Security Cameras & the Right to Personal Data Protection in Armenia

Abstract

The debate between the effectiveness and the ineffectiveness of Closed Circuit Television Camera surveillance has recently become an important topic. More public and private authorities have been resorting to surveillance cameras as a means of maximizing their security. A wide range of crimes such as thefts, robberies, and even terror attacks have been caught on surveillance cameras. That entailed that they can be beneficial for the collective security of a community. And yet, in many other cases surveillance cameras failed to serve their purpose mainly due to technical limitations or other constraints Additionally, surveillance through CCTV cameras may limit fundamental human rights, such as the right to freedom of expression and personal privacy. Arguably, freedom and privacy may have a different understanding in different cultures. Thus, the extent of violation of such human rights might not be perceived in a similar way in all cultures. Moreover, these violations can be to a certain extent tolerable in some cultures more than others. The focus of this study is the public perception towards surveillance cameras, which are considered either as security maximizing measures or as possible means of violation of personal privacy in Armenia. The RA law on Personal Data Protection is a relatively new one, which has been adopted in June 2015 by the government. The importance of this law besides its obvious benefits also lies in the creation of a new culture towards respecting personal data. Due to the absence of a law in Armenia that would regulate the personal data protection for a long period of time, it would be reasonable to assume that there was little or no concern over the right to personal data protection. The purpose of this study is to show the extent to which the people in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, are concerned about their personal privacy and personal data protection vis-a-vis the surveillance cameras. Additionally, the study aims to assess the extent to which people feel safe around security cameras. The study also tries to show the risks and benefits of security cameras taking into account the local legal framework, and the uses of data collected by surveillance cameras in the country.