How Ring Camera Privacy Concerns Affect Landlords in 2026
Ring cameras are the most widely deployed security cameras at rental properties in both the US and UK. They're also the most scrutinized. Privacy concerns around Ring — from data sharing controversies to law enforcement partnerships — directly affect landlords who deploy these cameras at their properties. Ignoring these concerns isn't an option. Addressing them thoughtfully protects your tenants, your legal standing, and your reputation.
The evolving Ring privacy landscape
Ring has made significant privacy improvements since the controversies of 2019-2023. The Neighbors app's public video sharing has been restructured, end-to-end encryption is now available for compatible devices, and Amazon has tightened policies around employee access to customer footage.
However, the history matters. In 2023, Ring paid $5.8 million in an FTC settlement over allegations that employees accessed customer videos without consent and that the company failed to implement adequate security measures. Amazon subsequently ended Ring's practice of allowing police departments to request footage directly from users through the Neighbors app.
For landlords, the takeaway is clear: Ring's current privacy stance is substantially improved, but tenants who research Ring's history may have legitimate concerns. Being prepared to address those concerns is part of being a responsible landlord.
Tenant privacy rights
United States
Tenant privacy rights in the US are governed by a patchwork of state and local laws. The general principle: tenants have a reasonable expectation of privacy inside their rental unit. Landlords can install cameras in common areas and exterior spaces but cannot record inside a tenant's unit without explicit consent. Several states (California, New York, Illinois) have specific statutes addressing landlord surveillance, and local ordinances may add additional restrictions.
United Kingdom
UK tenants have stronger statutory privacy protections under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. CCTV at rental properties triggers data controller obligations, and tenants have rights to be informed, to access footage of themselves, and in some cases to object to recording. The ICO can investigate complaints and issue enforcement notices against landlords who fail to comply.
State-by-state US privacy rules for landlord cameras
US privacy law varies dramatically by state. Here are four states that illustrate the range of requirements landlords face.
California (strict)
California is a two-party consent state for audio recording, meaning you cannot record anyone's conversation without their consent. For landlords, this means Ring cameras with audio enabled at rental properties create significant legal exposure. California Civil Code Section 1708.8 also provides a right of action for physical invasion of privacy, which courts have applied to surveillance cameras pointed at private areas. Additionally, California's consumer privacy laws (CCPA/CPRA) may apply if you collect personal information from tenants through camera systems as part of a business operation. Landlords with California properties should disable audio recording on all Ring cameras and ensure no camera captures views into tenant windows or private outdoor areas like patios and balconies.
New York (landlord-specific rules)
New York has specific legislation addressing landlord use of surveillance cameras. The state's Tenant Protection Act includes provisions requiring landlords to disclose all surveillance devices to tenants before lease signing. New York City adds further requirements: buildings with common-area cameras must post clear signage, and landlords must provide written notice to all tenants within the building. New York is a one-party consent state for audio, which gives landlords slightly more flexibility, but recording tenant conversations on porches or in hallways without their knowledge still risks claims of harassment or intimidation.
Texas (more permissive)
Texas is a one-party consent state for both audio and video recording. Landlords have broader latitude to install exterior cameras without specific statutory requirements for tenant notification. However, the Texas Property Code still protects tenants' right to quiet enjoyment, and courts have found that pervasive or intrusive camera placement can violate this right. Texas landlords should still disclose cameras in the lease and avoid any placement that could be interpreted as monitoring tenant behavior rather than property security.
Florida (evolving legislation)
Florida is a two-party consent state for audio recording, creating the same Ring audio concerns as California. In 2025, Florida introduced legislation specifically addressing smart doorbell cameras at rental properties, requiring landlords to provide written disclosure of all video surveillance devices and their recording capabilities. The legislation also limits footage retention to 30 days unless needed for an active investigation or claim. Florida landlords should disable audio recording on Ring cameras and maintain clear documentation of tenant notification.
Real cases: when landlord camera use goes wrong
These scenarios illustrate the types of legal actions landlords have faced over Ring camera deployment. They are worth studying as cautionary examples.
A landlord in California installed a Ring Video Doorbell at a rental property without informing the tenant. The tenant discovered the camera and filed a lawsuit alleging invasion of privacy and illegal audio recording under California's two-party consent law. The landlord argued the camera was on the building exterior, but the court found that audio recording of the tenant's conversations on their own front porch without consent violated state wiretapping law. The landlord settled for a significant sum and was required to provide written camera disclosure to all tenants going forward.
A Texas landlord installed a Ring Spotlight Cam on a multi-unit building that captured footage of a ground-floor tenant's private patio area. The tenant complained that the camera recorded their family's outdoor activities, including children playing. Despite Texas being a one-party consent state, the court found that the camera placement violated the tenant's reasonable expectation of privacy in their assigned outdoor space and constituted harassment under the Texas Property Code.
A New York landlord installed Ring Indoor Cams during a renovation period when the unit was vacant. When the new tenant moved in, the landlord forgot to remove or disable the interior cameras. The tenant discovered the active cameras two weeks into their tenancy and contacted police. The landlord faced criminal charges for unlawful surveillance and the tenant broke the lease without penalty.
A Florida landlord used Ring doorbell footage to track a tenant's visitors, sending the tenant messages about the number and frequency of guests. The tenant filed a harassment complaint, and the court found that using security cameras to monitor and comment on lawful tenant behavior constituted harassment and violated the tenant's right to quiet enjoyment of the property.
Where landlords can and cannot place cameras
Generally permissible
- Building exterior entry points
- Driveways and parking areas
- Common area hallways (multi-unit)
- Building lobbies
- Shared outdoor spaces
- Vacant property interiors (between tenancies)
Never permissible
- xInside tenant's rental unit (without consent)
- xBathrooms — ever, under any circumstances
- xBedrooms — ever, under any circumstances
- xAreas where cameras capture into tenant windows
- xHidden or covert cameras aimed at tenants
- xInside areas designed to monitor tenant behaviour
Audio recording considerations
Ring cameras record audio by default. This is often overlooked by landlords who focus on the video component, but audio recording carries additional legal risk — particularly in two-party consent states.
Two-party consent states (US)
In California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington, recording someone's conversation without their consent is illegal. If your Ring camera captures audio of tenant conversations in these states, you could face legal consequences — even if the camera is positioned in a permissible exterior location.
The simplest mitigation: disable audio recording in Ring's device settings for cameras at rental properties. You retain full video monitoring capability while eliminating the most common source of wiretapping claims. If you need two-way audio functionality (e.g., for a video doorbell), ensure tenants are clearly informed that audio is active and document their acknowledgment.
Ring's data handling and law enforcement requests
Ring's relationship with law enforcement has been one of the most debated aspects of the platform. Here's where things stand in 2026:
Amazon ended the Request for Assistance program that allowed police to directly request footage from Ring users through the Neighbors app. Law enforcement must now use standard legal processes (warrants, subpoenas) to obtain Ring footage.
Ring now offers end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for compatible devices. When enabled, video can only be viewed by the account owner — Ring cannot access or share the footage. However, E2EE disables some features including shared user viewing and Alexa integrations.
Ring can still share footage without a warrant in genuine emergencies involving imminent danger of death or serious physical injury. Amazon disclosed that it provided footage in response to emergency requests in 2022 — a practice that remains in effect.
Ring footage is stored on Amazon Web Services (AWS) servers. Data processing for features like person detection and package detection occurs in the cloud. For UK landlords, this data may be processed outside the UK, triggering additional GDPR considerations around international data transfers.
Ring's data practices: what landlords should know
Beyond law enforcement requests, Ring's broader data practices affect landlords in ways that are easy to miss. Understanding these practices helps you make informed decisions about configuration and what to communicate to tenants.
Ring's privacy policy changes
Amazon has updated Ring's privacy policy multiple times since acquiring the company. The current policy permits Amazon to use Ring data for product improvement and feature development, though with more restrictions than earlier versions. As a landlord, you should review the current privacy policy periodically and understand that your tenants' images may be processed by Amazon's systems for purposes beyond just displaying the footage to you.
Neighbors app data sharing
Ring's Neighbors app allows users to share video clips with nearby Ring users and local community members. If this feature is enabled on your rental property cameras, footage of your tenants and their visitors could be shared publicly in the neighborhood feed. Disable the Neighbors app integration for all cameras at rental properties. Go to the Ring app > Neighbors > Settings and turn off video sharing. This is one of the simplest privacy improvements you can make.
Configuring Ring for maximum privacy
To minimize data exposure at rental properties: enable end-to-end encryption on compatible devices, disable Neighbors app integration, disable Sidewalk (Amazon's mesh network that shares your internet bandwidth with nearby Amazon devices), turn off audio recording where two-way communication is not needed, and set the shortest practical video retention period. Each of these settings is in the Ring app under Account Settings or Device Settings. Documenting these privacy configurations also demonstrates good faith if a tenant ever raises concerns.
GDPR implications for UK landlords
UK landlords using Ring cameras face a layered privacy challenge. You are the data controller for the CCTV system, but Ring (Amazon) is the data processor handling storage and processing on your behalf. Under GDPR, you remain responsible for ensuring that the entire data processing chain complies with data protection principles.
Key considerations:
- International data transfers — Ring footage processed on AWS servers outside the UK requires appropriate safeguards under UK GDPR Chapter V. Amazon's standard contractual clauses may provide a legal basis, but landlords should be aware of the data flow.
- Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) — The ICO recommends conducting a DPIA for CCTV systems that monitor public or semi-public spaces. For multi-unit properties, this is considered best practice. A DPIA should document: the nature and scope of data processing, the purpose and necessity, the risks to data subjects (tenants and visitors), and the measures taken to mitigate those risks. The ICO can request to see your DPIA during an investigation, so it should be thorough and kept up to date.
- Lawful basis: legitimate interest assessment — "Legitimate interest" is the most common lawful basis for landlord CCTV. You must document your legitimate interest assessment (LIA), demonstrating that your security interest outweighs the privacy impact on tenants and visitors. The LIA should identify the specific legitimate interest (e.g., preventing crime, protecting property), demonstrate the processing is necessary to achieve that interest, and balance it against the rights of the individuals recorded.
- Subject Access Requests (SARs) — Under UK GDPR, any person captured on your CCTV can submit a SAR requesting copies of footage in which they appear. You must respond within one calendar month. For landlords, this means having a process to locate, review, and redact footage (blurring other individuals) before providing it. Ring's app allows you to download clips, but redaction must be done manually using video editing software.
- Right to erasure complications — Tenants can request deletion of footage featuring them under the right to erasure. However, this right is not absolute. You can refuse if you have a legitimate reason to retain the footage (such as an ongoing dispute, insurance claim, or police investigation). The complication with video is that erasing one person's data from footage that includes multiple people is technically difficult. Document your reasoning for any refusal and respond within one month.
Best practices for privacy-conscious camera deployment
- Enable end-to-end encryption on Ring cameras where compatible. This prevents anyone — including Ring and Amazon — from accessing your footage.
- Disable audio recording unless specifically needed (e.g., video doorbell intercom). Document why audio is enabled where it is.
- Minimise camera coverage to genuinely necessary areas. More cameras doesn't always mean better security — it means more privacy exposure.
- Use the shortest practical retention period. Ring Protect Basic (30 days) is sufficient for most security purposes and aligns better with data minimisation principles.
- Review and disable Neighbours/community features that may share footage or data beyond your intended purpose.
- Enable two-factor authentication on your Ring account. Account compromise is a privacy and security risk to your tenants.
- Position cameras to minimise capture of public spaces, neighbouring properties, and areas beyond your property boundary.
- Keep Ring firmware updated. Security patches address vulnerabilities that could expose tenant data.
Transparency with tenants
The single most effective thing you can do to address Ring privacy concerns is be transparent with your tenants. Privacy issues escalate when people feel surveilled without their knowledge. When tenants understand what cameras are present, where they're pointed, and what data is captured, most concerns are resolved before they become disputes.
Lease clause essentials
Include a CCTV/security camera clause in your lease agreement that specifies: camera locations and types, what they record (video only or video + audio), who has access to footage, how long footage is retained, the purpose (property security), and how tenants can raise concerns or request access to footage of themselves.
Provide written notice about cameras separately from the lease. A dedicated camera disclosure document — signed by the tenant — creates a clear record that the tenant was informed. This protects you legally and demonstrates good faith.
For short-term rentals, include camera disclosure in your listing description and in the guest information provided at check-in. Platforms like Airbnb require hosts to disclose surveillance devices, and failing to do so can result in listing removal.
Sample lease clause for camera disclosure
Below is example language landlords can adapt for their lease agreements. This is a starting point — consult a local attorney to ensure compliance with your jurisdiction's specific requirements.
"SECURITY CAMERA DISCLOSURE. The Landlord maintains exterior security cameras at the Property for the purpose of property security and crime prevention. Camera locations are as follows: [list specific locations, e.g., front entrance doorbell camera, rear entrance camera, parking area camera]. Cameras record video [and audio / video only — specify]. Recorded footage is stored for [number] days via Ring Protect cloud storage and is automatically deleted after this period unless preserved for a specific security incident, insurance claim, or legal matter. The Landlord, [and property manager name if applicable], have access to live and recorded footage. No interior cameras are installed or will be installed within the Tenant's rental unit. The Tenant may request access to footage in which they appear by contacting the Landlord in writing at [email/address]. The Tenant acknowledges the presence of security cameras at the locations described above."
Adapt this clause for your situation. If you are in a two-party consent state, add language about audio recording specifically. If you manage properties in the UK, add GDPR-specific language including your lawful basis for processing and the tenant's right to object. Always list specific camera locations rather than using vague language like "cameras may be present on the property."
How PropertyVue handles your data
PropertyVue was designed with privacy as a foundational principle, not an afterthought. Here's how the platform approaches data handling:
- No video storage — PropertyVue processes event metadata (motion detected, person detected, doorbell pressed) without storing or accessing video footage. Video remains on Ring's servers under your control.
- Encrypted OAuth tokens — The connection between PropertyVue and your Ring account uses encrypted OAuth tokens. PropertyVue never sees or stores your Ring password.
- Row-level security (RLS) — Every database query is scoped to the authenticated user. Landlords can only access their own property data. There is no admin backdoor to view other users' events.
- No data sharing — PropertyVue does not share, sell, or aggregate user data. Your property information and event data are yours alone.
- Minimal data collection — The platform collects only the data necessary to provide the service: event types, timestamps, device identifiers, and property associations.
Privacy-first camera deployment checklist
Use this checklist before deploying Ring cameras at any new rental property. Each item reduces your legal exposure and builds tenant trust.
- Disable audio recording on all cameras (re-enable only on doorbells where two-way communication is needed and tenants are informed)
- Disable Neighbors app video sharing for all cameras at rental properties
- Disable Amazon Sidewalk on all Ring devices at the property
- Enable end-to-end encryption on compatible devices
- Enable two-factor authentication on your Ring account
- Set Ring Protect retention to 30 days (shortest available period)
- Configure motion zones to exclude public sidewalks, streets, and neighboring properties
- Verify no camera captures views into tenant windows, balconies, or private outdoor areas
- Draft and include a camera disclosure clause in the lease agreement
- Create a separate signed camera disclosure document for the tenant
- Post visible signage at property entry points indicating camera presence (required in many jurisdictions)
- Document camera locations with photographs for your records
- For UK properties: complete a Legitimate Interest Assessment and DPIA
- For two-party consent states: obtain written acknowledgment of any audio recording
- Review Ring's current privacy policy and note any changes since your last review
Privacy and security aren't opposites
Ring camera privacy concerns are real and worth taking seriously. But privacy and security aren't a zero-sum trade-off. Landlords who deploy cameras thoughtfully — with proper placement, transparent disclosure, appropriate settings, and respect for tenant rights — can provide genuine security benefits without compromising privacy.
The landlords who get into trouble are the ones who install cameras without telling tenants, point them into private spaces, or use footage for purposes beyond security. Be transparent, be intentional, and be compliant. Your tenants will appreciate the security, and you'll be protected legally.
Privacy-first Ring camera management
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