Ring Doorbell concerns

elsien

Disagree with the above comments.
There is a difference between someone looking out if their window, and being recorded/having images of you saved that are out of your control.
And yes I do know that any time I go outside someone can film me on their phone but I would dislike something permanently pointed at my house. 

What can be done about it is another matter. 

Postik

I think the best that you could hope for is to ask them and see what they say, but since it's installed now I can't see that they would take it down at your request.  Personally it wouldn't bother me because it's highly unlikely they are going to sit down in the evening and review several hours of footage to see what you were up to in your front garden.  Even if they did I doubt it would make exciting viewing.  It might also come in handy if ever anything happens to your property, for example a break in or damage to your car.

Silvertabby

Sarahspangles said:

If the doorbell is set to record motion the householder normally sets the range so that it only records when someone steps on the path, otherwise every passing car will set it off. 

This.  Ours is set to activate only if someone actually steps onto our drive.

DullGreyGuy

elsien said:

Disagree with the above comments.
There is a difference between someone looking out if their window, and being recorded/having images of you saved that are out of your control.
And yes I do know that any time I go outside someone can film me on their phone but I would dislike something permanently pointed at my house. 

What can be done about it is another matter. 

How is it different? Somehow you have control of what they see and who they tell? They could equally be holding their phone to capture the juicy bits which is likely to have a better zoom than a door bell will.

If its permanently there, with its wide angle lens, you know its there and you can decide how to react. You may never know when your neighbour is curtain twitching nor the power of the zoom lens they may be using from back there. 

Our video door bell is attached to the frame of our door where the original bell was so catches the front corners of our two neighbours plus the block of flats across the street. Its designed for filming people coming onto our property so has a wide angle lens meaning you cannot make out the greatest amount of detail for someone walking on the far pavement and certainly cannot "see into" the flats opposite. 

To date its caught 1 doorstep parcel thief, our neighbours car being stolen, a hit and run car accident and vaguely helped a few times when delivery companies have said "left with neighbour" but not actually said which one... can at least say if they turned left or right for us and our immediate neighbours. 

Wonka_2

Maybe if @happy2017 shares what their 'concerns' are it would avoid people speculating 

A dispute with the neighbour ?
A concern about being recorded/footage shared ?
A concern of the legality of the specific camera ?

For me if the neighbour had any ulterior motive there are better quality/more covert devices than a Ring doorbell that you'd never know were there

Mutton_Geoff

happy2017 said:

Hi,
today I’ve just noticed my neighbour directly opposite has installed a ring doorbell. 

when I look out my kitchen window I can see it, from the camera to the end of my drive it’s about 10 meters.

is there anything I can do? I’m not sure if it is recording motion or they just use it to view live as and when or if they can hear audio.

Should the doorbell be facing out from the door because if that the case it would not be pointing towards my property as they have the doorbell as they come out the door attached to the wall on the right.

thanks.

Ring (and other door cameras) are so wide angle to capture close up objects (people at the door), the image at 10m and beyond will lack any definition.

happy2017

Wonka_2 said:

Maybe if @happy2017 shares what their 'concerns' are it would avoid people speculating 

A dispute with the neighbour ?
A concern about being recorded/footage shared ?
A concern of the legality of the specific camera ?

For me if the neighbour had any ulterior motive there are better quality/more covert devices than a Ring doorbell that you'd never know were there

The neighbour is ok, my issue is that they stare into my kitchen window and its just uncomfortable.  They dont work and just stay at home most of the time.  Family of 3.  I just cant see the need for the camera as there is no crime in the village we live in.  Cant be parcel related as i said they are at home all the time (not that im recording them) just noticeable.
Worried about the recordings, dont want them recording me or family members

Simonon77

Put up net curtains in the kitchen and they won't be able to see anything. If they spend all day staring at your house then that is no different from having a camera

ThisIsWeird

happy2017 said:

Wonka_2 said:

Maybe if @happy2017 shares what their 'concerns' are it would avoid people speculating 

A dispute with the neighbour ?
A concern about being recorded/footage shared ?
A concern of the legality of the specific camera ?

For me if the neighbour had any ulterior motive there are better quality/more covert devices than a Ring doorbell that you'd never know were there

The neighbour is ok, my issue is that they stare into my kitchen window and its just uncomfortable.  They dont work and just stay at home most of the time.  Family of 3.  I just cant see the need for the camera as there is no crime in the village we live in.  Cant be parcel related as i said they are at home all the time (not that im recording them) just noticeable.
Worried about the recordings, dont want them recording me or family members

That is not unreasonable, and if you feel uncomfortable having a camera trained at you and your family 24/7, then you feel uncomfortable, end of. Some folk would find it ok, or manage to ignore it even if not happy about it, and others would feel it an intrusion. And, to a degree, it is.

This is not a situation of your making, and your neighbour - even if there is nothing remotely malicious about their intention - was still a bit thoughtless about it, and should at least have had a chat with anyone who would be constantly covered by the camera angle; that's a pretty basic requirement for CCTV use.

What to do? I guess go on the ICO website and have a 'chat' on there about it. Keep to the concise facts - distance, type of camera, area covered, and your unease. Don't over-emote.

I'd also contact Ring themselves, and explain the situation. Ask them what their recommendations are for users in such cases, and even what their customers' actual responsibilities are in cases like this.

Depending on what they say, you may then need to approach the neighbour and ask to see what their camera captures - I understand you are entitled to do this, and they should respond positively. Based on what you can see in the images, you may (hopefully) realise it isn't a problem - the wide angle might make your house look very far away! - or it may confirm that your family members can be viewed and are identifiable through the kitchen window. If so, I think you can request a 'mask' to be added using their software, and can confirm that this has been done. (Not to say they'll keep it on, of course). Or, is there a better angle they could use - lowering the captured scene to only cover their entrance path and nothing beyond it?

Do you have Legal Protection on your house insurance? If so, and if this isn't resolved, that may be useful to guide you further, but you will likely be expected to carry out your own initial steps first - ICO, talking it over with the neighbour, etc.  

deano2099

The Ring app lets you block out certain areas for just this reason - if you have a good relationship with them I'd just have a chat and say something like "I know it's a bit weird, but it makes me feel a bit strange knowing I could be caught on camera, could you make sure to block out my house/window?"
I'd imagine they haven't already as people, but likely wouldn't object to doing so. Of course, you have no certainty they haven't just turned it back on after you leave, so if you need to know for certain to feel comfortable that won't help.