IKEA Restroom Nightmare: Cameras Found in Ceilings After Being There for Years
There’s a point when things done in the name of protecting safety and privacy start to violate safety and privacy — and it appears that an IKEA in England may have crossed that line. Recently, when a light went out in a…
There’s a point when things done in the name of protecting safety and privacy start to violate safety and privacy — and it appears that an IKEA in England may have crossed that line.
Recently, when a light went out in a bathroom at the Peterborough IKEA Distribution Centre at Kingston Park, a member of staff noticed something they’d never seen before: Between the gaps in the ceiling panels, they spotted an infrared light.
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Further investigation revealed that there was a CCTV camera installed inconspicuously, normally hidden by the panels and the brightness of the lights.
As the story traveled, more staff members discovered more cameras in both the men and women’s restrooms. According to the Peterborough Telegraph, though no concrete number has been shared, there were multiple cameras found.
While CCTV cameras are allowed in “sensitive” areas such as bathrooms and changing rooms, data protection laws require that it only be under “exceptional circumstances,” according to the Telegraph.
When staff pressed management for an answer, they were told the cameras were installed in 2015 but have been non-operational for some time.
“We take the protection of our co-workers’ safety and privacy very seriously,” a spokesperson told the Telegraph. “In 2015, for the purpose of maintaining a safe workplace for all co-workers, surveillance cameras were installed in the void above the ceilings in the bathrooms and locker areas, and in the corridors outside of these rooms at the Peterborough Distribution Centre.