Goodwill Dressing Room: You’re on Candid Camera!
I popped into the Goodwill store recently to check out their summer shirts. Usually, they have an assortment of cute, short sleeved girly-girl summer tops that I love, and I like getting them in the winter before everyone else does. So I grabbed a few items and headed to the dressing room.
I had completely disrobed, when I couldn’t shake the feeling that eyes were on me, somewhere. I searched the walls, surveying for pinholes or streaming light that could be seen shining through- nope. I looked over my shoulder, and bada-bing! There was an evasive, round, black globe, peering right into the dressing room. (Right into the dressing room!)
I tend to have an overactive imagination at times, but I’m not so naive to believe that Quakers are running the security system. All it takes is one rogue worker in security and you could find yourself in somebody’s private collection, or worse even, on the internet.
Here’s the view from inside the dressing room. (Yes, the bathroom bandit has struck again.)
And here’s what I saw when I looked over my shoulder:
I was pretty disgusted. There’s no warning, no sign on the wall about it, and I’m sure if I were to ask management about it, it would be excused away as “policy” and “assured” that the patron isn’t completely on camera (or something to that effect).
Nothing like feeling raped in a public dressing room!
Nice one, Goodwill.
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And to all of the pervs who keep pulling up my blog because you’re searching for “dressing room hidden cams [insert unsavory female anatomical references here]”- get a frikking life you sick &^%#.
Here. Click on THIS. You’ll thank me later. (Or maybe not.)
m o n o c h r o m e j u n k i e † 
I love going to goodwill…I had no idea they had security camera’s like that in the dressing room! ACK!
February 22, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Uhuh….I will never (ever ever) change in their dressing room again.
!
February 22, 2013 at 2:10 pm
oh wow! that is excessive to have a camera above the place where you are changing! I would not feel comfortable with that. Even when I dont SEE cameras in dressing rooms I often get the feeling that I am being watched. I have do doubt that there are nasty people who steal things by shoving them into their pants however, there needs to be a bit of respect and trust from the store to not invade someones personal privacy. It’s really sad someone would steal from the goodwill. However, I was once at a place in my life where I was so poor it crossed my mind to steal. So I dunno tough topic but yeah that is def disturbing to know we are being watched!
February 22, 2013 at 2:49 pm
I just tried to post but don’t think it went through so I will try again haha good article. I can’t believe there are cameras in goodwills. I def think that invades peoples privacy. I get that there are those out there who steal or stuff things down in their clothes to disguise but at the same time …if your store is having a problem with this security should just be upped. Those who steal from the goodwill I mean I hate to say this but they must REALLY need whatever it is they are stealing. I used to be completely anti stealing before I hit a point where I was so poor I could not afford toilet paper. When you hit that point so many things go through your head and you evaluate everything you have ever judged. Now those that steal to make a profit are an entirely different story. I find that absolutely untolerable. Liked this post! Love that you got to snap a shot of the camera!! 🙂
February 22, 2013 at 2:52 pm
Hey, thanks for sharing your feedback, M&M. I’ve been wanting to go in there covertly and shoot the camera (with my camera, of course) for a while now, but I’ve been so darn busy. I smuggled my camera in there so I wouldn’t tip off the workers. When I was in the dressing room, I would cough (and clear my throat loudly) to disguise the shutter’s loud clicking- I’ve gotten the timing down to a science..heheh.. I’ve been desperately poor before myself, which is why I ended up in the homeless shelter many times throughout a 15 year period, and I did go through a phase (when I was 14) where I stole a pair of blue jeans from a hardware store; that was 29 years ago. I was an out-of-control wild child, rebelling against my Dad at the time. It certainly wasn’t a ‘habit” -it was an isolated incident- but I felt so guilty afterwards, I vowed to never do it again, and didn’t. No matter how poor a person might be, shoplifting is never the answer. God is the ultimate equalizer! We’re always on camera before Him- and He will be sure the balance the scales- always. And yeah, can you believe that the camera shoots right into the dressing room?! I’m still shocked. It should be completely illegal to do that without informing the customer beforehand. I’m wondering if it’s standard procedure in all Goodwills across the U.S., or perhaps solely in this area because of the high levels of substance abuse and theft. Either way, it’s pretty shocking!
February 22, 2013 at 3:21 pm
I have pictures to and after talking to management in California they removed the.camera with in the week
June 17, 2013 at 4:12 pm
Oh my gosh. that’s terrible. I will remember next time not to wear my granny panties. But seriously, they should have at least warn the patrons. I usually wear a tank and a boyleg undie, in case I try something on, at least I’m halfway decent. Did you get what you wanted by the way?
February 23, 2013 at 1:12 am
Yeah. I picked up the yellow and white sun flowered frilly-sleeved shirt hanging up behind me (pic). I’ll never change in another Goodwill dressing room again.
February 23, 2013 at 5:33 am
I have pictures as well. This the.second time this has happened in two different states. (California & Louisiana) something needs to be done.
June 17, 2013 at 4:09 pm
Yeah, I’ll be reporting them when I get a bit of down time. I’m so disgusted by them! Thanks for your feedback. 😉
June 17, 2013 at 5:15 pm
Sure no problem. I also did talk with the store manager he was a lot more understanding then the assistant.But he assured me that the cameras can rotate but not with out the engineer,/or an police office.So just know not to bare all(lol) or anything like that
July 30, 2013 at 4:35 pm
The one I went into bounced off the reflection. The camera may not have been directed that way, but we kinda know it can. It didn’t really bother me. It make me self-conscious, but I got over that. Of course privacy is an issue, but if you can be comfortable with yourself then others will catch on. I got my interview clothes that I needed.
May 5, 2016 at 9:34 am
No…..it’s not about “being comfortable with yourself.” No no no. I’m VERY comfortable with myself, confident, and have a healthy self-esteem. This is all about a person’s right to privacy, which is being completely shattered by those Goodwill cameras having the capability to videotape women (and men) undressing. That’s not to say that the cameras ever “do” do that, but how are we to know that there is not a rogue security guy filming people undressing? We don’t. And that’s not good enough for me, to simply cross my fingers and hope that doesn’t happen.
We have consumer rights to privacy and as a corporation, business, or firm that offers a service to the public, they have a legal obligation to secure those consumer rights to privacy. The only way that wouldn’t be necessary is if every person signed a privacy statement waiving their rights. But that doesn’t happen. When a person goes into a public fitting room, he or she naturally assumes that they will not be videotaped. But that’s not the case, as the camera proves.
I still haven’t done anything with this information, because I’ve been chipping away at my bachelor’s degree (which I finished 2 days ago), but now that I have plenty of down time, I may.
May 5, 2016 at 10:00 am
You’re right: people do not, and should not assume they are being videotaped while in the dressing room. I am of the thought that we are heading that way, anyway. Our computers are constantly monitored, most traffic lights have cameras, and voyeurism laws are being challenged. It was only last year that courts allowed men to take photos up women’s skirts and dresses if they were sitting on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial. The issue with that is any one in a public space (without the expectation of privacy) can be photographed, especially if it is for non-commercial use. The idea of a sexual image is subjective to people, as some might find shoulders sexually arousing (as many women do). We don’t ban photography of people’s shoulders.
The expectation of privacy occurs in bathrooms, changing rooms, and tanning salons. Those are the places where the laws take effect. What I am saying is that we are not that far off from those places opening up, too. I’m not saying let’s just do it. What I am saying is that I accept it. That’s why I didn’t get mad the camera. They didn’t hurt me with what they were doing, and I didn’t steal anything. I know it’s about personal space and integrity. That’s just hard to defend when we wear swimsuits, appreciate sexual characteristics of ourselves and other people, and watch movies. Actors are consenting, yes, but we get our gratification from watching others. They get theirs from people watching. It’s a win-win.
May 5, 2016 at 6:08 pm
Well, it may be hard to defend for others who DO wear swimsuits, but I’m not one of those people. I don’t wear shorts in public even, so my right to privacy (and modesty) is extremely important to me and I defend it with vehemency.
May 5, 2016 at 11:23 pm