The Guardia Civil has issued advice on what to do if you discover a suspected hidden camera inside your holiday accommodation.

The force issued the warning to people staying in hotels and holiday rentals who suspect they may be being illegally recorded.

‘First, protect your privacy. Then protect the possible evidence,’ the Guardia Civil said in a social media post.

Its first piece of advice is to not touch, manipulate or dismantle the suspected camera.

Instead, guests are advised to document what they have discovered if they can do so safely, preserve the details of the accommodation and report the incident to the security forces.

The Guardia Civil also warns people not to share photographs or footage relating to the suspected camera on social media.

The advice is designed not only to protect the potential victim but also to preserve evidence that could prove important in a later police investigation.

Where are cameras illegal?

Spain has strict rules surrounding video surveillance and the right to privacy.

The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) says cameras used for security purposes must comply with data protection legislation and should only be used where less intrusive measures are not sufficient.

Crucially, it states that installing cameras in bathrooms, changing rooms and other comparable private areas is prohibited.

Spanish law also provides broad protection against being secretly filmed during private moments.

The country’s law protecting the right to honour, personal and family privacy and one’s own image considers the placement of filming, listening or other recording devices intended to record a person’s intimate life an unlawful intrusion.

That means there is an obvious distinction between a legitimate security camera monitoring an appropriate area and a device secretly positioned to film guests in a private setting.

In one previous Guardia Civil investigation, officers arrested a man after cameras were discovered hidden behind wall clocks in hotel rooms in Lugo.

The investigation began after a couple staying at the hotel noticed a reflection behind a clock after turning off their room’s light.

When they checked behind it, they found a miniature camera pointing towards their bed which contained a microSD card capable of recording images.

A similar device was then discovered in another room.

The Guardia Civil seized computers, storage devices, a mini camera and several clocks while investigating what had happened to the recordings.

What should you do if you find one?

If you discover what appears to be a concealed camera in a bedroom, bathroom or another place where you would reasonably expect privacy, do not immediately pull it apart or remove it.

Instead, document its location safely, for example by taking photographs of where you found it, and keep all information relating to the accommodation.

That could include the address and room or apartment number, as well as the booking details and information identifying the accommodation or person responsible for it.

You should then contact the police and explain why you believe you may have been illegally recorded.

And despite the temptation to immediately warn others by uploading the discovery to Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, the Guardia Civil specifically advises against publishing the material on social media.