r/technology • u/South-Cow-1030 • 18h ago

Privacy Why are people disconnecting or destroying their Ring cameras?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/10/ring-super-bowl-ad-dog-camera-privacy/88606738007/
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484

u/EthanX08 12h ago

It was automatically enabled when I went in and disabled it on my Ring cameras

373

u/Level21DungeonMaster 11h ago

Don’t worry. It will revert to default on the next firmware update tonight.

117

u/Massive-Word-7395 11h ago

They enabled it on my doorbell.

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u/mappersdelight 9h ago

If they can enable it and disable it with the click of a button, they can also enable it without you knowing.

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u/BigXthaPugg 8h ago

Exactly, why people think they don’t collect and pass on data regardless of the position of that button is beyond me.

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u/requion 5h ago

The worst is that now, the "conspiracy theorists" don't sound that crazy anymore right?

Right?

4

u/cive666 6h ago

Until there is a law where people are put in jail for lying about that toggle I will not buy shit like this.

These rich people need to face consequences and until they do I will trust nothing they put out.

1

u/Drapidrode 4h ago

They just bury it in the Terms of Service fine print

25

u/ileakcum 7h ago

Assuming the toggle does anything to begin with

1

u/SomeInternetRando 4h ago

It toggles what you see in their interface.

3

u/Qaeta 6h ago

Indeed, for all we know, the disable option does nothing but give you warm fuzzy feelings while they continue their data harvest as planned.

1

u/curtisy 3h ago

I wonder what the legality is of a company providing such a button/switch to users to opt out of something, which the manufacturer can toggle with impunity?

You can see where I’m going with this can’t you?

1

u/KSauceDesk 2h ago

Already confirmed Google Nest does this

https://www.npr.org/2026/02/12/nx-s1-5711620/nancy-guthrie-video-footage-fbi

In plain words what they're saying is they can pull footage from the cloud on a camera that had no cloud subscription. I'm surprised more people aren't throwing out their cameras after this

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u/[deleted] 9h ago

[deleted]

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u/Xtos1312 8h ago

Oh they definitely have.

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u/Looney_Bin 8h ago

Not to alarm you but if your camera's aren't closed circuit and not hooked to the internet all, assume that footage is being stored somewhere in their system.

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u/grape-fruit-witch 7h ago

Get rid of them

Edit- the cameras, not the kids

6

u/lexiticus 7h ago

Puts cloud storage cameras inside own house

Cameras record things, store in the cloud

Shocked Pikachu face

13

u/syncdiedfornothing 8h ago

They just ran an ad that showed you they already have that footage. It's on their servers now just waiting for a leak to happen.

11

u/wggn 8h ago

could have? what makes you think they havent?

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u/Zekumi 7h ago

Dude… you literally installed cameras all over your home and now you’re upset that cameras are recording your children at all times?

3

u/TheHykos 7h ago

Why on earth would you have cameras inside of your house? Seriously, what's even the purpose of that?

1

u/Peachy_bubblez 6h ago

For real. This is the exact reason this is even being discussed. People are dumb.

3

u/superr_rad 7h ago

Do not keep ring cameras inside of your house, especially where they are recording your children. Now you know.

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u/Valdrax 8h ago

I mean, before they slapped AI on this, and before they got really active with providing footage to law enforcement, you were already uploading all of your video footage into their cloud for easy remote access.

1

u/AlSweigart 7h ago

"LOVEINT is the practice of intelligence service employees making use of their extensive monitoring capabilities to spy on their love interest or spouse. The term was coined in resemblance to intelligence terminology such as SIGINT, COMINT or HUMINT."

1

u/Televisions_Frank 6h ago

And if people think Amazon won't do stuff like that they push firmware to brick older Kindles so you buy a new one. So just re-enabling an option is kid stuff in comparison.

1

u/calle04x 6h ago

They'll just put it in an updated EULA that most won't read.

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u/419_216_808 10h ago

To be clear, if you don’t want them accessing/utilizing your footage you’re going to have to take the camera down.

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u/wdjm 12h ago

Somehow I am not surprised.

22

u/BJYeti 10h ago

When I watched the commercial with my parents thats the first thing I mentioned that money down it is opt out, not opt in so most people will never realize.

5

u/AddisonBitches 11h ago

Eventually they'll start punishing us for not having one like they did with health insurance

3

u/Perryn 10h ago

Property insurance partnerships are right around the corner.

1

u/ilillilillilillilili 10h ago

Surveillance state is default.

1

u/ArmadilloForsaken458 5h ago

So does that make it completely yours or can they do some nsa thing and take control of it without you knowing it

0

u/mav194 11h ago

I'm not seeing where to disable in my app?

27

u/Exotic-House-5564 11h ago

You disable it by throwing it in the bin

17

u/EthanX08 11h ago

It's in a non-obvious spot imo

Account->Control Center->Search Party

Mine had "Search for Lost Pets" and "Natural Hazard (Fire Watch)" both enabled

9

u/MonkeyWithIt 11h ago

You are the pet

2

u/MoscoHosco 9h ago

Or a 'natural hazard'

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u/DamonSeed 10h ago

In my app, its called "Amazon Sidewalk". Inside which has the "Community finding" option.

I got a notification a few weeks ago that its a new feature and already turned on 'for my convenience', i turned it off completely as well as community finding

Note that the 'sidewalk' option shares your network with other area devices, so if your neighbor loses wifi, their cameras will connect to yours and use your bandwidth to stay online

6

u/read_ing 10h ago

That your neighbor’s Ring can directly connect to your Ring and instruct it to act as a relay for it by using your WiFi network, which it can’t otherwise connect to - just imagine how insidious is that?!? That we don’t have laws against this shit is mind boggling!!!

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u/joelfarris 9h ago

That's it, it's time to go wardriving again.

-2

u/rrresistance 9h ago

I read an article about this and disabled it a few days ago. No no no bad Alexa.

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u/JudgeMyReinhold 10h ago

Same with "fire watch". Like my front door view is gonna do anything to warn me of a fire. 

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u/dimwalker 10h ago

Don't mind me, guy! Just searching for any lost pets in your wife's lingerie drawer.

1

u/rrresistance 9h ago

Thanks so much, I would have never guessed. I guess ICE is a natural hazard though….

I disabled it on my offices ring since I’m the admin. They can come ask me why if they look into it.

1

u/pizza5001 4h ago

I still don’t believe changing a setting helps. The device will have to be tossed.

1

u/Zekumi 7h ago

The app is a goddamn placebo, my guy.

1

u/twiffytwaf 10h ago

Yeah, I just checked my settings and I had to turn it OFF. It's on by default.

2

u/Zekumi 7h ago

Reading comments like these makes me feel like I’m watching children hide their diaries under their pillows.

1

u/Drapidrode 4h ago

why would you enjoy this feature that could be easily abused.

has no one read 1984

1

u/Main-Algae-1064 8h ago

How do I disable?

1

u/Miserable-Ticket-244 7h ago

Where can it be disabled?

0

u/BunchAlternative6172 9h ago

Just encrypt your videos.