Who owns my home security data, and how is it used?

When it comes to our data, the question of ownership isn’t completely clear-cut. When you give your information to a home security company in order to use its services or products, it has access to that information and will use it. Once you give the company permission, your data is its to use, and while this isn’t exactly “ownership” of your data, it amounts to almost the same thing as long as you’re a customer. There have even been reports of companies sharing customer info with outside sources (with police (1) and marketing analytic groups (2)) without letting customers know it’s happening.

So what kind of information is your home security company gathering on you? Read on to learn more about what data is collected, how it’s used, and where to get more details.

How can I find out how my home security data is used?

The best way to know what information your home security company has and how it will be used is to contact the company and read its privacy policy and terms of use/terms of service. Those documents can usually be found on the company’s website—check the bottom of the main webpage for links—or do a web search for “privacy policy + [company name].” You can, and should, read through the privacy policy before clicking any “I Agree” buttons when you sign up for services.

Here are some of the biggest home security providers’ privacy policies:

• Abode (review)
• ADT
• Alder (review)
• Brinks
• Cove
• Frontpoint (review)
• Ring (review)
• SimpliSafe (review)
• Vivint (review)
• Xfinity (review)

The privacy policy is also where you’ll most likely find information about how to opt out of receiving promotions or having your information shared with third parties if you want to have a little more control over your data.

What information do home security companies have about me?

Any time you create an account, buy a product, activate equipment, or sign up for services, you give a company data about yourself. With home security companies, you also share information about your home through the devices that make up and connect to your home security system.

Here’s a rundown of basic information your home security company gathers about you:

• Personal identifying information: This is data associated with creating an account, such as your name, phone number, mailing address, physical address, email address, birth date, and account password. If you sign up for monitoring services, you may also need to provide demographic data about yourself and/or your family, including how many adults/children live at the monitored property.
• Financial information: This includes anything needed to process a financial transaction or run a credit check, including your Social Security number, payment card number, and/or bank account info.
• Property information: In order to get a quote from a home security company, you have to share details about your property like what type of building it is (e.g., single-family vs. apartment), how many doors and windows there are, if there is an attached garage, etc.
• Web activity information: Through the website and through any devices connected to the internet, the company receives data about IP addresses, internet service providers (ISPs), date/time stamp of online activity, and other information automatically collected in internet log files.

Device monitoring

Your home security company also receives information from your home security system and any devices connected to it, including cameras, sensors, alarms, smart devices, and even your mobile phone. This is simply part of having a home security system; in order to provide monitoring services or even just text alerts to your phone, your provider has to have access to the information transmitted by those devices.

The information from your home security system may include any or all of the following:

• Audio, video, and still-image recordings
• Geolocation and GPS info
• Motion detection or sensor activity
• The status of your system (armed/disarmed)
• Climate conditions surrounding the devices
• Battery status

Home security companies generally use cloud storage to keep this information accessible to you in the form of activity logs or saved footage. The audio/video recordings are saved for the length of time specified in your contract—you may have a service plan for only 24 hours of saved footage, or maybe you upgraded to seven days or a month (or more) of saved video. Once a video has been stored for that specific length of time, it’s deleted and new data takes its place.

Many home security companies make it clear in their privacy policy documents that they have access to information from your devices. But you are ultimately responsible for the content of your video recordings, and it’s worth considering the ethical implications of those devices. Similarly, while they store and process the recordings, it’s up to you to comply with privacy and recording laws.

How do home security companies use my information?

Home security companies rely on the data from your security system to fulfill their terms of service, so that’s the main way your information is used. The additional ways that your home security company uses your information are laid out clearly in the privacy policy and mainly have to do with marketing and development.

Here are the most common uses as listed in privacy policies:

• For analytical, communication, and marketing purposes
• To develop new products and services
• To share with third-party service providers (payment processing, website host, cloud-storage host, etc.)
• To share with marketing and advertising partners
• To alert emergency services or law enforcement (if you have professional monitoring)
• For legal reasons, to cooperate with law enforcement, or as required by law or legal request

Do home security companies sell my data?

Most home security companies don’t sell your information to just anyone, but they do share your information with third-party partners and affiliates. Typically, these are companies that have a connection to home security or offer services you would be interested in as the owner of a security system. You can usually opt out of this type of sharing; the information on how to do that is in the privacy policy.

How long do companies keep my info?

Some companies retain your personal information only as long as your account is active and you use their services. Others hang onto your information after you end your contract in case you decide to come back. All companies will continue to store your data while legal disputes or obligations are being resolved. Check your home security privacy policy to get the exact details for your specific company.

Is my personal information secure?

With all this personal data and recordings floating around in cloud storage, you definitely want to know how secure your home security data is. Companies do what they can to prevent a security breach or hack, but there’s no guarantee. That’s why it’s so important to take steps to protect your information on your end and do some homework to make sure your chosen home security company is doing everything possible on its end as well:

• Make sure you use strong and unique passwords
• Use two-factor or multi-factor authentication whenever possible
• Look for companies that send out regular firmware and software updates
• Find out what kind of encryption your home security company uses
• Do a quick internet search to find out what kind of security breaches your company has dealt with in the past and how it addressed those issues

The bottom line: Should I be worried about sharing data with my home security company?

Should you be worried about the data your home security company is gathering about you? Probably not; your home security data is mainly used to provide you with the home security services you signed up for. However, it’s always best to stay informed and do your own research into your company’s practices and policies. You have ownership over your data—and the responsibility to adhere to any privacy laws set by your state. But when you let a home security company into your home, you also grant them access to your data, and it’s best to know exactly how it’ll be used.