Field Manual Books
Practical field manuals by a former CIA officer · calm, sourced, no gadget hype

Hidden camera laws by state

Hidden camera laws in Arkansas

The actual statute, in plain English — not a paraphrase of a paraphrase.

The statute

Ark. Code Ann. § 5-16-101 (Crime of Video Voyeurism)

What it prohibits

Arkansas prohibits using a camera or other image-recording device to secretly observe, view, photograph, film, or videotape a person present in a residence, business, school, or similar structure when that person is in a private area out of public view, has a reasonable expectation of privacy, and has not consented. A related provision in the same section separately bans using concealed equipment to secretly record a person’s body or undergarments without consent.

Penalty

Class D felony for a first or second offense (up to 6 years); Class C felony for a third or subsequent offense (3 to 10 years); the concealed-recording-of-body provision is a Class B misdemeanor.

This is general public information, not legal advice, verified against the statute text linked below as of this writing — legislatures amend these laws periodically (Florida renamed its own statute in 2024). If this matters for a real situation, read the current text yourself or talk to a lawyer: https://law.justia.com/codes/arkansas/title-5/subtitle-2/chapter-16/section-5-16-101/. Separately, recording audio of a conversation is governed by a different law (wiretap/eavesdropping statutes, which vary by state on whether one party or all parties must consent) — this page covers image/video capture only.

If you've actually found something, the statute matters less than what you do next: read the six steps here.

Cover: The Traveler's Counter-Surveillance Field Manual
The Field Manual — PDF edition

Want the full room-by-room method, not just the legal side? The complete system — every check on this site plus the ten-minute walkthrough, audio devices, your legal rights, and what to do if you find something. 47 printable pages, instant download, keep it on any device.

Get the Field Manual — $27

Prefer Kindle? $7.99 on Amazon.

Other states

ConnecticutConn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-189a (Voyeurism) Delaware11 Del. Code § 1335 (Violation of Privacy) IndianaInd. Code § 35-45-4-5 (Voyeurism; Public Voyeurism; Aerial Voyeurism) IowaIowa Code § 709.21 (Invasion of Privacy — Nudity) KansasKan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6101(a)(6) (Breach of Privacy) KentuckyKRS § 531.090 (Voyeurism) LouisianaLa. R.S. § 14:283 (Video voyeurism) MarylandMd. Code, Criminal Law § 3-902 (Visual Surveillance With Prurient Intent)