Is a smart baby monitor worth the privacy risk?

Yes—for convenience, maybe; for privacy, usually no.

A smart baby monitor is worth it if you really want:

• Remote viewing from outside the home
• App alerts and extra features
• Easy sharing with caregivers

The privacy risk comes from:

• Account takeover if passwords are weak or reused
• Cloud storage that can be exposed in a breach
• Missed security updates on cheaper or poorly supported models

Best way to reduce risk: use a strong unique password, turn on 2FA, keep firmware updated, and put it on a guest network if possible.

If privacy is your top priority, a non-Wi‑Fi monitor is the safer choice because it avoids internet/cloud exposure.

Bottom line: choose a smart monitor only if the convenience is worth the added risk; otherwise, go non-Wi‑Fi.