Dashboard cameras and data protection
The use of dashboard cameras generally involves the processing of personal data that falls within the scope of the Data Protection Act. In this context, it can be assumed that:
car numbers are considered personal data, as they can be traced to individuals
footage from dashboard cameras also shows pedestrians walking.
Therefore, anyone who installs a camera in their car must ensure that its use, and the processing of personal data resulting from that use, complies with the data protection laws.
Individuals who are seen on a recording (their own or, for example, their car/car number) have generally the right to access personal data about themselves and the right to view the resulting recordings and receive a copy of them within one month, if they so wish.
Individuals seen on a recording might in some cases have to be blurred before such a request is addressed.
Information on sources must be kept safe, for example it may be important in which country they are stored. Special conditions must be met if personal data are exported outside the EEA, for example in cloud solutions.
Film recordings containing personal data may not be made public, such as social media, unless the conditions of the Data Protection Act for such publication are fulfilled.
