Amazon's Ring will no longer allow law enforcement to request doorbell camera footage from users, ending a feature that has drawn criticism from privacy advocates.
Ring announced in a blog post Wednesday that it is retiring the “Request for Assistance” tool that allows police departments and other public safety agencies to request and receive video captured by doorbell cameras through Ring's Neighbors app.
The company did not provide a reason for the change, but it will go into effect this week.
Neighbors President Eric Kuhn said in a statement that law enforcement agencies will still be able to make public posts on the Neighbors app. Coon said police and other agencies can also continue to use the app to “share helpful safety tips, updates and community events.”
The update is the latest restriction Ring has placed on police activity in its Neighbors app following concerns raised by privacy watchdog groups about Ring's relationship with police departments across the country.
Critics say the prevalence of these relationships, and the ability for users to report what they deem suspicious behavior, could turn neighborhoods into sites of continuous surveillance and lead to increased racial profiling. Emphasized.
To increase transparency, Ring changed its policy in 2021 to make police requests publicly available through the Neighbors app.
Previously, law enforcement could send private emails requesting video footage to ring owners who lived near areas where investigations were being conducted.
Matthew Guariglia, senior policy analyst at digital rights organization the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said in a statement Wednesday that Ring is “completely exiting the business of platforming random, warrantless video requests to users.” I hope so.”
Law enforcement can access the video using a search warrant.
Ring also reserves the right to share footage without your consent in limited circumstances.
In mid-2022, Ring released 11 videos that year without notifying users due to “urgent or exigent” circumstances, one of the categories in which videos can be shared without the owner's permission. He said he had handed it over to the police.
But Guariglia, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the group remains skeptical that police and the company can determine what is and isn't an emergency.
Last summer, Ring agreed to pay $5.8 million in a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations that it gave its employees and contractors access to user videos.
Additionally, the agency said Ring's security measures were inadequate, allowing hackers to take control of consumers' accounts and cameras.
The company disagrees with those claims.
