ADT LLC, a security company that offers customers, inter alia, video monitoring of their homes, has been sued in Florida federal court due to employee accessing and viewing footage over the course of several years from in-home security cameras of 220 customers.  The rogue employee was a technician for the defendant and in charge of installing security systems in customers’ homes in the Dallas-Forth Worth metro area.  He apparently added his own personal email address to customers’ accounts, which allowed him to access the accounts through the ADT application and internet portal.  The lawsuits against ADT claim breach of contract, negligence, intrusion upon seclusion, negligent hiring and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

While this case concerns actions that took place over a time period of several years and is not directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the case should have executives at companies scrutinizing their own policies and procedures with regard to customer information, including image and video data.  Especially with so many employees working from home and accessing sensitive information within the confines of their own homes, it is more important now than ever before to ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to protect customer information and to protect a company for potential liability.  For example, make sure that only employees that need access to sensitive information have access; review programs and procedures for loopholes; and review corporate policies governing employee behavior.