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Advances in video surveillance technology and on-line monitoring capability have made using video surveillance cameras easily within the reach of most parents.  These “nanny cams” offer many advantages for concerned parents, but before you decide to use a nanny cam you should consider the downside potential as well.

A nanny cam can offer additional protection for your child.  The existence of numerous cases of child abuse by nannies caught on video surveillance cameras proves that they work.  Parents have been able to catch and stop abusive behavior toward their children using a nanny cam.

Less dramatic but just as useful is that a nanny cam helps insure that your nanny is doing the job as expected.  You can be sure that your nanny is properly caring for your child and following your instructions such as feeding, bathing, and bedtime instead of spending her time on the phone or watching television and feeding your child a dinner of potato chips and ice cream.

Nanny cams are also great for protecting your property.  They can be used to monitor workers in your home such as a maid service or any other work you are having done in your home.  The flip side is that the nanny cam even protects these workers as well as your nanny from false accusations.  If you suddenly can’t find your best earrings or other property, you can use the nanny cam to quickly eliminate the possibility of theft and focus instead on where you may have misplaced them.

One potential downside of video surveillance is running afoul of the law.  These systems are legal when used properly, but take care to make sure you are not exposing yourself to legal action.  The main concern is usually audio recording which is illegal in many states so be sure to check the laws in your state.  Another downside is that your nanny may become resentful if she finds out that you have the system installed.  One way to avoid this problem is to let the nanny know up front that you have the system and point out that the system is not installed due to a specific distrust of her, but to provide better protection and security for your home, your child, and everyone else in the home including the nanny.