As private investigators and former Federal agents, we are routinely hired to perform bug sweeps of residences and businesses to find hidden cameras and listening devices.

One of the most common questions people ask us is when and where it’s illegal to place hidden cameras.

IS IT ILLEGAL TO PUT CAMERAS IN BEDROOMS

When it comes to any hidden camera law, you will see the concept of reasonable expectation of privacy come up time and again. So if you’re placing a hidden camera in your home or anywhere else, the people you are recording are generally to be given this level of privacy.

Hidden cameras are typically not legal to place in bathrooms or bedrooms where someone is staying or any other place where people assume that they would have a heightened level of privacy.

Suppose cameras are used in these areas, such as when security cameras are placed in dressing rooms. In that case, the surveyors must post notices alerting those being recorded to this fact.

See photos of some of the actual recording devices in our bug sweeps right here.

USING HIDDEN SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS IN PUBLIC PLACES

In many states, you can use hidden cameras in public places. People who are out in public spaces are already giving up their privacy by where they are.

When people enter public restrooms, locker rooms, or other similar spaces, most states honor the reasonable right to privacy. If cameras are present in these areas, they generally cannot be hidden.

EMPLOYERS USING HIDDEN RECORDING EQUIPMENT.

The same rules for homes and public places apply in most areas of workplaces, as well.

While employers typically do have the right to place hidden cameras throughout the workplace, they nearly always choose to make the cameras visible to encourage employees to be on their best behavior.

What to do if you think you’re being watched

There is never a fee for a consultation with Martin Investigative Services. Call (800) 577-1080 or email us. Suppose you are concerned that someone has illegally placed a hidden camera in your home or office. In that case, you can hire a private investigator to have both hidden cameras and audio bugs found and removed from your property.

Please note: Most private investigators are not qualified to perform bug sweeps. Many who have training from the law enforcement community do not have the funds to purchase the cutting-edge detection equipment needed. The detection devices we use typically need to be updated every five years or so to keep in line with changes in hidden device technology – and this renewal of equipment often has a price tag in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Private investigators in our industry buy a “magic wand” online and pretend they are sweeping your home or business. That’s just a ruse.

At Martin Investigative Services, we routinely perform bug sweeps and do physical and electronic scans of properties to uncover hidden recording devices and cameras. We even offer a full 100% money-back guarantee on these services.

You can see some pictures of actual hidden devices we’ve found over the years right here.

Especially in the corporate world, secret surveying equipment is more common than you might imagine. From 1969 to 1988 the “find rate” in homes and businesses was about 4%. Since then, the rate has risen dramatically and has held at a consistent 16% for the past few years.