[mymacbook]

Having a status light ON for an outside camera seems smart for both sides – pro-privacy & communicating the property is under surveillance. What sounds frustrating is that when your network / wifi connection goes down the status light flashes amber – there was never a way to turn this feature off even if you had the status light off (previously). If you're a potential thief and you see am amber flashing light on a Drop/Nest cam, you know you're not being recorded. That's the bummer with cloud-only camera recording, there is no redundancy. I wish there was an option to "hide" error states in the status light and just keep it on as if nothing is wrong.

Of course the discussion so far has been limited to whether you should have a choice when your camera is inside the home and used for things like a nursery/baby cam? Should you have a choice "hiding" a camera to record anyone who breaks in?

I don't have good blanket answers, however I think it's illegal in Germany to record someone without consent, even if it's an intruder in your own home. Right now it seems the decision has been made for Google camera owners.

[UnFleshedOne]

I don't know how nest camera is built like, but can't you cover the light with a bit of tape and be done with it?

[marklyon]

Yes, but you risk also blocking the IR illuminators that let it work at night.