Expert tips to spot a hidden camera

Two cases involving hidden cameras were reported in the last two weeks in Bengaluru.

Phone cameras, radio frequency (RF) signal scanners and mobile applications are simple tools to use to spot hidden cameras, say detectives and technology experts. While detectives use debugging tools that can cost up to Rs 5 lakh, there are simpler techniques one can implement.

A common method used to spot hidden cameras involves using a smartphone camera.

“Low-tech inexpensive cameras give out infrared frequencies, which can be detected by the front cameras on most smartphones. However, this works only in low light settings,” says Pranav M Bidare, a researcher at the Centre for Internet and Society.

“You can check if your camera can detect infrared signals by pointing your phone at the front end of the TV remote in the dark. If your phone picks up a blinking or glowing light, that means your phone camera can pick up infrared signals,” he explains. To inspect a hotel room, turn off the lights and start recording at a slow and steady pace.

“See if there are any odd lights visible. If you notice any, you can check each source of light to see if any of them is a camera,” he adds.

A detective from Rajdhani Detective Agency suggests using specific mobile applications. “There are apps designed for spotting hidden cameras. They use multiple sensors to detect infrared signals and changes in the magnetic field,” he elaborates. While these methods are not foolproof, they can usually be used to spot low-budget devices.

“But, one must be vigilant. The cameras today can be small enough to fit inside a screw. People make a tiny hole in the middle of the screw top and fit in a camera. Cameras as small as 2-3 mm are available in the market,” he says.

The common spaces where cameras are hidden include air conditioning vents and false ceilings, shares Naman Jain, managing director of Sleuths India, a city-based detective agency.

“Be it a hotel room or a washroom, look for oddly spaced objects. They are placed strategically, like a clock right in front of your bed or a religious photo hanging on the wall,” he adds. Other places where cameras are frequently hidden include smoke detectors, wall sockets, and plants.

He also suggests using a RF signal scanner. “This is a small device that can be carried around easily and is available for purchase on ecommerce websites. If someone is wary of an establishment, they can use this device. Establishments like hotels and cafes can also use it to conduct routine checks,” he says.

What happened?

On August 10, a woman found a phone in the washroom of the New BEL Road branch of Third Wave Coffee. It was hidden in the dustbin, with the video camera switched on. It was placed by an employee, who has now been arrested. A few days later, two teen boys were apprehended for filming women using the washroom at Urvashi Theatre on Siddaiah Road in Bengaluru.

What does the law say? 

In India, there is no clear law preventing someone from recording a person in public, for example someone sitting in a park or at the beach, shares Akanksha Natesan, advocate. “However, in cases where a woman is recorded doing a ‘private act’, it falls within the ambit of voyeurism under Section 77 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Section 345C of Indian Penal Code).

Here, a private act includes circumstances where a person would expect privacy and where the woman’s private parts are exposed, which includes the use of washrooms or while engaging in a sexual act,” she explains. The gender neutral provision against capturing, publishing or transmission of images of private areas of any person is provided under Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The punishment for voyeurism for first-time offenders is imprisonment of one to three years along with a fine, and imprisonment of three to seven  years along with a fine for repeat offenders. “The punishment under Section 66E of the IT Act may extend to imprisonment of three years or a fine of up to Rs 2 lakh,” she adds.