Smart Bird Feeder Gift Concerns (1 Viewer)

[Pickinator]

I was just given a new “Smart bird-feeder”, the (Lollyes). In order to use it, the QR code must be scanned and the App which is very very non-secure must be installed. (It’s not even password protected ). I can’t even try out the camera without downloading the App, registering with the company which is in a foreign country that I don’t trust (and it wants access to my cell phone)? After a free 30 day period it wants $4.99/month forever.

I Googled about my concerns and found that there is indeed reasons to shy away from this smart bird feeder and others like it. I read that others can easily access not only what my camera sees but our home network can be easily hacked into; resulting in potential data breaches and identity theft.

I stayed away from a 360 camera that I was initially interested in because of similar concerns; the company required access to my cell phone (including Contacts) in order to use the Apps necessary to even use the camera. Many owners were upset and felt this company couldn’t be trusted, as it required access to all of their Smartphones’ Contacts (including their grandkids) in order to just take a basic nature video. Granted, this 360 camera company is not the bird feeder company but my concerns are the same. I don’t want strangers watching my grandchildren play in the yard through my bird feeder camera?

I just want to see wildlife eat out of this feeder. I don’t want foreign bad actors or nosy neighbors accessing anything, and I don’t think I should have to pay a monthly fee to be surveillanced, much less hacked.

Am I correct to be concerned or am I way off base with my worries and just being paranoid? Why can’t I just Bluetooth my phone to a bird camera? For free.

 

[Mono]

The payment is for a cloud service to store videos the device takes. The device will still work without subscription, it will store videos onto the SD card.

The app permissions it requests can simply be turned off in the app settings. They shouldn't be asking for unnecessary permissions but I would put it down to incompetence rather than malice.

There are plenty of IP cameras on the market if you just want to watch live but if you want a notification to your phone that you have a [certain bird] on your feeder then you have to go down the "Smart feeder" route.

 

[Pickinator]

I appreciate the response. Whether incompetence or malice, I’m not a gambler.

Considering the Country of manufacture, I’m not inclined to believe incompetence, as user’s private feeds, web cams, Drones, action cams… have been known to be tapped into.

I feel I’ve been duly warned based on Google searches and 360 camera user complaints so I guess I’ll be watching the wildlife through the window as I’ve always done. That isn’t a bad thing. I’ll just need to get better with my off-line tripod camera and learn to identify who is munching on the seeds.

 

[Montereyman]

If you are using a wireless router at home for Wifi it should have a firewall that blocks unwelcome visitors to your home network. Important to update the password from the default one as neighbors and probably get the signal.

The risks are greatly exaggerated and far more damage is done by criminals working at banks and finance companies who steal people's homes and cars and pensions.