Everyone has now heard of meta glasses, the wearable smart glasses that allow you to record photos and videos hands-free. But there are other devices with hidden built-in cameras that are being used in Toronto, but they’re being used to secretly record people without their knowledge.
A woman drew attention to this issue on her Tiktok page by discussing how every day items like hats, pens, USB drives and car key fobs are being used to record people without their awareness and consent.
“I discovered that a lot of shops in Toronto are selling different variations of this hat, and also water bottles,” KT, who made the Tiktok video, told The Brandon Gonez Show.
KT explained that these items have a pin hole in them with spy cameras, making it difficult to detect, and they are being sold primarily in the East End of Toronto.
Her video is raising concerns about safety in Toronto, especially women’s safety.
“I feel like we need to band together and figure out a solution for this, and a lot of people commented a really good point, that this should be illegal. Like, Meta glasses are one thing, you know, but this, us not being able to detect it via pin holes, there should be some law against that,” said KT.
Although this conversation is being brought to the public’s attention, pinhole cameras have been around for a while.
Many people would feel uncomfortable if they were to see themselves on a social media video that they never knew was recorded and might want to take measures. Although Canada’s voyeurism laws may not protect the targeted person.
“Now voyeurism laws do need to be updated to keep up with technology. I think these laws were created when the technology just didn’t exist or wasn’t as readily available,” said Ritesh Kotak, a cyber security tech analyst based in Toronto. “We didn’t have smart glasses and other wearable technologies, pinhole cameras that could be embedded just about anywhere.”
Voyeurism is the act of watching people while they’re engaged in intimate activities.
“The voyeurism laws are very clear that they kind of involve more intimate settings where there’s a reasonable expectation of privacy. Not when you’re just walking down the street, you don’t have to disclose to anybody that you’re recording,” Kotak told The Brandon Gonez Show.
Kotak explains that Canada has a law called “one-party consent”, meaning as long as one person of that interaction consents to the recording, it is legal to record someone in public areas.
The Brandon Gonez Show spoke to Canadians to weigh in on this issue.
“It’s never a good thing, because then you don’t know the intention of the person. What are their true intentions when you are recording and not telling the person,” Yasmine M. tells The Brandon Gonez Show.
Many Canadians may be unaware of this law and the idea of these hidden cameras being used in Toronto has people on high alert.
“I think it’s just like obstruction of people’s privacy. I think it’s just more dangerous for people to be doing their regular lives. But I don’t know, you can’t really do much about it,” said Canadian Victoria M.
“I think it’s already hard for women to be out on the streets. We always have to be super observant, no matter who’s around you, and this is just another layer that we have to pay attention to just to protect our own safeties. So it’s disappointing to see people doing this,” she added.
There are measures the public can take while living their everyday lives knowing that these hidden recording devices may be around and being used.
Kotak explains that if someone notices that they have been posted on social media and didn’t know they were being recorded, you can submit a takedown request by contacting the platform. If recording takes place on private property, it can be reported to the management of the institution.
“The public safety component of being able to record, obviously people have a right to record in public places, but also the privacy component on this, and that is making sure we don’t cross that line and record individuals when they’re in their most intimate moments,” Kotak says.
It is important to always be vigilant and aware of your surroundings, and as technology continues to advance, this is a good reminder to be mindful of how damaging social media can sometimes be.
“Just be under the impression that you’re always being recorded, and there’s a good chance that recording may go online, may be accessible to other individuals, and just govern yourself accordingly. I know it’s not the ideal way to live, but unfortunately, that is the reality,” says Kotak.
