LEGALITIES TO CONSIDER & DETERMINE

*Note: We are not lawyers. The following should be considered informational ONLY and NOT to be taken as ANY kind of legal advice or counsel! You are urged to take up your questions with qualified legal counsel within your given municipality, county, state, or country!!!

1. Is monitoring or recording private conversations legal under any circumstances?

2. Can I secretly record a conversation as long as I'm a part of it?

3. How do I know if my audio or video recording is legal?

4. Why don't you sell cameras with built-in audio microphones?

5. What type of video monitoring and/or recording is generally considered illegal?

6. I'm in a different country- is use of your equipment legal here?

Q1: Is monitoring or recording a private conversation legal under any circumstances?

A1: Unless you are in law enforcement with a valid COURT ORDER, monitoring or recording private conversations (which you are NOT a part) of is generally considered eavesdropping or wiretapping- which is a serious FEDERAL CRIME! The federal statutes do seem to have a few considerations. One of which is that those being recorded must have a reasonable "expectation of privacy" in the particular situation. For that reason, verbal warnings are commonly heard in recordings prior to customer service calls to businesses- relaying that "this call may be monitored or recorded for quality control purposes". Written signs may be posted outside a location noting that the premises are being video and/ or audio recorded. Likewise, it may be reasonably argued that monitoring the "private" conversation of two burglars in your home or residence is o.k. since they should have no expectation of privacy. Minor children in the presence of day-care, nannies, babysitters, etc. is where things can start to get "gray". Back to top-->

Q2: Can I secretly record a conversation as long as I'm a part of it?

A2: Recording conversations in which you are physically and actively present may be legal or illegal based on a particular state's laws. What is perfectly legal in some states is a crime in others, ranging from relatively minor to very serious. CHECK IT OUT BEFOREHAND! We understand that the average customer usually has the best of intentions, usually trying to gain additional material to their video evidence. But don't let it backfire on you! Risking your own freedom just isn't worth it. Back to top-->

Q3: How do I know if my audio or video recording is legal?

A3: You are STRONGLY URGED to contact your local or state law enforcement- or an attorney who specializes in this type of law- BEFORE you attempt to monitor and/ or record ANYTHING in which legalities may be questionable. Back to top-->

Q4: Why don't you carry cameras with built-in audio microphones?

A4: While there are some out there still selling covert cameras with built-in microphones, we have followed the industry trend to discontinue such items due to their questionable legalities in certain situations. Again, lawful use entirely depends on what you're doing with it and in what area. The good news is that you really wouldn't want a camera with a built-in microphone anyway! The gain control circuits are notoriously weak and often require one to be within a few inches to obtain sound recording. Our tiny AM-1 can recognize the audio of a conversation over 30 feet away (with onboard auto-level adjust). So, if you have a legal use for audio- don't waste your time searching for inferior cameras with poor quality integrated microphones. We only create covert audio for law enforcement, agency and qualified end users- including some civilians, such as legitimate investigators, journalists professional mystery shopping organizations who lawfully use such audio collection as a regular course of business in many states. Back to top-->

Q5: What type of video monitoring and/or recording is generally considered illegal?

A5: "Invasion of privacy" is a crime usually involving video monitoring and/ or recording of bedroom, bathroom, or clothes changing areas (i.e. locker rooms)- but may be broadened into other situations. We do not condone the potential misuse or abuse of our products- which we proudly carry to help people. We represent covert video because it's often the only way to capture evidence of serious wrong doing. In a day and age where even eyewitness testimony is often unreliable, video evidence is the often the ONLY recourse to hold people responsible for their misdeeds against others. *A note to would-be perverts out there.... we hope you get caught and are prosecuted. Privacy is a right! We do not respond to email queries where the customer's interest is in potentially illegal or even unethical methods. Back to top-->

Q6: I'm in a different country- is use of your equipment legal here?

A6: We have a hard enough time trying to determine legalities in our own state! We have NO IDEA what the legalities of use are in your particular area or country- PLEASE CONTACT your own government (particularly customs) or a leading expert in such matters before purchasing our equipment. Click here to visit our "international" FAQ answer page for more information regarding the purchase and/ or use of our products. Back to top-->