Spy cameras disguised as clothes hooks are available for sale on Amazon, despite the company facing legal action over these gadgets. A BBC investigation found one clothes hook camera listing featuring a device positioned in a bathroom.

A US judge recently ruled that the retail giant must face a case brought by a woman who claims she was filmed in the bathroom using a clothes hook camera purchased on Amazon.

A privacy expert has raised concerns, stating that the misuse of such devices may violate British laws. Amazon declined to comment on the issue.

The legal action against the company was initiated by a foreign exchange student and aspiring actress who alleges she was surreptitiously recorded in a West Virginia home bathroom using a camera disguised as a clothes hook purchased on Amazon when she was still a child. The accused individual is currently facing trial.

The complaint notes that the Amazon listing for the camera, from which it was allegedly purchased, featured a picture of it being used to hang towels with the phrase "it won't attract attention."

The complaint seeks punitive damages against Amazon Inc, Amazon.com Services LLC, and other unnamed defendants, alleging that the use of the camera was "foreseeable to Amazon."

Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, the BBC found several similar cameras listed on Amazon.co.uk, including one positioned over a bath and another beside a bed. Some products, like a clothes hook camera, depict it in various locations, including a bedroom with suggestive text.

Other hidden cameras for sale on the site include an alarm clock hidden camera, a USB charger camera, and a smoke alarm camera claiming to monitor an "unfaithful partner."

Privacy experts caution that misuse of these cameras could violate several UK laws, including those related to harassment, child protection, voyeurism, sexual offenses, and human rights. There are also potential data protection issues if videos are widely shared.