Anker’s Eufy security camera division launched a data collection campaign that offered customers $2 per video to help train its artificial intelligence systems for theft detection. The initiative sought to gather thousands of videos of both real and staged theft scenarios.
The initial incentive campaign
Running from December 18, 2024, to February 25, 2025, the program aimed to collect 20,000 videos each of package and car theft. Customers could participate by uploading videos through a Google Form and providing their PayPal account details for payment.
Eufy explicitly encouraged users to submit staged events, with its website suggesting they “create events by pretending to be a thief and donate those events.” This created scenarios where a user could potentially earn up to $80 by staging multiple theft attempts captured by different cameras simultaneously.
According to user comments, more than 120 people participated in the program.
Ongoing video donation programs
Following the initial campaign, Eufy has introduced other video donation initiatives. The current in-app program offers non-monetary rewards, from digital “Apprentice Medals” to physical gifts like cameras and gift cards. An “Honor Wall” within the app ranks users by their contributions, with the top donor having submitted 201,531 videos.
The company states that all donated videos, including those from other devices like baby monitors, are used exclusively for AI training and will not be provided to third parties.
Privacy context and industry trends
This data collection approach reflects a broader trend of tech companies using user-generated content to improve their AI models. However, Eufy’s privacy record has previously drawn scrutiny. In 2023, The Verge reported that the company’s claims of end-to-end encryption were misleading, as camera streams were unencrypted when accessed through its web portal. Anker later acknowledged the issue and committed to fixing it.
The video donation program highlights the ongoing tension between user privacy and the tech industry’s demand for data to drive innovation. While financial incentives can encourage participation, they also raise important questions about consent and the long-term implications of sharing personal video content.
