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Setting aside the peculiar use of the term "civilian", I do think that there's a viable and reasonable market for this sort of less-conspicuous bodycam. Where

Setting aside the peculiar use of the term "civilian", I do think that there's a viable and reasonable market for this sort of less-conspicuous bodycam. Where I live (not the US), it's increasingly common for retail employees in sketchy areas to wear highly conspicuous bodycams of the Taser Axon type due to increasing concerns about theft and assault. I'm not sure how much of a deterrent they are, but they certainly provide an insight into incidents that often isn't provided by standard fixed CCTV systems. The clear downside is the implicit message sent by their use - everyone knows what that bodycam says about the relationship between the store and the community they serve. If I were a social worker or a nurse, I could see a great deal of value in a product like this. The designers seem to have struck a neat balance between discreetness when it's switched off and conspicuity when it's switched on. Obviously there are very significant privacy and data protection concerns that need to be seriously considered, but I could see a product like this offering significant benefits in terms of personal safety and professional liability.

justinclift 3y ago
> less-conspicuous bodycam. This doesn't seem "less conspicuous", to me at least. It has a literal light ring that turns on when it's in use, which makes it seem like it'll be pretty obvious and hard to miss. If the light could be turned off while it's in use, then it might be "less conspicuous".
- jdietrich 3y ago
  >The designers seem to have struck a neat balance between discreetness when it's switched off and conspicuity when it's switched on. Covert body-worn cameras are a well-established technology, but a completely different class of device. A bodycam records people who know that they are being recorded, which has substantial behavioural and legal implications. Current bodycams are - often intentionally - very conspicuous even when they're turned off. They're big blocky devices and some of them have bright yellow markings that say "VIDEO & AUDIO". That's potentially useful as a deterrent, but it's also a bit hostile because it clearly implies a degree of caution or suspicion on the part of whoever is wearing it. A bodycam that's subtle and non-threatening when turned off but very visible when turned on is a different class of device again. If I were a nurse, there's no way in hell that I'd wear a covert camera unless I had a very clear reason for doing so and very strong assurances that it's legally above board. If I did wear one, I'd be constantly worried that someone would find out, because I'd be furious if the shoe were on the other foot. Unless the hospital was genuinely so dangerous that I was constantly worried for my safety, I'd be very reluctant to wear a big lump of a bodycam, because it's going to put a lot of my patients on their guard when that absolutely isn't warranted. I'd be quite happy to wear one of these cameras. Unless I turn it on, most people aren't going to notice it; If they do notice, I can very easily explain "it's a bodycam, because occasionally we get a patient who might be a bit aggressive", demonstrate the very obvious red recording light and reassure them that they aren't being spied on.

justinclift 3y ago

> less-conspicuous bodycam. This doesn't seem "less conspicuous", to me at least. It has a literal light ring that turns on when it's in use, which makes it seem like it'll be pretty obvious and hard to miss. If the light could be turned off while it's in use, then it might be "less conspicuous".

jdietrich 3y ago
>The designers seem to have struck a neat balance between discreetness when it's switched off and conspicuity when it's switched on. Covert body-worn cameras are a well-established technology, but a completely different class of device. A bodycam records people who know that they are being recorded, which has substantial behavioural and legal implications. Current bodycams are - often intentionally - very conspicuous even when they're turned off. They're big blocky devices and some of them have bright yellow markings that say "VIDEO & AUDIO". That's potentially useful as a deterrent, but it's also a bit hostile because it clearly implies a degree of caution or suspicion on the part of whoever is wearing it. A bodycam that's subtle and non-threatening when turned off but very visible when turned on is a different class of device again. If I were a nurse, there's no way in hell that I'd wear a covert camera unless I had a very clear reason for doing so and very strong assurances that it's legally above board. If I did wear one, I'd be constantly worried that someone would find out, because I'd be furious if the shoe were on the other foot. Unless the hospital was genuinely so dangerous that I was constantly worried for my safety, I'd be very reluctant to wear a big lump of a bodycam, because it's going to put a lot of my patients on their guard when that absolutely isn't warranted. I'd be quite happy to wear one of these cameras. Unless I turn it on, most people aren't going to notice it; If they do notice, I can very easily explain "it's a bodycam, because occasionally we get a patient who might be a bit aggressive", demonstrate the very obvious red recording light and reassure them that they aren't being spied on.