(Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
Like every other doodad in the tech space, doorbells have gotten “smart.” Maybe too smart. They not only have tiny video cameras, they may be violating your privacy.
According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the popular “Ring” doorbell/home security system may “let employees spy on customers through their cameras, including those in their bedrooms or bathrooms, and made customers’ videos, including videos of kids, vulnerable to online attackers.”
“Hackers exploited those vulnerabilities and harassed, insulted, and propositioned children and teens through their Ring cameras,” the FTC stated. “Some hackers even live streamed customers’ videos.”
The FTC sued Ring and agreed to a settlement “to establish a privacy and security program and delete the videos it shouldn’t have — in addition to paying $5.8 million to affected customers.”
How can you protect yourself? This is what the FTC suggests:
To learn more, check out your guide to protecting your privacy online. For more on the settlement, see the FTC’s business blog.
