ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Closed-circuit television camera

Closed-circuit television cameras, or CCTV cameras, are like special eyes that can help see things and record it so we can watch it later.

Imagine you want to keep an eye on your toy box, but you can't always be there to watch it. So, you install a CCTV camera above the toy box. The camera has a lens and a sensor that work together to capture what's happening in front of it.

When the camera is connected to a monitor or a recording device, you can see what's happening in the toy box in real-time or watch it later. You can also have multiple cameras set up in different places so you can keep an eye on things in many places at the same time.

CCTV cameras are used in lots of different places, like malls, schools, banks, and even on the streets. They can help keep people safe by watching out for bad guys or making sure everyone follows the rules.