Dash Cams
Where to Mount a Dash Cam on the Windshield: What State Laws Say
No single national rule says where a dash cam goes on a car windshield. States write their own obstruction laws, and the federal rule only covers commercial trucks.
Latest dossier · Dash Cams · 6 min read
Dash Cam Audio Recording and Passengers: Consent Law and Rideshare Rules
Video of a public road is rarely the problem. Audio of passengers is where consent law applies, and rideshare platforms add their own rules on top.
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Dash Cams
Dash cam SD cards: high endurance versus standard, formatting and when to replace
A dash cam rewrites its memory card again and again, and every card wears out. This article follows the SD Association and one manufacturer manual on endurance, speed…
GPS Trackers
How to find a lost phone that is offline or switched off
A dead or switched-off phone is not always invisible. Apple and Google both describe a last known location and an offline network, and both depend on settings you…
GPS Trackers
How to set up a Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 with SmartThings
Pairing a Galaxy SmartTag2 takes a Samsung phone, a signed-in Samsung account and the SmartThings app. This walk-through follows Samsung's support pages from pairing to the map shortcut…
Counter-Surveillance & Privacy Law
Putting an AirTag or tracker on someone else’s car: what the law says and what to do if you are targeted
Placing a tracker on a car you do not own or lease can break stalking and tracking laws. This article reads the federal statute and two state laws,…
GPS Trackers
How to set up an AirTag with an iPhone, step by step
Setting up an AirTag takes a few taps once the iPhone is ready. This walk-through follows Apple's instructions, from the software version you need to the checklist for…
GPS Trackers
How an AirTag works: the Find My network, Bluetooth and what Apple says it stores
An AirTag does not report its own position. Nearby Apple devices relay it over Bluetooth, and the location is encrypted so that only the owner can read it.…
Family & Pet Monitoring
AirTag and coin cell battery safety: what to do if a child swallows one
A coin cell battery like the CR2032 in an AirTag can cause serious burns in as little as two hours. This page covers who to call, the honey…
GPS Trackers
Tile vs AirTag vs SmartTag: which tracker works when you switch phones
Tile lists both iPhone and Android on its own support pages, AirTag is documented for iPhone and iPad, and SmartTag2 for Galaxy phones. Here is how that plays…
Quick answers
Is it legal to record audio of someone without telling them?
It depends on the state. Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(d)) allows a recording when one party to the conversation consents, and many states follow that rule. Others, California among them (Penal Code § 632), require every party to agree. Recording a conversation you are not part of is a separate and much riskier question.
Can I put a camera in my own home if a housekeeper or nanny works there?
Video of the common areas of your own home is generally allowed, and audio recording and private spaces such as bathrooms change the answer. Our guide to cameras and household workers walks through the cases. Housekeepers and cameras.
Can I record my roommate in a dorm room?
Recording a roommate in a shared bedroom without their knowledge is unlawful in nearly every state, whoever signed the housing form. A camera aimed at your own desk is a different situation. Dorm room camera rules.
Is it legal to put a GPS tracker on a car?
Tracking a vehicle you own, or one the owner has agreed you may track, is the safe case. Putting a tracker on someone else's car without their consent can be stalking or a privacy offense in many states, and state statutes vary. Magnetic vs hardwired GPS trackers.
Does TrueSpyTech test the devices it writes about?
No. We do not run a test lab. We read manufacturer specifications and the relevant laws, then weigh them against what owners report. The method is described on our evaluation page. How we evaluate.
Statutes cited: 18 U.S.C. § 2511, California Penal Code § 632. General information, not legal advice.