Doorbell cameras: Peace of mind or paranoia?

Doorbell cameras have become increasingly popular, with people who use them believing they act as a "better version" of a Neighbourhood Watch. They argue the device makes them feel safer, but others say they feel paranoid and ignorance is bliss when it comes to home security.

"My phone went off and showed there was a man throwing rocks at my window," says Ellie Bryan, a 31-year-old copywriter from Lincoln.

The familiar chiming notification of her doorbell camera has become second nature, but on that occasion, it was not the postman.

"Your adrenaline gets going, I thought what are we going to do?"

She plucked up the courage to confront the stranger, who quickly ran off.

But Ellie is not recalling this moment from memory. She is holding footage of the encounter in her hands, as it was all filmed on her doorbell camera.

Soon after, Ellie posted the clip on social media and the man was quickly identified.

"Within two hours, five people had sent me his name," she says.

She reported the matter to police, who say incidents of this nature are "unsettling and can frighten local residents".

In the end, Ellie chose not to pursue the incident, but says she felt reassured to have camera footage had she decided to take the matter further.

Her choice to invest in her own DIY security is not unusual.

Research in 2022 showed one in five people had a doorbell camera device.

Ellie installed hers more than a year ago with the hope of feeling safer.

"It's a better version of a Neighbourhood Watch," she insists. "It's watching and recording all the time."

She often catches people snooping around her property and admits checking the camera has become part of her daily routine.

"You get a notification when someone comes on to your property, so obviously its something you're going to check," she says.

Ellie believes the footage is key to combatting possible crime.

"If you didn't know, you'd be less cautious."

Sally Picker, crime reduction tactical advisor at Lincolnshire Police, believes doorbell cameras can be crucial within cases.

She says: "The footage is absolutely incredible, it's really clear and can be great for identification."

Ms Picker also feels the cameras can make victims of crime feel safer.

"Being able to keep an eye on things at home can be a really good thing for your piece of mind."

As doorbell cameras have grown in popularity, so too have the warnings about recording neighbours.

The Information Commissioner's Office said if CCTV records beyond a property boundary, then data protection laws apply.

In October 2021, a judge ruled that security cameras and a doorbell camera installed in a house in Oxfordshire "unjustifiably invaded" the privacy of a neighbour.

But not everyone believes it is a good idea, with the saying "what you don't know can't hurt you" ringing true for some people.

Davina Love, 45, from Lincoln, used to have a doorbell camera until the subscription ended and she realised the device made her worry more.

"It made me more paranoid," she admits. "I used to check it all the time."

Andrew Page, 47, from Lincoln, said he does not have a doorbell camera and admitted that if he did, he would also worry more.

"It could end up making you more paranoid as any movement will be automatically picked up," he adds.

"Ignorance can be bliss."

But for Ellie, ignorance is too risky.

"If you see something bad and you haven't recorded it, you're not going to be a reliable witness compared with a camera," she says.

"I can't be available to watch everything 24/7 but a camera can be."

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