Neighbours Ring doorbell

I don’t think people are getting the picture here. Everyone has the right to install a camera, there may be a multitude of reasons why. Your insecurities does not justify the person to be denied to protect there home and themselves. The police do not come to burglaries or theft, they do not catch anyone unless there is a picture or video, some live alone others have been burgled etc. Why is it such an issue when it’s just the lobby or outside area. Plus the most important thing of all is many do not subscribe like me it’s free so therefore does not record anything and it deletes anything past 3 hours ago. I think the main point is neighbours either have something to hide or they are hypocrites when everywhere else you are being watched and everywhere else there are cctv cameras but the one that annoys you is the one where you live and can’t accept the fact or are in denial that there are people who don’t feel safe and need to add extra security even if that means a bit of the neighbours privacy might be at stake here. Why do you care if someone with a camera can see you coming in and out of your door. It’s about deterrent and keeping an eye on ones home and safety then your insecurities. The doorbell camera should only be used for the homeowners eyes to see who is at their front door that’s it even though others will be caught in the process. It’s my right to install when police fail and crime is very high in my area.

There are two red lights on the front of the unit which light up whenever recording or viewing live

We have a ring camera. It picks up everyone that walks past the house as does our cctv. It’s the same principle. If she just sat in her doorway all day watching would you have a issue with that too?

Some don’t record you can just watch them in live time.

Package and post box theft/breaking in, drug dealers... I'm not in control of who people let in.

So now after having yet another package stolen, I've installed one.
The camera focusses on the communal door to the stair well. I don't care about the comings and goings of my neighbours.

In the exact same way they're not staring out of their peephole at me, waiting to monitor my movements.

I live in a block of flats and have just installed one. Set to motion record. Not linked to any 3rd party sites.

The flat has code/key access however we have had numerous issues with postal theft, drug dealing around the blocks and very recently; package theft.
Just because blocks have private access doesn't mean it's a vault of security.

Our HA is notorious in either claiming outside CCTV isn't working or costs too much to get access (what's the point?!). There is no CCTV inside.

I have installed the Ring Peephole version on my door after packages have been stolen where couriers have gained access with ringing other flats before mine, dropped the parcel off outside my door, taken their photo and left.
Normally this is fine as mostly, I get to my package - however recently between getting the courier update alert and getting home - packages have gone.

If I saw a neighbour with a security camera that also covered my door, i'd be delighted - FREE SECURITY!
I have nothing to hide. They're not going to be interested in anything I do because heading out of my door and back in isn't interesting.

Just like when you're in a shop, on the street, on a train/bus... you're on CCTV.

We installed one of these on our door last year. We've had a lot of trouble with the neighbourhood kids ringing our door at 10pm or later. Weve been egged twice. Had rocks/stones thrown at our windows. I was also called a fat sl*g by one of the mums for refusing to give her money for a blanket of her sons that got ripped (it was apparently my DS fault but I pointed out he wasn't even outside)
Once the camera was up; the abuse stopped. Since; 3 of our neighbours have installed CCTV for the same reasons.
We get alerted if someone approaches the door/rings and it records all the time but we hardly ever look at it. It wasnt put up to spy; it was for safety reasons.
If there's been a break-in; i expect your neighbour has got one for the same reason. Either that or she just wants to know who's at the door before she answers.

Personally, it wouldn't bother me at all. I see it as a plus security wise. You get the benefit of having a recording if something goes wrong. It's not like it's recording you in the privacy of your home or back garden. It's only you passing and entering your front door. Not worth getting annoyed over

There's nothing she'll see on camera that she can't see by looking through her door though surely? When you live in flats its kind of a given that your neighbours will know your whereabouts if they want to.

If there have been break ins, personally I'd rather she have a camera that covers your door too. One day you might want that evidence.

Why is walking past someone's door being recorded such a privacy issue? If someone breaks in it will be great to see who did it and justice served? I wouldn't care less about being filmed walking past a door!

Don't pay Ring prices!

If anyone wants to buy one of these doorbells you can get them on ebay for about £30, they are not branded but are the same...

I have one installed, you can set it to record when pressed OR motion sensor record OR not record at all!

TBH they need to design a metal security case for all these doorbells because if someone wants to break in they can cover their face and just smash it off!

But hey ho every little helps!

I would also be concerned that the police might have access to video from this doorbell. Perhaps not now, but it is possible see www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/03/29/police-recruit-householders-create-network-doorbell-cameras/
In the US it is routine for local police departments to access video from Ring doorbells to gather intelligence.

Whataboutery? and you are asking 'what about' people that grew up in a Totalitarian state in your post.

You might as well say: the NHS knows you have a STI and anyone on the system can access that, so why should you mind if your next door neighbour knows?

That's whataboutery. Different monitors for different reasons. People don't have to be happy with any of it (let alone all of it) to object to some of it.

OTOH, I realise that if the average view is that you'd be unreasonable to complain there might be a risk that the neighbour would become violent if you did. In which case, the problem is not the Ring doorbell.

YANBU. Who wants to be monitored by a random neighbour? Clearly some MNers are OK with this on the 'nothing to hide' principle. There are a lot of people who aren't OK with it: eg, who grew up in in a totalitarian country, or fear waking up in one. Or who just have gossipy or creepy neighbours.

What bothers me most about your post, OP, is that you came here first rather than talking to your neighbour.

No, I'm not talking about un-neighbourliness but about the tendency to second-guess oneself, the need to check with other people first. It is perfectly OK to be creeped out by a neighbour's nosiness, or even the risk of it given their previous behavioyr. It is perfectly OK to object to some random recording every time you arrive or leave home. Trust yourself.

I guess this post goes against the spirit of AIBU, but I can live with that.

I live in a block of 6 flats, housing association and we also have a buzzer entry main door system downstairs.

I’ve been contemplating having the Ring doorbell system myself for when I’m away on holiday or away from home for extended periods of time.

As PP’s have said, in order to record you have to pay a subscription fee. I don’t feel I need that, but I liked the idea of being able to be notified when someone was directly outside my front door, be able to see them and talk through the intercom to let them think someone is in the house to deter them if they were contemplating breaking in.

Possibly your neighbour has the same idea? If she hasn’t purchased the subscription for the recordings, then she won’t be recording you.

I can understand why the thought of being recorded is unsettling for you. So I think the best option would be to talk to your neighbour, explain your concerns and just check what set up she is using, to see if she is using the recording feature and if she has it set up to record a specific range. You can at least then discuss some options that would make you feel more comfortable.

I don’t understand how anyone could possibly find this an issue. I wouldn’t be taking my ring doorbell down for anyone.

FYI it doesn't record unless you pay for this as an extra feature.

Why not engage her in chit chat and find out if this is actually the case before you make waves?

It's difficult as she clearly doesn't feel safe and that's a need that requires acknowledgement and addressing. I can understand your issues re: your child but this situation isn't all about you and your wants and needs so it would be nice if you could find a middle ground, what that is depends on the features of the doorbell.

As a mother I get it, but our wants do not automatically trump other peoples just because we have kids. This sense of entitlement needs to stop.

It may be that you live in a rough area and she is genuinely frightened so why ahould she give up the one thing that makes her feel safe just to satisfy your paranoia?

Food for thought.

I wouldn't personally be bothered by this, but you might be interested in what the information commissioner says: ico.org.uk/your-data-matters/domestic-cctv-systems-guidance-for-people-being-filmed/

It would bother me if she can tell when I'm leaving home etc . Talk to HA/ landlords . Do you feel okay to ask if you are being recorded? Also isn't there a main entry phone for all?