Anker, the manufacturer behind Eufy security cameras, launched a controversial data-gathering campaign between December 2024 and February 2025. The company incentivized users with a $2 payment for every submitted video depicting package thefts or car break-ins to train its artificial intelligence algorithms.
Monetizing User Surveillance for AI Training
The initiative encouraged customers to provide both real and staged footage. According to the company’s official announcement, participants were explicitly prompted to simulate criminal acts to improve AI detection capabilities. The program was lucrative for some, with the potential to earn $80 if a user managed to stage and capture multiple camera angles of a car break-in.
Eufy utilized a Google Form to collect video uploads and process PayPal payments. While the company stated that data would be used exclusively for algorithm refinement, the move highlights a growing trend of tech firms leveraging consumer data to fuel AI development, often raising significant security and privacy concerns.
Scale of Participation and Ongoing Programs
User participation was substantial, with over 120 individuals publicly confirming their involvement on the campaign page. The company set an ambitious target of collecting 20,000 videos for each category of theft. Despite requests for clarification regarding total payouts, the number of videos collected, and data retention policies, Eufy has remained silent.
The company continues to push for data contributions through its “Video Donation Program.” This in-app initiative offers rewards ranging from digital badges to hardware gifts. An “Honor Wall” within the app tracks the most prolific contributors, with one user reported to have donated over 200,000 video events. Furthermore, Eufy has solicited video donations from its baby monitor line, though these requests do not appear to offer financial compensation.
A History of Privacy Concerns
Skepticism surrounding Eufy’s data practices is not unfounded. In 2023, reports from The Verge revealed that the company falsely advertised end-to-end encryption for camera streams accessed via web portals. Anker eventually admitted to the security lapse and pledged to rectify the issue after public scrutiny.
The broader implications of such programs are significant. As seen with other viral services, such as the now-defunct app Neon, which faced security flaws after incentivizing data sharing, the storage and handling of sensitive user-generated content remain high-risk areas for privacy breaches.