Dog sitter sparks privacy debate after complaining about ‘hidden’ security camera

A woman claims she had her privacy violated after discovering a hidden security camera while house sitting for family members – but others don’t see an issue with it

If you’ve ever looked at people’s front doors when you walk down the street, the chances are you’ll have noticed a huge increase in the number of doorbell cameras in the last few years. Thanks to advances in technology, loads more people are turning to digital security cameras to help guard their home and alert them to any suspicious activity – but it doesn’t end there.

Once you step into the home, more and more people are enlisting the help of internal cameras – or ‘doggy cams’ – to allow them to keep an eye on their beloved pets while they’re out of the house. So, with that in mind, one dog owner thought nothing of it when they asked a family member to step in and dog sit for them, completely forgetting to mention the doggy cam set up in their living room to keep an eye on their pooch in the backyard.

Get the news you want straight to your inbox. Sign up for a Mirror newsletter here.

After discovering the ‘hidden’ camera, the family member got in touch to say she was “concerned about privacy due to the camera having the option to record audio,” they wrote on Reddit’s AITA forum.

“We reassured her that the camera does not save recordings and can only be viewed live. She unplugged it and does not seem happy with the situation, asking for an apology,” they continued.

The family member let them know she felt the camera was “an invasion of privacy” and would’ve preferred a heads up before she began house-sitting for them.

“She also mentioned she ‘could have been having phone sex,’ which I think is a bit ridiculous as it’s in our living room, and is simply to watch our dogs while working from home/ back door security,” they added.

While they admitted they do feel bad about the situation, the dog owner said they felt the situation had been blown out of proportion, and questioned, “is it fair to assume privacy in common areas while house sitting for somebody?”

“She’s in your home, not hers. Sounds like she intended to do something you wouldn’t have approved of and got scared when she saw the camera,” one Reddit user commented.

“She also has no right to unplug your camera. Don’t have her house sit for you again and you do not owe her an apology.”

However, another disagreed: “I don’t do shady stuff but I would like to know beforehand if there will be a camera pointed at me, so I don’t walk through the house only wearing underwear or sunbathe topless or talk about really intimate stuff on the phone.

“Just because YOUR mind jumps to shady activities immediately, it doesn’t mean everyone will do shady s***. Some people just like privacy.”

Do you have a story to share? We want to hear all about it. Email us at [email protected]