Amcrest user UNfriendly policies

see a device that we do not currently have and think we should research in to let us know here. The same goes for features on devices If there is a feature we don't have that you would like please request it here and it will be passed along to the R&D team.
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Darkstar
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Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 10:10 pm

Amcrest user UNfriendly policies

Post by Darkstar »

I don't know where else to air my grievances about some of Amcrest policies towards users so thought I would try here and see if I can get their attention. Now that I have bought a few of Amcrest's cameras, I am of course interested in firmware updates. I did sign up for notifications for firmware updates, but unknown to me (NOT DISCLOSED IN AN OBVIOUS MANNER) apparently by doing so I was agreeing to accept all of their marketing spam also! In the past year I have NOT received a single notification about updates, but I sure have received tons of garbage emails advertising new cameras or cameras I should consider buying. I complained to Amcrest directly about this and got told that this is their policy, if you sign up for update notifications you are also automatically agreeing to receive their marketing spam. HUMP! So I decided to unsubscribe to the firmware update notifications and I AM STILL RECEIVING THEIR MARKETING SPAM! What is worse, I cannot go to the part of their website to see if updates are available without again signing up for their firmware update notifications and of course automatically again agreeing to receive their damn marketing email!

This is ABSURD, and what really sucks is that it appears that firmware updates are not a priority with this company seeing as to how few are released per year. I have also asked for firmware fixes and patches to bugs I have discovered and no releases have been made (or timeline/bug tracking process is reported) to fix these issues. IMHO this is a pretty pathetic way to be treating us customers/users of their products. Wonder what others experiences have been... :evil:
Matts1984
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 06, 2020 7:07 am

Re: Amcrest user UNfriendly policies

Post by Matts1984 »

I noticed the same issue of the "subscribe-wall" in order to get to the firmware downloads page. Ridiculous.... I felt that it was going to go badly when I first signed up as it asked for no info of which firmware updates I was interested in. I don't care about updates for their bluetooth wireless earbuds if I have one model of camera. Once I got to the actual downloads I was even more disappointed that the latest release for my newly manufactured camera is almost 2 years old. I bookmarked the actual page so I don't have to constantly sign up - but not holding out hope any updates anyway. https://amcrest.com/firmwaredownloads
danwithacam
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2020 3:37 am

Re: Amcrest user UNfriendly policies

Post by danwithacam »

This is actually illegal in the EU (GDPR), but they don't have a separate website for EU customers. Unacceptable.
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longedge
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Re: Amcrest user UNfriendly policies

Post by longedge »

danwithacam wrote: Mon Oct 05, 2020 7:14 am This is actually illegal in the EU (GDPR)
Asking people to agree to joining a mailing list is not illegal.

Having said that, I have given feedback in the past saying that I find this and the constant sales pop-up window intensely annoying and counter productive.

Matts1984 gives a direct link to the firmware page in his post.
My AMCREST Cameras:-
2 x IP3M-941B firmware V2.620.00AC00.3.R, Build Date: 2019-12-18
1 x IP2M-841B firmware V2.420.AC00.18.R, Build Date: 2019-08-03
danwithacam
Posts: 16
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Re: Amcrest user UNfriendly policies

Post by danwithacam »

longedge wrote: Tue Oct 06, 2020 1:15 am
danwithacam wrote: Mon Oct 05, 2020 7:14 am This is actually illegal in the EU (GDPR)
Asking people to agree to joining a mailing list is not illegal.

Having said that, I have given feedback in the past saying that I find this and the constant sales pop-up window intensely annoying and counter productive.

Matts1984 gives a direct link to the firmware page in his post.
When you navigate to update firmware from the camera, it does not take you to the page to download firmware but to the page to subscribe to the newsletter in order to "get the latest firmware releases", with no indication whatsoever that there is a way to access these without inputting your information here, there is no "no thank you" link, there is no opt-in for marketing as opposed to just getting your firmware.

This is misleading and therefore is in breach of the GDPR.

The fact the page can be accessed if you have knowledge of its location is irrelevant, as this is deliberately targeting people who do not have this information.
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longedge
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Re: Amcrest user UNfriendly policies

Post by longedge »

There is no breach of GDPR. Ensuring GDPR compliance was something that caused me a lot of work when the regulation was introduced (more information at https://gdpr.eu/tag/gdpr/). It governs the way in which personal data is processed and the reasons for which the data can be held. Once someone fills in a form and submits it the provision of GPR come into play.

GDPR doesn't require that a thank you be offered or govern the way in which a web site is designed.

I would re-iterate that I don't like this aspect of the Amcrest web site either.
My AMCREST Cameras:-
2 x IP3M-941B firmware V2.620.00AC00.3.R, Build Date: 2019-12-18
1 x IP2M-841B firmware V2.420.AC00.18.R, Build Date: 2019-08-03
danwithacam
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2020 3:37 am

Re: Amcrest user UNfriendly policies

Post by danwithacam »

longedge wrote: Wed Oct 07, 2020 5:23 am There is no breach of GDPR. Ensuring GDPR compliance was something that caused me a lot of work when the regulation was introduced (more information at https://gdpr.eu/tag/gdpr/). It governs the way in which personal data is processed and the reasons for which the data can be held. Once someone fills in a form and submits it the provision of GPR come into play.

GDPR doesn't require that a thank you be offered or govern the way in which a web site is designed.

I would re-iterate that I don't like this aspect of the Amcrest web site either.
Well you can't have been the best person for the job if you don't understand that giving people a false premise for a sign up (i.e. requiring someone to sign up for a newsletter in order to receive a service), or specifically in this case, sign up for newsletter in order to access firmware for your owned devices, then you are in breach of the GDPR.

Not only do you arrive at this form from the "Download the latest Firm..." button in the camera admin panel, but also from the "Firmware" link under the "Support" tab on the Amcrest website.

Specifically, article 7, point 4 and clarified by recital 43 of the GDPR:
Consent is presumed not to be freely given if it does not allow separate consent to be given to different personal data processing operations despite it being appropriate in the individual case, or if the performance of a contract, including the provision of a service, is dependent on the consent despite such consent not being necessary for such performance.
Consent to marketing is not necessary to access the service which is the provision of firmware, yet nowhere does Amcrest state this or provide access to the firmware without first receiving a sign up to their email marketing.

Companies no longer being able to require newsletter sign ups in return for services including giveaways was no small issue when the GDPR came into play, that is why whenever you sign up for something, you specifically have to opt-in to email marketing separately from the service which requires your email address (if it requires your email address, which in this case it wouldn't).
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Revo2Maxx
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Re: Amcrest user UNfriendly policies

Post by Revo2Maxx »

Sadly as longedge has stated there is a Direct link to the FW page without your having to signup for a news letter.. I agree it is a PAIN in the back side every time going to the page off the amcrest support links even after you have already signed up it keeps asking so yeah PITA... longedge is from the UK and retired from a Position that I am sure he has good idea that what he is saying and trying to relay to you as not being and issue I would take what he says as truth...
Here to help the best I can.
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