Google equips police see smart home camera footage without a warrant

Google has said that it will allow the authorities to view footage from smart home cameras without a search warrant, in case of emergencies.

The Amazon-owned Ring faced criticism from security advocates last month, after it announced that it had let police see home security footage in more than 10 cases.

Amazon said that it had provided "videos to law enforcement" in response to an emergency request for 11 cases. It said that it had made, "a good-faith determination that there was imminent danger of death or serious injury to a person requiring the disclosure of information without delay".

Privacy and security advocates say these warrantless procedures undermine the rights of citizens and there will be an increasing "temptation for police to use it for increasingly less urgent situations".

As reported by CNET, Google which makes smart home cameras and bells under the Nest brand also makes it clear in its terms of services that it may disclose information to authorities without a warrant, "if the provider, in good faith, believes that an emergency involving danger of death or serious physical injury to any person requires disclosure without delay of communications relating to the emergency".

Google said that it will inform users in case it gets a request, unless it has been prohibited by law from doing so. It also said that it may not give a notice in case of emergencies, it will only do so after the event has been dealt with.