So I received a video doorbell as an early Christmas present. I installed it and it incidentally recorded the next door neighbour putting their food waste into my bin in the early hours before collection; so already off to an awkward start. The camera records a few seconds when in detects movement.

I discussed this with a family member just to illustrate the occurrence and they said there may be some data protection implications with capturing footage of the public street (which it faces out onto).

I now see from the Data Protection Commission website (1) that CCTV facing a public space (such as the case of the doorbell specifically), falls under data protection, and that it could be an issue. Reading through the guidance given, I’m not sure I could really meet the thresholds stated to justify it. It wouldn’t be possible for me to adjust it so that it doesn’t face the public street and also function as a doorbell that could see the caller at the same time.

I’m thinking whether I should look at putting up a sign to follow the guidance (stated purpose, my contact details etc), or just take it down.

Has anyone had any experience facing a complaint in this manner?

(1) [CCTV in the home | 18/07/2019 | Data Protection Commission](https://www.dataprotection.ie/en/dpc-guidance/blogs/cctv-home)

16 comments

  2. Yes, you are now a data controller and people can request data from you that may have been captured on your video doorbell. Do some more research but chances are no one is going to request anything except the guards if there is a crime.

  3. It’s not just the public street that’s qnnjssue, if it’s capturing images of your neighbours property it may also be an issue, so if you can see the next door neighbours garden and who approaches their door or maybe one across the street or something.

    But as was said you’re now a data controller and have all the obligations that come with that

  4. I have one. I got one because the neighbours bring very dodgy characters to the estate (addicts and many who are recently out of prison, a lovely place), and the 3 years I’ve been here (2 years without the video doorbell), I’ve had 3 occasions when someone tried to break in, and I’ve had callers at all hours of the night. Nobody that I know because nobody calls over before checking I’m there.

    One night, where it completely freaked me out, I got a knock on the door at 1.30am, I was still awake and I crept into the hall to look at the peephole, and there was a guy, about 5ft 10in, all in black, purposely hiding his face and was leaning up again the door to try and push it in if I opened it. I did not, obviously.
    A few days later, again, around 1am, I could hear someone outside my door, they knocked a few times and them rattled the door knob and tried to get in. I got the doorbell the next day.

    I’m a female, under 35, that lives alone, the only female in the building of 8 apartments. I’m sorry, but screw data protection. If it’s keeping me safe and deters scumbags from approaching my door to break in or whatever I don’t care who gets snotty about it. The doorbell only records when someone purposely is standing right at my door. There’s nothing else in and around the door for a randomer to be there.

    I haven’t had no unknown callers since I got it.

  5. Yeah it’s probably illegal, but keep in mind scrotes can walk up to you, spit in your face and there ain’t a whole lot the gardai can do, so just keep it up for your own security

  9. Is it RING? If so go into your settings an there are lots of options to adjust areas covered/ sensitivity, etc. Mine only records if someone enters the front drive or comes over the wall for example.

    It acts as a great deterrent. The other night fake Carol Singers were going round our estate checking peoples cars on their way to the doors. They stopped outside our gate, copped the doorbell, and moved on.

    Ring’s cloud service is also a suitable place to store data as a data controller. Get the subscription and it’ll all be done for you.

  11. Data Protection is mainly about retaining the personal data. If you only want to see who is there at the time they appear in range and aren’t keeping the recordings then I don’t think you would have much issue. I don’t know the setting on your doorbell but can you set it to either not record or only keep it a very short amount of time (like a few hours)? Then if you were called on to hand over data, you would no longer have it and so can’t be subject to it.

    On the other hand my in laws have one and they know nothing about data protection and certainly don’t have a sign about it. They live in the country though so less likely to bring up problems.

  13. There is nothing to worry about only if your where to try use the footage as evidence in court, it may be thrown out over the reasons you mentioned in the post. It would also require the sign if it where possible for the footage to be legal

    Just tell your neighbour i seen you throwing your rubbish in my bin and now i have a charge to pay, be staright with them and tell em to give it up- end of story

    Keep your camera and keep your property safe and just remeber that the footage may not be legally binding

  14. You’re overthinking this, OP. Stick up the doorbell. Tons of people have them nowadays and nobody really cares. On the slight chance that there is a complaint, set the app to save the data for the minimum time you feel comfortable (ie, a week) and review it regularly. Also, make sure you get a proper SD card for it. The High Endurance ones are specifically made for constant recording/re-recording that dashcams etc need.

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