Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The privacy loophole in your doorbell
Politico ^ | 03/07/2023 | Alfred Ng

Posted on 03/12/2023 6:16:24 AM PDT by fluorescence

The week of last Thanksgiving, Michael Larkin, a business owner in Hamilton, Ohio, picked up his phone and answered a call. It was the local police, and they wanted footage from Larkin’s front door camera.

Larkin had a Ring video doorbell, one of the more than 10 million Americans with the Amazon-owned product installed at their front doors. His doorbell was among 21 Ring cameras in and around his home and business, picking up footage of Larkin, neighbors, customers and anyone else near his house.

The police said they were conducting a drug-related investigation on a neighbor, and they wanted videos of “suspicious activity” between 5 and 7 p.m. one night in October. Larkin cooperated, and sent clips of a car that drove by his Ring camera more than 12 times in that time frame.

He thought that was all the police would need. Instead, it was just the beginning.

They asked for more footage, now from the entire day’s worth of records. And a week later, Larkin received a notice from Ring itself: The company had received a warrant, signed by a local judge. The notice informed him it was obligated to send footage from more than 20 cameras — whether or not Larkin was willing to share it himself.

[snip]

This time, Larkin wasn’t able to choose which cameras he could send videos from. The warrant included all five of his outdoor cameras, and also added a sixth camera that was inside his house, as well as any videos from cameras associated with his account, which would include the cameras in his store. It would include footage recorded from cameras he had in his living room and bedroom, as well as the 13 cameras he had installed at his store associated with his account.

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: amazon; business; camera; electronics; police; prepper; preppers; residential; ring; spy; surveillance
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last
To: fluorescence
No Big Deal!
Our communist masters know that the pathetically servile and indolent Aamerican people will just continue to roll over and spread their collective cheeks...
41 posted on 03/12/2023 11:42:41 AM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is the next Sam Adams when we so desperatly need him)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ikeon

But the videos are still stored in the cloud.


42 posted on 03/12/2023 11:45:35 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: fluorescence

If I had a camera system, it would all be spooled locally and would not be uploaded onto any computer outside of my local network. If you don’t physically control the data, it’s simply not yours.


43 posted on 03/12/2023 2:40:58 PM PDT by zeugma (Stop deluding yourself that America is still a free country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ikeon
simple. delete your old videos at least weekly. its 2 clicks

You think the company doesn't back up your data?

Deleting it will have no effect on the power of the all-powerful state to get anything at all that it wants.

44 posted on 03/12/2023 2:43:22 PM PDT by zeugma (Stop deluding yourself that America is still a free country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: fluorescence

When you step outside in your shorts the doorbell camera records all. Then it is uploaded to the internet for all to see.... : )


45 posted on 03/12/2023 3:05:54 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom

But doesn’t mean this is right.


46 posted on 03/12/2023 3:10:26 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Ol' Dan Tucker

If you know that video from your home cameras is being stored somewhere else, you are a fool to expect any 4th amendment privacy.

I will NEVER use a Security System that I don’t fully control the recorded information.


47 posted on 03/13/2023 9:56:25 AM PDT by Bryan24
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Irenic

“That’s what happens when you buy convenience.”

They sure sucked us in with that whole cell phone thing. We were babes in the woods then. Who knew...?


48 posted on 03/13/2023 10:00:30 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Stupid is supposed to hurt.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Ol' Dan Tucker

“Ring will delete them automatically.”

Maybe like how your files disappear when you delete them from your computer. They don’t disappear. Some forensics guy can put them back together.


49 posted on 03/13/2023 10:03:17 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Stupid is supposed to hurt.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Tunehead54

“She’s looking at ‘BernieDoodles’”

A neighbor walks her BernieDoodle every day. Absolutely gorgeous dog!!


50 posted on 03/13/2023 10:05:28 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Stupid is supposed to hurt.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: bert
From the article:

This time, Larkin wasn’t able to choose which cameras he could send videos from. The warrant included all five of his outdoor cameras, and also added a sixth camera that was inside his house, as well as any videos from cameras associated with his account, which would include the cameras in his store. It would include footage recorded from cameras he had in his living room and bedroom, as well as the 13 cameras he had installed at his store associated with his account.

Do you see the problem now?

51 posted on 03/13/2023 10:09:01 AM PDT by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: NorthMountain

Yes..... however, I see the solution as turning over those on the exterior and not those unrelated to the problem from the interior.


52 posted on 03/13/2023 10:32:31 AM PDT by bert ( (KWE. NP. N.C. +12) Juneteenth is inequality day )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: bert

Read it again ... the jackboot crowd gave him no choice in the matter; the owners of the server will turn over EVERYTHING the jackboots demand.

When your data are on somebody else’s server, they’re no longer your data.

Act accordingly.


53 posted on 03/13/2023 10:55:07 AM PDT by NorthMountain (... the right of the peopIe to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: MayflowerMadam

I never really wanted one, I never had the desire— my husband thought it was a good idea.

We no longer have a landline and the phones are nice in the event of car trouble, travel etc.

I didn’t suspect all that it has become but I did believe portable phones cut into time and privacy, plus I really don’t enjoy talking on the phone. :p


54 posted on 03/13/2023 12:00:51 PM PDT by Irenic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: Irenic

I have a smart phone, which I hate.
Hubby has an old flip phone, which he hates.
No landline any more — but I would like to have one again!


55 posted on 03/13/2023 12:33:53 PM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Stupid is supposed to hurt.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: MayflowerMadam
No landline any more — but I would like to have one again!

Me too!

56 posted on 03/13/2023 2:29:34 PM PDT by Irenic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson