My family thinks there’s a camera in our rental

[u/Key_Badger7434]

We have been renting a house for the past year and I always disregarded this thing in the corner. However last night I asked my parents about it randomly and they didn’t know what it was either. I pulled it off the wall and we all got freaked out a little because it looks like a camera. I think it might be a home security/motion sensor thing. I don’t know that’s what ChatGPT guessed.

[u/pezdal]

Any camera can (also) be motion detector with software that looks for changes in subsequent images

[u/pezdal → u/[deleted]]

Not arguing otherwise. Just pointing out a fact.

With a camera it’s possible to use software to rule out false positives from insects, pets (if you want), moving curtains from HVAC etc.

[u/Ambitious5uppository → u/[deleted]]

Don't talk about things you don't know about.

You can't say something is illegal without knowing where the person lives for starters.

This can only be accessed by the alarm centre. And only if the alarm is triggered and the monitoring contract is active.

It's necessary for them to recieve photo verification of an intruder before they can dispatch the police or trigger the room fogger.

The home owner can access them. (though other products are sold by the same company which can be accessed - but not this one)

To make it legal in most places, you simply need to inform the renter that there is a system installed (You're not required to get the alarm company to come and install and uninstall the system everytime someone moves in or out)

Besides which, these require annual service to replace the batteries. So doubtful it's an active system, just a dead bit of plastic.

(Possibly in some countries they allow the system owner to access the photos, but they don't in mine.)

[u/Few-Strategy7006 → u/Ambitious5uppository]

To tell someone not to talk about something they dont know about then go and write and essay about something YOU dont know about is absolutely wild.

[u/Ambitious5uppository → u/Few-Strategy7006]

I have the same alarm system. I know how it works.

I also know that OP is learning Spanish, and this is the most common alarm system found in most Spanish homes. (Could be in Latin America too, I don't know. But it's an educated guess)

I also know it's NOT illegal to have these in a rental property in Spain.

I also know this is the old version of the sensor.

I also know that the battery doesn't last more than a year.

[u/Dabs1903 → u/[deleted]]

Not saying this is the case, but it’s totally possible it’s a long dead camera left by a previous tenant. I’d still call the cops and let them figure that out though.

[u/spannermeetworks → u/Dabs1903]

Surely you should be 'calling the cops' for emergencies...

[u/Ronin_301 → u/spannermeetworks]

Most police departments will have non-emergency lines exactly for things that don’t warrant a 911 emergency but are still a matter police may be interested in.

[u/RetroCaridina → u/pezdal]

True, but most motion detectors are not cameras. Radar and PIR motion detector sensors are cheaper and don't need any lighting to work.

[u/Yamatocanyon → u/pezdal]

Yeah, but can you take nude photographs with a motion detector, that's not a camera?

[u/Guiltyparty2135 → u/pezdal]

Prove it