Just a decade ago, a home security camera was a luxury reserved for the wealthy or a bulky, grainy system wired into a single desktop monitor. Today, a crystal-clear 4K camera that can distinguish between a falling leaf and a porch pirate costs less than a dinner for two. From doorbell cams to pan-tilt-zoom indoor units, the "smart home" has gone fully sentinel.

If a person standing on your property with normal eyesight can see it, your camera can record it. If they’d need a ladder or a zoom lens, it’s illegal.

Because in the end, a Ring doorbell won’t help you if you have no neighbors willing to call the police for you.

The best security system comes with a kill switch for suspicion. If your presence makes people uncomfortable, you haven’t bought safety; you’ve bought a surveillance habit. But if your cameras are obvious, limited in scope, and managed with transparency, they will protect your home without tearing the fabric of the community that surrounds it.