neighbour surveillance - ill intentioned

[gujjugreat]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New Jersey

I rent in an apartment on the top floor. the lower floor tenant has installed a dome camera in their balcony such that it can record our movements from the main door. I have 2 daughters and am not on good terms with this individual. I belive that in an apartment a surveillance camera can be installed only to monitor the parking areas and should not point to the common doors of other tenants.

I am concerned that this other tenant can record images of my family and use them for malafide purposes. Does this violate my privacy rights?
What recourse do I have here? I am absolutely fine if it is the renter management company installing cameras...but am not ok with this individual recording us.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

I'm not exactly clear on this law, so someone may need to back me up, but my understanding is that if it can be seen in plain sight, then he can put a camera on it. If he were to string the camera from his balcony and hang it so that it was right outside your window pointing to your daughters' rooms, then yes you would have som recourse, but if he's merely filiming the sidewalk outside the building, there little you can do.

I could be misunderstanding the situation, but what's the worry? that he'll have video of who comes and goes into the building?

 

[gujjugreat]

Neighbour surviellance - ill intentioned

well I can think of lot of ways where in such videotapes can be edited or misused... or find its way on youtube etc...
in this case who goes in or who goes out is not important -- at least for my view.
I am just plain uncomfortable with the tenant recording movements of other tenants...at home or near home people might be lax - they may move with summer attire....As i mentioned, we are not on good terms with this particular individual


my understanding is that NJ state law is not very clear on this however federal law states that in apartments -- a tenant cannot record movements of other tenants. He can put in surviellance but only of areas like car parking and the camera can definitely not be on the common door...

but i am looking for a confirmation from some of the more experienced folks out here

 

[justalayman]

a general rule of observing others:

if it can be seen from some vantage point not controlled by the viewee, it is not illegal.

I know of no federal law that alters that position. If you have one, please post it.

 

[Alex23]

While reading this post I thought about getting your daughters little umbrellas for the walk home.