Arlo – Privacy as a Pledge

Arlo - Privacy as a Pledge

Arlo – Privacy as a Pledge is a something few other security camera makers can match. Why? Because Arlo’s business model is not based on selling your data.

The fact that it is a US-based company now manufacturing all camera’s under high security in Vietnam. It wants users to be comfortable. Arlo – Privacy as a Pledge means your data is safe. After all, security cameras see far more than you could even imagine.

For example, HIKVISION (and its various aliases) allegedly supplies vision to the Chinese Communist Party. But worse is that it also may provide facial recognition data, object recognition, location and audio/text data. Cameras see all!

The vast majority of consumer security cameras are still Chinese made. Apart from Google Nest, Ring (Amazon), Swann and Uniden (the list is not exhaustive) the majority store user data on servers located in China. These include EZVIZ, EUFY, Dahua, Anker, Xiaomi, Smart, InOmega, StarCam, Zosi, Skyhawk and most Amazon, Kogan, Dick Smith, eBay merchants to name but a few. The problem is that many of these OEMs white label for other so-called ‘safe’ brands.

WARNING – Read the privacy agreement and terms of use before you contemplate mortgaging your firstborn!

“Privacy as we know it is no longer feasible… How we conventionally think of privacy is dead.”
– Professor Margo Seltzer, Harvard University

Enter Arlo – Privacy as a Pledge

No one should underestimate the value of this pledge – any data Arlo collects is safe! Of course, that cannot apply to data collected if you use voice assistants. The Privacy as a pledge is (paraphrase)

OWNERSHIP – Your personal data belongs to you and you alone.

We don’t sell your data.

We never sell your information to third parties. Your data is to deliver the Arlo services, Arlo functionality, and any related services or functionality that you affirmatively choose and nothing else.

We don’t share your data.

We never share your data, including videos, without your consent or a court order to do so. If there is a request by law enforcement for your videos, we require a legally enforceable search warrant or other equivalent court order mandating that Arlo turn over the videos to law enforcement.

CONTROL – Your data is for your eyes only.

We give you all the control.

We store your videos in the Arlo cloud only for the duration of your chosen Arlo plan. After that, your videos are automatically and permanently deleted or cleaned from the Arlo cloud.

Only you can see the encrypted images

We support privacy legislation

Our comprehensive privacy policy empowers you to make decisions about your data and determine who has access. Our policy and practices generally implement the controls and concepts of various new privacy legislation, including the Australian Privacy Act, California Consumer Privacy Act and the General Data Protection Regulation.  

PROTECTION – We protect your private moments.

We keep your data safely secured.

We support industry-leading methods and practices to ensure your account is completely secure, such as two-factor authentication and access approval for all new devices to verify it’s really you. Your videos are encrypted to protect against malicious intent.

Arlo - Privacy as a Pledge

We made security part of our culture

Arlo has strict company-wide information security policies and procedures to ensure your privacy protection. We support compliance with industry regulations, and we also work with independent organisations to audit our services to help ensure we continue to meet the ever-evolving standards for cybersecurity.

For more information on Arlo’s privacy policy, please visit Arlo.com/PrivacyPledge.

GadgetGuy’s take: Arlo – Privacy as a Pledge is what we all expect but seldom get

If you are a bargain hunter who does not care that most no-name security camera brands are just thinly disguised data harvesters, then that is your choice. We have done our job.

But even if you are remotely paranoid about Privacy (and it is not paranoia if it is true), then you should pay close attention to privacy terms. Arlo is a leader in this space and a no-brainer to buy.

You can read Arlo review here.