Despite the current boom in surveillance technology, there seems to be a line many Americans are not willing to cross. A recent study from Porch surveyed 986 people on their experience with and perception of home security systems. Read between the lines, and it's clear that many people are not comfortable with in-home surveillance.
Of the population interviewed, only 43 percent owned at least one security camera—and of that selection, just 55 percent had one inside the home. That means only a little more than half of people who use security cameras are comfortable enough to put them in the same place they live. It might be a slight majority, but it's not exactly the ringing endorsement a $62 billion industry wants to see.
Those who use security cameras tend to be dedicated users who check their connected app every day (62 percent of respondents) to watch out for package theft, vandalizing, and snooping repairmen. While 89 percent of camera owners use their surveillance device to watch the living room (89 percent) or kitchen (41 percent), the truly dedicated users are actually watching their own bedrooms (25 percent).
That said, 52 percent responded that they would not put cameras inside their houses at all. One major reason is that they do not want to be recorded in their own homes, a belief which is held by 62 percent of Gen Xers and 69 percent of millennials. 62 percent of boomers, meanwhile, believe their home is safe without the need for cameras.
Another reason for the reluctance to use in-home surveillance could be fear of hackers who could compromise the very tools meant to keep homeowners safe. Only 28 percent of those who use security cameras in the home believe they could be hacked. However, 40 percent and 44 percent of millennials and boomers, respectively, think that this is a reason not to use cameras inside the house at all.
These numbers aren't indicating that people are rejecting surveillance technology outright, but instead show that many Americans are drawing their own lines between security and privacy.
After years of sacrificing privacy for convenience with smart home technology, 2019 saw a turn in the opposite direction with the rise of VPN services and a call for more transparent privacy policies from tech companies. The surveillance industry is expected to increase in valuation, but trends in how people use that technology are worth watching.