I have installed cameras at the front of my house as I'm concerned about security. However a friend tells me I cannot film individuals without permission as it is an invasion of privacy. Is he right?

The use of CCTV is highly restricted and you should familiarise yourself with the rules and regulations to avoid falling foul of the privacy laws.

The General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018 loosely known as 'data protection laws', govern the privacy rights of individuals and the public in general. You cannot breach another person's right to their privacy and the regulations state that you must 'protect' another persons privacy. If your cameras only take images of people who are on your property, then the data protection laws will not apply. If the people whose images you have captured are on the public highway, or on a neighbours property then you are obliged to comply with the data protection laws.

As a precaution you should inform your neighbours that you have installed the cameras at the front of your house and also put up signs, warning the public in general that CCTV is installed on your property. This warning gives everyone opportunity to ask for any images you may have of them to be deleted if required. If you are concerned about your security there are other measures you can take from security lighting to enhanced locks.

The installation of CCTV should be considered as a last resort in a residential area, as there are too many legal risks in breaching individuals privacy.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.