Activity LED should not be an option, for privacy sake

Ask the Community
#1

Hello Wyze,

I love your product. However, something is bugging me.
Some incident occured with my neighbor that scared the s out of me. I decided to install 2 Wyze camera inside.
However, my girlfriend is often at my place and I want her to feel comfortable.
I even modded the camera so the activity led is more visible so she knows for sure the camera is not ON.
Then… I learned you implemented a toggle to disable the small subtle led behind the camera, and we cant be sure that nobody is watching.
I am using a very safe password and 2nd factor auth, but it doesnt change the fact my girlfriend sees a camera pointed at her when she leave the bathroom. Sense of security and actual security arent the same.
If the led would be front-facing and very visible, maybe. But the position of the led is so hard to see that you need to look for it.
Except enabling spying on people, I see no purpose in allowing the activity led to be disabled. If 0.00001% of people thing its too bright … just put a small piece of tape on it.
But this argument of brightness is quite far-fetched in the very beginning.

In conclusion, I would appreciate if you consider removing this option in future firmware update.
Everyone should feel safe and not spied on…

Thanks
JF Gagnon

[Mod Edit]: Your post was merged to this category since it involves a question and not a request for a Product or Service enhancement by Wyze.

#2

Welcome to the Forum Community, @jf2858d939!
The light you seem to be referring to does not indicate actual user activity on the cam. It indicates power to the cam, not use of the cam - “activity”.
The only way to absolutely shut it down is to remove it from power.

3 Likes
#3

And these cameras never actually turn “off” anyway. The sensor is always active even after you flip the camera “off” in the app (people have seen them continue to function in Alexa and other apps). More importantly, why would you and your girlfriend trust one variation of an app/firmware feature more than the other variation? If someone has access to the settings they can change it again anyway. It’s all software, service, and trust no matter how you slice it. More than a few people refuse to put Internet connected cameras (or smart speakers) in their homes. You pick you poison either way…

2 Likes
#4

I call it the Activity led because when I modded my camera I noticed there is two distinct Led, power and activity. Terminology might be wrong, power turns off once the camera is up and ready…
I don’t care that it is technically On if nobody can see the feed and theres nothing on the SD card. In fact, it makes turning it “on” faster than full bootup…

#5

AFAIK, if I upgrade to the latest firmware I cannot downgrade, so… yes. I am not scared of someone hacking the firmware of my camera, I am scared of someone gaining access and turning it on. And I’d like to tell my girlfriend that unless somehow someone achieved to hack the firmware remotely, Led off = nobody can watch.

#6

I come from the other side, I feel it should be an option since some cameras outside I do not want the location brightly displayed, or inside in a dark room that light is way too bright. If someone in my house is worried that bad they can cover it if they would like.

2 Likes
#7

I’d rather have the option as well, In my mind the only way I confidently know I’m not being watched on my cam is to unplug it or cover it up.

#8

But you’d be wrong. I just tested it myself. I used the Wyze app on a phone to turn a camera “off”. The live feed on my tablet continued on as if nothing had happened. It is absolutely not true that “nobody can see the feed”. I think your risk analysis here is faulty. The lights are not the thing to worry about.

#9

I’d rather have the option. If I wanted to make sure it was off I’d unplug it or have it plugged into a smart plug that could be switched off.

1 Like
#10

That’s what I’ve done. Smart plug with a second illuminated outlet plugged into it and cam plugged into that. . That way no matter what the cam is doing, if there is power to the illuminated outlet I know it. Any Wifi or s smart device can be hacked but the illuminated outlet only has two states- on&off.

#11

The cameras are as secure as you make them.
If you don’t trust 2 factor authentication, your own Wifi security and ehoever has access to your cameras an LED isn’t going to help.

1 Like
#12

Good point! All my smart plugs have led indicators when powered that can’t be turned off without killing power.

#13

That really isn’t completely true. At least not what TV would have you believe. :slightly_smiling_face:
Hacking is a skill that is worth money if you’re good at it. The people that can do it don’t do it for free and they don’t care about our home cameras.
If they see me getting out of the shower they won’t be back. Hairy old man bod, way better than 2 factor security. :slightly_smiling_face:

4 Likes
#14
1 Like
#15

Well, I’m not going to check.

1 Like
#16

Do you really consider the blue led “bright”? I mean if you want to hide that its recording, you could put sone electrical tape on the led? Whereas for my concerns I cant do anything…

#17

Please tell me more! If you kill the app and go back on it (the one that turned the cam off) does it display as on or off? What about the led, is it on?

#18

Well, the electrical box doesnt have more space so I cannot really do that… And reguardless, the boot time is quite long imo

#19

Hmm, interesting, if I wait several seconds more it does stay down on both devices. Yet we’ve seen reports that other apps and Alexa continue to get a live view. I can’t see the lights on my test camera since it’s mounted high outside…

#20

I think you are in a very small minority of people that would want this option removed. Asking 10’s of thousands possibly 100’s of thousands of people to cover the led with tape would be very unpopular.