The State of Video Surveillance Regulation: Staying Aware of the Impact of Regulation Is a Key to Market Success

This IDC Market Perspective explores some of the recent developments in the regulatory space that will increasingly impact the video surveillance marketplace. Regulation of the use of video surveillance technologies is becoming more widespread and will impose an increasing amount of pressure on both the use and production of video surveillance products and services. Technology vendors that wish to protect their position in the market, or grow their market share, need to be aware of developments and take the lead in informing their customers on both solutions' capabilities and regulatory potential pitfalls in their use.According to Mike Jude, research director for IDC's Video Surveillance and Vision Applications practice, "physical security no longer operates in social isolation. Increasingly, public policy is examining the impact that physical security technologies such as video surveillance can have on personal privacy." As Jude notes, "To successfully compete in today's highly scrutinized physical security market, vendors will need to not only be aware of regulation but also be actively involved in articulating a regulatory position."