How to Blind Security Cameras: Dos and Don’ts - Reolink Blog (2023)

Dos: Top 7 Most Effective Ways to Blind Security Cameras

Before you set off to learn the effective ways to blind security cameras, ask yourself these questions first: Why do you want to disable a CCTV security camera? What’s behind this?

The fact is, it's NOT the security camera that watches you.

It's the owner who is spying on you.

Imagine this: you disable or destory the security camera that is overlooking your property, and leave alone the owner, you might get 10 times the security cameras installed there viewing you.

And that's the key: To blind the security camera is the process to "blind" the owner, in a legal way.

Method 1. Have Security Cameras Legally Installed in Your Property

A user in the forum complained that his neighbor pointed an outdoor surveillance camera at his house and even broadcast him online in the back yard.

What a disgusting act it is!

For these offensive security camera owners who deliberately use an IP camera to spy on you, reasoning with them often doesn’t work.

And there's no better way to disrupt their security cameras than serving them with the same sauce – put up a legally placed security camera in your property as well.

You can mount a PTZ security camera high enough on your house, somewhere in an attic vent facing out or wherever your neighbor will be captured causing trouble.

The biggest advantage of a PTZ security camera is that your neighbor will never know where the camera is pointed and you can also zoom in to identify details.

Note that the inferior cameras will shoot grainy pictures at night. It is more recommended for you to choose high-quality infrared security cameras.

This tactic has proved to be quite effective to blind your neighbor’s security cameras. Here is the feedback of a user who adopted this way:

“We had a very annoying neighbor pointing his camera to watch us. He was the reason why I got into video cameras in the first place. As soon as the cameras went up, ALL problems went away.”
Important Note: If you are a tenant, read this post to learn if you can install security cameras inside and outside your apartment.

Method 2. Tell Whether the Security Camera is Fake

Before you go through the trouble to blind a CCTV security camera, make sure the IP camera is real at first.

To save the money and mislead potential burglars, chances are that your neighbor may have fake security cameras installed.

In this case, you don’t need to go through the trouble to blind CCTV security cameras.

And it can be pretty easy for you to tell. For example, most infrared security cameras will have visible red light at night. You can observe whether there is red light or wires connected to the cameras.

Also, your neighbor’s security camera may be off or not working at all. Learn how to tell whether a security camera is on and then decide if you need to disrupt the security camera or not.

Method 3. Talk to the Security Camera Owner

The most straightforward and effective method to blind your neighbor’s security cameras is to have an open conversation with him.

Maybe your neighbor is even oblivious to the fact that his camera is aimed at your window or back yard.

So before messing up or jamming the security camera, talk to your neighbor about what troubles you and your distress. Ask him whether he is using a fake security camera or a real one.

Also, you can confirm with him whether your house is within the blind spots of his security camera. (Learn how to find the security camera blind spots.)

If not, tell him that you are not comfortable with his camera pointing at your property. Be cool and polite and ask him if he could reposition his cameras.

Method 4. Search Information Online

It also proves to be a practical way to blind or disrupt security cameras by searching related information online.

You may visit the forums to see if there are people having the same problems and how they disable or disrupt a security camera.

Learning your country/state security camera privacy laws can also help you learn whether your neighbor has violated certain laws or regulations. And then you may take advantages of this to negotiate with your neighbor again.

Method 5. Seek Help from Mediators

If you have an unreasonable neighbor and your talk end up in failure, seeking help from the mediators may be useful to disable the security cameras.

For example, you may go to your local community justice or neighborhood mediation center and explain your needs. They can mediate a meeting between you and your neighbor to settle the problem without further escalation.

Method 6. Consult the Lawyer or the Police

For those annoying neighbors that cross the line (like voyeurism), it is best to consult the lawyer or the police and seek for their advice about how to blind the security cameras.

If the security camera provides a clear picture of the interior of your home and is used as criminal harassment, you would have the basis for a claim of invasion of privacy, and potentially a viable lawsuit.

Method 7. Disrupting Security Cameras with Grown Trees or Fences

Another good way to blind your neighbor’s security cameras is to plant a grouping of shrubs or grown trees that are tall enough to block off where the camera is aimed.

Also, you can close the curtain or shade on the window to block security cameras. The privacy fence, bamboo curtains and yard shade sails are also effective tools to disable CCTV security cameras.

Additionally, you may put up cheap posts with cloth flags along the property line to block the CCTV security camera’ view.

For the places that don’t bother you, you can simply leave the camera alone. After all, the security camera owner is literally wasting his time watching video of nothing that matters to anyone.

Don’t: Not Recommended Ways to Blind Security Cameras

If you ask “how can I blind a security camera” in forums, you are likely to get some misleading and controversial tips.

So what are they and should you adopt them to jam or disable a CCTV camera?

• Blind Security Cameras with LEDs – Sounds like a useful way to disable security cameras with a LED hat or flashlight? Things are more complex in practice. You have to precisely shine the light directly into the lens and hold the infrared flashlight steady for a long time.
• Block Security Cameras with a Laser Pointer -- A laser pointer or infrared laser may block a CCTV security camera, but it can also damage the security cameras. You may be captured by the security cameras until you get the laser aimed correctly.
• Disable Security Cameras with Jammers -- Disrupting security cameras with jammers requires the information about the camera broadcast frequency and the right equipment to jam that frequency.
• Jam a CCTV Security Camera by Hacking Into It – Though you can learn how to hack into a security camera easily online, this trick would never help you stop CCTV security cameras working, but only invite legal trouble in.
• Blind Surveillance Cameras by Cutting Cables – This seems like practical to jam a wired CCTV camera, you have to make sure the tools are electrically insulated to prevent shock from camera power supply. Most importantly, it can be regarded as malicious destruction of property.
• Blind Security Cameras with Spray Paint – This is indeed the least practical method to block CCTV security cameras! Before you blind a security camera with spray paint, butter or other stuff, you will have triggered the motion detection and shoot by the cameras.

Summary: These methods above are not recommended for you to blind a security camera. If you adopt one of them to jam, destroy, mess up or turn off security cameras, you might be involved in criminal trouble due to these illegal acts.

So, Can Your Neighbor Legally Point a Security Camera at Your Property

While you are thinking of ways to blind security cameras, you may wonder, is it legal for your neighbor to point security cameras at your house?

Good question!

Fact is, there is no quick answer.

The legality of your neighbor’s security camera largely depends on your local laws and whether it is pointing somewhere private.

If your neighbor’s security camera just captures your house as part of a broader area, it is perhaps not invading your privacy, at least not deliberately. And chances are that you cannot file a complaint to disable the security cameras.

But in the event that a security camera only aims at places where you can expect your privacy, like your bedrooms or bathrooms, such deeds would be a pure invasion of your privacy. And you may check out your state laws and territory laws to protect your right.

For example, new N.Y. law allows neighbors to sue over unwelcomed outdoor cameras. If you feel uncomfortable or harassed or by your neighbor’s camera pointed at your backyard, you can always call your lawyer to blind the security cameras.

In conclusion, regardless of the legality of your neighbor’s CCTV cameras, the top 7 methods recommended above would definitely help you disrupt the security cameras.

If you’ve got some more creative and feasible ideas to blind the security cameras, feel free to leave your comment and share with us!

Reference:

① Quota: How can I scramble, jam, disrupt or disable my neighbor's security cameras aimed at my house?
② Reddit: I've got a snoopy neighbor pointing 2 of his CCTV infrared cameras at our house and yard. What's the best most non-intrusive way to stop the CCTV camera working and retain our privacy?
③ Daycare Forum: Neighbors have surveillance camera pointed in my back yard. What would you do to block the security cameras?
④ CCTV Forum: How to block/disable a security camera from viewing me?
⑤ City-Data Forum:My neighbor’s outdoor surveillance camera records everything of my backyard activities and I feel like I have no privacy at all. Is there any way to blind, jam or turn off the security cameras?