02/12/2026
Humor me and read for a minute. With the news on Nancy Gunthrie and the door camera footage being discussed brings about a couple of things to think about.
We know there was a Nest brand doorbell camera that caught someone of interest and that is great news to a point. The good news is there is an image that gives authorities a lead to go on, the not so great news that is discussed is how they got that information.
Here is where all of us should think about product selections and how much privacy we are willing to give up. So the issue comes with these products that have subcributions, (There are a lot of options out there). Yes, they give us access to footage of our property in real time, allow for reviewing of what may have been missed when away, even allow for direct communication without being close to a possible threat. Here is the darker side we are finding out in this sad event, there was not an active subscription for retrieval on a device. How were these images found? You guessed it, on some server that is used by these companies.
Now, I am not saying there is not a practical use for these brands, devices, etc. but it does raise concerns of our true privacy you have. Our thoughts on premise security hold a lot of the same functions the other brands have but gives the user the control of what is shared.
A takeaway that this post is intended for is for no sales tactic, defending/booting on brand or another, or any scare tactic to remove what you may have in place now. This post is to help inform.
We all know there is always someone watching whenever we are in public, but do you want your property to have the possibility of being accessed without your knowledge or even worst, the information gets hacked and accessed by someone would would not want to see it.
Our recommendations if some of these issues give concerns are to look at options available. Look into options that may include:
-On site NVR (Recorder) that has enough space to capture at least a week of footage. This gives you control of who has access and what you want to share. Also, this can help if a network connection is lost.
-Consider placements of cameras. One location at a door may miss details that could be helpful in investigations or just knowing what led up to an event.
-Camera resolution. Details matter. Low resolutions lead to "grainy" images that could make all the differences.
-Hard connections. Yes, WiFi is simple to install and provides a lot of flexibility in locations. This has limitations, if network drops then communications can be disrupted. Look at POE (network connected) over a cabling system (Cat 5,6,7) to give piece of mind that even if there is a network disruption recording is in place.
-Placement of equipment. Beyond cameras, secure the NVR and data equipment. You wouldn't leave your car keys in the car, you don't want to leave the main parts of the system in the open.
-Remote viewing/Sharing. If you are in the backyard, or on vacation, a capability of viewing and/or getting alerts should be considered. Give others you trust access so they can review also if the need arises.
Be mindful of choosing what your needs may be. Consult with professionals on thoughts, needs, brands, etc. Keep in mind there is not one brand that is better than another just options, features, and security that decisions should be based one. Yes, we do have some brand preferences we suggest but we also know there are many options. Our preferences are based on security and privacy piece of mind along with meeting the needs of our customers concerns.
We are happy to help with any questions you may have and give some insights to keep you, your family, and your property monitored. Take another minute to read the article for where this post is coming from and the importance of making informed decisions of products you use in your daily life.
Recovered footage from Guthrie's doorbell camera sparks questions that Google and Amazon are storing customer video data even when they claim it has been deleted.
