Web Cams

Am wondering what is the law governing webcams??

This morning I was looking at an Aberdeen Harbour live webcam as my son has returned to his ship and if I can I always log onto it when I receive a text from him saying his ship is leaving harbour. That way I can watch his ship leaving (with a little wave and a tear in my eye )

Is a brilliant webcam and is really clear... in daylight I can see him wave However this morning I think my mouse stuck on the pan right button and next thing I was looking thru someone`s house window!!!

I couldn`t see much other than a reflection from the sun but I`m sure at night time you`d be able to see into their front room. Dilemna is should I tell the people who own the webcam as I`m sure this is illegal and I certainly wouldn`t be happy about a webcam pointing into my house or should I leave it in case they take the webcam down and I can no longer watch my son arriving/departing?

ooh thats a tricky one, wouldn't they just reposision the camera rather than take it down all together?

Hmmm tricky. I know nothing about the laws of webcams but I should imagine the folks who live in the house won't be too chuffed to hear of it. Why doesn't the webcam just stay in a fixed position with just a zoom function in to the harbour? Or is this house the other side of the harbour or something?

I think I'd rather say nothing in your case, your son's waving off is more important to you and you would no doubt sorely miss the luxury of being able to watch him go off (which, btw, is a fantastic idea!)

Maybe there needs to be a poll with this thread?

Originally Posted by missyorkie_chris

Hmmm tricky. I know nothing about the laws of webcams but I should imagine the folks who live in the house won't be too chuffed to hear of it. Why doesn't the webcam just stay in a fixed position with just a zoom function in to the harbour? Or is this house the other side of the harbour or something?

I think I'd rather say nothing in your case, your son's waving off is more important to you and you would no doubt sorely miss the luxury of being able to watch him go off (which, btw, is a fantastic idea!)

Maybe there needs to be a poll with this thread?

Yep maybe I should`ve done a poll... didn`t think of that

The webcam does have a zoom into the harbour but it isn`t fixed so`s that you can scan the whole harbour. Chris usually tells me what to look for ie. BP oil things and I can then find his ship. The house I looked into (I think) is to the far right of the harbour, across a road and seems to be a little bit behind the harbour if that makes sense?

I would hope that they`d just reposition the camera but what if that`s not possible and they take the whole thing down

Originally Posted by Speedy Claire

Yep maybe I should`ve done a poll... didn`t think of that

The webcam does have a zoom into the harbour but it isn`t fixed so`s that you can scan the whole harbour. Chris usually tells me what to look for ie. BP oil things and I can then find his ship. The house I looked into (I think) is to the far right of the harbour, across a road and seems to be a little bit behind the harbour if that makes sense?

Ah of course, I forgot the harbour will be huge and full of other boats and ships so you will need a scanning option In that case, I guess there isn't a lot they can do if you told them about the house thing, other than take it down but then you'll lose the privilege

Hopefully someone with more technical knowledge will come along soon

I'd not bother notifying anyone. If you live opposite a harbour, you'll close your curtains before doing anything you want kept private; lots of sailors, lots of binos and telescopes, a perfect excuse for people to be using them and looking towards the shore? You get my drift

On a related note: my Mum used to watch my brother's ship all the time (big cruise ship with webcams all over the shop). She actually managed to exceed her broadband download limit by leaving the webcam window open all the time and treating the PC as a "window" into my brother's ship.

[Paul the 6th]

Originally Posted by Speedy Claire

....I couldn`t see much other than a reflection from the sun but I`m sure at night time you`d be able to see into their front room.

Could you send me the link please? If you could send me it before or around 5pm that'd be great

[Mr Speirs]

You can move a web cam with your mouse?? That's amazing.

What if two people want to look at different things???

Well it`s not really my mouse moving it I suppose

I use my mouse to click on pan left/right/up/down controls and then the camera moves to where I want it to go

No don't say anything.
They may remove the webcam completely, then you can't see your son leave and return!