Cloud-connected cameras are convenient and easy to use. They’re also chock-full of features that (obviously) use the cloud, which can be problematic. Before you purchase one, you should know the benefits and pitfalls.
The Problem Is the Cloud
Many Wi-Fi security cameras and video doorbells upload their recorded video to the cloud. In this case, the cloud is a set of servers owned by the camera manufacturer. When they utilize the cloud, manufacturers can offer features that might not be possible otherwise, like expanded storage, motion alerts, people detection, and even facial recognition.
However, recent reports claim Amazon released some Ring camera recordings to police departments without a warrant or the owners’ consent. Amazon later denied the allegation. But if the police do have a warrant, Amazon (or Google, or anyone else) is required to hand over the data. In that situation, the only recourse is to challenge the warrant in court, and the company would make that decision, not you. You might not even be aware of the demand.
It isn’t particularly difficult for law enforcement to obtain a warrant for your data, nor is it supposed to be. Search warrants are meant to prevent frivolous searches. As long as the police (or any other government institution) provide a reasonable explanation for the search, the courts grant the warrant. This applies to any of your data on a company’s servers, whether it’s recorded video, voice mails, or emails.
Warrants aren’t the only concerning thing about storing your data in the cloud. For instance, hackers could steal it, and you might not even know it happened. Just because you store your camera recordings on a large company’s servers, like Google or Amazon, it doesn’t necessarily make them safer.
While Google and Amazon are likely better equipped to fend off a direct attack, hackers often use social engineering to compromise your account details. Instead of breaking into a server directly, the hacker either tricks you or the company into giving him access to your account, and then he logs in as you. Then, he can take whatever he wants, and you might not find out until it’s too late (if at all).
As long as your video data is in the cloud, you ultimately don’t control it—the company that provides the cloud server does.
If You Skip the Cloud, You Lose Features
You don’t have to store your data on the cloud if you’re concerned about it. Some cameras allow you to record locally, and others make the cloud optional. However, if you turn off the cloud, it typically means you lose features.
Many cameras use the cloud to enable motion alerts or continuous recording, for instance. And if you turn off the cloud on a video doorbell, you lose one of our favorite features: smart display integration. Your doorbell’s video stream won’t show up on a Google Nest Hub or an Echo Show if you don’t send your data to the cloud.
