With the stated intention of improving security, property company Liljebo installed surveillance cameras in its residential buildings in the Vårberg neighborhood of Stockholm. However, for many residents the effect has been the exact opposite of what was promised.
The source of their distress is the placement of the devices: the cameras have been positioned directly above the entrance doors of individual apartments, meaning they continuously record the movements of each tenant as they enter and leave their own home.
Far from serving merely as security footage, the recordings have been used by the company as evidence against tenants. Those deemed to have committed an infraction or to have engaged in ‘incorrect behavior’ have received financial penalties based on that audiovisual material.
The situation has generated a profound sense of distrust and unease among residents, who feel they are under permanent surveillance at the very threshold of their own homes. For many, living under such constant monitoring is incompatible with the right to privacy that any rental agreement should guarantee.
The case brings to the fore an increasingly relevant debate about the limits of control that landlords can exercise over their tenants, and the extent to which the use of surveillance technology in private spaces may infringe on fundamental rights.
Original source: SVT Nyheter