this post was submitted on 07 Dec 2023
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382
Judge: Amazon “cannot claim shock” that bathroom spycams were used as advertised (arstechnica.com)
submitted 11 months ago by DevCat@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world
80 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

After a spy camera designed to look like a towel hook was purchased on Amazon and illegally used for months to capture photos of a minor in her private bathroom, Amazon was sued.

The plaintiff—a former Brazilian foreign exchange student then living in West Virginia—argued that Amazon had inspected the camera three times and its safety team had failed to prevent allegedly severe, foreseeable harms still affecting her today.

Amazon hoped the court would dismiss the suit, arguing that the platform wasn't responsible for the alleged criminal conduct harming the minor. But after nearly eight months deliberating, a judge recently largely denied the tech giant's motion to dismiss.

Amazon's biggest problem persuading the judge was seemingly the product descriptions that the platform approved. An amended complaint included a photo from Amazon's product listing that showed bathroom towels hanging on hooks that disguised the hidden camera. Text on that product image promoted the spycams, boasting that they "won't attract attention" because each hook appears to be "a very ordinary hook."

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[–] girlfreddy@sh.itjust.works 79 points 11 months ago (33 children)

Tech legal expert Eric Goldman wrote that a victory for the plaintiff could be considered "a dangerous ruling for the spy cam industry and for Amazon," because "the court’s analysis could indicate that all surreptitious hook cameras are categorically illegal to sell." That could prevent completely legal uses of cameras designed to look like clothes hooks, Goldman wrote, such as hypothetical in-home surveillance uses.

In what reality is there any need for a door-hook camera except to spy on someone who has not given consent???

Jayzuz. That was some poor mind gymnastics right there.

[–] Poggervania@kbin.social 9 points 11 months ago (1 children)

He could’ve used literally any other example, but of course he chose the creepy one. Could’ve stood on the stance that businesses would need them for shoplifting ffs.

[–] You999@sh.itjust.works 17 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Except any place where it would make sense to place one within a business would be illegal. You are not allowed to place cameras hidden or not in places where one could have an expectation of privacy.

[–] Omgpwnies@lemmy.world 4 points 11 months ago

Not only that, anywhere that a business is allowed to use cameras, they would want to have big, obvious cameras to try to prevent shoplifting.

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