Indoor camera streams audio to my phone even with privacy shutter closed!

[DF123]

System is set to "home" mode, and the privacy shutter on the camera is closed, but the mic on the indoor camera is still picking up audio and, bizarrely, playing it out my phone speaker (as Arlo app is running "in background"). This ran through 6gb of mobile data in just the last 2 days without my knowledge!

(This Arlo equipment has been the flakiest stuff I've ever used. I am about ready to throw it all away!)

[ShayneS]

@DF123 

May I ask which troubleshooting steps you have tried so far? I don't want to suggest anything you have previously performed.

[DF123]

I have no idea how to troubleshoot this. My understanding is that the camera should not be sending audio or video when the privacy shutter is closed, so the fact that it does seems like a pretty major flaw (that makes me question all the privacy features of the product).

How would you suggest I troubleshoot?

[ShayneS]

@DF123 Can you try removing and reinstall the camera?

[DF123]

I don't know what conditions cause it to occur (it doesn't seem to happen all the time), so I don't know if that would work, or not.

Why does it occur at all, though? Would you agree that this is a very serious design flaw?

[ShayneS]

Is this occurring with an Android device? 

[DF123]

Yes. 

To clarify, the camera is sending audio (with the privacy shutter closed), and you think this is somehow related to what device the app is running on?

It seems like a fundamental design flaw with the camera. The camera should not send audio when the privacy shutter is closed.

[ShayneS]

Which version of the Arlo app are you using? 

Thanks 

[DF123]

A "L3 support" person reached out to me to help troubleshoot further.

He was unable to resolve it, but wants me to create screen recordings next time it happens. I don't really think it's my job to participate in troubleshooting Arlo's hardware when it's obviously a design flaw. There should be NO WAY for audio to livestream when the privacy shutter is closed - isn't that the entire point of the privacy shutter?! This also does nothing to resolve the ~$100 in data charges I incurred due to this bug streaming audio to my phone continuously for several days...

[DF123]

Also, sorry, I was using the wrong term for the mode. The app/system has been set to "standby" mode this entire time.

[StephenB]

Just wondering

• Did you go into the audio settings for the camera, and turn off the mic?
• Did you look at the rules in the standby mode, and see if the Essential Indoor has a rule there?  If it is listed, does that rule include audio detection? 
• Did you check the smart notification settings, and make sure Smoke/CO alarm is disabled?

[ShayneS]

Hi @DF123 

I wanted to check in and see how your device is performing since your troubleshooting session with my team?

Thanks,

Shayne 

[DF123]

The L3 support person didn't troubleshoot anything - he just asked me to make screen recordings next time I could reproduce it. 

I actually had the problem re-occur yesterday. The system was in "standby" mode with the privacy shutter on the indoor camera closed, but I noticed my phone battery was much lower than expected, then I checked my mobile data usage and the Arlo app had ran through 1GB of data in 1 day. 

I wasn't home, so couldn't make a screen recording demonstrating this, but I will try to reproduce it, again...

[DF123]

Hi Stephen,

Why would I need to turn off the mic? I do want audio when the system is in Arm Away mode (just only when I "Play" the camera, and not continuously in the background!).

There are no Routines set up for the Essential Indoor camear.

The Smoke/CO alarms are disabled.

[StephenB]

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@DF123 wrote:

Why would I need to turn off the mic?

---

I must have been intending to reply to a different post.

[DF123]

I was finally able to reproduce this problem and take a screen recording (and capture the Arlo app logs).

To repeat: the system is in Standby mode with the privacy shutter closed, but streams audio to my phone, even when the app is not open. This seems like a major privacy issue!

I sent this screen recording and logs to the L3 support person who I was working with, and he isn't reply to my emails any longer. I sent them 3 weeks ago and again 1 week ago - no replies. Can someone reach out to help me with this?

[ShayneS]

Hi @DF123 

The Arlo development team is currently investigating reports of this behavior. We will provide an update as soon as we have more information to share with the community.