IP Tech Knowledgy

Understand who owns the copyright to images captured by your remote cameras.  Whether the recording device is a security monitoring camera, a laptop capturing a Zoom or Teams meeting, or a recording of a conference, the person who places the camera should usually be considered an author, and thus the owner of the copyright.  Placing the camera entails choosing the angle, considering the lighting, and other decisions, often subtle, that are artistic decisions.  Even if the person who sets up the camera is not in the vicinity when the images are recorded, putting the system in position is likely sufficient to support ownership.  Ownership of the images then leads to the right to control how the images are used.   If a homeowner, or a business hires someone to set up the camera, it may be that the person who positioned the camera owns and controls the resulting images, and not the homeowner or business.  To be certain of who owns full rights in the creation, all parties involved should have a written agreement assigning those rights to the intended owner.  Also, consider if a third party supplier of digital storage for the camera claims any rights of ownership or usage as part of its storage services agreement.

Ned T. Himmelrich
410-576-4171 • nhimmelrich@gfrlaw.com