Anker paid Eufy users $2 per video to train AI theft detection
Anker's Eufy security cameras offered users cash rewards for submitting videos of thefts to improve AI algorithms, collecting hundreds of thousands of clips.
Theft Detection
Earlier this year, Anker, the Chinese company behind Eufy security cameras, launched a campaign offering users $2 per video to submit footage of package and car thefts. The initiative aimed to train Eufy’s AI systems to better detect criminal activity.
Campaign Details
- Offered $2 per video for theft footage (source)
- Encouraged staged events (“pretend to be a thief”) for efficiency
- Ran from December 2024 to February 2025
- Collected 20,000+ videos per category (package thefts, car door thefts)
- Paid via PayPal (submission form)
Eufy clarified that “data is used solely for AI training”, but privacy concerns linger given past security lapses.
Privacy Risks and Past Controversies
- In 2023, The Verge exposed Eufy’s false claims about end-to-end encryption (report)
- Recent TechCrunch investigation revealed similar issues with Neon, a call-recording app (article)
Ongoing AI Training Programs
Eufy continues to incentivize video donations:
- Rewards: Badges, gift cards, cameras
- Honor Wall: Top contributor donated 201,531 videos
- Baby monitor footage also collected (guide)
Key Questions Unanswered
- Total payments to users
- Data deletion post-training
- Third-party sharing (despite claims)
Reported by Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai for TechCrunch
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About the Author
Dr. Emily Wang
AI Product Strategy Expert
Former Google AI Product Manager with 10 years of experience in AI product development and strategy formulation. Led multiple successful AI products from 0 to 1 development process, now provides product strategy consulting for AI startups while writing AI product analysis articles for various tech media outlets.