2019
What Is a Nanny Cam and How Does It Work?
“Nanny cam” is an expression used for some kind of home surveillance system that records video and/or sound and/or still photos. The term was coined with the idea of seeing what the child’s caregiver was doing when you weren’t around.
So, nanny cams can be something hidden that no one knows about them or they can be obvious and in plain sight.
Who uses a nanny cam?
Well, it’s often used to watch those who are caring for infants or children to make sure they’re doing a good job. Nanny cams are also used by people who want to see a live feed of what their pets are doing, and they are also used occasionally to covertly watch someone caring for the elderly, especially in cases where there is suspected abuse.
Is it legal in Canada?
Yes, if you’re using them at home. What you do in your home is your private business as long as you aren’t trying to make money off of the film. We have a couple of articles about this issue in our blog.
How does a nanny cam work?
There are basically two types. There is a nanny cam that uses WIFI and delivers a live feed that you can watch at any time, and there are ones that record images or video and saves them to an SD card—like the card that goes in a digital camera.
If your images are on an SD card, then you take out the SD card and watch or listen to the footage on your computer. An SD card can record as much as 144 hours of video.
We carry nanny cams in our store in a wide range of prices from about $250 to about $1000. The most expensive ones are custom built into some kind of real device, like a clock or toaster, so you would really never suspect what it is.
The advantage of WIFI and live feed is exactly that—you can watch what’s happening in real time. The disadvantage is that it’s not difficult to detect a nanny cam operating with WIFI, if you know how to do that.
Also, if for some reason the WIFI isn’t working, then the nanny cam isn’t working either. So, what type of nanny cam you choose should be dictated by what the purpose is for having one and your budget.
If you’re in the market for a nanny cam, stop by and talk to us. We have several models to choose from. And, yes, if you’re wondering, we have had clients come back to us and tell us how happy they are that they installed a nanny cam because they found something surprising on the film.
A nanny cam is a useful part of your home security plan.
The Spy Store specializes in high-quality, professional-grade, security and surveillance equipment and is the biggest of its kind in Canada. The Spy Store has been in business for over 20 years and has four locations, two in Vancouver, one in Surrey, BC, one in Calgary, AB, and a large online store. If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about security or surveillance equipment, please call us at (604) 731-6662.