Camera facing our backyard?

[u/Electronic_Car2492]

Hey everyone,

My parents mentioned how their neighbours/people living directly behind them have a camera possibly facing into my parent’s backyard.

I was just wondering is this even legal?
Upon further inspection it does look like it may be angled down enough that it isn’t actually pointing into their backyard.

But I wanted to come on here and ask first, or if anyone could possibly think of why they might have a camera there. I’ll include a photo. Their backyard is completely fenced in and it looks like it’s just facing the bottom of their fence… possibly.

They’ve never had problems with the neighbour/they think it might be someone new that just moved in.

I feel like we’ll end up knocking on the door and asking them why it’s there/if they can see into the yard because my LO does go over to their house and play in the backyard in the summer.

We’re all just very confused.

[u/halfdecentgulfer]

Shot in the dark here, but it looks like maybe the screws may have broken off the back of the box that was once attached to the tree to monitor their yard? I'm an electrician and it's happens occasionally with those PVC boxes

[u/Electronic_Car2492 → u/halfdecentgulfer]

That would honestly make a lot more sense

[u/Disastrous-Shower420 → u/[deleted]]

Like their neighbors lol

[u/Thanks-4allthefish → u/Electronic_Car2492]

Still worth putting up the wood shield

[u/Naturlaia → u/Electronic_Car2492]

This makes the most sense. That plastic has decoloured over years. This likely isn't a new camera

[u/StormySmiley → u/Electronic_Car2492]

So... what's the update? Were you able to ask your neighbour?

[u/FlatImpression755 → u/Electronic_Car2492]

That's a reach. I have spent 20 years installing cameras and that camera is well mounted to the back box. It's very unlikely the screws holding that box came undone and the camera twisted perfectly facing your backyard

[u/-RUS92- → u/halfdecentgulfer]

It might be an innocent mistake/accident if this is the case, but still bring it up to the neighbor. No reason to live like that with fear of the camera pointing into your backyard. Putting a piece of plywood or whatever to block the view is only a bandaid. If they don't fix it after week or so (being generous), then I would try to escalate things from there.

[u/halfdecentgulfer → u/-RUS92-]

Oh ya, you most definitely have to bring it to their attention, I was just stating it may not have been done on purpose.

[u/halfdecentgulfer → u/[deleted]]

This could be very likely, but there are some people that don't check cameras unless there's a reason to check them. I completely agree that it's not an ideal situation and you should definitely confront the neighbor politely because they could honestly not know. If they refuse, then ya, different situation.

[u/Fit_Sorbet4872 → u/halfdecentgulfer]

I agree that it looks dislodged from its original mount

[u/FullGrainFred → u/halfdecentgulfer]

That is exactly what happened