The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) yesterday issued fines to three motels for false advertising after they claimed to have installed surveillance systems to prevent unauthorized filming of guests.
The commission recently inspected 15 motels that advertised anti-pinhole camera technology and surveillance systems to ensure the privacy of guests. Of the 15, three were found to have no surveillance system as advertised.
Commission vice chairperson Shih Hui-fen (施惠芬) said that when inspectors confronted Debonair Motel (雅筑汽車商務旅館), which claimed in online advertisements to have installed surveillance cameras in all entrances, exits and hallways, the motel at first tried to cover up its violation by saying they could not provide proof they had installed the surveillance system.
However, the motel later admitted THAT it had not installed such systems and was fined NT$150,000 by the commission.
Another motel that claimed it maintained a monitoring system 24-hours-a-day was later revealed to have hired housekeeping staff to make rounds of the premises at undetermined time intervals while carrying mobile pinhole camera detectors, Shih said.
In yet another motel, the FTC found that the surveillance systems had been installed, but that the motel had not repaired the device after it broke down in 2005, nor had the motel removed related claims from its online advertisements.
The FTC also issued warnings to eight other motels for advertising anti-pinhole camera devices, when the motels did not regularly monitor for unauthorized filming or only did so upon request, Shih said.
Aside from issuing fines, the commission also asked the Tourism Bureau to step up inspection efforts to ensure the privacy of consumers.
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