Hello all. I would appreciate some legal feedback on something that I believe is a serious breach of privacy, among possibly other things.
I and three other tenants rent a one-family house, owned by my father, who is the landlord. Two tenants, my brother RT and his friend NB, live separately from my friend CP and I, meaning that they take care of their own financial responsibilities and buy their own supplies while CP and I do the same. This is slightly relevant because RT and NB are often very much at odds with us, and that led to the situation I'm about to describe.
Without my consent, the consent of CP, or the consent of the landlord, RT set up and hid two cameras - one to surveil the kitchen/dining room area and the other to surveil the basement area - and did not tell CP, the landlord, or me about his doing so, yet he did inform his friend NB about his actions. NB had no objection to RT's setting up the hidden cameras.
RT then proceeded to record the daily activities in those areas specifically to see if CP and/or I were thieving RT's and NB's supplies.
One day, RT told me about his videotaping CP and I, and he told me that he had kept those areas under surveillance for about a month or more. RT also told me he and NB viewed all of the recordings and will continue to keep these recordings.
I believe RT has committed a misdemeanor by his actions. He does not own the house and did not seek permission or otherwise notify anyone but his friend NB about what he was doing. I don't believe he had any right to keep us under his surveillance.
I'd appreciate any and all legal feedback on this issue, including if possible my options. If it is of any relevance, these actions took place in Suffolk County, NY.
Thanks!
I and three other tenants rent a one-family house, owned by my father, who is the landlord. Two tenants, my brother RT and his friend NB, live separately from my friend CP and I, meaning that they take care of their own financial responsibilities and buy their own supplies while CP and I do the same. This is slightly relevant because RT and NB are often very much at odds with us, and that led to the situation I'm about to describe.
Without my consent, the consent of CP, or the consent of the landlord, RT set up and hid two cameras - one to surveil the kitchen/dining room area and the other to surveil the basement area - and did not tell CP, the landlord, or me about his doing so, yet he did inform his friend NB about his actions. NB had no objection to RT's setting up the hidden cameras.
RT then proceeded to record the daily activities in those areas specifically to see if CP and/or I were thieving RT's and NB's supplies.
One day, RT told me about his videotaping CP and I, and he told me that he had kept those areas under surveillance for about a month or more. RT also told me he and NB viewed all of the recordings and will continue to keep these recordings.
I believe RT has committed a misdemeanor by his actions. He does not own the house and did not seek permission or otherwise notify anyone but his friend NB about what he was doing. I don't believe he had any right to keep us under his surveillance.
I'd appreciate any and all legal feedback on this issue, including if possible my options. If it is of any relevance, these actions took place in Suffolk County, NY.
Thanks!
