Baby Too Boring? Watch The Neighbor's Baby With This Monitor
If you buy the Summer Infant Day and Night Video Monitor, you might want to make sure your neighbors haven't also got one, or else they'll have a secret window into your newborn's room.
That's what a man in Illinois claims, and he's suing the manufacturer for selling him the $100 device without a warning that its video feed is somehow shareable to other devices:
"This gives rise to serious safety and privacy concerns for consumers who have unwittingly purchased and are using the monitors believing that in doing so, their children and household members are safe and in the privacy of their home when, in fact, by virtue of the monitors' capabilities, they are not."
The man says he tried to get a refund from the manufacturer, Summer Infant, but they refused and told him to buy a more expensive model if he wanted security.
"Baby Video Monitor Lets Neighbors Snoop On One Another, Class Claims" [Courthouse News Service]
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Comments:
This has been happening forever, lots of these cams are in the 802.11 2.4 GHz band, you can just flip from switch A to switch B (2 separate freqs) and then just see somethign else...
This must be horrendous in densely populated apartments and stuff... out in the suburbs its just rather random.
I have been looking for a secure baby monitor forever, only the ones in the DECT freq spectrum seem to be unable to flipped over to...
Anyone else ?
This is just plain ignorance. An analog baby monitor that operates on a common frequency is not secure. 8 years ago we had a video baby monitor, as did our neighbors, or so I found out when I turned to the other channel on the monitor and saw into their baby's room. I assumed that they could do the same for us, so I kept it clean - no dirty talk or gossiping in our baby's room ;)
This is stupid. Of course, it's no surprise, considering when I was bored I could listen to people punch in their credit card numbers on their portable phones with my scanner, not to mention juicy and rather revealing conversations. I didn't bother with video because I'm cheap.
All these devices specifically state they may be intercepted legally and are not meant for private communications. If you want at least *some* privacy, go digital (although that's still easy, just more expensive). If you want proper privacy, go to true spread spectrum with some nice serious encryption. Oh, wait, that costs $$$.
Yes, I am a weirdo. Why did you ask?
There are no secure baby monitors because they'd need to be encrypted and that costs $$$. Who wants to spend hundreds of dollars on a baby monitor? None of you!
Just stop having private conversations near it and you can enjoy the $29.99 special. :)
Duh. They should also sue their cordless phones, wireless game controllers, and wifi routers makers since they operate on the same frequency and can potentially violate their privacy.
Also this is why when I bought a gift baby monitor, I made sure it was digital.
This just seems silly... I have one of these, and it never even occurred to me that it'd be secure in any way. I don't think I'm too concerned with my sleeping infant disclosing anything too sensitive.
If it's a concern, buy one of them that says it is secure.
@squinko:
I did! :o) Zoneminder, links in with my MythTV, too.
Unfortunately, I've been too busy to maintain it, and it's basically a dead project now (Not Zoneminder itself, my use of Zoneminder and cameras to monitor the property).
@squinko: This is what I was thinking. $20 webcam is pretty much all you need if it's just going to sit somewhere and be aimed at the crib, right?
I just like the closed captioning.
@DustinFinn: Yeah, this has been happening forever. When I first got a cordless phone (so, maybe 15+ years ago), it would sometimes pick up the neighbor's baby monitor.
I used to have this old Walkie-talkie that would pick up the cordless phone conversations in my house. Granted, this was about 15 years ago. But it allowed me to eavesdrop on my Mom discussing Christmas presents.
It appears this person had certain expectations of the product that may or may not have been warranted. If the product description stated or implied a level of privacy or protection, I'd say his claims have merit.
Personally I would assume *any* wireless product is unsecured unless it explicitly states otherwise, but I have a tech background and perhaps have a better understanding of how these things work than the average person.
Tell the kid "loose lips sink ships." Healthy paranoia is character-building.
@Razor512: The BBB is all but worthless since NO ONE CHECKS them beforehand. They have about as much power over companies as the Good Housekeeping seal of approval does.
FYI, walkie-talkies are also not secure, OP. ;)
@DustinFinn: Have you considered wired? Harbor Freight sells a $30 camera with ~100 feet of cord which is really just regular 4 wire phone cord to carry the audio/visual/power. Very easy to wire. Otherwise I would suggest going to a camera supplier, like [www.scdlink.com] and see what they have to offer in camera transmitters, as they sell to private security and LE, and their prices are pretty good, IMHO.
@theSuperman: I had a walkie talkie that picked up phone conversations too, but they weren't the ones in my house. I got conversations from neighbors.
Must agree with the OP here. I don't think I could ever feel secure with the possibility that someone could look in on me or my household and watch it's goings on. It sends a shiver to my core.
@Razor512: it has helped me with many problems before, in most cases it gets you to a PR person who can get more things done as compared to a incompetent CSR
While there seem to be a lot of "blame the consumer" style comments this time through, let's be fair - not everyone has used or is familiar with these types of devices and as such wouldn't know that there is really no expectation of privacy within a certain proximity. I wonder if the company suggested otherwise?
That said, it sounds like this company may be leading her on with this claim of a more secure version - I'm not sure such a thing exists with this type of product.
This enters in the realm of the 'Do not use Hair Dryer in the Bath' kinds of warnings. At some point there has to be some assumption of basic knowledge.
This is pretty silly. If you don't understand how something works, how is that the fault of the evil corporation?
Just for the OP, don't use the microwave oven to dry your child after a bath in the dishwasher.
Stop complaining, return the product, and raise your baby without one. There once was a time when babies didn't need constant video surveillance to survive.
@coren:
I think that if you refuse to read the manual, you accept the consequences of your poor decision.
This is pretty standard for these products:
Always remember that you are using public airwaves when using your monitor. Conversations, even from rooms near your transmitter, may broadcast to other nursery monitors, radios, cordless telephones or scanners outside your home. To protect the privacy of your home, always turn off the transmitter when not in use.
@Kuchen: My baby monitor has caught some of my neighbor's cordless (maybe cell) phone conversations.
@Scoobatz: How about we start reading first?
"Denkov says that when he tried to get his money back, Summer Infant told him to buy a more expensive model and refused to refund his $100."
We have this monitor and the OP is 100% correct. They are all on the same frequency, so any monitor can see any camera. We are constantly dealing with static and interference and if we change the channel (there are 2 channels on it) we can see the neighbor's baby. We have the $160 color portable version.
@shepd: Well to be fair that's for a Fisher Price, not whatever this was (I forgot already).
But also: How to read the manual without first buying it. And then upon buying it, how to return it since they refuse to take said return.
@Razor512: It didn't help me with mine. The company has to care for the BBB to persuade them to do anything.
Seconding what @zentex said.
@georgi55: Where does the article mention he tried to return the product to where he purchased it, Toys-R-Us? Although he tried to get money back from the manufacturer, Summer Infant, that's clearly not the same thing.
I have one of those monitors for my kids room. I know it can be intercepted. It does not bug me much at all.
I have it pointing only at the crib so when my wife feeds she does not have to worry and I let everyone know not to discuss anything private nearby.
Essentially treat it like you were talking on a cell phone, cordless phone or a crowded restaurant.
@theSuperman: When I was a kid, my household's landline telephone picked up:
- two or three neighbors' cordless phones.
- one neighbor's CB radio transmissions.
- Masterpiece Theatre.
The last one took me a while to figure out. I think it was a PBS transmission, but it only worked at night, which happened to be when MP was on.
@coren:
Good point. Here's the manual for the product we're talking about. The necessary quote:
Nursery monitors use public airwaves to transmit signals. This monitor may pick up signals from other monitors or similar devices and signals broadcast by this monitor may be picked up by other receivers.
That should seal the deal, and finish off this frivolous lawsuit.
As for as reading the manual first... ...it's on the website for online buyers. Those at B&M stores can just ask a salesperson. And, if you're not happy with those restrictions, you'll find it's the case for ALL baby monitors out there, so you'll never be happy. You're better off working within the limits of the product or just chalking it up to your very first "public airwaves" experience.
I suppose the latter is blaming it on the customer, but at some point, in this case, that's really where the fault lies.
@coren: The manual is online, and clearly states that the device may pick up signals from other monitors, or it's signal may be picked up by others. I just can't muster up any sympathy for the OP in this case.
@Razor512: It definitely does depend though on how much the organization cares about their BBB score. If they don't mind a low score, then it may not be of much use. Also, if they aren't labled/marked/advertised as being secure, not sure if he has much of a leg to stand on.
@GitEmSteveDave_ H1N1 Symptoms List: I used something similar that I purchased from target. My house was pre-wired with 2 COAX connectors for each TV outlet, and I only needed one for television, so I mounted the camera above the crib (securing the wire) and ran it to the nearest COAX outlet where I connected the camera to an RF modulator and distributed the signal throughout my house. All I had to do was select a different input on my TV and I could watch the baby from any TV in the house.
I remember the days of 10 channel 49 Mhz cordless phones and my RS programmable scanner fondly. Hours of fun had by 13 year old me. Esp when I plugged in the rooftop (actually attic) TV antenna in to it. I got cordless phone convos from up to 1 mile away.
"The man says he tried to get a refund from the manufacturer, Summer Infant, but they refused and told him to buy a more expensive model if he wanted security."
Really? The most expensive unit has security? I own the most expensive unit and the only "security" it features is two channels (A and B), which I'm going to assume my neighbors can still tap into if they're on the right channel.
As an aside, this is a $250 monitor unit, and while it's great for nighttime (you can see the baby pretty clearly, albeit in B&W), it's a real awful device since there's always interference unless you manipulate the camera and have it moved to a single location. If it gets nudged just a millimeter, the static noise is horrendous. I waste an hour (at least) per week trying to orient this expensive monitor to the perfect location so that I don't have to hear static. And even then, sometimes in the middle of the night, I'm awakened by the static again, even though I haven't even touched the darn thing.
Why couldn't Summer Infant actually, erm, considered digital monitors? For the price, it makes sense, and it'd alleviate the concern of this guy too. This monitor is a real nuisance to deal with. Sadly, it's the only one with such good night vision...
it is common knowledge baby monitors can be picked up.
The *only* way this person has a case is if the manufacturer said it was "secure" and it was not.
I remember my old sony cordless phone, if I unplugged my basestation i would get a dialtone from the neighbor ( i quickly got a new phone ).
At times like this, a report to the BBB is needed [www.bbb.org]