Ring doorbells are not as secure, reliable, or ethical as they claim to be. They pose serious risks to your privacy, safety, and civil rights. In this article, we will explain why you should avoid buying or using a ring doorbell and what are some better alternatives.
Ring doorbells are devices that allow you to see and talk to whoever is at your door through your smartphone. They also record and store video footage of every visitor, which can be accessed by you or shared with others. Sounds convenient, right? Well, not so fast.
Ring doorbells have been found to have several security flaws that make them vulnerable to hacking, spying, and data breaches. For example, in 2019, a hacker accessed a ring doorbell in Mississippi and used it to harass an 8-year-old girl in her bedroom. In another case, a hacker leaked over 3,000 ring videos online, exposing the personal lives of unsuspecting users.
Moreover, ring doorbells are owned by Amazon, a company that has a notorious reputation for invading and exploiting its customers’ privacy. Amazon has admitted that it uses ring videos to train its facial recognition software, which has been criticized for being inaccurate and biased. Amazon also has a partnership with over 2,000 police departments across the US, allowing them to request and access ring videos from users without a warrant or consent. This raises serious concerns about how your ring videos could be used against you or your neighbors by law enforcement or other third parties.
Ring Doorbells and Safety
Ring doorbells are marketed as a way to enhance your home security and deter crime. However, there is no evidence that ring doorbells actually reduce crime or make you safer. In fact, some studies have suggested that ring doorbells may have the opposite effect, by creating a false sense of security and increasing the risk of theft, vandalism, or violence .
For instance, ring doorbells may encourage you to open your door to strangers who appear friendly or harmless on the screen, but may have malicious intentions. Ring doorbells may also make you a target for hackers who can use your ring video to monitor your habits, routines, and valuables, and plan a break-in or attack. Ring doorbells may also cause you to overreact to harmless or innocent visitors, such as delivery workers, solicitors, or neighbors, and escalate a situation that could have been resolved peacefully.
Furthermore, ring doorbells may have a negative impact on your mental health and well-being. Constantly watching and worrying about what is happening outside your door may cause you to feel anxious, paranoid, or isolated. Ring doorbells may also affect your social relationships and trust with your community, by making you view everyone as a potential threat or intruder.
Ring Doorbells and Ethics
Ring doorbells are not only bad for your privacy and safety, but also for your ethics and values. By using a ring doorbell, you are implicitly supporting and enabling a corporate surveillance system that exploits your data, violates your rights, and harms your society.
Ring doorbells are part of a larger network of smart home devices that collect and analyze your personal information, such as your voice, face, location, preferences, and behavior. This information is then used by Amazon and its affiliates to sell you more products, influence your decisions, and manipulate your emotions. You may think that you are in control of your ring doorbell, but in reality, you are giving up your autonomy, agency, and dignity to a profit-driven corporation.
Ring doorbells are also part of a broader trend of mass surveillance that erodes your civil liberties, such as your freedom of expression, association, and movement. By allowing police and other authorities to access your ring videos, you are contributing to a surveillance state that monitors, tracks, and profiles your every move. You may think that you are helping to fight crime and protect your community, but in reality, you are enabling a police state that oppresses, discriminates, and abuses your fellow citizens.
Better Alternatives to Ring Doorbells
If you care about your privacy, safety, and ethics, you should not get a ring doorbell. Instead, you should look for better alternatives that respect your rights, values, and interests. Here are some suggestions:
Use a traditional doorbell. A simple, old-fashioned doorbell that makes a sound when someone presses it is still the most effective and reliable way to know who is at your door. It does not record or store any video, does not connect to the internet, and does not share any data with anyone. It also does not cost much and does not require any maintenance or updates.
Use a peephole or a window. Another way to see who is at your door without compromising your privacy or security is to use a peephole or a window. A peephole is a small hole in your door that allows you to look outside without opening the door. A window is a transparent glass pane that lets you see outside from inside your house. Both of these options are cheap, easy, and safe to use.
Use a security camera. If you really want to have a video of your visitors, you can use a security camera instead of a ring doorbell. A security camera is a device that records and stores video footage of a specific area. Unlike a ring doorbell, a security camera does not have a microphone or a speaker, does not connect to your smartphone, and does not share any data with anyone. You can also choose where to place your security camera, how to store your video, and who to share it with. You can also opt for a security camera that does not use the cloud or the internet, but rather a local storage device, such as a hard drive or a memory card.
Use a sign or a sticker. Another way to communicate with your visitors without using a ring doorbell is to use a sign or a sticker. A sign or a sticker is a piece of paper or plastic that has a message or a symbol on it. You can put a sign or a sticker on your door, your mailbox, or your window to let your visitors know what you want or don’t want. For example, you can use a sign or a sticker to say “No Soliciting”, “Leave Packages Here”, or “Do Not Disturb”.
Ring doorbells are not as good as they seem. They have many drawbacks and dangers that outweigh their benefits and features. They invade your privacy, compromise your safety, and challenge your ethics. You should not get a ring doorbell, but rather look for better alternatives that suit your needs and preferences. Remember, your home is your castle, and you have the right to protect it and enjoy it without being watched, recorded, or harassed by anyone.
