Parents install spy camera in adult daughter's bedroom, student reports it to police

The Chinese netizens on the social media platforms were shocked when they found out about the “control freak” parents who landed in trouble after their adult daughter filed a complaint against them for installing a surveillance camera in her bedroom.

The story of the parents spying on their daughter emerged when the 20-year-old woman reached out to the Beijing police station for help on July 26.

The police officers were informed by the second-year university student that she had run away from her home because she “wanted freedom”.

The womancomplained that a surveillance camera was installed by her parents in her bedroom and added that the couple would also beat her up and throw her mobile phone when she made any mistakes.

She added that because of their violent parenting she has been suffering from trauma. The 20-year-oldsaid that she wished to find some part-time jobs in Beijing, save money and live independently without her parents.

The womansaid that she went to the police because she feared that her parents would file a missing complaint for her and “make a scene” so she wanted the police to be informed about the situation beforehand.

Police officer Zhang Chuanbin comforted the 20-year-oldand agreed that thebehaviour of her parents was wrong. He then reached out to the parents and said that they should give their daughter some space and respect her privacy.

Beijing police later added that the girl's parents agreed to remove the spy camera and the student went back to her home.

Here's how netizens reacted to the incident

The behaviour of the parents was widely criticised on social media.

“So horrible. Having no private space at all despite being 20,” said a person on Weibo.
“Children are independent individuals, not parents’ belongings – some Chinese parents should keep this in mind,” wrote another.

“Even a prison respects people’s privacy more than this,” commenteda third user. “She was brave to fight back, and wise to go to the police to avoid trouble,” wrote a fourth user.

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This is not the first case where Chinese parents have been caught installing surveillance cameras in the rooms of their children.

A mother was found to have installed a surveillance camera in the room of her son. When her son took the Gaokao University entrance exam, she thanked the camera for “accompanying my son for six years”.

A 14-year-oldboy inChina'sJiangsucomplained to the police in 2019 against his father who wished to install a surveillance camera in his room, saying that he had “violated his privacy”.

(With inputs from agencies)