Today, I uninstalled my Blink security camera. It is a cloud connected device controlled by Amazon Corporation with full access to my recordings. I decided that uninstalling the camera is the most reliable mechanism to ensure my footage cannot be accessed (in the future) for privacy violating use cases (AI training, government overreach, etc).

I already built a replacement using a rpi-zero-w with a board camera, wide angle lens and housed in a $5 fake security camera enclosure. That unit instead of being battery operated DOES require 5v power, so I am going through the hassle of running power to it. In exchange, I get:

• 24/7 video streaming (via wifi)
• local recordings of motion activated footage
• no overreach, no privacy violations

I am systematically replacing all privacy risk devices in my house. Having been a Linux user for decades, my computers are already Linux.

I used to have one Microslop Windows machine dedicated to gaming, but last year, I replaced it with Bazzite Linux¹. Faster, plays almost all Steam Powered² games and comes without AI and spyware.

There are no Echoes, Chromecasts, cloud-enabled thermostats or IoT power plugs in my house. My cell phone is a deGoogled /e/OS³ Android Open Source Project phone. Our big screen TV is not a “smart” screen, but effectively just a big monitor connected to an old laptop. Our microwave is capable only of heating food. Our light switches are activated by hand, internal timer or motion, but not via cloud.

Next on the chopping block is the Eero Wifi6E mesh router 😁