Phonewatch smart alarm

Evolution1

Does anyone know what law is in place that prevents the owner of one of these systems from viewing the pictures taken by the PIR cams ?
Phonewatch are saying that the homeowner is not aloud to see these photos as it's against the data protection act . They keep the images for 21 days and the images are only available to the gardai and phonewatches monitoring personnel.

Surely people aren't mad enough to let somone store pictures of the inside of their home when they themselves cant even view them ?

KoolKid

I can't see how the data protection act applies to inside your own home.
I find it amazing that people are allowing cameras inside their home to be connected to a monitoring station, but the fact that they can't even see them is incredible.
I would recommend the other option & use something like the Risco Agility.
Where you have the app & you see the images.
Are PW saying if I purchase something like this for my own home, I am in breach of data protection laws??
Its amazing what people fall for.

kub

We discussed last night how familiar Phonewatch were with Garda response to alarm activations.

Now this, seriously is this a joke?

I am sure that the CCTV regs that the Data Commissioner has published covers this. But then this is PW we are discussing.

altor

kub wrote: »

But then this is PW we are discussing.

A law to there own.

el pasco

kub wrote: »

We discussed last night how familiar Phonewatch were with Garda response to alarm activations.

Now this, seriously is this a joke?

I am sure that the CCTV regs that the Data Commissioner has published covers this. But then this is PW we are discussing.

Most other monitered alarms system allow you to watch your camaras so I not sure what law they are going by
If everyone just quit phonewatch (who I think are the dearest) And went to other cheaper monitered alarm company they'd soon change their tune

Ask them to quote which law and ask how come other licenced monitered alarm companies can do it but they can't

kub

el pasco wrote: »

Most other monitered alarms system allow you to watch your camaras so I not sure what law they are going by
If everyone just quit phonewatch (who I think are the dearest) And went to other cheaper monitered alarm company they'd soon change their tune

Ask them to quote which law and ask how come other licenced monitered alarm companies can do it but they can't

Most other monitored alarms which connect up with CCTV systems are mostly on commercial premises. They are hooked up with a DVR/ NVR which stores all relevant footage anyway so usually will not need to ask their monitoring company for the relevant footage. Also I know of no other monitoring centre which will deny a client access to footage from their own premises.
If everyone quit phonewatch and went elsewhere..........this isn't France, but anyway, the central stations I know of charge no extra for this and that is on average half of what PW charge.

I am unsure what you are asking in your final question, could you rephrase it for me please?

Evolution1

el pasco wrote: »

Most other monitered alarms system allow you to watch your camaras so I not sure what law they are going by
If everyone just quit phonewatch (who I think are the dearest) And went to other cheaper monitered alarm company they'd soon change their tune

Ask them to quote which law and ask how come other licenced monitered alarm companies can do it but they can't

The system phonewatch is using doesn't connect up to a TV screen ... The cameras are built into the motion detector that's usually in a corner of a room. The motion cams take photos and send them to the monitoring station ..
Maybe you're getting confused with CCTV and a DVR

altor

For a system to comply with EN50131 it needs user access so I am sure the monitoring station would need this access to look at the cams too. So I cant see them being able to dial in and view a cam. In the event of an alarm activation the cams take snap shots when they detect movement. This would be the shots that the monitoring station see.