Additionally, there is a growing trend towards more transparent and secure data storage practices. Many companies are now offering end-to-end encryption and secure cloud storage, which helps to protect footage from unauthorized access.

A standard 120-degree wide-angle lens mounted on a garage cannot distinguish between a burglar walking up the driveway and a teenager walking to the bus stop. It captures everything. If your camera overlooks a sidewalk, you are recording every postal worker, jogger, and child walking to school.

If a manufacturer has weak security protocols, hackers can hijack camera feeds. There have been numerous documented cases of "camera-napping," where bad actors gain access to interior cameras, sometimes even using the two-way talk feature to harass residents.

You do not have to choose between 100% security and 100% privacy. You can have a hybrid. To protect yourself and your neighbors, follow these five rules:

Here is the simplest test for whether your home security camera system is acceptable: