Q&A for How to Tell if a Mirror Is Two Way or Not

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Are department stores allowed to have two way mirrors in fitting rooms?

Community Answer

No, they are not! If you suspect there is a two way mirror in a fitting room, report it to the police.

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Question

What should I do if I suspect a two-way mirror in a dressing room of a store?

Community Answer

Get out of there as quickly as possible, and alert a law enforcement official of your suspicion so that they can definitively investigate and decide if it is a two-way mirror.

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Question

If a mirror looks like its see-through, is it a 2 way mirror?

Community Answer

It’s likely. Try shining a light through to see if there’s something on the other side.

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Question

What does it mean if I can't see myself in the mirror?

Community Answer

Either the mirror is dirty, or it is not a mirror.

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Question

When I put my finger against the mirror, there is a gap. Does this mean it is a two-way mirror?

Community Answer

Not necessarily; it may just be a cheaper Perspex mirror or similar where the reflective surface is on the back.

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Question

What is the difference between a two way mirror and a regular mirror?

Nightwing_v2.1

Community Answer

A two-way mirror looks like a regular mirror from one side, but acts like a tinted window on the other. That means people on one side can see through, but people on the other side cannot. You can find examples in movies and shows with scenes that cut from an interrogation room to an observation room -- the window you see the characters looking through is a two-way mirror.

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Question

I have a two way mirror! What should I do?

Community Answer

If you are really concerned, you can cover the mirror and buy a normal one in the place of the old one. You could also maybe break the mirror and see what is on the other side. It depends a bit on where the mirror is.

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Question

My bathroom mirror is made in the wall and the mirror opens up so I can put stuff in it. Could it be a two way mirror?

Community Answer

No, because it is a cabinet mirror. There would be no point in putting a two-way mirror in a cabinet.

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Question

What does it mean if there is no gap between your reflection?

Community Answer

It likely is a two-way mirror, but do a second test since it isn't the best way to know.

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Question

How can I tell who is behind a two-way mirror?

Community Answer

You may not be able to see who is behind the two-way mirror depending on where it is located and your viewpoint.

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Question

In my apartment is a big mirror in my bathroom and I believe I am being watched. What can I do?

SparkleGirl

Community Answer

Call the police if you are 100% certain as it is illegal for someone to do that. You can also hang something over it (like poster boards or wallpaper) and then buy a new mirror so you don’t use the old one.

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Question

What are the disadvantages of a two-way mirror?

Community Answer

The main disadvantage of a two-way mirror is that you don't have any privacy if the other side of the mirror is accessible to others. Anyone can see you changing clothes, showering, using the bathroom, etc. (The same would apply regardless of which room the mirror was in.)

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Question

Who would be watching on the other side of a two-way mirror?

Community Answer

It depends on the location. If you are being interrogated by a law enforcement officer, most likely there will be other officers/detectives on the other side watching. If it's somewhere that it's illegal to have a two-way mirror, like a dressing room or bathroom, then really anyone can be on the other side.

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Question

What if there's a large two way mirror in my bathroom?

R2_d2000

Top Answerer

Call the police, this is illegal. You can also try to put up a sheet to cover the two way mirror and then buy your own mirror to replace it.

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Question

What happens if I put two-way mirrors in front of each other?

R2_d2000

Top Answerer

If you mean to put them back to back, then they would act just like a normal mirror.

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Question

If a mirror is hanging on the wall, and I can see it's a solid wall on the other side, there's no chance there could be someone spying, right?

Community Answer

Not through the mirror, but there's always the possibility that there's a camera somewhere.

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Question

I have cheap Walmart mirror that I hang behind my door. I can touch my reflection. I don't think it's a two-way mirror, so why can I touch my reflection?

DeckTheHalls

Community Answer

No test for a two-way mirror is definitive. Try a second method.

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Question

What should I do if there is someone watching me in a two-way mirror?

Community Answer

If you know it's a two-way mirror, just don't do anything you wouldn't do in public, or leave.

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Question

When I peered through my mirror by cupping my hands, my eyes turned black. Is that bad?

Community Answer

No, that is normal, your pupils dilate (get bigger) in the dark and constrict (get smaller) in the light to limit how much light gets in.

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Question

Can someone put a wired or wireless cam behind a two-way mirror?

Community Answer

Yes, two-way mirrors allow anyone to see through them, including camera eyes.

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Question

There is no gap when I press my finger on it, but the mirror isnt attached to a wall and there is cardboard on the other side. Can there be a camera in between the cardboard and the mirror?

Seavy Evelyn

Community Answer

Highly unlikely, but you could separate the cardboard and mirror and check.

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Question

Would it be possible to put a 2-way mirror in a house?

Community Answer

Yes, but you would likely have to break down part of a wall between 2 rooms. They also need special installation.

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Question

What if there is a really thin layer of wall between the mirror and the room on the other side? Is that possible? Could there be two way mirrors everywhere because of it?

Timothy Winbigler

Community Answer

If there is a wall on the other side of the two-way mirror, then no one would be able to look through it.

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Question

Can you cover a mirror up of you don’t feel safe, instead of leaving?

Kyle_Exum

Community Answer

Yes, you can. If it is in a dressing room, just cover it up with a coat or some piece of clothing. Or anywhere where you don't feel unsafe for that matter!

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Question

What should I do if my friend has a 2 way mirror in their bathroom?

Blossom Girl

Community Answer

Do not use that bathroom. If it is an emergency then cover the mirror and then use it.

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Question

Can you have a 2 way mirror in a house thats being rented?

Blossom Girl

Community Answer

Yes, there could be, so be on the safe side and get it checked if you are concerned.

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Question

What happens if there is a 2 way mirror in your house bathroom?

Blossom Girl

Community Answer

Nothing happens but if you are really concerned, you can cover the mirror and buy a normal one in place of the old one. You could also maybe break the mirror and see what is on the other side. It depends a bit on where the mirror is.

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Question

The mirror in my bathroom is fixed to the wall. I touched the glass and my fingers don’t touch. I wrote on it with a dry erase and it won’t touch. My new landlord texted me GN at 10pm.

Community Answer

The fingernail test described above is not reliable. With any normal mirror, there will be a small gap between your fingernail and its image in the mirror (because the image is generated at the back surface of the glass, not the front surface where your fingernail is). Nonetheless, if you're concerned, you could have the mirror checked. If it turns out to be a two-way mirror, call the police. Then leave that place, because there could be other recording devices installed. (As for the "GN," you'll have to ask the landlord about that. Meanwhile, don't assume he's a creep. He may be, but you shouldn't assume it.)

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