A Nova Scotia family has inadvertently been on Internet "candid camera" for months without their knowledge.
Dale Gass became their peeping tom by accident.
"It is kind of disturbing these videos are being sent to me. It's an invasion of privacy," he said.
Gass used to own a wireless security camera. Unfortunately, it is now installed in the family's house, and no one seemed to have a clue where they lived.
"Thankfully they are a nice wholesome family, not doing anything too shocking," he said.
Gass's former camera sends an e-mail image every time it senses motion.
He was unsatisfied by the product and returned it to the retailer, but forgot to remove his e-mail address from its software.
Someone else bought the camera, but apparently didn't put in their own e-mail address, so now the camera is sending him images from their house.
"I received them at the rate of two to 10 a day," Gass said.
Staples Canada said it warns stores to make sure this particular model of camera is fully erased before resale.
However, retailer Tim Walker pointed the finger at Gass. "The onus is on him to make sure that camera had been reset," Walker said.
No matter who's to blame, one privacy expert said the case is yet another cautionary tale for consumers.
"It also raises the question of how many other cases are happening without other people know about it," said Philippa Lawson of the University of Ottawa's Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic.
Gass eventually put out a public appeal and located the family.
With a report from CTV's John Vennavally-Rao
