Is it illegal to record someone?

Tafkap · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:15

Hi folks, I don't often post but I'm looking for some sage advice from the legal eagles around here..!

I put a recorder in my estranged wife's room as I suspected her of having an affair, plus I wanted to know why she's asking for a divorce as she's not telling me anything - she's since found it and is threatening to charge me with something relating to it.
Surely it was naughty but not illegal to do such a thing - would the police really be interested??

p.s. Last night she took the hard drive out of my PC, suspecting it has recordings on it, which it doesn't.. But that's theft, surely? Plus I've lost all my Dragon Age saved games as a result, more annoyed at that really.. lol

Morgoth · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:16

Tafkap said:
Plus I've lost all my Dragon Age saved games as a result, more annoyed at that really.. lol

Bloody hell, I'd be gutted!

G|mp · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:16

Afaik you have to inform the person being recorded that you are indeed recording them.

Gilly · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:16

Yes, I would say that's at the very least on dodgy legal ground.

JBuk · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:17

Tafkap said:
I don't often post

I agree

125 posts, registered 2003

SPARC · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:17

subscribed

antijoke · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:17

Did you actually get any recordings though? If you send them to me I will listen to every one of them to see if any cheating happened.

G|mp · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:18

Tafkap said:
p.s. Last night she took the hard drive out of my PC, suspecting it has recordings on it, which it doesn't.. But that's theft, surely? Plus I've lost all my Dragon Age saved games as a result, more annoyed at that really.. lol

Yes that would be theft but I think after reading the OP properly she is indeed divorcing you because you're a massive geek.

MiNxYyY · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:18

video proof is needed.

JBuk · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:19

So, was she cheating at Dragon Age Origins?

Sp00n · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:19

So she now has the recording device and your saved games? Harsh mate, you lucked out.

Did you break in to her house to put the recorder there?

platypus · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:19

You're not required to tell her you are recording her, unless you intend to use the recordings later. Eg if you wanted to use them as evidence in court for a divorce settlement, you couldn't unless you had made her explicitly aware.

Disco Boy · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:19

You should have hidden it a bit better shouldn't you?

Also, since when do women know how to remove a HDD from a pc?! They're evolving I swear!

Beerbaron · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:19

If it is your house surely you dont have to notify people that enter it

SPARC · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:20

TTIUWV hahaha

Biohazard · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:20

oli356 · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:20

Well as it's not your house... surely yes

Marky · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:21

Tafkap said:
Plus I've lost all my Dragon Age saved games as a result

Oh no!!

Tefal · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:21

I wanted to know why she's asking for a divorce as she's not telling me anything

Read this, then

Tafkap said:
I put a recorder in my estranged wife's room as I suspected her of having an affair, plus- she's since found it and is threatening to charge me with something relating to it.

that^.

And you have your answer.

matthab · 13 Sep 2010 at 12:22

Ahhhhhhhhhh another day in the OCuk forums.

You need to notify the person you are recording them. Hence why when you ring a call centre you get the message "All calls maybe monitored or recorded". This is also why the police need a warrant to do any of this kind of stuff. Its abit of a grey area and I maybe wrong.