Spy cameras camouflaged as clothes hooks are available for purchase on Amazon, despite the company facing legal action over these concealed devices. A BBC investigation revealed one listing featuring a photo of the camera in a bathroom.
Recently, a US judge ruled that Amazon must face a lawsuit filed by a woman who claims she was filmed in a bathroom using a clothes hook camera bought on the platform. Privacy experts suggest such devices may violate British laws. Amazon has chosen not to comment on the matter.
The legal action involves a foreign exchange student accusing Amazon of foreseeable misuse and seeking punitive damages. The BBC found similar listings on Amazon.co.uk, indicating potential privacy concerns associated with these products.
Alternative cameras listed on the site include:
– A discreet alarm clock camera featuring an illustration depicting a couple on a bed, viewed on a smartphone.
– A camera cleverly disguised as a USB charger capturing a romantic embrace between a couple indoors.
– A hidden camera camouflaged within a smoke alarm, claiming to aid in “monitoring” a partner’s fidelity.
There’s even a peculiar “bathroom spy camera” posing as a shower radio, with no reviews and an unlikely suggestion of CIA use, raising concerns about its presence on Amazon.
While many of these cameras emphasize child monitoring and security purposes, experts caution that their misuse could violate several UK laws. Jaya Handa, a privacy partner at Pinsent Masons law firm, points out potential legal violations, including harassment, child protection, voyeurism, sexual offenses, or human rights laws.
Gina Martin, a campaigner involved in the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019, stresses that victims of hidden cameras are often women and girls, advocating for explicit consent to be a fundamental right.
While the sale and ownership of hidden cameras are legal, Martin urges retailers to take a stronger stance against them, stating that concealing filming from subjects is rarely acceptable.
Professor Leonie Tanczer from University College London argues that hidden cameras are frequently misused, citing examples like spying on partners or monitoring domestic cleaners, highlighting concerns about their impact on vulnerable groups and communities.
