Buzz
Devices like Ring and Nest doorbell cameras represent the latest advancement in the rapidly expanding world of smart technology. These small recording gadgets are mounted outside people's homes, perpetually surveying the area. Their motion sensors detect any nearby movement, recording every instance someone presses the doorbell.
While companies behind these devices tout them as essential tools for home protection, there is significant skepticism. Critics argue that they exploit a growing sense of insecurity, invade privacy, and that the operations of these tech giants cannot be trusted. Below are ten ways these systems could endanger your security.
10. Corporate Giants Are Harvesting Your Data
It's well known that most large tech companies are in the business of collecting vast amounts of personal data. With a lucrative market for our private information, social media platforms, streaming services, and messaging apps are all in on the act. And doorbell cameras are no exception.
So what exactly do these devices have access to, and how much of it do they retain? The truth is, it's far more than many users expect. Take Amazon's Ring as an example. Beyond basic details like your name, address, payment info, and Wi-Fi credentials, they also store doorbell activity. Following a BBC inquiry, Ring disclosed that they track every time the doorbell is pressed. They also log any motion detected by the camera or when a user zooms in on footage.
But what about the privacy of people simply walking by? That's where things get more complicated and, arguably, more troubling. These devices aren't always recording, but they can be activated by movement from up to 25 feet (7.5 meters) away. This means that anyone passing by, even having a conversation, could be captured on video, with Ring having access to that footage. Tests by Consumer Reports revealed that Ring cameras can even pick up audio from a distance of 20 feet (6.1 meters).
“Ring affects everyone’s privacy,” says Matthew Guariglia of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). “Most immediately, it impacts those who walk past these cameras daily, where they are pointed out.”
9. Hackers Threaten with Abuse and Intimidation
In December 2020, several Ring users filed a lawsuit after their devices were hacked. They argued that insufficient security exposed them to blackmail, death threats, and racist abuse.
There are numerous instances where hackers have breached smart doorbells to terrorize or intimidate people. In one case, an elderly woman heard a voice say, “Tonight, you die,” followed by sexually offensive remarks. She was residing in an assisted living facility at the time, and her family had installed the smart camera to ensure her safety. However, the terrifying experience made her feel too unsafe to remain there. In another incident, a mother claims hackers played music from the horror film Insidious to frighten her children.
The lawsuit includes testimonies from over 15 families, all reporting similar incidents. They argue that Ring 'blamed the victims and provided inadequate responses and misleading explanations.'
8. LA Police Violate the Right to Protest
In 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, a wave of Black Lives Matter protests swept across the U.S. The movement attracted a wide range of responses, from strong support to intense criticism, including from law enforcement. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was particularly criticized by privacy advocates, who accused the department of using footage from doorbell cameras to undermine the right of people to protest.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) raised these concerns about LAPD’s actions in February 2021. Following the protests, police reached out to local residents and business owners, asking if they would share video footage to assist in investigating alleged crimes. A department spokesperson referred to these actions as 'not uncommon.' However, the EFF contends that this surveillance infringes on the privacy of protestors, most of whom were peaceful and law-abiding.
7. Ring Employees Access Personal Videos
In January 2020, Amazon's Ring once again became embroiled in controversy when it was revealed that staff had accessed private customer videos. Several Democratic senators reached out to CEO Jeff Bezos months earlier, raising concerns about the company's security policies. Among their questions was why employees at the Ukraine office had the ability to view customer footage.
In response, Ring acknowledged that they were investigating four employees for improperly accessing customer videos. Although the company determined that these employees were permitted to view the footage, they 'went beyond what was required for their job duties.' All four employees were dismissed.
6. Surveillance of Delivery Personnel
The proliferation of doorbell cameras has led to increasing surveillance of delivery workers by customers. According to the tech think tank Data & Society, in their report “At the Digital Doorstep,” this development has created a clash between American values of private property and the operational needs of those doing their jobs. 'The result,' the report continues, 'is a collision between the American ideals of private property and the business imperatives of doing a job.'
The institute explains that delivery workers are a prime example of the expanding gig economy, where they are treated as independent contractors rather than employees. Delivery companies argue this structure offers more flexibility and autonomy. However, the institute counters that these so-called perks come with hidden drawbacks: workers often have to compete for shifts, struggle to get reimbursed for lost wages, bear the costs of vehicle maintenance, and lack control over their work locations.
The institute's team asserts that the harsh reality for delivery workers is that they face increasing pressure to perform unsafe tasks in order to meet productivity targets. Smart doorbells, they argue, exacerbate this issue. Their report notes that customers with video monitoring are more likely to report drivers to tech companies or law enforcement, or even publicly shame them by posting footage online.
5. Aggressive Customers Shoot at Innocent Woman
Smart doorbells pose a threat not just to the safety of their users but to innocent bystanders as well, especially when the user has a propensity for extreme and unprovoked violence.
In October 2022, a Florida man received a medication intended for someone else, delivered to the wrong address. He proceeded to drop the prescription at the doorstep of Gino and Rocky Colonacosta. This action triggered an alert from their video camera. The Colonacostas’ reaction, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, was 'crazy.'
The father and son, both armed with .45-caliber handguns, stepped outside and began searching for an intruder. Instead, they found a woman sitting in a car nearby, checking her phone. Gino, 73, aimed his gun at her vehicle and ordered her to exit. Fearing for her safety, the woman sped off in a panic. The duo then fired seven shots at the fleeing car. 'Our victim was that close to death,' Polk stated. 'And certainly, had there been a baby in the car seat, the baby would’ve been killed.'
4. Software Flaw Exposes Doorbell Footage to Strangers
Google Nest offers a variety of smart home products, including doorbell cameras. In 2020, a user noticed something unsettling on her central Nest Hub—footage from a front door. The problem? She didn’t own a smart doorbell, and the porch on display was that of an unfamiliar house.
Indeed, a software bug had allowed the Nest user to inadvertently access someone else's doorbell camera feed. Her husband shared the bizarre experience on Reddit, asking if anyone knew whose system they had unknowingly tapped into. As expected, many Reddit users were both alarmed and confused. A comment from a user, believed to be a Google employee, confirmed the issue, but the company remained silent otherwise regarding the glitch.
3. Sharing Personal Data with Law Enforcement
One of the most controversial stories to come out in recent years about Ring revolves around the sharing of video footage with law enforcement. In the first half of 2022, it was revealed that Ring had granted police access to at least 11 video clips without the owners' consent.
This came to light after Senator Ed Markey raised questions about Ring’s surveillance practices. Ring explained that police can only access footage if it has been made public or shared directly by the user. This response to Senator Markey marked the first official confirmation that Ring shared footage without user permission.
Amazon defended their actions by stating that footage is only shared without a warrant in cases of emergencies where there is a threat to life or severe physical harm, such as kidnappings or attempted murders. However, privacy advocates were outraged by this revelation, with some accusing the company of creating an extensive civilian surveillance system.
2. Ring App Raises Concerns
In January 2020, alongside their report on delivery worker privacy, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) expressed concerns over the Ring for Android app. They argued that the app could be covertly monitoring users.
A recent investigation revealed that the Ring app frequently shares personal user data with third-party trackers, including names, IP addresses, mobile network carriers, and sensor data. While many apps share user data, Ring is particularly notable for the large number of trackers it uses. Additionally, the company was accused of downplaying the extent of data collection on its website.
"Ring asserts that customer security and privacy are its top priorities, yet time and again, these claims fail to live up to expectations and instead harm both customers and the community members who interact with Ring’s surveillance system," stated Bill Budington, the author of the report on the doorbell app.
1. Woman Sues Neighbor for Invasion of Privacy
A man in the UK may be required to pay £100,000 ($120,000) to his neighbor after a judge ruled that his smart doorbell was excessively intrusive, violating the neighbor's privacy.
John Woodward, a 45-year-old audiovisual technician from Oxfordshire, installed the device in 2019 after his car was nearly stolen, hoping to improve the security around his home. However, his neighbor, Dr. Fairnhurst, argued that the doorbell camera invaded her privacy by recording and filming her house, garden, and parking space.
In 2021, when the case went to trial, the judge sided with the neighbor. Judge Melissa Clarke ruled that Mr. Woodward had breached multiple UK laws, including the Data Protection Act 2018, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the Common Information Coverage Law.
