I am thinking of setting up a webcam on my website but was warned by a friend that if anyone complained I could find myself in trouble with the authorities. I think the issue would be invasion of privacy. Does anyone have any idea of whether I need permission to set up a webcam?

The webcam would not just be pointed at the sky or sea to show the weather with 30 sec updates, but be a live streaming cam showing a street in town where all the festival parades take place.

Thanks for any advice.

I'm sure there is probably some regulation about this somewhere, but logically (always a mistake!), I can see little difference in principle between this and taking a photograph or video in the street. Such images would almost always capture members of the general public going about their business apart from the intended subject(s) of the shot.

Why not ask a solicitor?. seems the obvious answer..

I will be making enquiries myself at the town hall but wondered if anyone had any experience. I don't really want to pay a solicitor if I can help it

I was just thinking that local laws are likely to be involved, so unless anyone on here is from your area and knows the relevant law then any reply may well be misleading.

I've longed believed that much of the red tape in Spain are nothing more that job creation schemes for public officials and abogados, so the town hall will probably suggest using one and will recommend their brother or other relative!

One of the problems with approaching the town hall and asking if I need permission or licence or whatever is that then they are given the opportunity to find a reason for me to have to pay for something. Anyway I will ask, at least I can choose to not set the webcam up.

Thanks for the replies

Adopt the Spanish attitude, stick it up! If anyone complains, take it down!
There's one here, also one at Burriana, no idea if they have permission, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Thanks for the links
I know those webcams and will speak to the owner of one of them who I know. If I was only planning a 30 sec ftp upload I wouldn't worry, its the fact that it will be streaming 'live' that might make it different.

The refresh time on this one makes it almost live

http://www.extremaduravista.com/web/....php?id_loc=35

There are lots on this link, many traffic related though not all, the top link was also from this site

http://www.webcamgalore.com/EN/Spain/countrycam-29.html

The usual way in Spain is to ask forgiveness rather than permission :-).

But I believe legally at a minimum you need to publish the contact information of the owner of the cam (name, address, tel no. email). This should keep you out of any serious problems, unless of course you zoom it on the private terrace of some woman down the street who regularly sunbathes naked or likes to have "au natural" bob moments.

need to get in touch with CMT.es over webcams , copyrights . Citizens' Information area . if webcam cant not make out faces are Car regs you sould be ok .... look at a beach with wide view , you ok

In a presentation on Spanish law the abogado said that that unlike in UK, in Spain if there is not a law which says you CAN DO IT then you cannot.

I have no idea if he was correct, after all he was a lawyer, so who knows !