Record video through webcam in background

[Sidey88]

Hello,
i want to use m laptop webcam to record videos in the background, without anyone noticing it.
i also want it to start recording as soon as the laptop is turnned on.

 

[WR2]

It would be a good idea to check your legal liability for doing something like that.

 

[beefybish]

As WR2 said, you're gonna wanna check you're not breaking any laws by doing this. (It's illegal to film people without their permission)

That being said, there's some good software for recording videos through your webcam. The one I used to use was called "AMCAP". It's a very simple to use piece of software and lets you record videos and save them where you want. You'll just have to enable the program to run on PC startup.

Hope this helps

 

[stingstang]

Sounds legit to me. Google some software and add it to your msconfig startup list!

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

If you think its legal...there is an easy test....

Ring your local Police and ask them.....

All the best Brett

 

[szaboaz]

Hehe, the OP could have written something like this:

I'm a biologist and I'd like to record the blooming flowers of my Rhododendron, with my laptop's built-in webcam.
I switch my laptop off for the nights, so it would make my life easier if I didn't need to start the recording application every time I start the laptop at dawn.


Ta-damm, no legal problems whatsoever.

 

[jaguarskx]

What you intend on doing is has a high probability of breaking the "Voyeurism Law" which can vary from state to state.

The criminal voyeurism statute of some states cover "a place where [one] would have a reasonable expectation of privacy", meaning:

(i) A place where a reasonable person would believe that he or she could disrobe in privacy, without being concerned that his or her undressing was being photographed or filmed by another; or

(ii) A place where one may reasonably expect to be safe from casual or hostile intrusion or surveillance.

Given the similarity to voyeurism, a jury might find that placing a hidden camera in a certain location may amount to the torts of outrage or negligent infliction of emotional distress. In New York, video voyeurism has been addressed by a law prohibiting unlawful surveillance. A person is guilty of unlawful surveillance in the second-degree offense, a class E felony punishable by a term of up to 1 - to 4 years in State prison, if he or she:

(i) for no legitimate purpose, uses or installs an imaging device to surreptiously view or record another person in a bedroom, bathroom, changing room, or other specified room; or

(ii) for sexual arousal or gratification, permits, uses or installs an imaging device to surreptiously view a person dressing or undressing when the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy; or

(iii) uses or installs an imaging device to surreptiously view under the clothing of a person - commonly known as - upskirting,- or (iv) for amusement, entertainment, or profit, or to abuse or degrade the victim, permits, uses, or installs an imaging device to surreptiously record another person dressing or undressing when the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

A person is guilty of the dissemination of an unlawful surveillance image in the first-degree, a Class E Felony punishable up to 1 - to 4 years in State prison, if he or she:

(i) publishes or sells an image that was unlawfully obtained; or

(ii) disseminates an image he or she unlawfully obtained; or

(iii) commits the first degree offense and has prior conviction of the first or second degree offenses.

The federal Video Voyeurism Protection Act of 2004 makes it a federal crime to secretly capture images of people on federal property in situations in which they have the expectation of privacy.

http/definitions.uslegal.com/v/voyeurism/

Generally speaking, you would be in violation of the following section....

(ii) A place where one may reasonably expect to be safe from casual or hostile intrusion or surveillance.

When a person is using a laptop, they are not expecting to be video recorded while using the laptop. My suggestion is to speak with an attorney with regards about what your intentions are to determine if what you want to do is legal in your state.