> This kind of outcome is precisely why I removed all cameras and other smart capabilities from my home on the day I moved in.
Why? Obviously that's your choice, but there's nothing inherently evil about a "smart home". The main issue is that some devices require a cloud connection, but I'm getting rid of those.
I installed cameras after someone got inside our fenced in backyard and stole a bike. It would have been great to have some evidence or even a notification that something had happened – this was at the height of COVID so we were not even going out, took me a week to notice the missing bike. Cameras are configured to only turn on in a schedule - so late at night and early morning; I can also manually turn on if we are out for an extended period. I don't do 24/7 monitoring precisely because of the useless notifications.
> there's nothing inherently evil about a "smart home"
Not so sure. If a house is designed to have as much surveillance capability and access points to gain as much info on you as possible - like if Facebook were to design a house to collect user info on the inhabitants - that would absolutely be “evil” in many peoples eyes.
The real question is do all these “smart” devices actually improve people’s well being? Or is it all marketing magic bullshit with negligible end- user benefits at the expense of more privacy invasions?
I don’t want my house cooperating with big brother, and that’s what many smart devices seem more than willing to do.
Why? Obviously that's your choice, but there's nothing inherently evil about a "smart home". The main issue is that some devices require a cloud connection, but I'm getting rid of those.
I installed cameras after someone got inside our fenced in backyard and stole a bike. It would have been great to have some evidence or even a notification that something had happened – this was at the height of COVID so we were not even going out, took me a week to notice the missing bike. Cameras are configured to only turn on in a schedule - so late at night and early morning; I can also manually turn on if we are out for an extended period. I don't do 24/7 monitoring precisely because of the useless notifications.