidden cameras for video voyeurism. For this reason, many states are passing legislation in response to local video voyeurism cases. The states of Washington and Massachusetts have recently reviewed these issues and details are mentioned in our weblog at http://www.yoursafetyblog.com.
On the national level, slow progress is being made. Resulting from Susan Wilson's efforts in Louisiana, U.S. Senator Landrieu proposed a Bill in April of 2002 that would make video voyeurism a federal crime. The current status of this bill, called the "Family Privacy and Protection Act", is that it has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Many facets of this broad legislation are being debated in the media, yet have not received priority in the U.S. Senate.
4) ---HIDDEN WIRELESS CAMERA ALERT---
As technology improves for surveillance products, the product lines also expand. There are many more hidden wireless camera products readily available that were not yet listed in our SAFETY GUIDE for Hidden Wireless Cameras and Detectors. The original FREE SAFETY GUIDE can be found at
http://www.mainstreetsafety.com/detector.htm.
New hidden wireless camera devices arrive in the marketplace daily. Since the actual hidden wireless camera mechanism can be as small as a quarter, there are now many more products people can purchase with the cameras already embedded in these otherwise innocent looking items.
Here are some examples:
Air Purifier with Hidden Camera
Bubble Lamp with Hidden Camera
Exit Sign with Hidden Camera
Pen with Hidden Camera
Portable Boom Box with Hidden Camera
Pencil Sharpener with Hidden Camera
Portable AM/FM Radio with Hidden Camera
VCR with Hidden Camera
VHS Case with Hidden Camera
Wall Clock with Hidden Camera
4) ---HIDDEN WIRELESS CAMERA DETECTOR---
PROMOTION BY http://www.mainstreetsafetyshop.com
To find these hidden wireless cameras your two basic options are literally pulling apart everyday objects that might contain hidden wireless cameras OR using a hidden wireless camera detector that will leave the item intact. Main Street Safety offers the MSS HIDDEN WIRELESS CAMERA DETECTOR at a special discounted price and includes a FREE DETECTOR USER GUIDE. This hi-tech wireless camera detector is small and lightweight, yet very easy to use. Batteries are included with your purchase. For more information about the Detector and User Guide, visit this webpage:
http://www.mainstreetsafety.com/camera_detector.htm
Copyright 2003 Main Street Safety, LLC. All rights reserved.
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