How Does a Nanny Cam Work? The Basics Explained

Not trusting a stranger is ok. It does not make you a bad person, it just makes you human, especially when it involves the safety of your own children. All you are doing is joining the ranks of thousands of others around the globe who are considering installing a nanny cam.

So what exactly is a nanny cam and how do you go about installing one? Below, we give you all the information you need if you are asking yourself "How does a nanny cam work?".

What Is a Nanny Cam?

Nanny cameras are items of surveillance equipment. Its purpose is to watch and record the activities of people in their homes, particularly children and the elderly, for the purpose of safety. However, they have also been used to catch criminals and acts of infidelity.

The nanny cam is not specifically for looking at your nanny, more a replacement for one. By viewing your children and family in their own home setting, you can check to see if they are safe. You can view their activities and what is going on in real-time, thus keeping them safe.

Of course, you could install them in any workplace. This could be done to check that people are getting on with the job they have been asked to do.

How Does a Nanny Cam Work?

A nanny cam is essentially a webcam or video camera. Once set up, you can look at rooms or areas in your home. It is remotely wired to another monitor, so you could have multiple cameras in different rooms. For this reason, it helps to get a wireless camera for ease of use.

Nanny cams can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can get them hidden, so they come built into clock and plush toys. Others are more visible, looking like traditional cameras or baby monitors.

These cameras will then hook up to your home network. This will allow you to view the cameras on your device, be it your mobile, laptop, or television. Though the setup process may be lengthy and take some time, it will be worth it for your peace of mind once you know that you can check up on your children.

These cameras are password-protected so that only you can access the feed. If needed, you can share the login with family, friends, or babysitters.

Memory Card Cams

Other cams do not connect to wifi networks and live feeds. In this case, they will record to memory cards. They are often known as all in one cams and tend to be easier to set up.

To watch them all you will need to do is remove the memory card. You then insert it into your computer and playback the footage. However, the video is obviously not coming to you live, so you may be sorting problems after they have happened should anything occur.

How to Use a Nanny Cam

Both of these types of cameras have advantages and disadvantages. However, the best cameras come with a combination of both live streaming and playback. These are extremely useful as unless you are looking at your phone all the time, it is likely that you will miss something.

Motion detection is the first feature you should look for. Whenever any motion occurs in the room or area you are filming, the camera starts recording. It will then save this so you can playback and watch it later.

The second feature you should look for is auto-notifications. This will notify you via instant messaging, email, or app when this motion occurs. You will then be able to link directly to the camera and view the problem in real-time.

What Are the Legalities?

Surveillance, particularly in and around your own home, is perfectly legal. However, there are some technicalities and loopholes in which you can not record, mainly to protect the privacy of those you are recording. It is illegal to place cameras in rooms that would invade privacy, such as the bathroom or a nannies bedroom.

In some states, it is also illegal to record audio without consent. Ideally, get this written consent when you inform the person to solve any legal technicalities later down the line. If a problem does occur, this audio evidence may not be usable in court.

It is also illegal to post any recorded content of a person online without their consent. This includes any sort of physical distribution as well.

Should I Tell the Nanny?

This is entirely your decision to make. Many nannies will have this on their resume, as they understand that allowing a recording makes them seem professional and more likely to get hired. You may decide to tell the nanny but offer a trial period, and remove the cameras once she has gained your trust.

If you record a nanny without them knowing and they later find out, you will probably have broken the cycle of trust. If this happens with a nanny you really like and trust, you will have lost a great nanny who has built a relationship with your child.

If you hire a nanny and sense that something is not quite right, you could choose to install a camera. In this instance, it would be best to keep the camera secret. Once you have checked and solves the problem (if there is one) you can remove the camera without any problems.

Selecting the Right Camera for You

Now you can answer the question "How does a nanny cam work?" you can decide to tell your nanny and hopefully choose the right camera. Remember that when safeguarding and protecting your child, there are only the right decisions.

If you have enjoyed this article, then browse our excellent selection of nanny cams. We have collected our best sellers here, so you can check out the reviews and make your own decision on the equipment you need to protect your family.