Amazon Ring no Longer Sharing Home Security Footage with Police, Company Says
Amazon’s Ring, the popular home security company that sells smart doorbell cameras, announced on Wednesday that it will stop allowing police to request footage from users through its Neighbors app 12.
The Neighbors app is a social network where Ring users can share videos and alerts with their neighbors and local law enforcement. Previously, police could use a feature called “Request for Assistance” to ask users for video clips related to investigations in their areas. Users could choose to accept or decline these requests, or opt out of receiving them altogether.
However, Ring said that it will discontinue this feature in February 2024, as part of a broader update to the Neighbors app. According to a blog post by Eric Kuhn, the head of Neighbors, the app will focus more on “delivering new product and app experiences that we feel are better fit with Ring’s vision and can better empower our customers to connect with each other, and stay informed by local government and public safety agencies” 1.
Kuhn added that public safety agencies can still use the Neighbors app to share safety tips, updates, and community events, but they will no longer be able to request and receive video in the app. He also said that Ring will introduce new features such as “Ring Moments, a new post category that expands the content allowed on the Neighbors app beyond just crime and safety”, and a “Best of Ring” tool that will feature a rotating selection of top videos 1.
Ring’s decision to stop sharing footage with police comes amid growing concerns about the privacy and civil rights implications of its partnerships with hundreds of law enforcement agencies across the U.S. Critics have argued that Ring’s cameras and app create a surveillance network that could enable racial profiling, increase distrust, and undermine democratic oversight 23.
Ring has defended its police partnerships as a way to enhance public safety and community engagement. The company has also claimed that it does not provide user data to law enforcement without consent, unless there is an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, or a valid and binding legal demand 12.
However, some users and activists have welcomed Ring’s move to end its footage-sharing feature, saying that it is a step in the right direction to protect user privacy and civil liberties. Evan Greer, the deputy director of digital rights group Fight for the Future, tweeted that Ring’s announcement is “a huge win for the movement to ban facial recognition and stop invasive surveillance” 3.
What do you think of Ring’s decision to stop sharing footage with police? Do you use Ring’s products or app? How do you feel about their privacy and security policies? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!