The Problem

An Increasing Problem

Crimes of voyeurism are as unsettling as they are prevalent. Reports continue to rise; and footage is sold online or used as blackmail for profit. Voyeurs often search for areas where they can easily capture people – primarily women and children – in various forms of undress. Websites dedicated to voyeurism pay for these types of videos and post them for others to see.

Sophisticated Technology

Voyeurism is not a new problem, but it’s easier than ever to film people over wifi without getting caught. Innovations in hidden camera technology allow voyeurs to see and hear what’s going on, and micro-cameras get smaller and less detectable with each new release. The new breed of “Peeping Toms” use advanced technologies to spy on unsuspecting victims in public places and vulnerable environments. And this poses an ever-increasing threat to personal privacy and trust.

Hidden Cameras in the News

View All
$500 Million
Global Hidden Camera Market
HTF MARKET
150X
Voyeurism occurs up to 150 times more often than arrest statistics indicate
LANGSTROM & SETO (2006)
500 Cases
Of Video Voyeurism Tracked by SweepSquad Since 2015
SWEEPSQUAD
Two-Thirds
College students (men & women) admitting they would engage in voyeurism if there were no consequences
RYE & MEANEY (2007)
61%
Men in a university sample who would engage in voyeurism if the likelihood of getting caught was 25%
RYE & MEANEY (2007)
46%
Increase In Video Voyeurism Cases in Virginia From 2014 to 2018
WASHINGTON POST
600%
Increase In Video Voyeurism Arrests in Florida From 2012 to 2018
WASHINGTON POST
42%
College men reporting they had engaged in voyeurism
TEMPLEMAN (1991)

Devastating for Businesses

Crimes of voyeurism can cause serious damage to the individuals being filmed and to the reputation of your business. Some businesses do not recover from legal damages and loss of business resulting from video voyeurism. That’s why it’s important for business owners to take responsibility, providing an atmosphere of safety, comfort, and security for their customers and guests. Make sure their privacy is protected, especially when they’re at their most vulnerable.

Learn More

Laws and Regulations

Hidden cameras are often intended to capture someone in various forms of undress or during intimate encounters. Websites dedicated to voyeurism pay for these types of videos and post them for others to see.

EarthxOcean EarthxConference Earthx2020
In the Home
In most states, it’s illegal to record hidden camera videos in areas where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy. In your home, this can include bathrooms and bedrooms. Not every state expressly bans the use of hidden cameras in places where a subject might have a reasonable expectation of privacy, but that doesn’t mean it’s legal to record someone without consent. It is illegal in the United States to record with the express purpose of blackmail or “malicious intent”.
EarthxTransporation EarthxConference Earthx2020
Outside the Home
Outside the home, similar laws apply. It’s legal to record surveillance video in public places like retail stores, restaurants or other businesses. It’s also legal to record covert video outdoors in parks, shopping malls, city streets or public squares. “Reasonable expectation of privacy” guidelines apply to the placement of hidden cameras in public places as well, making it illegal to record covert video in hotel rooms, restrooms, changing rooms, locker rooms, and other “private” areas.
EarthxUniversity EarthxConference Earthx2020
At Work
Neither the federal government nor states have established firm laws governing hidden camera recording in the workplace. Small business owners are generally within their legal rights if they install hidden cameras in their places of business. Although many business owners choose to notify their employees of the presence of cameras, they’re not legally required to do so.

Contact Us

Contact us today for a free consultation. We sweep homes and businesses in communities in the Twin Cities, outstate Minnesota, and Western Wisconsin.

1 + 7 =