Some three in ten (29 per cent) of young adults aged 18 to 24 in the UK say they feel uncomfortable when retail or security staff wear body-worn cameras, according to research from a body-worn camera company.
A YouGov survey of 2,200 Britons also found that about a quarter (26pc) of those aged 25–34 feel uneasy in the presence of body-worn cameras – the second highest level across all age groups. By comparison 17pc of 55 and-overs say the same. The findings suggest a generational divide, according to the firm HALOS: those most fluent in online sharing are also the most unsettled by being filmed in real life by frontline workers. The firm adds that the research shows that younger people are also the most likely to change how they behave when they know they’re being filmed by these devices. Three in five (65pc) of 18 to 24-year-olds, and over half (55pc) of 25–34-year-olds, say they would think twice about their actions if they knew staff in a given setting were wearing body-worn cameras. .
Among older respondents, that figure drops significantly, as a third (33pc) of 55 and overs say that they would adjust their behaviour. Similarly, 64pc of full-time students said they’d change how they behave when filmed, versus just 31pc of retired respondents, making younger people more than twice as likely to adjust their behaviour in response to being recorded. The firm suggests that the generation most uneasy about being filmed is also the one most likely to be influenced by the presence of a camera, which it calls a paradox that speaks to rising ‘surveillance anxiety’ among digital natives.
In everyday settings such as shops and train stations, younger generations are particularly aware of body-worn cameras worn by staff and more likely to respond to their presence. Nearly a third (32pc) of 18–24-year-olds and 36%pc of 25–34-year-olds notice cameras worn by staff in a public setting compared to just 17pc of those aged 55 and above.
Users of consumer social media platforms popular with younger people are also more likely to notice body-worn cameras in public settings. Almost two-thirds (64pc) of Snapchat users and more than half (59pc) of TikTok users say they notice them –– higher than users of other platforms. In an age of digital sharing, the firm suggests, younger people are hyper-aware of how they’re perceived – not just online, but increasingly offline as well.
Comment
Alan Ring, CEO of HALOS, said: “We’re seeing a new kind of social contract emerge in public spaces. Younger generations are used to being seen, having grown up on camera and used to documenting their daily lives. But being watched – especially in a way they can’t control – is something else entirely. That awareness is already changing how people behave. Body-worn cameras are no longer just about deterrence or collecting evidence. They’re actively shaping social norms. If handled with care and transparency, they can protect staff, influence conduct and foster accountability. But businesses must recognise that this isn’t just a tech rollout, it’s a cultural shift.”
About the firm
Body cameras are in use in retail, on campuses and in other public-facing settings by security and other workers. Visit: https://halosbodycams.com/infographic-body-worn-camera-survey.
