Does CCTV qualify as Shmirah?

Does CCTV qualify as Shmirah?

Technological development in CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) and internet-based applications such as Skype (a video-conferencing program) allow for remote viewing of a food-production factory, a dairy farm, a private kitchen—or even an entire home. Contemporary poskim discuss the role of synchronized video transmission in settings that require shmirah (supervision) such as hashgachah (kosher certification) at a factory, Jewish supervision of milking on the farm, safeguarding the kashrus of a kitchen when non-observant people have access to it, and averting yichud (halachically proscribed seclusion of a male and a female).

Some situations are in the category of birur milsa b’alma (clarification of facts), for example: verifying that the Jewish-owned dairy does not milk cows on Shabbos, watching the nanny-cam to make sure milk and meat remain separate in the kitchen, and even a man and a woman traveling unaccompanied in a high-rise elevator. In all these scenarios, many poskim agree that video security, especially if accompanied by real-time remote monitoring, is sufficient shmirah. On the other hand, some authorities maintain that certifying milk as Chalav Yisroel (milk under Jewish supervision) requires a mashgiach (Torah-observant supervisor) to be physically present at the time of milking, and virtual supervision is not sufficient.

Even those poskim who claim that remote viewing suffices for Chalav Yisroel caution that there are many conditions for its application: a plethora of filming angles, absolute consistency in monitoring with a back-up system in case of malfunction (such as an automatic milking-machine shutdown), and foolproof safeguards to prevent tampering with the equipment—all which may make it impractical.

When relying on CCTV in cases that are more clear-cut—yichud, for example—it is important to ensure that the cameras are monitored on a regular basis, since mirsas (fear of discovery) is a crucial component of shmirah. Consistent enough shmirah may be an issue, so it is important not to rely on the cameras l’chatchilah (as a primary solution), but only as back-up.

https://halacha2go.com?number=658

Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.