An Irish ex-pat named Ian Lahiffe returned to Beijing and reported that a surveillance camera had been mounted outside of his apartment door. Lahiffe and his family were beginning their two-week home quarantine after a trip to southern China. Lahiffe stated that the camera was a severe privacy violation and that he was not informed that the installation would occur. Although there has not been an official announcement that cameras will be installed to conduct surveillance on those undergoing a mandatory quarantine period, several Chinese residents have reported the occurrence since at least February.
CNN has received reports from at least three people who experienced a similar incident to Lahiffe’s, as well as reports from social media posts. There is currently no specific national law that regulates surveillance cameras in China, however, street surveillance and public space surveillance is common in Chinese cities. According to state broadcaster CCTV, there have been more than 20 million cameras installed across China since 2017.
