Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Looking at the place
• Part 2 of 2: Examining the mirror
• Warnings

Have you ever been in a bathroom, dressing room, or other private room, feeling like you were being watched? You can find out if a mirror is translucent by looking at how it is installed and using a few simple techniques to determine if there is a wall behind it. You may have heard of the fingernail test, but there are even more precise ways to find out whether a mirror is see-through or not.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Looking at the place

1. Check how the mirror is installed. Is the mirror hanging on the wall or is it part of it? If it appears to be hanging on the wall, try to look behind it if you see a wall. If the mirror appears to be part of the wall, chances are it is a translucent mirror, because they are placed in the wall and not hung from it. That way, people on the other side can observe the person standing in front of the mirror.
   • A translucent mirror is a piece of glass that is covered with a material that micropane is called. If you are on the edited side you will see your reflection, but on the untreated side it will look like a tinted window.
   • If you see a wall behind the mirror, you can assume that it is just a mirror.
2. Watch the lighting. Look around to see if the lighting appears to be extremely bright. If so, you could be standing in front of a translucent mirror. If the room is relatively dark and you cannot see directly through the mirror, it is probably a standard mirror.
   • For a translucent mirror to work properly, the light on the mirror side must be 10 times brighter than the light on the other side. When the light is less bright, you can look through the glass to the observation room.
3. Wonder where you are. If you are in a public place and in a place where you can expect privacy, such as a toilet, it is unlikely and illegal that there is a translucent mirror. On the other hand, such mirrors are very often used by the police in interrogations and the identification of suspects.
   • The use of transparent mirrors directly affects personal privacy and fundamental rights. The use of translucent mirrors in toilets, changing rooms, showers, fitting rooms and hotel rooms is prohibited in most countries. In general, if translucent mirrors are used for surveillance purposes in a particular location, this should be made clear through signs.
   • In many places such as gas stations, metal mirrors are used, because glass mirrors are destroyed by the users. If you are standing in front of a metal mirror, it will not be translucent.

Part 2 of 2: Examining the mirror

1. Try to see through the glass. Press your face against the mirror and wrap your hands around your face, creating a dark tunnel to block out as much light as possible. If you do this when the light in the observation room is even slightly stronger than on your side, you can see something behind the glass.
2. Shine a light on it. If you're not convinced yet, turn off the lights and hold a flashlight in front of the mirror (which could also be the light on your phone). If there is a translucent mirror, the room on the other side is illuminated by the light and you can see it.
3. Go for the sound. Tap the surface of the mirror with your knuckle. A normal mirror sounds dull and flat because it hangs in front of a wall. An observation mirror produces an open, hollow and reverberant sound, because there is an open space on the other side.
   • The sound that a translucent mirror makes when you tap it is also described as clear or sharp, as opposed to the dull tap of a regular mirror.
4. Do the fingernail test. Although not entirely accurate, you can use your fingernail to determine if the mirror is the first or second surface. Just press your nail against the surface of the mirror. If you touch a second surface mirror with your nail, you cannot touch your own reflection; you can see a bit of space created by the second layer of glass overlying the mirror surface. If you put your finger on a first surface mirror, you can touch your own reflection, because there is no extra layer of glass in between. First surface mirrors are very rare, so if you encounter one there is probably a very specific reason for it and there is a good chance that it is a translucent mirror. Second-surface mirrors are everywhere.
   • Due to the differences in, for example, lighting and the material from which the mirror is made, it can be very difficult to determine whether you are actually touching your reflection or not. You might think that you are touching a first surface mirror when you are not.
   • In addition, it is also possible for a translucent mirror to be a second surface mirror. If the other situation, such as the placement of the mirror and the lighting, indicate that you are looking at a translucent mirror, do not pass the fingernail test.
5. Consider the extreme measure of breaking the glass. If it is an ordinary mirror, it will be shattered and see the back of the mirror or a wall. If it is a translucent mirror, you can see the room behind the mirror. You should probably only consider this option if you feel threatened or in danger. Breaking the glass causes damage and also a safety risk.

Warnings

• No clear mirror test is 100% certain. There only needs to be a little space in the wall for a hidden camera with a wide angle lens and you will not see any light on the other side, or hear a hollow sound and you will not see anything with your hands around your face. Even with an ordinary mirror, there are many other places to hide observation devices.
• Remember, most people don't want to take the risk, effort, and effort of peeking.The exceptions are store owners, who often use surveillance technology to monitor whether their staff is stealing and also in connection with shoplifting. And of course countless government organizations.