19 Oct 2026 · Systems Watch

Footage is not the finish line: preservation, access and accountability

Taipei says subsidised preschools must retain footage for at least 90 days. The test is whether suspected incidents can be preserved, accessed and investigated in time.

Illustration of a preschool video-preservation system: a security camera, secure archive and accountability flow.Original editorial illustration: preservation, lawful access and accountability must form one protection chain.
Event date17 October 2026
VerifiedTaipei’s public statement and its 90-day rule
To monitorCoverage, preservation timing and national legal action

What is verified

Parents at the anti-child-abuse gathering called for a legal basis, installation and retention rules, parent access and local inspection. Taipei’s education authority stated that subsidised preschools must retain footage for at least 90 days and that it has procedures for management and parent access. It also said cameras or recording devices cover about 95% of public areas and 85% of classrooms; this is the city’s stated position, not a nationwide mandatory standard.

Verification boundary: A public commitment is not proof that every preschool and scenario already has the same protection.

The question is not only whether cameras exist

The core test is whether suspected incidents can be preserved immediately, viewed lawfully, investigated, and followed by psychological, transfer and legal support for families. The city listed a single contact window and professional accompaniment; delivery and results should remain public.

How should public commitments be tested?

  1. Coverage: Does the 90-day requirement apply only to subsidised schools, or also to other providers and branches?
  2. Preservation timing: When a concern arises, who preserves the original footage and the access log, and by when?
  3. Family access: Is there a clear response deadline, supported viewing and written reasons for any refusal?
  4. Public outcomes: Local authorities should publish de-identified data on coverage, retention, inspections, access requests and improvements.

Protection baseline

Current rules require designated professionals to report suspected child-protection cases within 24 hours, and local authorities to classify them within 24 hours of receipt. Footage preservation, injury recognition and reporting must operate as one chain.

Our view: Cameras can preserve evidence; they cannot replace a duty of care.

Sources