Domestic workers in Kenya are raising growing concerns over what can be best described as a “crisis of privacy,” due to the intrusive use of surveillance cameras and the unauthorized sharing of the images on social media by their employers.

Advocates and labor unions representing the sector have flagged a rising trend where home security measures are being weaponized to monitor workers’ every move, often extending into private living quarters.

Domestic workers have raised concerns, saying that they are monitored at their place of work as prisoners of the houses they are working for.

Surveillance Without Consent

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While many homeowners install CCTV for security, workers report that cameras are increasingly being placed in areas that compromise their dignity, such as changing rooms or corridors leading to bathrooms.

Mary Achieng(not her real name) said, sometimes they feel like not dressing up or rather doing their things in privacy with the fear of being monitored by their employers due to surveillance.

“We find that the CCTV cameras are installed everywhere in our place of work and sometimes we fear even dressing up because we fear being watched by the bosses anytime,” Achieng said.

She added that their employers sometimes take away their mobile phones and share their pictures on social media, a thing she said is a threat to their privacy.

“Another challenge we face is the use of our private photos and videos posted on social media, criticizing how we do our jobs, this is humiliation of the highest standards,” Achieng added.

Activist on the Data Protection Act

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Human rights activists also criticise the use of surveillance in some areas that do not obey the privacy laws.

“Security is understandable, but there is a thin line between safety and stalking,” said a representative from a local domestic workers’ union. “Some workers feel they are under a microscope 24/7, which creates a high-stress environment and leads to psychological burnout.”

Under the Data Protection Act of 2019, any individual, including a domestic worker, has the right to privacy.

Legal experts warn that homeowners who record staff without their knowledge or consent, especially in private spaces, could face stiff penalties.

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CCTV camera showing the delivery rider carrying a package at Maridian Apartment. PHOTO/CCTV Footage Screenshot