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New ADT data reveals how theft can shake confidence, disrupt sleep, and erode trust in your community

• Nearly one in four theft victims say they feel less safe in their homes after a break-in, and many struggle to regain peace of mind.

• ADTs data shows that theft can deeply affect emotional well-being leaving 40% of victims with less trust in their neighborhood and 35% feeling helpless or violated.

• Experts say rebuilding security starts with practical steps like home monitoring, better communication with neighbors, and habits that keep your home protected every day.

For most people, home is where you should feel safest.

But when that space is violated whether through a break-in, a porch theft, or even an attempted burglary the emotional fallout can linger long after the locks are changed. According to new data from ADT, the trauma of a home theft can ripple through nearly every part of daily life, from how well people sleep to how much they trust their neighbors.

The security companys data also shows that nearly a quarter of people whove experienced theft say they feel less safe in their own homes afterward. Four in ten report losing trust in their neighborhood, and over a third say the experience left them feeling helpless or violated.

ConsumerAffairs spoke with Jimmy Lin, Vice President of Product Management at ADT, about the hidden emotional toll of home break-ins and what homeowners can do to rebuild their sense of security after the unthinkable happens.

The mental toll of a break-in

Lin explained that many consumers are nervous about home break-ins for the safety of their belongings, but these events can unfortunately have a larger impact than just on your possessions.

From ADTs 2025 Safety Report, we found that break-ins can take away peace of mind, with nearly a quarter of Americans reporting that they feel less safe in their homes after experiencing theft.

Additional data showed that over one-third of those affected by theft said they felt helpless or violated afterward. That emotional weight can last long after the locks are changed or insurance claims are filed.

Prioritize safety at home

While it may be hard to shake these feelings, prioritizing safety at home is how consumers can get some control back.

The best way to ensure youre safe at home is with a security system, which typically includes indoor and outdoor security cameras, door and window sensors, security alarms, and motion sensors, Lin said.

Home security systems are designed to protect your home and property from break-ins as well as other threats like fires and carbon monoxide. Systems with 24/7 professional monitoring add another layer of protection with experts monitoring your system around the clock and responding to any alerts or emergencies immediately. Daily habits like keeping doors and windows locked seem obvious, yet 38% of people always or occasionally leave their door unlocked while at home and 20% leave windows open while away.

Talk to your neighbors

After any breach of home safety, your neighborhood may not feel as safe as it once did. However, Lin encourages consumers to maintain communication with their neighbors, as this sense of community can ensure more people are looking out for you and your family.

When it comes to home and neighborhood safety, lock up, stay aware of routines that leave your home vulnerable, and talk to your neighbors, he said. Being part of a community that watches out for each other can help you recover faster after an incident.

Do not rely on habits that feel secure but are not, such as hiding keys under mats, using fake signs and decoy cameras, or assuming daytime means lower risk. In fact, package theft commonly happens in the middle of the afternoon between 12 PM and 6 PM.

Street view is great for directions not for showing strangers your front door

• You can ask Google to blur your home in Street View so strangers cant zoom in on your doors, windows, cars, or kids play areas
• Do it on a computer: open your address in Street View click Report a problem drag the box over your house tell Google exactly what to blur submit
• Once Google approves it, the blur is permanent, so be sure you want your home hidden before you send the request

You can look up almost anyones house on Google Maps in a few seconds. Thats convenient when youre trying to find a friends place and a little creepy when you realize strangers can do it to you, too.

Thats why some homes show up blurred in Street View: the owners asked Google to do it. And yes, you can do the same. Heres why blurring your home is worth considering, and exactly how to request it.

Why people blur their house

The main reason people blur their house if for privacy and safety concerns. Street View doesnt just show an address, it can show windows, doors, side gates, even what kind of car you parked in the driveway. This all pretty useful, and easy to access information for the wrong person.

• Burglars can see where entry points are or whether theres a gate.
• Stalkers can confirm theyve got the right house.
• If you have kids, high-value items in the garage, or a home office in the front window, you probably dont want that visible to just anyone.

Blurring isnt a complete fail-safe, but it definitely removes a very public source of information about your house.

What blurring actually does

When Google approves your request, the house (or license plate, or faces) you selected will appear permanently blurred in Street View. Someone can still see the general area and street on the map, but the front of your home wont be clearly visible.

Its also worth noting that according to Google, the blur is permanent and cant be undone, so be sure you really want it hidden.

How to blur your house on Google Maps

You cant do this from the mobile app, so youll need to use a laptop or desktop computer to make it happen. Here are the steps:

1. Go to Google Maps in a browser (maps.google.com).

2.Type in your address and drop into Street View (little yellow person icon, or click the Street View thumbnail).

3.At the bottom right of the Street View screen, click Report a problem. Look closely, its in a tiny font.

4.Youll see the Street View image with a red box. Position that box over the part you want blurred your whole house, the garage, even a car or license plate. Use zoom if needed.

5.In the form, pick what you want blurred: My home, A face, My car/license plate, etc.

6.Describe it clearly. Tell Google blur the entire front of the house at [address] including the driveway. The more specific, the better.

7.Enter your email and submit.

Google will then email you to say they got the request and will review it. Sometimes they ask for more detail and sometimes they just approve it. Once approved, your house will show up blurred in Street View.

When blurring is especially smart

In these scenarios, removing easy visuals of your home is an especially good idea.

• Youve had harassment or stalking issues in the past.
• Your home shows kids play areas or easily identifiable entry points.
• You run a home business and dont want customers or strangers to see where you live.
• You own a high-value vehicle that always sits in the driveway.

A few things blurring doesnt fix

Keep in mind that blurring your Street View doesnt remove your address from the internet, and it doesnt stop people from taking photos in public.

It just removes one of the most common, free, high-resolution views of your house that anyone can pull up.

So, think of it like locking a gate. People might still know you live there, but they can no longer see straight in.

Settlement follows state investigation into streaming privacy practices

• Californias attorney general says Sling TV failed to make it easy for users to opt out of personal data sales.

• The company also allegedly lacked sufficient protections for childrens data.

• The $530,000 settlement requires Sling TV to overhaul its privacy and opt-out systems.

Sling TV LLC and Dish Media Sales LLC have agreed to pay $530,000 to settle allegations that they violated the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), state officials announced. The settlement resolves a California Department of Justice investigation into how streaming services and connected TVs handle consumer data and opt-out rights.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Sling TV failed to provide users with an easy way to stop the sale of their personal information and did not offer adequate privacy protections for children using the platform.

The proposed agreement, which still requires court approval, includes both financial penalties and strict compliance measures. Sling TV must now implement clear, simple opt-out processes, limit data collection for minors, and improve transparency for parents.

Privacy lapses centered on confusing opt-out process

Investigators found that Sling TVs opt-out process was needlessly complex and failed to meet CCPA requirements. The platform combined cookie preferences with the opt-out feature, which did not actually prevent the sale or sharing of user data.

Consumers were directed to an embedded link leading to a multi-step web form. Even customers logged into their accounts had to manually submit personal detailsincluding their name, address, email, and phone numberto request data protections.

The company also did not offer child-specific profiles that would reduce or eliminate targeted advertising for younger viewers, a key expectation under state law.

Streaming platform relied on personal data for ads

Sling TV operates both a paid subscription and a free, ad-supported streaming service, using viewer information such as age, gender, location, and income to deliver personalized ads. Regulators said the companys advertising model increased the need for strict data-handling safeguards.

Companies that profit from personal data must make privacy a priority, Bonta said in announcing the settlement.

Under the agreement, Sling TV must redesign its privacy settings so that opting out of data sales takes minimal effort and reflects how consumers actually interact with its services. The company must also clearly disclose how childrens data is collected, stored, and used.

Broader crackdown on digital privacy compliance

The settlement is part of Californias broader push to enforce the CCPA across digital platforms, particularly streaming services and connected TV providers that rely heavily on user data.

Attorney General Bontas office has previously warned companies that misleading or burdensome opt-out systems violate consumer protection laws. The Sling TV case signals that regulators plan to hold more streaming and advertising platforms accountable for privacy transparency.

Todays settlement sends a clear message, Bonta said. California consumers deserve control over their personal informationand companies must make that control easy to exercise.

Amazon, Perplexity trade blows over "trespassing" and bullying

• Amazon is suing Perplexity for pretending to be human
• Perplexity says Amazon is bullying its competitors
• It's a fast-developing battle over the use of AI "agents"

Amazon filed a lawsuit Tuesday against AI startup Perplexity, accusing it of illegally accessing Amazon customer accounts and disguising automated browsing as human activity through its agentic shopping feature.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, marks one of the first major legal battles over how autonomous AI agents should interact with commercial websites. It underscores growing tension between major tech platforms and startups building tools that can independently navigate and act online.

Amazon alleges covert access and security risks

In the complaint, Amazon said Perplexitys Comet browser and its integrated Comet AI agent used automation to log in to Amazons site, browse listings, and place orders without authorization. The tech giant accused the startup of covertly accessing private accounts, posing security risks to customer data, and ignoring repeated requests to stop.

Rather than be transparent, Perplexity has purposely configured its CometAI software to not identify the Comet AI agents activities in the Amazon Store, Amazon said in the filing. Perplexitys misconduct must end. That Perplexitys trespass involves code rather than a lockpick makes it no less unlawful.

Amazon added that the automated tool degraded customers shopping experiences and interfered with its ability to deliver personalized recommendations built up over decades.

Perplexity accuses Amazon of bullying competitors

Perplexity, which has grown rapidly amid the boom in AI-driven assistants, has previously rejected Amazons claims, saying the company was using its market power to stifle innovation.

The startup said it had already received a legal threat from Amazon demanding that it block Comets AI agent from operating on its site. Bullying is when large corporations use legal threats and intimidation to block innovation and make life worse for people, Perplexity wrote in a blog post.

The company said its software keeps user credentials stored locally rather than on its servers, and that users have the right to choose whichever AI assistant they trust to handle online tasks. Easier shopping means more transactions and happier customers, the company said, according to a Reuters report. But Amazon doesnt caretheyre more interested in serving you ads.

The battle over AI agents heats up

The case highlights a brewing debate over how autonomous digital agentsAI tools capable of independently performing online actions such as searching, comparing, and purchasingshould be regulated.

Amazon itself is developing similar features, including Buy For Me, which lets users shop across brands within its app, and Rufus, an AI assistant designed to recommend items and manage shopping carts.

Perplexitys Comet browser represents a new generation of AI-enhanced interfaces designed to handle everything from writing emails to completing purchases. But as companies like Amazon tighten control over their ecosystems, questions about transparency, data access, and fair competition are moving from the engineering lab to the courtroom.

Whats next

Amazon is asking the court to bar Perplexity from using automated agents to access its site and to require the company to disclose how its system interacts with user accounts.

The outcome could set a precedent for how AI agents are allowed to interact with major online platformsa decision that may shape the future of automated web browsing and digital commerce.