Just heard a (unconfirmed) report that some lawyers are trying to sue users of dashboard cameras for "invasion of Privacy". because the cameras can record license plates and private information such as how many people are in a vehicle, if the vehicle is driving erratically, and the location of a persons vehicle at a particular time. Is that worse than a camera over the top of a bathroom stall?

I believe you will find that anyone in public "has no reasonable expectation to privacy".Meaning if you are where everyone can see you, you are fair game.I have heard this before when photographers "accidentally" catch something other than what was expected.Maybe a lawyer will come on and explain the specifics.

There are laws regarding how much of the windshield can be obstructed, 5 square inches on the driver's side seems to be the acceptable limit. As far as invasion of privacy goes, I doubt that argument would fly. Would that make it illegal to take a picture out the window with a hand held camera? Some lawyer sees a paycheck.

As has been said before: It's America. You can sue anyone for anything you want.Collecting is a different matter.

As a professional photographer who has had to deal with the issue of photos taken in public as well as what can or can't be done with them, but not a lawyer (Official disclaimer here: nothing I say should be construed as legal advice, etc.) I can tell you that in the US, anything you can see from the public right-of-way without using "extraordinary" equipment is perfectly legal to photograph. There are right of privacy/right of publicity restrictions on what you can do with the photos, however.By "extraordinary equipment," I mean that you can't use a monster telephoto lens to peer into somebody's living room from 2 miles away, or hire a cherry-picker to look over the 10 foot fence in their backyard.So the OP's query about the legality of dashboard cameras brings up no issues for me. I would have no fear of getting in trouble with any sort of standard dashboard camera, and while I would hire a lawyer to defend me should I get sued for recording either someone's license number or number of persons in a car, I would also not give a second's thought to the possibility of losing such a lawsuit.Because, as @obgraham said, you can sue anybody you want for anything you want. But winning a judgement or actually collecting damages are another matter entirely. And I would anticipate the judge being sympathetic to a summary judgment with prejudice against anyone bringing an invasion of privacy suit for recording their license number as they drove down the public street. (A summary judgement with prejudice means that the issue is so ridiculous that the court finds no evidence or trial is even necessary, and don't under any circumstances attempt to bring such a suit to this court ever again. More or less.)As for the camera over a bathroom stall, even if the stall is in a public building or facility such as a park, there ARE laws most places that spell out such a camera is specifically illegal. I know that here in Virginia, there is a specific law that makes it illegal to photograph anyone in a bathroom stall or a bathhouse changing room or a store dressing/fitting room in any state of undress whatever. But the law does not invoke any right of privacy, it just forbids taking photos there.

obgraham wrote:As has been said before: It's America. You can sue anyone for anything you want.Collecting is a different matter.And believe me there is a lawyer that will take the case, when you have more lawyers than Doctor's then I think that is a problem. my family Dr. has to lay out over 250K a year for malpractice insurance.

Are dashboard video cameras legal?? | Good Sam Community

BubbaChris
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
From what I've read in passing, the audio portion (which is automatic in many models) is more likely to be trouble than the video.

A) In some states, like California, you'd need to warn each and every passenger that you were recording audio.
B) What you (or your passengers) said before/after an accident could be used against you.
DSDP_Don
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
Think paparazzi.....they hang from trees to get a shot and there are no limits on what they photograph/video tape. I've been running one for a couple of months now. When on a trip, I leave t mounted in the motor home, once home, I move it over to my truck. It does cause me to yell a little less at knucklehead drivers because it records audio and video.
ScottG
Nomad
Jul 23, 2015
I don't believe there is any such legal proceedings currently happening. More like urban legend stuff.
msgtord
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
3oaks wrote:
gbopp wrote:
It sounds like an "Urban Legend" to me.
I think you nailed it.:B

Yep.
3oaks
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
gbopp wrote:
It sounds like an "Urban Legend" to me.
I think you nailed it.:B
gbopp
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
It sounds like an "Urban Legend" to me.
cameronpatentla
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
Generally, anything that is relevant to litigation is discoverable. If there is evidence that leads to a finding of the facts, the courts typically allow it be discovered and introduced. So if you have a running GoPro on your dash, and your phone beeps announcing the receipt of a text message (caught on audio), and you pick up the phone to read the message (time message read recorded on phone) and you rear-end someone (video of accident caught on camera) while reading the text, chances are quite good that the lawyer for the other side is going to subpoena that GoPro video and your cell phone records and match them up. The lawyer may also subpoena the black box of your vehicle. So, drive safe out there!
beemerphile1
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
There are probably some state regulations regarding how they are mounted but it is perfectly legal to use a camera in public places. Like dockmasterdave replied, "anyone in public has no reasonable expectation to privacy".
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Jul 23, 2015
Why would it be illegal. You can always record the same thing with an I-phone from inside your car. You can always take photos of license plates from inside your car with a phone. You always take photos or video of the number of people in another car with your I-phone. I see no difference.
Trackrig
Explorer II
Jul 23, 2015
It sounds like to me that someone got caught in the wrong with a dash camera and their lawyer is trying to get the evidence thrown out by claiming it was an invasion of privacy.

Bill