Is that store mannequin watching you? Creepy store surveillance...

Have you ever wondered if that store is watching you try on bathing suits?

They might be, but they have to inform you first. If you’re concerned, look for stickers or other written announcements that the dressing room is being monitored by a camera. You can also ask employees if the dressing rooms are monitored. It’s illegal for a store to watch or film you without disclosing that information.

Even if they’re not critiquing your figure in the changing room, many stores are evaluating your every move when you come out. According to Consumer Reports, gaze trackers are sometimes hidden in tiny holes in store shelving and detect which brands you’re looking at and how long for each. There are even mannequins whose eyes are cameras that detect the age, sex, ethnicity, and facial expressions of passers-by.