Following incidents of child abuse in kindergartens and calls to install security cameras in order to ensure the safety of infants and toddlers, the Israeli Privacy Protection Authority (PPA) has published an opinion on surveillance cameras used in kindergartens.

According to PPA’s opinion, before deciding to install surveillance cameras, a kindergarten must obtain legal counsel on whether the installation is necessary to protect the children and whether the privacy risks arising from installing cameras do not outweigh their potential benefits. If the legal analysis concludes that cameras are necessary, the kindergarten should consider where it should store the camera’s footage, how long to retain the footage and the security measures taken to safeguard the footage. On the other hand, if the legal analysis finds that the risks in placing the cameras outweigh their potential benefit, resulting in disproportional invasion of the children’s privacy, then installing cameras in the kindergarten could constitute a criminal offense.

The use of surveillance cameras in kindergartens is subject to the oversight of the PPA. Consequently, a violation of the provisions of the Israeli Protection of Privacy Law and its corresponding regulations, relating to the installation of surveillance cameras in kindergartens, could result in investigative and enforcement measures taken by PPA.

Click HERE to read the guidelines (in Hebrew; no English translation is presently available).