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Reolink Security Cameras

Reolink Innovation Inc. · Camera / Doorbell

Staff Reviewed · 2026-09-28 — a person at DeSpy reviewed this rating. Reviewer's note: Verified

4.4Surveillance
Index
Policy — what its policy permitsD
Evidence — what research provesC

Reolink sells Wi-Fi and PoE cameras, NVRs and doorbells that can run fully local and offline (local NVR/SD recording, no mandatory subscription or account for on-network viewing), which is a genuine privacy strength. However, the companion app and cloud features route data through Reolink's servers, and independent testers have repeatedly flagged embedded Chinese analytics/tracking SDKs and P2P weaknesses. As a Chinese-owned firm, data touching its cloud is exposed to PRC legal-access regimes.

Why this rating

Policy: strong local/offline, no-subscription operation (+local-processing) but audio/video capture (-15), third-party/tracker data flows (-15), PRC-jurisdiction and loose law-enforcement exposure (-5), and vague disclosures (-7). Evidence: independent researchers (Exodus Privacy; documented by BornCity, Jan 2025) found three Chinese trackers - AutoNavi/Amap, Baidu and WeChat location - bundled in the Reolink Android app (Reolink says these were a development testing tool removed in Feb 2025).

What it is

Manufacturer
Reolink Innovation Inc.
Category
Camera / Doorbell
Model years
2018-present
Market status
Current
Companion app
Reolink

The evidence 1

Independent research, regulatory action, lawsuits and journalism about how this device handles personal data — the "what actually happens" axis. Each links to its source.

  1. S3Reolink Android app contains now three Chinese trackers
    Journalism · BornCity · 2025-01

    Analysis (via Exodus Privacy tracker detection) found Reolink's Android app v4.50.0.4 bundled AutoNavi/Amap, Baidu Location and WeChat location trackers.

    Why it matters here: Independent detection of undisclosed Chinese tracking SDKs in this device's companion app.

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Think something here is wrong?

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Descriptive, cited, not legal advice; ratings are versioned and corrections create a new version. Data from the IoT Info Grabber DB research project, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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