How to access CCTV images of yourself in France

Anyone filmed by CCTV cameras in a public place or a venue open to the public in France can request to view recordings featuring them, or obtain a copy.

The right is provided for under EU data protection rules and overseen in France by the Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL), the country's data protection authority. It applies only to images in which the person making the request appears.

You do not have to explain why you want to see the footage or provide a particular justification.

However, you should act quickly. Although recordings can be kept for up to a month, they are often deleted much sooner, so it is important to make a request as quickly as possible after an incident.

Once deleted, they cannot normally be recovered.

Who should you contact?

Requests should be addressed to the person responsible for the CCTV system, rather than an individual police officer or other member of staff.

Their identity and contact details should be available on signs indicating the presence of surveillance cameras. These must also explain why the cameras are installed and how people can exercise their rights.

A website address or QR code may provide further information on how to contact the system's administrator.

If the details are not available, contact your mairie or local municipal police, which should be able to direct you to the appropriate person.

What information do you need to provide?

You should explain when and where you believe you were filmed, giving as precise a date and time as possible.

You can request either to view the relevant footage or receive a copy. You may be asked to show identification, but a copy of your identity document should only be required if there are reasonable doubts about your identity.

Your request cannot normally be refused without a valid reason. However, access may be restricted in certain circumstances, including where national security or the rights and privacy of other people are at stake.

Recordings may also be unavailable if they have already been deleted, or if a request is considered manifestly unfounded or excessive.

Who is allowed to view the recordings?

Access to CCTV footage is strictly controlled. Only people specifically authorised to view recordings can do so.

These include designated police and gendarmerie officers, as well as authorised municipal employees and security personnel, depending on who operates the system.

The rules are intended to prevent unauthorised access and protect the privacy of people being filmed.

If your request is refused without valid grounds, or you believe a CCTV system is operating outside the rules, you can complain to the CNIL.