Knowledge base · Cameras
When does a pet camera fall under data protection law?
When it records other people beyond your boundary. The product can still be called a pet camera.
The ICO's home CCTV guide, which includes fixed cameras and smart doorbells, says owners should where possible film only their own property. If the camera captures someone else's property, a public area or a communal space, data protection law applies, because images and voices are personal information. The ICO notes that this guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act and may change.
If the law applies, the ICO says you need a clear reason, you should not capture more than you need, you should let people know, you should usually hand over footage when a person in it asks, you should delete it regularly or automatically, and you should stop if someone objects and you have no legitimate reason to continue.
The ICO says it will not usually remove the camera for you.
Sources
- Home CCTV systems — Information Commissioner's Office, accessed 14 November 2026.