Ring is a home security company owned by Amazon that produces video doorbells and security cameras. Their devices allow users to see, record, and speak with visitors at their doorstep or anywhere their cameras are installed. Ring aims to create a “ring of security” around homes and neighborhoods.
However, privacy advocates have raised concerns around where Ring videos are stored and who has access to them. Unlike traditional home security systems where video is stored locally on a hard drive inside the home, Ring uploads and stores videos on remote servers. This raises important questions around where exactly Ring videos are kept, who can view them, and how long they are retained.
In this article, we’ll answer the key questions around where Ring stores user videos, who can access them, and how long they are saved for. We’ll also look at Ring’s security measures, ongoing privacy concerns, how police requests for footage work, and tips for managing your privacy with a Ring camera.
Where Are Ring Videos Stored?
Ring videos are stored in the cloud on Amazon Web Services (AWS) servers. They are not stored locally on the Ring devices themselves. When motion is detected, your Ring device will upload the video to Ring’s cloud servers. This allows you to access the videos from anywhere via the Ring app as long as you are connected to the internet.
Specifically, Ring videos are stored in Amazon’s Simple Storage Service (S3) which is their cloud object storage. S3 provides scalable and durable storage for any type of data. Ring leverages this infrastructure to store video recordings from millions of devices in a secure and reliable way. The video files are redundantly stored across multiple facilities and servers for maximum availability [1].
Who Has Access to the Videos?
Ring users have primary control over their videos through the Ring app’s privacy settings. Only the owner of the Ring device and authorized users they set up can view stored videos (Ring). Ring states that their employees do not have access to user videos and can only view shared recordings (Ring).
However, Ring/Amazon employees may be granted temporary access to videos for troubleshooting and maintenance purposes (Does Ring Have Access). Additionally, law enforcement can request video access with a valid warrant (Ring).
So while Ring users control privacy settings, Ring/Amazon and law enforcement may access videos in specific circumstances. But overall, only authorized users designated by the account owner can view stored Ring videos.
How Long Are Videos Stored?
Ring stores videos in the cloud for a limited time depending on the user’s subscription plan. Without a paid subscription, Ring only keeps videos for up to 4 hours before deleting them. With a Ring Protect Basic subscription, videos are stored for up to 60 days. And with a Ring Protect Plus subscription, videos can be stored for up to 180 days.
For example, the Ring website states “With a Ring Protect Plan or trial, you can record, store, and save your Ring videos for up to 180 days in the US.” [1] This extended cloud storage allows users to go back and review security footage for up to 6 months with the Premium plan.
Ring also gives users the option to download videos to store locally before they are deleted from the cloud. So even without an extended subscription, users can save important footage by downloading it to their phone or computer.
Ring’s Security Measures
Ring takes security seriously and has implemented various measures to protect customer videos. According to Ring’s privacy policy, video recordings are secured in transit and encryption is used when storing videos in the AWS cloud. Specifically, Ring uses AES encryption (Advanced Encryption Standard) which is an industry standard method to protect data (Ring Privacy Policy).
In addition to encryption, Ring states that stored videos are isolated from the public internet and restricted to specific authorized devices through authorization tokens. Access controls and auditing help monitor access attempts. Ring also uses software protections like rate limiting and captchas to prevent brute force hacking attempts (Ring Privacy Policy).
While no system is completely foolproof, Ring appears to utilize reasonable and standard security protections to safeguard customer videos from unauthorized access and hacking based on information provided in their privacy policy.
Privacy Concerns
One of the main privacy issues around Ring’s cloud storage of videos is that the videos can potentially be accessed by unauthorized parties. There have been reports of Ring employees abusing their access to view customer videos without permission (FTC Says Ring Employees Illegally Surveilled Customers). In response, Ring has claimed they have limited employee access and monitor access to deter abuse. However, some privacy advocates argue that storing sensitive home videos in the cloud still poses risks.
Another concern is that Ring has partnered with law enforcement agencies to give them access to videos upon request without requiring a court order or customer consent. Ring claims they carefully vet requests and aim to cooperate with police investigations, but critics argue this allows police overly broad access to private footage (All the Data Amazon’s Ring Cameras Collect About You).
In response to privacy criticisms, Ring has pointed to security measures like encryption to protect videos. They also allow customers to opt out of police requests and they introduced privacy zones to block recording parts of the camera’s view. However, many privacy advocates still find Ring’s policies and partnerships concerning given the sensitive nature of home security footage.
Giving Law Enforcement Access
Ring’s relationships with police have been controversial. Ring has hundreds of partnerships with law enforcement agencies, providing them access to a law enforcement portal and tools. However, the Electronic Frontier Foundation reported that Ring was giving videos to police without user consent or a warrant.
Normally, for law enforcement to access Ring videos, they must go through several steps:
- Law enforcement submits an information request to Ring via the law enforcement portal or contacts Ring directly.
- Ring reviews the request to ensure it meets guidelines on urgency and legal validity.
- If approved, Ring contacts the user for consent to share video.
- If user consents, Ring provides the video to law enforcement.
However, Ring’s policies allow providing videos to law enforcement without user consent in “exigent circumstances.” This lack of user control over video access has caused privacy concerns.
Tips for Managing Privacy
One of the main ways to manage your privacy with Ring is to limit how much video is stored in the cloud. Ring allows users to store recordings locally on a microSD card rather than uploading everything to the cloud. This gives you full control over the videos without having them stored on Ring’s servers. See Ring’s support article for instructions on how to enable local storage.
You can also adjust privacy settings in the Ring app and account dashboard. Ring allows you to limit sharing, hide maps locations, opt out of notifications, restrict law enforcement requests, and more. Go to the “Control Center” in the Ring app or account settings online to manage these options. Disable features like “Requests for Assistance” and sharing tools if you want to maximize privacy.
In summary, storing videos locally rather than the cloud and adjusting Ring’s privacy settings are two ways to gain more control over your videos and data.
Comparison to Other Smart Camera Systems
Ring isn’t the only smart home security camera system on the market. Other popular brands like Nest, Arlo, and Eufy also offer connected cameras with cloud storage. Here’s a brief overview of how video storage works with some of Ring’s main competitors:
Nest stores recordings for up to 30 days in the cloud with a Nest Aware subscription. Footage is encrypted and users can share clips with others or download videos to save locally. Nest also has facial recognition to help organize clips.
Arlo offers free cloud storage for up to 7 days, while an Arlo Smart subscription extends that to 30 days. Videos are stored encrypted and users can share clips or download to save locally. Arlo has AI-based alerts to detect people, vehicles, animals, and packages.
Eufy stores recordings locally on a base station or HomeBase device. There is no free or paid cloud storage option. Local storage provides security, but lacks remote access. However, users can access live streams remotely. Recent concerns over unencrypted cloud backups have put Eufy’s security claims into question.
Overall, most smart camera brands offer at least a week or more of free encrypted cloud storage for recordings, with subscription plans to extend that. But local storage systems like Eufy prioritize privacy over remote access. Ring lands somewhere in the middle with free customizable storage duration and secure encrypted cloud backups.
Summary
In summary, Ring videos are stored in the cloud on Amazon Web Services servers. The videos can be accessed through the Ring app by the owner of the account. Ring states that they have security measures in place to keep the videos private and secure.
However, there have been some privacy concerns raised about law enforcement potentially being able to access videos upon request without a warrant. As with any technology, there is a balance between taking advantage of useful features like cloud storage, while also being mindful of personal privacy.
When using Ring cameras or any smart home security devices, it’s a good idea to be informed about where your data is stored, who can access it, and how to adjust privacy settings to your comfort level. There are also steps you can take like enabling 2-factor authentication and strong passwords to restrict access.
Overall, Ring provides helpful home security features through its cloud storage, but users should weigh the benefits against privacy tradeoffs. Adjusting settings can help strike the right balance for your needs.