Will using a head of the image reveal privacy? 4 things to note when installing

Interviewed experts: Guo Yan, partner of Tianjin Changpeng Law Firm

Global Times Health Client Reporter Yu Ye

For many people, home cameras can monitor the situation at home in real time. Whether it is worrying about the safety of the home when going out or worrying about the elderly and children who are left behind, it is more reassuring to see the images at home anytime and anywhere. However, recently, police officers from many places have reminded citizens through social platforms that they must be cautious when installing home cameras to prevent the risk of privacy leakage. This reminder has led many families to pay attention to the hidden risks behind smart home devices.

It is reported that in recent years, cases of home smart cameras being cracked and invaded are common. In a case reported by the Beijing Chaoyang Court in 2024, the defendant Wu Moumou invaded and controlled multiple target cameras through the illegally obtained surveillance camera equipment account and password, and made profits by providing real-time surveillance images to members. Guo Yan, a partner at Tianjin Changpeng Law Firm, told the Global Times Health Client reporter that many users tend to simplify operations when setting camera passwords, such as the common \”123456\” or \”8888888\”, or directly use personal information such as birthdays or phone numbers as passwords. These simple passwords are easily cracked by criminals. In addition, most home cameras on the market are used via Wi-Fi connection. The videos recorded every day will be automatically uploaded to the cloud storage, which is convenient for users to access at any time. If the server is compromised, users\’ daily life, conversations, and even more private activities will be exposed to others without any restrictions..

In order to ensure the privacy and security of home cameras, Guo Yan recommends that the following aspects should be paid attention to when installing and using them.

1. Choose to purchase a home camera brand certified by the Ministry of Public Security. Camera manufacturers regularly release firmware and software updates to fix security vulnerabilities and improve performance. Residents should update in a timely manner to ensure that they are in the latest state.

2. Set the home network to a local area network, and the camera can only transmit data in the home internal network. Regularly check the camera\’s operating status to see if there is an abnormal connection or data transmission.

3. Set a complex password containing letters, numbers and symbols, and change the password regularly. At the same time, enable security features such as two-factor authentication.

4. Try to avoid installing cameras in private places such as bedrooms and bathrooms. The camera should be installed in public areas such as living rooms and doorways, and the shooting angle should be carefully adjusted to avoid taking pictures of neighbors.

From April 1, the \”Regulations on the Management of Public Safety Video Image Information Systems\” will be implemented. Illegal installation of cameras or leakage of other people\’s privacy can be sentenced to a maximum sentence. Guo Yan reminds the public that if you find that your personal privacy has been secretly photographed and peeped, you should call the police as soon as possible. While calling the police, collect relevant evidence as much as possible, including videos, pictures, chat records that leak privacy. If privacy leakage causes actual losses, such as mental damage, property damage, etc., the victim can file a civil lawsuit in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Civil Code of the People\’s Republic of China and require the infringer to bear civil liability. Civil liability specificIncluding stopping infringement, eliminating obstacles, eliminating dangers, eliminating impacts, restoring reputation, apologizing and compensating for losses, etc.