Privacy laws have struggled to keep pace with technology. Here is a breakdown of how U.S. law typically applies to home security cameras.
Several startups are developing home security drones that launch from a base and fly around your property to investigate alerts. While futuristic, these devices would have unprecedented ability to peer over fences and into neighbor spaces. Legal challenges are almost certain. Privacy laws have struggled to keep pace with technology
Many cameras now offer person detection, vehicle detection, and even familiar face recognition (“Tag your family members to get specific alerts”). But facial recognition on a residential scale raises concerns: Tip: Avoid cameras that upload facial recognition data
Tip: Avoid cameras that upload facial recognition data to the cloud unless you fully understand the implications. but local ordinances vary.
When audio is involved, things get more complicated. Most states have one of two types of laws:
Important note: Video-only recording (without audio) is often treated differently and may be legal in more situations, but local ordinances vary.