Voted.
Sounds like a good idea.
I have read thru the posts and there seems to be equal ground on both sides of the fence on this one:
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Good feature to have if someone steals a cam, then they just have a brick. Also good to have so a bad actor with cam access canât just hijack a cam.
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Bad feature to have in domestic disputes because the one with the cam canât use it because the other with the account wonât release it. Some bad Karma there.
There are probably other situations as well on both sides of the feature. Are there ways to develop the feature so that it works on both sides?
Possible feature enhancements:
If someone stole my cams, I would actually want them to try to install it. The cam has a MAC address that is logged to Wyze when installed on an account that corresponds to the ISP IP on which it is installed. Wyze has this data.
I would like to see a feature within Wyze to report\flag a cam as stolen. It would work like this: I would get an email\SMS\Push notification\in App popup\App Message if any install is attempted for any of my cams on another account. This would require me to confirm âYes, this is fine, please release the cam from my accountâ or âNo, Flag for immediate legal actionâ. If I donât respond within X time, it releases on its own. Flagging it would require me to enter a description of the reason and would issue me a flag number to pass on to law enforcement or lawyer. I would then have an extended X time to have law enforcement or a lawyer contact Wyze for action.
I could then relay this flag number to law enforcement who could then use the proper legal channels to contact Wyze and identify the IP location and take proper action.
I realize this feature has some deep legal considerations and I havenât begun to see all the angles from my perspective. Maybe there are lawyers and law enforcement in the forums that could ring in.
Perhaps it is just food for thought that can help to develop the feature to work for both sides of the fence.
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Was very surprised to learn this was not yet a feature. Think this should be a standard feature with all cameras and smart home devices. Thiefâs learn that it is not worth their time, and that they have a higher risk of being caught. I mean heck Ring used to offer free replacement with police report if your camera was stolen. As device would be bricked an thiefâs would likely be caught on video. Amazon echos are attached to your account as soon as you place the order through Amazon so even if they are stolen off your doorstep upon delivery they will not be able to be set up. An no person in their right mind would steal apple products. Soon thiefâs will learn that Wyze cameras are free game. Then again why would wyze be concerned, as it would likely mean an extra sale for them
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Camera should to be locked to ownerâs account
Wyzeâs cameras are shown in their Online shop with the title âSmart security camerasâ
A security camera, whether being linked to a hub or not, should be locked to the account of the owner. The lock then can only be removed by the owner. This will accomplish some important aspects of a security camera:
- The cloud footage stays available to the owner only, not to a thief
- The cameras are worthless when stolen
- The footage is essential as proof of e.g. vandalism, burglary, robbery
If there is any question as how to it should work, an activation lock like Apple has it for its devices would surely provide some usable input for Wyze.
I am posting it to the Wishlist, although I strongly feel, this missing feature is a security flaw and not something ânice to haveâ.
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Agreed. I voted for this in 2022 but I didnât realize the severity of this problem till 2024.
I believe Jason has this issue in his monthly report.
cc: @WyzeJasonJ
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This?
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I believe so.
Isnât this the one where someone can steal your camera and you lose all access to cloud videos?
Yeah, I wanted to link directly to one of Jasonâs posts in the discussion that resulted from this topic:
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