UK Surveillance Camera Code of Practice Examined
Most countries have no governmental codes for video surveillance. However, the UK has had one for almost a decade and it is about to be revised.
Inside this note, we explain what the Code of Practice is, how it works, how it impacts manufacturers and products, who it does and does not apply to and how it contrasts to the EU and USA.
Code ********
*****-**** ************ ****** **** ** *********** ******* ** **** ****, ******** to *** **** ********** ** ******** Act.
Purpose: "******* *** *******, ****** **** ***"
*** ****'* **** ** ** ****** the ****** **** "************ ******* *** deployed ** ******* *** ******* ****, rather **** *** ** ****":
*** **** ********** *** ********** ** camera ************ ** ****** ****** ****** a "********** ***" ***** "***** * pressing ****".
Who ** *******: ****** *** ***** *********** ******* ****** ******
*** **** **** *** ******** ****** manufacturers/providers ** ***** ************ ****. *******, it ******* ** ***** ****** ****** and *********** ** ******* *** ***** (not *** ******* **********) *** *** filming "****** ******" *.*. "*** ******* and *** ***** ** ***** ** the ******** **** *** ****** ** any ******* ** *** ****** *** access".
********** *** ************ ****** ************ ****** Sampson **** **** ** ******** *** Code's ************* ****** ** ******** ** the "******* ********** ******", *** **** local ***********:
**** **** **** ******* ** *** moment ** ****** ****** *** ***** authorities *** *****’* ***** ** ******* government ******. *** ** *** ****** people **** *** **, ** * try ** ********* ********** *********, ** it’s ** ****** ** ******** **** why *****’* *** ********** ******* **? To **there's ****** ** ************ *********** *** *** **** **** ** ** ******* ** * *****-********** *****. [emphasis added]
*2 **** ******* **********
** ** ********* ******, *** **** of *** **** ** *** ** "guiding **********" **** "****** ********* ****** adopt". ***** *** **** *** ** punishments ** *********** **********, ****** ********* have "* **** ** **** ****** to *** ******** ** **** ****":
Principle *: ****** **** * "********* *******"
****** ******* "**** ****** ** *** a ********* *******" ** ******* "** a ********** ***" **** ** "******** security, ****** ******, *** ******** ****-***** of *** *******, *** ********** ** disorder ** *****," ***:
******* "****** *** ** ****" *** "other ********":
Principle *: **** "**** **** *******" *******
******* **** "**** **** *******" ******* on *******, *** ******* ********* ******* in ******* ** ******** ***** "****** only ** **** ** ******* * particularly ******* *******":
******* **** ****** ***** "******* * strong *************" ** **** ***** ****** recognition "****** ****** ******* ***** ************" before ********* *** ******* ****** *********** are ***********.
Principle *: *********** **********
****** ** ****** ****** "****** ******** be **** *****" ** **** *** being ********** ** ********** "*** ** undertaking" *** ******* *** *** "*******":
********* **** ********* **** "** **** transparency" "** ********", ********* ************ *********** processes **** ** ********* ********** ** police ***/** *** ***.
Principle *: "***** ************** *** **************"
***** **** "*****, ******** *** **********" with "************** *** **************" **** ** established; ****** * "********** **********" ** charge ** **** ** "**** ********":
Principle *: "***** *****, ******** *** **********"
"***** *****, ******** *** ********** **** be ** *****" *** ****** ******* and ******* "************ ** *** ***** who **** ** ******". ***** ********* images **** "****** *** *********** ** staff" *** ********* ********* ** "************ standards".
Principle *: **** ******* "** ****** **** *********"
******/**** *** **** ** ****** "******** required *** *** ****** *******" **** a ************* ******* ****:
***** **** "****** *** ** **** for ****** **** *********", ***** ** no *** "******* ** *******" ******* periods.
Principle *: **** ****** "****** ** **********"
****** ** ****** ******/**** "****** ** restricted" **** "******* *******" ***** ** "who *** **** ******" *** *** what *******; ********** ****** **** "**** take ***** **** ** ** *********":
********* ****** **** **** "***** ******* and ********** ** *****" ** **** with *** *********** ******** **** *** public ********* "******* ****** ** *********** need ** ** ********" *** ******* purposes.
Principle *: ******** ******** *********
********* "****** ********" ********* **** "********" technical *** *********** *********. *** ********************* * **** **** ** *********** standards ** ****.
Principle *: ********* "*********** ******** ********"
"*********** ******** ********" ****** ** ********** to ********* ******* "************ ******" *** use. **** ******** ******* "*********, ************** and ******** ********"; *** **** **** not ******* **** ******** ******** **********.
Principle **: ********* "********* ****** *** ***** **********"
"********* ****** *** ***** **********" ** camera ******* ****** ** *** ** place *** ********* "** ***** ********" to ****** **** **** "*********, ************* and *********":
***** ******* ****** ******** "*********** ************* with **** **** ** ******** ********** privacy". * ******* ** **** ****** should ** "********* ********".
Principle **: ****** ****** ** ******* ** ****** ****** "** ********** *****"
******* ****** "** **** ** *** most ********* *** ** ******* ****** safety *** *** ***********", ******* ** being ******* ** ********** ****** "**** is ** ********** ***** ***** ******** justice ******":
**** ****** **** ** **** ** forms **** *** "************* *** *** be ******* ********".
Principle **: ******** ********* "******** *** ** ** ****"
********* **** *** ******** ******** "****** ** ******** *** **** ** to ****"; ******* ***** *********** *** facial *********** ********* ****** *** ** created "******* ******* ********** ** ****** the ********** **** ** *** *** purpose":
******** **** ****** *** ** **** "for ****** **** ********* ** *******" the ******** *******.
************ ***********, ******** ****
*** ************ ****** ************ ************ *** *** ********************** *** ***** ******:
*** ************ *** ************* * **** ** ****************** *** *** ********** *** **** Guiding ********* **** **** ** ** ******** **** studies.
Creates ************ ****** ************
*** ***** ***** **** ** *** Code ** *** ******** ** *** Surveillance ****** ************, *** *** ***** functions: *********** **** **********, ********* *** Code's *********, *** ********* ****** ***** the **** ********* ******* *** **********:
*** ************ "*** ** *********** ** inspection ******" *** ** ****** **** considering *** **** ** ****** ******** compliance, *** *********** ********* ********** **** sectors ******* ***** ***********:
** ***** ** ** **, *** Commissioner "***** ******" ** ****** ********* and *** ****** ***** "*********, ***********, proportionate *** *********** ***" ***** ******* "closely **** **********". *** ************ **** also ************* ********* *** **********.
EU **********
** ********* ********* ******** ***** ************ through **** ********** *********** *** ******** privacy ***********; ***** ** ** ********** Camera ************. *** *******, ******'* *** (the ****) *** *** ******** ************ ******** ** *********'* ****, *******, ******* *** * ****** Commissioner.
*** ** ** ******* ** *** ****, ***** ******** *******- *** **** *** ********** ******* - ***** ************. *** **** **** effectively ******* ** *** ** **** after ****** ** ******** ******* *** UK "******* ** *********** *** **** into ** **** **********" ***, **** "in ******** ***** **** ** ****** change ** *** **** **** ********** principles, ****** *** *********** ***** ** the ****",*** *** ******.
US **********
*** ** *** ** ********** **** or ************. *** ******* ********** *** DHS ***** ******* ** ****** ****** (*****) *** ***** ******* **** ** video ******* *** ********** *** **** on ************* *** *** ******* *** of ***** ************. ***** ******* ** not ********* *******, ********* ** ******** contributors **** ***** **** **** ****.
** *** ****** **** ***** ** standards *** ******* ** ***** ************, they *** ********* **** ** * fragmented ***** *****.
Potential ******** *********
*** ****'* ********** ****** ***** *** change ** ************ ******* *** **** clear *** ****** ** ****** **,******* * ****** ** "**** *******"**** *** *********** ** *****:
*** ** ******, *****’*the ****-******* ****** of *** ************ ****** **** ** ***************** ** ****. ***************************** *** ****** *** *********** *** of ****** *********** **********, **’* ***more ********* **** **** ** ******* * **** ****’* *** *** ******* *** ** ******** ** **** ** ** **** **** *** ****-***** ********* ** ************ ****** **********. I’m eager to work with the Home Office to provide a robust regulatory framework which enables the proportionate and accountable use of overt surveillance cameras by relevant authorities. [emphasis added]
** ********* ** *** ******** ** ***** Baroness ********,****** **** *** "**** ** ***** to ** *******" **** ** "************ opportunity" ** ******* ******** ****** ***** rights *** *** ***** ** *******-***** camera *******, ***** ********* *** *************:
as *** **** ** ** ** ******* and published for public consultation, it seems to me that there ** ** ************ *********** ** ******* the risks and considerations abovein *** ******* ******* ** *** **** and, at the same time, to review the list of relevant authorities who must have regard to it. For any revised list not to include Government departments in the future would surely require a very compelling case.
*** ***** ********* *** **** ******* unclear, *******, ***** * *************** ** ****** *** **** ** 2016(***** **** ********* ** ****** *** scope) *** *** *******.
******: *** *************** ************* "************* ** ********** ** ********* ** the ****", **** **** ****** ******* on ********* *.
*** ************ *** ******* ******** ******* suggested ********** ***** ***** ****** ** updating *** **** "** ******* *** Bridges * ***** ***** ****** ********" on ****** ***********,***** **** ******* ****.
**** ********* ***** ***** ***** ******'* live ****** *********** (***) ***** ******* due ** *** **** ** ***** guidelines ** *** ***** ** ****** on *** *********, ***** ** ***** be ********, *** ******* ** *** analysis ** ********* ****.
*********, *** ************'* *** ********* ********** include ******** ** ******* "*** ********** of ****** ** * *********" *** the ******** **** *** *********** "**** and ***** ** ****** ***" ***** considering "******* ******" ** "********* ******":
******* ********** ****** *********** ****** ****** LFR **** *** ******* "************ ****":
**** ** *** *********** *** *** language ** ***** ****** *** ******** security ** ************ ****.
*** ************ ********** ************* "**** * wide ***** ** ************":
*** ************ *** *** ****** ***** like ** *ncourage ************* ** **** ************ **** * **** ***** ** ************ and would be very happy to discuss this with you over the course of the consultation period [emphasis added]
******: ** ******* ****** ****** *** the ****** ** ************ ****** ************ Tony ****** **** ********** *** **** revisions ** *** ***** *** ******, with ****** **** ****** **** *** "bare *****",*** *** *******.
******, *** ********* ***-**** *** ********** *** ******* ****, **** *** new ***** ******'* ******** ****** ********:
[**'* ****] **** *****. * ***'* think ** ******** **** ******** ** law ***********, * ***'* ****** ** provides * ***** **** ** ******** to *** ****** ** ** *** the ********** **** ** ********
******* ****** ***** ******* **** *** BBC *** ********** "**** ** ******** account" *** *** *****'* ********, ******* police **** *** ***** "**** ****** spaces **** ****-*** *******":
*** **** ***** *** **** *** the ***** ** ***** **** **** technology ******** *** ****** *** ********* our *******, ***** ********** **** ** properly ******* *** ****** *** *****'* findings ** *** ******* ******* ** this ********* ************ ****.
****** *********** **** *** **** ** safer, ** **** **** ****** ****** into ****-*** ******* *** ******** ******** of ************** **** ******* ******* ****** communities
*********** *******"**** ****** =#************".
** ********, *** **** ****** (***** oversees ** *** ***********) **** ** is ***** "********* **********" ** *** code *** ******* *** ******** ** police *** ***:
*** ********** ** ********* ** ********** the ****** ** *** *** ********** to **** *** ****** ****, ****** maintaining ****** *****, *** ** *** currently ********** ** *** ************ ****** Code.
** ********, ******* ** ******** **** consulted ** *** ******** *** ****** use ** *** ** ********** **** the ***** ** ****** ********, ***** will **** ** ********* ** *** update ** *** ****.
****** ********* *** *** ** ****** - ***** *** *******.