Ring Doorbell Privacy Issues: How Safe Are Ring Doorbells?

The Amazon-owned Ring smart doorbell seems to offer a convenient solution to those looking for a way to monitor who knocks on their front door. But with users’ awareness of their electronics potentially monitoring their activity, fears of the company misusing their data become more prevalent, and Ring doorbell privacy issues have risen to the surface. Learn how Ring doorbell cameras work and how they may be an invasion of privacy.

How do Ring cameras work?

The Ring Video Doorbell camera works by receiving a message to record when something or someone crosses through the motion zone or the field of view. Whether the motion is from a raccoon or from a potential threat, the security camera will begin recording both audio and video. At the same time, it sends the homeowner a message notifying them of the detected motion.

The camera does not record constantly, as the battery-powered appliance would burn out if this was the case. With features like two-factor authentication and frequent software updates, the technology seems safe and helpful. However, the recording and storage of Ring users’ data have raised serious concerns among their community. Some consider the Ring doorbell an invasion of privacy.

Can Ring devices be hacked?

Unfortunately, yes. There have been a number of reports regarding instances in which users discovered their doorbell camera or other Ring device has been compromised by shady characters. These Ring doorbell privacy issues can scare a user off from using the device altogether.

For example, in a 2019 case, the parents of an 8-year-old girl had installed a Ring camera in their daughter’s room. They later found that the device had inadvertently put her in the direct line of contact with hackers. The hacker accessed the camera through the family’s WiFi and began talking to and watching the child through the camera.

Some of the instances of hacking have been due to poor security precautions on the part of the user. Using a weak WiFi password or an unprotected network can increase a user's risk of hacking incidents. However, even with the proper precautions, hackers might still be able to access the camera and audio features of the device.

While Ring had stated they have updated their security, any device that is WiFi-enabled is a potential target for hackers. Cloud-based technologies, like Ring cameras and other Internet of Things devices, are also not completely safe from the threat.

Does the Ring camera record all activity?

No, the camera does not record at all times. The camera only records if it detects motion. It can record conversations if they take place at a distance of three feet or less. You can tell your camera is recording when the red light is flashing.

The Ring doorbell camera begins recording when a visitor presses the doorbell button. It begins a live stream to the device connected to the camera through your home WiFi.

The camera can also record in night vision if the user enables the feature through the Ring app. The Ring Neighborhood app allows Ring owners to share their information and footage to whomever they feel necessary.

Since the camera is relatively inexpensive and easy to install and maintain, it's appealing to homeowners worried about their physical safety. However, while the Ring cameras might give their buyers more physical safety, their digital security could be at stake.

What data does Ring collect?

Amazon is notorious for data collection. Since Amazon owns Ring, you can expect the device to observe your online actions and hoard user data.

A survey done by The Zebra interviewed 1,5000 Americans regarding the Ring doorbell. 93% of Americans said they would not purchase the product if it was collecting and transferring their data. Furthermore, only 13% knew how smart doorbell companies were using their personal data.

In addition to the actual footage being collected and stored, there are suspicions that user information is transferred to third parties. Social media companies like Facebook receive Ring users’ data in order to target ads in their feeds. Google receives data from the company as well, though it remains unknown how they utilize the data.

The Ring Terms and Agreements policy states they collect basic information. This includes users’ names, phone numbers, postal addresses, login information, and payment information. They also store geographical information, mobile device geolocation in the background while the app is running, WiFi network information, data about website interactions, and social media handles.

How does Ring collect user data?

Ring devices collect user data through a few different mediums. The Ring doorbell uses WiFi and Ethernet connectivity to record and stream videos of users’ homes and front porches. The Neighbors app also collects recordings.

Through the installation of the Ring camera, Amazon has access to users’ private IP addresses for their home Internet network. They can also access which mobile network carrier they purchase their wireless services from, persistent identifiers like digital object identifiers that are used to locate specific digital objects, and sensor data or the recorded footage recorded from motion sensors being triggered.

What does Ring do with with collected user data?

Not only is the actual doorbell footage collected and stored for up to 180 days, but the company might also be sharing that footage with law enforcement agencies.

While the usage of the Ring cameras to fight crime seems perfectly reasonable, Ring has provided police departments with their users’ recordings without permission and sometimes despite their explicit instruction not to do so.

Additionally, there are reports of Amazon testing facial recognition tech on their Ring cameras which could raise security concerns among users. Ring won’t guarantee that their company will not use facial recognition technology in the future.

While Ring has stated that they don’t sell users’ personal data, they still collect the above information and put it into Amazon’s larger pool of users’ personal data to use for marketing purposes.

The Ring Doorbell Camera can provide its home-owning users with a sense of security from real outside threats. However, the product itself might pose new and different privacy issues to those who purchase it.