A Nanny Cam, or Nanny Camera, sensationalized to the phrase "spy camera" is a hidden video camera that has been secretly installed within a common household object. A nanny cam is usually used to secretly monitor and record the activities of home caregivers, hence the name "Nanny Cam" although it has its usefulness to overtly or covertly record any activity.
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The receiver can be connected to a VCR or DVR recording device or can be a portable receiver-screen which can be carried room to room by parents to keep an eye on their children. The camera can be hooked up to an Internet broadband connection for remote viewing while at work or vacation, in which case it is also a webcam.
It can be connected to a VCR or DVR, either with:
Some nanny cameras are self-recording camcorders that record the video internally to a hard drive or memory card, which eliminates the need for a wireless receiver or wired connection to a VCR or DVR.
There have been many news stories centered around a hidden camera that has recorded a nanny in the act of abusing a child. Nanny Cameras can also be used to prove the guilt or innocence of a suspected abuser.[1]
A nanny cam can be purchased in many household items like a child's teddy bear, a wall clock, a clock radio, or even a plant or tissue box.
For convenience, most nanny cams use built-in transmitters to transmit their video to a recording device located in another room or floor.
US Code Title 18, Chapter 119, Section 2512 prohibits the interception of oral communication by "surreptitious manner," such as a hidden camera, and so most nanny cams are not available with audio recording. Though some on the market may be available with the ability to record audio, these cameras should not be used due to the illegality of the recordings they produce.A Nanny Cam is legal in all 50 states,but it is illegal in 13 states to record audio without express, or written consent of the nanny being recorded. This falls under the federal governments ‘wire tapping’ laws.