My neighbor across the street has a webcam aimed directly at my house. I have gotten on his website and watched my house as the pictures changed at 20 second intervals. Other than confronting him, any suggestions on how to handle?

Get a mirror and place it where the Webcam is focused. Or get a floodlight and shine it at the webcam.

Thanks, Scott. Interesting solution. Will definitely try it.

One day, take a picture of his house. And his family individually. Everyday, right where the webcam can see it... place pictures of his wife, children, etc.

... that was creepy.

Have you talked to your neighbor about it? It COULD be that he's watching for burglars... security measure. It could also be that he accidentally placed it there and didn't know about it.

As this single man is a computer guru, don't think it was placed accidentally and am sure he isn't watching for burglars.

I'm just saying, he might have reasons for doing so... other than just being a creep. Talk to him about it. Tell him you feel uncomfortable.

I would not retaliate with pictures of his house.What I would do istry to interfere with the view the CAM has. Another possibility is plant a tree or put up a fence

I would not retaliate with pictures of his house.What I would do istry to interfere with the view the CAM has. Another possibility is plant a tree or put up a fence

I would wonder if a tree would be large enough to block the view. It could cause a secondary problem and that is that it may provide a nice cover for a break and enter, so you might want to be careful with that approach. Also, if a person is going to put up a fence along a sidewalk, chances are that there may be bylaws which restrict the height and appearance which may make the fence less effective in hiding the house.

In many cities there are privacy laws - some of these may impact whether a person can provide a public 24 hour a day broadcast of a private residence. For the sake of maintaining good relations though, I would suggest speaking to the neighbour before initiating any formal legal action of any type. He may have just intended to aim it at the sidewalk, just for fun, and may not have even thought of the discomfort that it may cause someone inadvertently caught in it's view.

As for the mirror and floodlight options, I'd be cautious about those also. The floodlight may be considered more of an annoyance under the law than the webcam simply because if the webcam is at his house, you would need to shine a floodlight right at his house. The mirror could be consider a danger to traffic at the times and day and year when it may reflect the sun into the eyes of drivers.

Best solution in my view is to chat with the person, without any presumptions of motives, and without a confrontation intent. Just state that you were surprised to find the picture of your house on internet, and in a friendly tone, get the point across that though from time to time it would not be a concern, that you are a bit uncomfortable with the camera broadcasting all the time because... and then come up with some reasons which make sense - maybe you have children and you are concerned about those who might prey on children, or you do not want to make it easily for possible burglars to know when everyone has left the house. If you don't know the neighbour it may be a chance to introduce yourself and get to them! But the key for this to work is to truly go with the intent and acceptance of the real possibility that his motives are completely innocent. Most reasonable people respond well to a reasonable approach.

I'm not sure this makes sense to me -- a neighbor is camming toward your house...


My neighbor across the street has a webcam aimed directly at my house. I have gotten on his website and watched my house as the pictures changed at 20 second intervals. Other than confronting him, any suggestions on how to handle?

So how did you know your neighbor had a web site -- if you don't know him

I think I would turn it around and thank him for providing security of your house

You can be in your house or anywhere in the world and watch your house

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel."
--Mayo Angelou

one day, take a picture of his house. and his family individually. everyday, right where the webcam can see it...place pictures of his wife, children, etc.

...that was creepy.

have you talked to your neighbor about it? it COULD be that he's watching for burglars...security measure. it could also be that he accidentally placed it there and didnt know about it.

It would be hard to do, but somehow make it look like the guy's wife is in your house having sex with someone else. That would p*ss him off.

I don't think you have a legal case for privacy. Views that are considered publc... such as what you can see from the street are open for pictures with no expectation of privacy... as I understand the law...

However, if his actions lead to your home being robbed or vandalixed as a result of people being able to monitor it, he would seem to have a big liability issue. I'm not sure about the cost you might incur to increase your personal and home security as a result of his opening you up to possible harm. His actions are affecting your rights to be secure in your home. You might possibly have some recourse under that issue? Worth talking to an attorney in order to find out. At least to bring the issue of his potential liability to his attention. Weather a letter from a lawyer would convince him to rethink his actions is anybodies guess.

I am not in any way an expert at law, just offering some thoughts.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts. A little more detail: This single man sent us his own website address a year or two ago and he probably forgot that we had it. Recently by chance, we looked at his website and was shocked to see our house on his "webcam" page. He has 8 webcams... 7 pointing at different spots in his own house and one from his living room window aimed at our house. No children involved at either house. He is very strange and/or has a webcam fetish. I appreciate all of the above comments.

Maybe he thought you would be tickled pink to be included in something that he likes so much, and has only good intentions... though certainly different?

Call the cops

Call the cops

Unless he is specifically violating one or more laws, there is nothing that the cops can do.

As someone else pointed out, it is even unlikely that the privacy laws could be used because anything that can be seen from the street is public (unless you could prove that he was using the webcam to spy inside windows like a peeping Tom, but I suspect that would be nigh on impossible from across the street).