Nanny Cams:

What You Should Know

The Ins and Outs of Nanny Cams

Put simply, a nanny camera (or nanny cam) is a webcam that parents or pet owners use to keep tabs on their nannies, children, and pets when they’re away from home. Although they can be exposed in plain sight, nanny cams are frequently hidden in everyday objects (such as teddy bears or alarm clocks), and Wi-Fi nanny cams allow users to watch their homes in real time.

Video quality depends largely on more expensive cameras, and individually owned webcams could be hacked. For this reason, many users add indoor security cameras from their security companies, which can fit naturally into their overall home security system to keep their homes and children safe.

Are Nanny Cams Legal?

The decision to hide a nanny cam without informing your nanny is up to you, but there are certain video and audio surveillance laws you should be aware of before purchasing. While it’s legal to install hidden nanny cams in all 50 states (in public areas only—bathrooms or a nanny’s private bedroom are not allowed), audio capability is a whole other story.

A nanny cam with audio is considered illegal in 15 states without your nanny’s written or verbal consent. Failure to abide by this law renders video footage inadmissible in court, and puts you at risk of prosecution.

Hidden Dangers of Nanny Cams

Before you install a nanny cam, consider the following:

Hackers can break in and put your kids and family at risk.
If you go the DIY route, you have to deal with security issues personally and won’t have a security provider to initiate emergency response for you.
Hidden nanny cams with audio are illegal in 15 states.
High-quality cameras are expensive. Cheap nanny cams are more easily hacked.
You could damage your relationship with your nanny or risk a lawsuit.

If you’d rather not risk a nanny cam situation gone wrong, ADT monitored indoor security cameras are the perfect alternative.

Nanny Cams vs. Indoor Security Cameras

You care about your family, so a nanny cam seems like an easy, accessible option to help you feel more in control of your children’s safety. However, when you rely on nanny cams, you’re risking potential issues and legal matters. Indoor security cameras may reduce the risk of being hacked, and when passively monitored through a home security company like ADT, provide additional peace of mind and built-in safety procedures you may not have otherwise.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can I prevent someone from hacking my camera?

Nanny cams are at risk of being hacked. Good preventative measures include registering your device, encrypting your Wi-Fi, and setting up strong passwords. You can also use Google Alerts to notify you when something seems out of the ordinary. For stronger security, opt for the indoor security camera created by ADT and backed by ADT monitoring—it’s designed with cutting-edge technology that makes it harder to hack.

How can I hide my ADT indoor security cameras?

Call an ADT professional to install your indoor security cameras in the most strategic places. Common areas include household plants, curtain rods, tissue boxes, and hollow books.

Where are nanny cams legal?

Exposed/hidden nanny cams (such as a nanny cam clock or a small nanny cam that could fit in the eye of a stuffed animal) are legal in all 50 states. Nanny cams with audio (without getting written and verbal consent from a housekeeper or nanny) violate speech laws in 15 states.

How does a nanny cam work?

Some nanny cams (sometimes referred to as babysitter cams) are battery operated, while other wireless nanny cams are AC powered. Wi-Fi nanny cams allow you to watch live footage, whereas cameras without Wi-Fi capability record footage you can review later.

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