Woman Sues Toys R Us Over Hidden Camera

from the but-whose-fault? dept

So, here’s an interesting legal question. If someone walks into your retail establishment, goes into the bathroom, hides a camera with a wireless transmitter on it, and leaves, are you responsible? A woman is suing Toys ‘R’ Us after finding just such a camera in the bathroom. There have been plenty of other stories about similar hidden cameras being used in public restrooms, and it’s a horrible trend. However, Toys ‘R’ Us denies that anyone associated with them had anything to do with the camera. While it could very well have been an employee – it might not have been. If it wasn’t an employee, who is legally liable for the camera? Is the company still liable since it was on their property, and they should have spotted it first? Or is it up to someone (the police?) to track down whoever really placed the camera there? If it is the responsibility of the retailer, what’s to stop someone from placing a camera themselves in the bathroom, and then going and suing the company?


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Comments on “Woman Sues Toys R Us Over Hidden Camera”

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8 Comments
Anonymous Coward says:

No Subject Given

Toys R Us will get the bill since they have the money. This is the result of our current lottery – uh, I mean legal – system. More likely Toys will settle out of court to avoid getting in front of a bunch of screened jurors who hate or are paranoid of “big corporations” (there are archived postings on this web site from such people – see RFID postings for a few examples)

Companies will just have to add this legal/cost/worker training/time expense to their cost of overhead and pass it on to the consumer. Also expect “bans” being posted on retail establishments for cameras, as is being done for factories. Not really an issue for Walmart, Toys R Us, etc., but another drag on small and many medium sizes companies and landlords.

localman says:

Re: No Subject Given

People have every right to be scared of big corporations – they exist solely for profit and will screw the consumer in every way possible given the chance. Combine this with a legal system that is almost always on the side of the rich and powerful and you have a recipe for justufued hatred and fear

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