"AITA if I don’t mention the cameras to the babysitter?"
My husband and I just hired a babysitter for our children. It's our first time with a regular babysitter. She's great, the best choice for our family. We have cameras in the house, one in the living room, one in the corridor and also a ring camera.
There are none elsewhere. We got robbed years ago by a friend, we had them every since. I was checking the cameras and noticed that the babysitter would go into all the rooms as soon as we left. She wasn't walking out with our stuff, but kinda looking around. I wasn't sure what she was doing in there for those 10-20 sec, I thought it was weird.
So last weekend, I casually told her that I noticed some doors I closed for the cat were open. She was very upfront and said she'd had a bad experience with another family where someone was in the house, without her being aware multiple times, and it creeped her out, so now she checks.
That made me feel guilty because she has no idea about the cameras. I told my husband and he said they're only in common areas, meant for our kids’ safety, and we don’t have to tell her since we don’t really know her yet. WIBTA if I don’t say anything about the cameras? I might be too sensitive, so be honest please.
Here's what people had to say to OP:
GoldenFrog14 said:
If you trust someone enough to watch your kids, you should be comfortable disclosing the cameras.
AnxiousReward1715 said:
YTA. Since you're using cloud-based cameras that aren't secured to only your review and that store audio you are putting her information in the cloud with Ai being trained on it and unknown unauthorized parties can play it back. You are violating her privacy and your family's privacy.
RoyallyOakie said:
YTA...She was honest and up front. You were not.
Dear_Ad_9640 said:
YTA. Filming someone without telling them might be legal but it’s an AH thing. I have kids and I’m VERY selective in who can watch them. But i don’t have cameras. I realized if I don’t trust the person unless I have a camera, that’s code for I don’t trust them-and I don’t leave them alone with my kids. Either tell her or don’t hire her anymore.
Azaramicrophylla said:
YTA. There are going to be periods of time where she has put the kids to bed and is herself alone in the living room. However justified you feel about watching her on camera while she is interacting with your kids, it's a different matter when she is alone and should have some expectation of privacy.
She's already been spooked by finding someone in the house with her; if she finds out that someone could have been watching her for an hour or more when she thought she was alone in the room, I would think she'll be even more creeped out.
EndielXenon said:
YWBTA. Tell her there are cameras. You don't have to tell her where the cameras are.
pinecone-party said:
YTA What do you have to lose by just being honest and upfront? Give her the option to consent to be recorded.
ice-cream_cake17 said:
YTA. You should always disclose cameras in this situation. This woman has not consented to being recorded, and she has a right to know. She already has anxiety because of past bad experiences where she wasn't well informed and you're doing the same thing again. I get you want to watch what's happening at home, but being sneaky isn't the way to go.