Calgary police were alerted that some families were broadcasting their private lives and may not know it.
Chris and James Lee have had a camera in their living room for the last 15 years in order to webcast to family and friends.
“It started as just a hobby, and it was mostly a way for friends and family that could connect in if we were having an event or party or something so they could partake with us,” said James.
But lately, it hasn’t just been family and friends who are watching. Calgary police were contacted by a person in Texas who said she peeked into the Lee's home using a free and legal app that scours the internet for poorly protected routers and cameras.
“Quite often we’ll see webcams of traffic cameras or maybe a zoo camera or a construction zone, things like that that are public places, there is no expectation of privacy,” said Cst. Jeremy Shaw with the Calgary Police Service. “But when she noticed a few residences with living rooms, kitchens, families with children playing and watching TV, she thought, that seems a little unusual.”
The Lees were notified by police, and in their case, they were not too concerned. But other families are broadcasting as well, and may not know it.
“There is a risk any time something is intentionally put on the internet, there is a possibility of a vulnerability there, so whether it’s intentional in the form of somebody has hacked into that system, maybe not the case, it could just be that you’ve left it open,” said Cst. Shaw.
There are many reasons to be concerned about livestreaming with webcams, not just for privacy’s sake, but also because thieves can watch to see when you are not at home in order to break in. Police say if you must use webcams, make sure you know what you are doing.
“Make sure you know how they work first of all, and understand the security settings, change that password, change the IP address if you can and make it something obscure, not the default settings.”
Calgary police have footage of one other family with kids who appear on camera, and would like to find them and make sure they know they are live on the internet.
