Video doorbells are becoming more common among homeowners, and it’s easy to see why: they’re cheaper than most full home security systems, easy to set up and install, and the technology is advanced enough to actually be effective (porch thieves, we’re looking at you).
But with these new gadgets comes the inevitable con: your personal data could be compromised.
A recent revelation that Ring customers may have been unknowingly exposing their video feeds to wandering eyes both surprised and enraged video doorbell users. Allegedly, some of the language in Amazon-owned Ring’s privacy policy may have been vague enough to allow certain employees access to some Ring users’ video recordings. It begs the question – are these security devices as safe as we think they are?
In many cases, video doorbells like Ring, Nest’s Hello, and Remo+’s RemoBell S are a great way to beef up your home security. From knowing who’s at the door before you answer to making sure your package deliveries actually make it inside your house, you can get notified of what’s going on outside your home in real time. Video doorbells have reportedly assisted police in catching neighborhood burglars, reduced recurring package theft, and even helped identify a man in Southern California who was caught licking a family’s doorbell for 3 hours.
However, when companies exploit people’s need to feel safe, whether it’s cutting corners on manufacturing or secretly spying on user data, the industry gets a bad rap. But it’s not all bad news if you were hoping to get in on the trend.
“There’s a lot of responsibility that comes with creating home security products, especially those with recording capabilities,” said Paul Lee, Managing Director of Remo+. “Our goal is to ensure that everyone who uses a Remo+ product in their home knows their data, including cloud-based recordings and live feeds, is secure with bank-level encryption. It isn’t accessible by anyone at Remo+.”
You can still get top-notch security with all the most-wanted features – minus the data breach issues. Companies like Remo+ offer the same advanced technology as Ring models: HD live video feeds, two-way audio, weather-proof design, and custom motion zones, at a $99 price point, and you don’t need to worry about your cloud storage being compromised. And if you’re looking to spend a little bit more, the Nest Hello rings is at $229 (without professional installation).
Tech innovations like video doorbells should be making home security easier instead of fostering more distrust. It’s more important now than ever for companies handling sensitive data to be more upfront about how it’s used and who has access to it.
This is a Contributor Post. Opinions expressed here are opinions of the Contributor. Influencive does not endorse or review brands mentioned; does not and cannot investigate relationships with brands, products, and people mentioned and is up to the Contributor to disclose. Contributors, amongst other accounts and articles may be professional fee-based.