SimpliSafe Privacy Policy

Item: SimpliSafe
Rating: 42
Author: Privacy.Law Editorial Team

Last updated: December 2025 | Reviewed: February 2026

Best-in-category privacy practices with local storage options and clearer data policies. Still shares data with law enforcement upon valid request.

Grade C

Privacy Summary: SimpliSafe offers better privacy practices than most competitors. Their indoor camera has a physical privacy shutter, and some footage can be stored locally rather than exclusively in the cloud. However, professional monitoring still requires cloud connectivity, and they comply with law enforcement requests. No major security incidents reported.

Category Scores

Data Collection 45/100

Data Sharing 42/100

Data Retention 48/100

Security Measures 52/100

User Controls 48/100

Key Findings

✓ Physical Privacy Shutter

SimpliSafe's indoor camera includes a physical privacy shutter that completely blocks the camera lens. This provides hardware-level assurance that the camera cannot record when closed, unlike software-only privacy modes.

"The SimpliCam features a built-in privacy shutter that physically covers the lens. When closed, the camera cannot capture video or images."

✓ Cleaner Security Record

Unlike competitors like ADT and Ring, SimpliSafe has not had major publicized incidents of insider access abuse or data breaches affecting customer footage. Their security track record is cleaner than the industry average.

🔎 Cloud Storage for Recordings

Video recordings require cloud storage, which means footage passes through SimpliSafe's servers. While encrypted in transit and at rest, this creates a copy of your home video that could potentially be accessed.

"Video recordings are stored in our secure cloud infrastructure. Footage is encrypted during transmission and storage."

🔎 Law Enforcement Cooperation

SimpliSafe complies with valid law enforcement requests including subpoenas and court orders. They do not have proactive police partnerships like Ring but will share data when legally compelled.

"We may disclose your information in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet law enforcement requirements."

Data Collection Summary

Data Type	Collected	Risk Level
Video Footage	Yes (with subscription)	High
Audio Recording	Yes (doorbell)	High
Entry/Exit Patterns	Yes	Medium
Alarm History	Yes	Medium
Location Data	Limited	Low
Biometric Data	No	None

Recommendation

Better Than Average: SimpliSafe offers better privacy practices than most traditional security companies. The physical privacy shutter on cameras is a meaningful hardware protection that most competitors lack.

For Privacy-Conscious Users: Use the privacy shutter on indoor cameras when home. Understand that cloud-stored video could potentially be accessed by SimpliSafe staff or law enforcement. Consider whether you need indoor cameras at all versus door/window sensors only.