CCTV & audio recording - Verkarda

[Jaan]

Hi all,

 

We're in the process of implementing the Verkarda CCTV solution. This is very feature rich with AI which the pastoral team loves. However it can also record audio.....

 

During the trial we place a camera in a problematic area with signage that clearly stated the CCTV does both Video and Audio. We had a incident where the little darlings had flooded a sink in the toilets. We were able to identity which student had flooded it because he said so to a friend..... "I've just put paper in the sink.....run!"

 

We don't have CCTV in all classrooms, mainly IT suites, Inclusion etc etc. Some staff are welcoming the audio recording feature. Others not so much.....

 

We have a camera on a corridor outside the student toilets..... a high incident area, for damage, vape and the like...... At break, staff are on duty here, and have a chat, maybe decide which SLT member isn't getting a Xmas card this year.......

 

Have any school implemented a CCTV system which records audio? Any issues from unions? What did you add to your CCTV policy. I would have thought that safeguarding would trump this..... But SLT have hinted that maybe the feature will stay disabled, Which would be a shame...

 

SLT are aware that we can enabled audio per camera and that of course is an option.

 

Thoughts?

[TechMonkey]

My view would be if they are in public areas then there is no expectation of privacy. If it is not kept secret that audio is recorded then there should be no issue. I mean, SLT aren't going to be scrubbing through the footage trying to pick up conversations are they? All access will be logged so anyone fishing will be obvious. The conversation would not be able to be used in any disciplinary as I'm almost certain your policy will not cover this use.

 

Maybe the staff need to think about being more discreet?

[Jaan]

My view would be if they are in public areas then there is no expectation of privacy. If it is not kept secret that audio is recorded then there should be no issue. I mean, SLT aren't going to be scrubbing through the footage trying to pick up conversations are they? All access will be logged so anyone fishing will be obvious. The conversation would not be able to be used in any disciplinary as I'm almost certain your policy will not cover this use.

 

Maybe the staff need to think about being more discreet?

 

This is my point of view exactly. Thanks

[PotNoodleTech]

It all depends in what you have put in your CCTV policy and Privacy policy on your website.

 

If theres no mention of audio recording and why it's needed in those documents then you can fall fowl of complaints later on and you wouldnt have many legs to stand on.

[pete]

You need to meet a much higher bar to justify audio recording (in workplace and public locations) than you do video recording.

 

You also need to explicitly make sure that everyone knows it's in place. Signage such as "CCTV with Audio Recording is active in this area" **before** the person gets to an area where they will be recorded.

 

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/cctv-and-video-surveillance/guidance-on-video-surveillance-including-cctv/how-can-we-comply-with-the-data-protection-principles-when-using-surveillance-systems/

 

TLDR: Don't wing it.

[synaesthesia]

Christ - I'd turn audio off. The DPIA would have to be watertight for that (ask to see it!) because the pro's are unlikely to balance out the cons. In education, I would expect the balance to be tipped in certain SEN or specialist establishments but otherwise, it really isn't worth it, even with correct and plentiful signage.

[Roberto]

I presume you have a DPIA signed off that justifies this, that you have warning notices pinned up, that you’re exercising strict controls on who can access the CCTV + Audio data, and for what reasons.

[Jaan]

At the moment its not even online, we're just looking at the policies and deciding what should be enabled. We won't be launching with audio initially, if at all.... i was just curious to if anybody else used the CCTV audio recording function.

 

I'll leave the Policies to the higher ups and our DPO. I just push buttons once instructed

 

cheers all

[Millgate_Jon]

I`ve seen a security system that has a workaround for audio........ the system listens, but doesnt record.

 

Some kind of magic happens and then the AI system in the cloud tells the admin what was said, or what it heard - but nothing has been recorded.

 

Clever or sneaky.......? not for me to say