I’ve never heard of a dashcam being called illegal, no different than somebody making a cellphone video, except that it’s in my car with the intent to protect me from this kind of thing. I can’t imagine getting in any trouble.
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In SC, the Chief Supreme Court justice was involved in a couple of hit-and-runs (minor damages) and nothing ever happened to her. In the first accident, she claimed that she was listening to an audio tape with earphones on and did not know that she hit anything. The second one was in an airport parking lot and she claimed she did not know there was any damage to another car.
Part of being a safe driver is being able to hear sounds outside the car. Think about a siren you can’t hear. I know with windows up and air conditioning on and the radio on it’s iffy. But stuffing earpods or headphones on your ears is not good.
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+1
It’s done in a public space. IMO there is no presumed privacy if anyone can see what’s going on.
I agree and using headphones in a car should be prohibited. Still, it’s legal in many states like SC.
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Dashcams are recording in PUBLIC. You can record anyone you want in public. It’s private conversations or in areas where there’s expected privacy you can’t record.
In many states is IS illegal. Sometimes one earphone is OK but not two. The typical motorcycle sound system puts speakers in the helmets so you can use communicators, radios, iPods or phones without breaking any state laws.
That’s not true in Massachusetts. The laws do not allow voice recording of person to person conversations without consent, even in public spaces.
Reasonable expectation of privacy
Unlike most states, Massachusetts does not read a reasonable expectation of privacy into its definition of “oral communication.” In Massachusetts, the term “oral communication” means speech, except speech that is transmitted over the public airwaves by radio or other similar device. Consequently, prior consent should be obtained from all parties for recording, even in public places.
In the case of using a dashcam that also records sound, it is best to immediately point to the dashcam and tell the other person it is recording us. They are then free to walk away if they so choose. If they speak, they have been duly warned.
Like Maryland for instance, and I know it’s illegal here.
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That only applies to Private conversations in public. But if someone is yelling in a very loud voice where it’s obvious everyone around him/her can hear him/her you CAN record that person’s voice. The actual law says you can’t record someone if they have an expected privacy. So, there are many circumstances where you can legally record someone.
If you look carefully at the excerpt, it addresses that aspect-
It doesn’t matter if they are yelling so many people can hear. It’s about recording oral communication and it doesn’t matter if it’s in public or private space.
So, you’re saying if Govenor Maura Healey is doing a speech at the Commons I’m NOT allowed to record it?
I believe you understand and can read what is written there. It is in the context of private conversations. Is Maura Healey having a private conversation with you?
EXACTLY. And that is what I said all along. A private conversation the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Could be if speaking to potential donors.
And for the third time-
It can’t be any clearer, how is this so difficult to understand?