School Video Footage Appears Online

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Video footage from four UK schools has found its way on to a US website that allows people to view unsecured CCTV cameras.

It has led the Information Commissioner's Office to reiterate the need for tighter CCTV camera security.

Three of the schools are based in Blackpool and one remains unidentified.

Stephen Tierney, chief executive of the trust that runs two of the schools, told the Blackpool Gazette that the security breach was "unacceptable".

He said the CCTV footage from the schools he represents - St Mary's Catholic Academy and Christ the King Catholic Academy - was filmed outside and did not compromise pupil privacy.

Steps have been taken to tighten security, he added.

In a statement, the Information Commissioner's Office said: "We are aware of a website streaming footage from internet-connected security cameras from around the world, including sites in the UK, and are looking into the details. This may include contacting suppliers, manufacturers and users where they can be identified.

"We will also be liaising with our colleagues in other countries to consider what steps can be taken on an international level.

"The ICO advises anybody who purchases an internet-connected device which has the capability to stream live video to immediately change passwords and usernames from default settings and to set a strong password - one that should not be known by anyone else or be easy to guess."

In 2014 the public was warned about a website that contained thousands of live feeds to CCTV systems, baby monitors and standalone webcams. It contained streams from more than 250 countries, including 500 feeds from the UK.

It included footage from a child's bedroom.