Using dashcam in Europe - legal?

@ Dashmellow yes I checked the Wikipedia site as well. Sorry to sound off in the previous post but some decisions and arguements made in the name of privacy are just beyond belief.Next they will be poking peoples eyes out with a stick in case they invade some ones privacy by looking at them. Ipol

I basically agree with you! But just wait until everyone has wearable cameras and Google Glass. Things could actually get kinda' creepy.
 
I have not read or heard about any law banning the use of dash cams in Spain.
As for Austria. Have they looked at YOU tube? There are loads of vids taken on the streets in public. Here is a good example
Totally unenforceable law.
 
@ The Grocer. How long has Llandrindod Wells been in Greece? :p

This is a new member and I think he means that he was born in Greece and now lives in the UK.
 
Last edited:
There is even some guy taking pictures of some guy taking pictures.
 
@ Dashmellow yes you are right but a dashcam recording your journey is a safety feature to guard against insurance scams and false accusations, and has proved in the past to be an aid to successful police prosecutions after being presented by responsible members of the public who happened to be in the right place at the right time with their dashcams running. My blood starts to boil at political policy makers that have their heads permanently buried in the sand. On a positive note it puts them in a perfect position for one to put a well placed running kick.....(if only) Ipol
 
@ Dashmellow yes you are right but a dashcam recording your journey is a safety feature to guard against insurance scams and false accusations, and has proved in the past to be an aid to successful police prosecutions after being presented by responsible members of the public who happened to be in the right place at the right time with their dashcams running. My blood starts to boil at political policy makers that have their heads permanently buried in the sand. On a positive note it puts them in a perfect position for one to put a well placed running kick.....(if only) Ipol

Well yes Ipol, like I've said, I completely agree with you so I'm not quite sure the argument you are still trying to make. Cameras in a motor vehicle and cameras hidden in eyeglasses are really separate topics though. I mentioned that because personal sousveillance has the potential to become ubiquitous and this may change things for society WAY beyond dash cams.
 
To update this thread dashcams have been ruled illegal in:-
GERMANY, AUSTRIA,SPAIN,BELGIUM,LUXENBOURG,PORTUGAL.
Not illegal in Germany. But: Its the decision of the judge whether the video material (of an accident, ...) is recognized in court or not.
 
@ Dashmellow sorry for the confusion I dont always type the way i am thinking. I was not trying to make an argument it was meant to be a dig at inept politicians. :D PS I hope your not a politician :(...........as for surveillance becoming ubiquitous beyond dashcams I think we have already crossed that threshold, and as you rightly say dashcams and cameras hidden in eyeglasses are separate issues. @Tobi@s thanks for the clarification on dashcam legality in germany.
 
@ Dashmellow sorry for the confusion I dont always type the way i am thinking. I was not trying to make an argument it was meant to be a dig at inept politicians. :D PS I hope your not a politician :(...........as for surveillance becoming ubiquitous beyond dashcams I think we have already crossed that threshold, and as you rightly say dashcams and cameras hidden in eyeglasses are separate issues. @Tobi@s thanks for the clarification on dashcam legality in germany.

No I'm not a politician! Heaven forbid! :eek:

Please note that I didn't say that surveillance might have the potential to become ubiquitous, I said that sousveillance has the potential to become ubiquitous! They are two different concepts. It's true that surveillance is everywhere already, but ubiquitous sousveillance hasn't quite happened yet. Surveillance is when we have cameras attached to fixed places and real property like buildings whereas sousveillance is when you have cameras borne on individuals that are recording an activity by the participant in the activity. So when we wear eyeglasses with cameras in them, use GoPro type action cameras during sports activities or have dash cams in our cars to record from first person perspectives we are engaging in sousveillance rather than surveillance. Surveillance comes the French sur, "from above", and veiller, "to watch", but sousveillance substitutes the prefix sous, "from below"
 
Last edited:
hehe glad to hear that...... looks like I need to put some reading glasses on ( not the google glass type ) fully understood now..... at my age when one is trying to type in english and at the same time hold a conversation in french with my lovely french lady confusion often ensues.
 
hehe glad to hear that...... looks like I need to put some reading glasses on ( not the google glass type ) fully understood now..... at my age when one is trying to type in english and at the same time hold a conversation in french with my lovely french lady confusion often ensues.

Again, I completely understand. :)
 
In the Netherlands it`s legal to film and photograph in public places ( such as roads)
how ever if you post your films or photo`s on social medea or newspapers , for example
its wise to blur faces and licensplates, because you may get sewed by ppl in your film or photo because of privacy laws
( i don`t blur and do mention plates on you tube if nessesery if i seek witnesses)
 
To update this thread dashcams have been ruled illegal in:-
GERMANY, AUSTRIA,SPAIN,BELGIUM,LUXENBOURG,PORTUGAL.
<snip>

This information is incorrect, at least when it comes to dashcams in Belgium. Feel free to check the information (available in Dutch and French) at www.privacycommission.be, search for dashcams. I'll provide a roughly translated version of the current law here :

Individual use : An individual is allowed to use a dashcam to record his travels, and if he downloads this data to his PC and/or views the video himself or with his family, the rules and regulations of the privacy laws in Belgium do not apply. If however the information is shared with others (for instance posted on the internet), the privacy law comes into effect and it's rules and regulations have to be followed, which amongst other things requires the dashcam to be registered with the privacy commission.

Use of a dashcam for proof of accident/incident
: In this case we are no longer considering the data gathered to be personal information, but legal personal information. Processing this legal personal information is forbidden by default, although some loopholes exist, where one is that you are entitled to process this data if it concerns yourself as an involved party, and if all other regulations regarding the privacy law are followed. One of these regulations is the fact that old data has to be erased (looping your cam can do that), data has to be kept secure, involved parties have to be informed about the fact that the incident is/was recorded by the dashcam (which would mean you have to tell the other party as soon as you can) and - of course - the dashcam has to be registered.

In short : you can use a dashcam as long as you : "don't share the data", and "if you want to use it as "proof" for certain claims, you'll have to jump through quite a few extra hoops to stay legit when it comes to Belgian Privacy Law".

More information in detail available at http://www.privacycommission.be/nl/dashcams (in dutch). The above translation should not be considered legal or binding advice and is based on information available at the time of this post.
 
I have not read or heard about any law banning the use of dash cams in Spain.
As for Austria. Have they looked at YOU tube? There are loads of vids taken on the streets in public. Here is a good example
Totally unenforceable law.

here you go


totally legal!
 
The British have no problems, ther prime minister is called "camera on" :D
 
Unfortunately if the dashcam runs like his policies it wont live up to its promises (another duff product)..................Ipol:(
 
Some here write that´s illegal in Austria to use a dashcam. It is not. You can even post vids on social media if you blur cars and faces that may be in the video.
 
Back
Top