Nest cameras store the data in the cloud and newer devices have local storage (an hour or so). The data is uploaded to the cloud whether you have a subscription or not. Without a subscription, you can't view history. It's still there, just hidden from you. Edit: even without a subscription, the camera still works. You can view it through the Google Home app, so again, it is always connected to the cloud and uploading data. Answer from Stunning_Geese on reddit.com
Reddit
reddit.com › r/privacy › nancy guthrie kidnap victim - video/images recovered with no subscription and no device... how?
r/privacy on Reddit: Nancy Guthrie kidnap victim - Video/images recovered with no subscription and no device... How?
February 10, 2026 -
Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped 10 days ago and they said they were not able to get any images from the camera since they had no subscription and the device was taken.
I'm glad they were able to recover images/video but at the same time for those who are worried about privacy I wonder how they managed to recover images if they had no subscription and the device itself was taken from what was reported.
Perhaps the device was found and they were able to recover some data from it? But if they were able to recover from their servers that's very interesting.
Curious as to what people think about this? Very concerning for privacy.
Top answer 1 of 19
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Nest cameras store the data in the cloud and newer devices have local storage (an hour or so). The data is uploaded to the cloud whether you have a subscription or not. Without a subscription, you can't view history. It's still there, just hidden from you. Edit: even without a subscription, the camera still works. You can view it through the Google Home app, so again, it is always connected to the cloud and uploading data.
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I don't really know but bare in mind we're entering the post-regulation era, I would expect that companies will actively lie about capabilities with impunity. Like google paying out that pathetically small amount in a class action lawsuit for spying on people. They claimed up down left and right that their devices only listen when the wake word is heard, and that turned out to be a flat out lie.
The Guardian
theguardian.com › technology › 2026 › feb › 14 › doorbell-cameras-ring-nancy-guthrie-super-bowl
The problem with doorbell cams: Nancy Guthrie case and Ring Super Bowl ad reawaken surveillance fears | Technology | The Guardian
February 14, 2026 - The publication of the footage from Guthrie’s home indicated that law enforcement could still access “residual data located in backend systems”, in the words of FBI director Kash Patel; cybersecurity experts have said this may be because ...
NYTimes
nytimes.com › 2026 › 02 › 10 › us › guthrie-video-camera-access.html
Why the Guthrie Doorbell Footage Took More Than a Week to Retrieve - The New York Times
February 11, 2026 - Video from a camera sold by Google probably sat in one of its vast data centers. Nancy Guthrie did not have a subscription that would have allowed easy access.
FOX 9
fox9.com › news › nancy-guthrie-pcsd-releases-newly-recovered-photos
Nancy Guthrie case: New photos released from recovered doorbell camera video | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
And while software data recorded movement at the home minutes later, Nancy Guthrie didn't have an active subscription, so none of the footage could be recovered, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos had said.
Published February 11, 2026
Reddit
reddit.com › r/missingpersons › nancy guthrie case: neighbors' ring camera shows potential new evidence
r/MissingPersons on Reddit: Nancy Guthrie case: Neighbors' Ring camera shows potential new evidence
February 26, 2026 - I agree but I guess they only asked people within a 2 mile radius to check their cameras. This house was 2.5 miles and yes I wish they would of checked earlier! ... Yes, if you have a subscription the footage lasts a while.
The Hill
thehill.com › homenews › 5738101-nancy-guthrie-search-fbi-camera-footage
Nancy Guthrie case: How authorities got camera footage through 'backend systems'
February 15, 2026 - The search for Guthrie is in its second week. Authorities say the 84-year-old was likely kidnapped or abducted from her home the night before she was reported missing on Jan. 31. This week, the FBI released photos of a masked person seen in the camera footage, described as a subject in the investigation. Without a premium subscription, Nest cameras don’t save video history, though live views and alerts still work, Wandt said.
AZFamily
azfamily.com › 2026 › 02 › 21 › doorbell-video-guthrie-case-raises-questions-about-surveillance-privacy
Doorbell video in Guthrie case raises questions about surveillance, privacy
The video was recovered despite Guthrie reportedly not having a subscription to the cloud service associated with the device, raising questions about how the footage existed and was accessible.
Published February 21, 2026
KSBW
ksbw.com › article › nancy-guthrie-fbi-nest-camera-video-raises-privacy-questions › 70306538
Video in investigation into Nancy Guthrie's abduction raises questions about surveillance technology
February 15, 2026 - The process involved days of searching, the FBI said, after law enforcement initially believed the footage was lost because the camera was disconnected and Guthrie didn't have a subscription to the camera company.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/technology › how did the fbi get nancy guthrie's google nest camera footage if it was disabled — and what does it mean for your privacy?
r/technology on Reddit: How did the FBI get Nancy Guthrie's Google Nest camera footage if it was disabled — and what does it mean for your privacy?
February 12, 2026 - ... Nancy Guthrie had a nest cam with no subscription and device was taken - they recovered images from the camera - how? ... Went to the Protests Over the Weekend? Here’s How You Might Be Surveilled Now | A couple things to keep in mind about ...
KRCR TV
krcrtv.com › news › nation-world › nancy-guthrie-missing-fbi-release-surveillance-photo-potential-subject-ring-doorbell-camera-home-investigation-tuscon-arizona-today-show-host-savannah-pima-county
FBI releases photos of potential subject in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance
February 13, 2026 - Investigators had been hopeful that cameras at the home would turn up some evidence about how she went missing, but the doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday. And while software data recorded movement at the home minutes later, Nancy Guthrie didn’t have an active subscription, so none of the footage could be recovered, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos had said.
PBS
pbs.org › newshour › nation › images-of-masked-person-on-nancy-guthrie-s-porch-released-by-fbi
Images show masked person on Nancy Guthrie's porch the night she went missing | PBS News
February 10, 2026 - And while software data recorded movement at the home minutes later, Nancy Guthrie didn't have an active subscription, so none of the footage could be recovered, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos had said.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/nest › nancy guthrie had a nest cam with no subscription and device was taken - they recovered images from the camera - how?
r/Nest on Reddit: Nancy Guthrie had a nest cam with no subscription and device was taken - they recovered images from the camera - how?
February 10, 2026 -
Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped 10 days ago and they said they were not able to get any images from the camera since they had no subscription and the device was taken.
I'm glad they were able to recover images/video but at the same time for those who are worried about privacy I wonder how they managed to recover images if they had no subscription and the device itself was taken from what was reported.
Perhaps the device was found and they were able to recover some data from it? But if they were able to recover from their servers that's very interesting.
Curious as to what people think about this?
Top answer 1 of 33
126
Even without a subscription the video is being sent to Google servers. You can view the last three hours of events without a subscription so the video is being sent to Google servers.
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This just shows they collect data reguardless. Most likely an engineer said if you send us the MAC address we can probably get those images
Straight Arrow News
san.com › home › news › nancy guthrie’s doorbell camera may have recorded her abductor. why police can’t see the video
Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera may have recorded her abductor. Why police can’t see the video
February 6, 2026 - Investigators searching for Nancy Guthrie say her security camera didn't record video because she didn't pay for the subscription.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/missingpersons › nancy guthrie sheriff shares terrifying new doorbell camera details and says nobody has been ruled out as suspect
r/MissingPersons on Reddit: Nancy Guthrie sheriff shares terrifying new doorbell camera details and says nobody has been ruled out as suspect
February 5, 2026 - ... If you don't pay for Nest subscription it does not record to cloud nor anywhere, but does alert your phone that it detected a human (or animal). The cops did say they had an alert of a detection at a specific time.
Fox Business
foxbusiness.com › technology › ring-founder-addresses-fbi-recovery-doorbell-footage-nancy-guthrie-disappearance-case
Ring founder addresses FBI recovery of doorbell footage in Nancy Guthrie disappearance case
Ring founder Jamie Siminoff said Tuesday that Ring does not store deleted doorbell footage without a subscription, as questions continue over how law enforcement recovered previously inaccessible video evidence in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.
Published February 11, 2026
Reddit
reddit.com › r/technology › why are people disconnecting or destroying their ring cameras?
r/technology on Reddit: Why are people disconnecting or destroying their Ring cameras?
February 12, 2026 - It's a common misconception that AI is being trained continuously on the data that's being fed into it, the training of models is done separately specifically so they have control on the input data. This was talking point in the 'Better Offline' podcast of yesterday. ... Because in Guthrie’s kidnapping case, FBI got access to the camera’s footage despite it being “disconnected” from the cloud at the time
CBS News
cbsnews.com › technology › how did investigators recover nancy guthrie's doorbell footage?
Cybersecurity experts explain how surveillance footage of Nancy Guthrie's home was recovered - CBS News
February 11, 2026 - But many are questioning how footage was recovered from a doorbell camera that officials said was disconnected with no active subscription to store video. With a free Google Nest plan, the video should have been deleted within 3 to 6 hours — ...
NBC News
nbcnews.com › tech › tech-news › investigators-wrangled-video-nancy-guthries-google-nest-camera-backend-rcna258460
Investigators wrangled video from Nancy Guthrie’s Google Nest camera out of ‘backend systems’
Shortly after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, Pima County, Arizona, Sheriff Chris Nanos said that a camera affixed to her door had been disconnected, that she did not have a subscription that would have saved video and that investigators were trying ...
Published February 12, 2026