Can surveillance videos be altered, like something cut out or added in?
Asked by
AshlynM (
10684
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July 26th, 2016
I’m not asking how to for myself but just as a general question. I know pics and regular video can be edited to suit one’s needs but what about camera footage from a store? I’ve always been curious if this was possible.
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8 Answers
Yes, it can be. That is one reason the time stamp is imbedded in video, so that any editing becomes more apparent.
Yes they can be modified, but it takes a little more work.
Since most cameras now start and stop recording when motion is detected, it is easy to pull out a scene that shows something unwanted without arousing suspicion.
Anything can be altered, especially perception. So the same video could be perceived differently depending upon the perspective of the viewer.
If the subject of the tape came into question in the proceedings of a criminal trial, and it was found that the film had been tampered with, whoever tampered with it and the person(s) who authorized said tampering would be guilty of evidence tampering, a crime.
Splicing in film is easy, but obvious because the film has been cut and taped back together on a splicing/editing machine. Magnetic recording tape could have sound track issues (sounds) where a splice was made, and any recording erased and covered over by another recording would also possibly affect the time stamp, if any, as well as a visual glitch both where the added recording editing began and where it ended.
I would think simple rewind ,erase, and start again would work.
@Inspired_2write Sure but some of these tapes run for hours. And you’d have to record over the previous recording to erase it, or run a very large magnet over the tape, then rewind again to start a new recording. It depends on the circumstances, reasons for wanting it done, and mechanics. Insufficient supplied question data, actually.
@kritiper
Well I know of Store owners who had done that to erase evidence.
In this particular case the store owner simply changed the tapes .
Head Office never even batted an eye as hestated that he placed the wrong tape in?
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