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Arlo takes privacy seriously by shielding its new Essential Indoor Camera

Patrick Hearn
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Home security is a field of contradictions. On one hand, it offers you a 24/7 view into your home and provides you with peace of mind. You can keep an eye on things while you’re away. On the other hand, there are potential security implications. A lens pointed at your home’s interior at all times, on or not, can be unsettling. CES 2021 has focused heavily on consumer privacy, and Arlo’s new Essential Indoor Camera demonstrates this in a big way.

The standout feature of the Essential Indoor Camera is that it has an easy-to-control, automated privacy shield. The camera gives users the ability to control everything about its recording. You choose when the camera monitors and records. When in disarm mode, the Essential Indoor Camera does not record or detect motion or audio, and will remain in this mode until the user deactivates the mode from within the Arlo App. You can also deactivate the privacy shield by starting a livestream.

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The privacy shield is a physical mechanism. This means users do not have to rely on trust that the camera is not recording — a barrier will block the camera from seeing anything unless the user wants it to.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Arlo has also introduced a new Touchless Video Doorbell that eliminates the need for a visitor to actually touch the doorbell in order to activate it, reducing the potential for bacteria to spread. The Arlo Touchless Doorbell uses Proximity Sensing Technology to measure a person’s approach. When the doorbell detects a visitor, that person will hear an audible chime and see a light on the doorbell itself. This is the signal that the doorbell has been “rung” and that the owner knows someone has arrived.

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The Arlo Touchless Video Doorbell protects not only the homeowner, but also the visitor. By reducing contact and distance, the risk for transmission of COVID-19 and other bacteria and germs dramatically decreases.

With the focus on touchless technology and health-focused ways of utilizing existing technology, CES 2021 has demonstrated multiple ways that our modern world can be put to use in the fight against disease and in the fight against privacy violations.

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Patrick Hearn
Patrick Hearn
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Patrick Hearn writes about smart home technology like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart light bulbs, and more. If it's a…
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