7 Ways CCTVs Might Disappoint You

CCTVs are everywhere. They are successfully looking over the happenings all around and are being hailed as the new age gods. They have been effective in curtailing crime all around the country and will continue to do so. But, are these Gods as godly as they are? Like anything in nature, CCTVs too have a grievous downside to their capabilities. As their popularity increases amongst commoners day by day, it becomes even more important to discuss their disadvantages and limitations. So here we put together  7 limitations of CCTV camera that all should know about CCTVs.

1. Limited coverage:

Not all the instances of CCTVs getting an image of the criminal will end up the way Kasab was caught during 28/11. Even though CCTV cameras can record happenings all through the day, they run on a major disadvantage of only recording events in their limited range. By limited range, we mean less than 20 feet. Therefore, it is an easy way out for the miscreants to carry out their job without being caught on the camera. A vague image of silhouettes carrying out their crimes will alone be captured with no clarity of faces or forms.   

2. Wireless Systems: 

Most of the CCTVs these days are beginning to work on wireless systems that encash on frequencies and signals to the receiving and recording stations. This method is known to be seamless as it works on remote senses. But here comes the glitch. The places where most the CCTV cameras are installed also have other appliances like the air conditioner, cordless telephones, fluorescent lighting. The radiations emitted from these appliances often hamper with the remote sensing of the CCTVs. The quality and reception of the CCTV get scrambled because of these radiations. This will lead to experts in wireless technologies to rush to your establishments to repair these breakdowns.  

3. Wired Systems:

If wireless cameras have cons, so do wired cameras. Wireless cameras cash on the very fact of having no wiring at all. This will allow them to be changed from one place to another easily and without hassles. But one should understand that the wireless systems might cost a fortune. Therefore, most of the customers go for the good old wired CCTVs. But lower the investment higher the inconvenience. Once installed, it is a herculean task for a layman to unscrew them and place them elsewhere. This again needs technicians to drop down to their house. This makes it tough for the owners to access the cameras easily.  

4. Can be hacked:

We all can now agree that CCTVs and the services that they offer are invaluable. They give a complete bird’s eye view of the whatever instance that unfolds in front of it. They can record details for days together and can provide evidence to support any claim. Therefore, their significance is unquestionable. But this very significance and importance makes them targets of miscreants. Criminals realize how a CCTV can be a weapon in the hands of the owners. As the days go by, cyber attackers are developing new ways to crack into the CCTV systems, hack them and disable them so that they can carry out their crime hitch-less. But this can take a perverse turn if crooks begin to hack into the system and access sensitive footage and misuse it. This gets easier for hackers for most of the cameras work on networks as discussed before. If they can hack into your wifi, it will not take them longer to hack into wireless cameras.

5. Lapse in privacy:

Some ethical issues have been a concern ever since the advent of CCTV cameras. There have been instances of CCTVS being installed in workplaces without the knowledge of the employees. The “non-disclosure” of CCTV presence irks many for they are under surveillance without any prior knowledge. Many believe that this is a direct infringement of their privacy. Moreover, the supreme court making right to privacy a fundamental right, it is now a constitutional crime to undertake surveillance without a heads-up. This leads to many legal entanglements that are a waste of time, energy and monetary resources. Therefore, one should consider all the ethical and legal predicaments before going for an all seeing CCTV set-up. 

6. Can be easily destroyed:

CCTVs are systems that work on very high technicalities. Their cases are sensitive and are prone to damage very easily. Most CCTVs are installed in places where the public moves around a lot. They are exposed to humans more than any machine and can be damaged by such exposure. Anyone who wants to avoid the purview of the CCTV can easily damage it by pelting stone, cutting the wires or spray painting the viewfinder of the camera in black.

Natural forces take a toll on CCTV cameras too. These sensitive micro machines can heat up on the exterior because of the harsh sunlight in the tropical climates, can get brittle and jammed if the weather is cold. They might even get wet and lead to short circuits during monsoons and run a huge risk of accumulating dust over time. It is highly imperative to construct protective shields for CCTVs to function without a hitch.

7. Costs hit ceilings:

The one disadvantage that discounts all the advantages in a jiffy is the expenses that the CCTVs impose on users. One needs to spend more than 10,000 rupees on installation alone. The cost will reach higher levels if you are aiming for a full-fledged CCTV system all around the establishment. The wirings will charge you a lot during installation. Once the installation is done the part of having a centralized viewing system on a television screen will cost a fortune all together. CCTV systems are known to eat into your electricity a lot more than other appliances. Over all, the entire set-up of a CCTV will surely burn a hole in your pocket.

All being said, CCTVs when used with proper ethics and sustainable methods are surely a boon to humanity. But like any technological advancement, the hands that use it decide its utility!