Ring’s privacy failures led to spying and harassment through home security cameras

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Before the days of internet-connected devices, the worst that could come from a ring of your doorbell was often an unexpected sales pitch, or neighborhood pranksters ringing and running. But as video doorbells become ubiquitous, a different kind of trouble could come knocking: people spying on you or hacking into your private videos.

That was the case with the home security company, Ring. The FTC says Ring’s poor privacy and lax security 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. Some hackers even live streamed customers’ videos.

In a settlement, Ring agreed 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. For more on the settlement, see the FTC’s business blog.

As this case and others show, the FTC is taking action against companies that don’t protect your private information, especially sensitive biometric information, like videos and voice recordings, that are tied to who you are.

If you have video cameras at home, here’s what else to know and do.

• Check if you’ve taken these steps to secure your home security cameras. If you use an app to manage your access, review the privacy settings and permissions.
• Some states give you the right to tell companies to delete your data. Use the U.S. State Privacy Legislation Tracker to find out if your state is one of them.
• If you’re a parent, you have control over the personal information companies collect online from your kids under 13. Learn how to protect your child’s privacy online.

To learn more, check out your guide to protecting your privacy online.

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