Editing Ring (section)

==Controversies==

===Subscription required for local storage===
Ring security cameras are the more premium product line of security cameras.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/22704290/amazon-blink-ring-camera-doorbell-brands-smart-home-why</ref> There are different subscriptions possible, there is basic, standard and premium.<ref name=":0">https://ring.com/plans; [https://web.archive.org/web/20250124214629/https://ring.com/plans Archive link of 2025-01-24]</ref> Ring cameras are cloud-first, and with these subscriptions comes different variants of cloud storage for the video footage that your cameras record. There is also an additional product that you can buy, and for local recordings there is even a must buy for the more premium products.<ref>https://ring.com/support/articles/t6xbc/Store-and-Process-Videos-Locally-with-Ring-Edge-and-Ring-Alarm-Pro</ref> To record locally to a MicroSD card, you need the Ring Alarm Pro base station ($249.99)<ref>https://ring.com/products/alarm-pro-base-station; [https://web.archive.org/web/20250108152541/https://ring.com/products/alarm-pro-base-station Archive link of 2025-01-08]</ref> and what is called "Ring Edge for Alarm Pro" in your subscription. The only subscription that offers this feature is the most expensive subscription, which is the premium subscription, costing $19.99/mo or $199.99/yr.<ref name=":0" />

===Police partnerships===
''The following section was sourced from [[Wikipedia:Ring_(company)#Police_partnerships|Wikipedia]]:''

In June 2019, Ring faced criticism over a "Community Alert" program, under which the company has made geographically-targeted sponsored posts on social media services such as Facebook, asking readers to provide tips on suspects in verified cases, based on imagery posted on the Neighbors service by a Ring customer. Ring stated that it sought permission from the user before using their content in this manner. However, these discoveries did lead to concerns over the use of such footage in material deemed to effectively be advertising, as well as concerns over other possible uses of the footage (such as for training facial recognition) due to the wide copyright license that users must grant to in order to use Neighbors (an irrevocable, unlimited, and royalty-free license to use shared content "for any purpose and in any media formats in any media channels without compensation to you"), and Ring's partnerships with local law enforcement agencies.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reichert|first=Corinne|title=Ring puts suspected thief in Facebook sponsored ads|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/ring-puts-suspected-thief-in-facebook-sponsored-ads/|access-date=June 18, 2019|website=CNET|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Alba|first1=Davey|last2=Mac|first2=Ryan|date=June 7, 2019|title=Amazon's Doorbell Camera Company Is Using Security Video For Ads. That May Only Be The Beginning.|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/daveyalba/amazon-ring-doorbell-company-using-security-footage-for-ads|access-date=June 12, 2019|website=BuzzFeed News|language=en}}</ref>

Digital rights advocacy group Fight for the Future criticized Ring for using its cameras and Neighbors app to build a private surveillance network via partnerships with local law enforcement agencies, which encourage them to promote the products. The group stated that these partnerships "undermine our democratic process and basic civil liberties".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-49191005|title=Amazon's Ring doorbell police tie-up criticised|work=BBC News|date=August 1, 2019|access-date=August 3, 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/this-map-tells-you-where-police-have-partnered-with-amazons-ring/|title=This map tells you where police have partnered with Amazon's Ring|last=Ng|first=Alfred|website=CNET|language=en|access-date=August 3, 2019}}</ref> According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Ring used these partnerships and its marketing strategies to foster fear, which leads to a "vicious cycle" that spurs hardware sales. The organization said that Ring, as well as Neighbors and similar "neighborhood watch" apps such as Citizen and Nextdoor, "facilitate reporting of so-called 'suspicious' behavior that really amounts to racial profiling."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/08/amazons-ring-perfect-storm-privacy-threats|title=Amazon's Ring Is a Perfect Storm of Privacy Threats|last=Guariglia|first=Matthew|date=August 8, 2019|website=Electronic Frontier Foundation|language=en|access-date=August 13, 2019}}</ref> Matt Cagle of the American Civil Liberties Union said that the Ring Neighbors Portal "blurs the line between corporate and government surveillance" and that "Many people are not going to feel like they have a choice when law enforcement asks for access to their footage".<ref name="Intercept">{{cite web|last=Biddle|first=Sam|date=February 14, 2019|title=Amazon's Home Surveillance Chief Declared War on "Dirtbag Criminals" as Company Got Closer to Police|url=https://theintercept.com/2019/02/14/amazon-ring-police-surveillance/|access-date=January 17, 2020|website=The Intercept}}</ref>

In July 2019, Vice publication ''Motherboard'' obtained records revealing the extent of Ring's partnership with the Lakeland (Florida) Police Department (LPD). The department was granted access to a "Law Enforcement Neighborhood Portal" for making posts on Neighbors and the ability to "request videos directly from Ring users," and received a donation of 15 Ring cameras. However, the memorandum of understanding stated that the LPD would be required to participate in "outreach efforts on the platform to encourage adoption of the platform/app" (receiving $10 credits for Ring camera purchases for each new user). Ring also recommended that the LPD establish specific new positions for the partnership, including a "social media coordinator".<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Haskins|first1=Caroline|last2=Koebler|first2=Jason|date=July 25, 2019|title=Amazon Requires Police to Shill Surveillance Cameras in Secret Agreement|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mb88za/amazon-requires-police-to-shill-surveillance-cameras-in-secret-agreement|access-date=August 2, 2019|website=Vice|language=en-US}}</ref> Later in the month, ''Motherboard'' obtained public records containing an officer's notes from an April 2019 training webinar, which stated that Ring had partnered with at least 200 law enforcement partners.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Haskins|first1=Caroline|last2=Maiberg|first2=Emanuel|last3=Mead|first3=Derek|last4=Koebler|first4=Jason|date=July 29, 2019|title=Amazon Told Police It Has Partnered With 200 Law Enforcement Agencies|url=https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/j5wyjy/amazon-told-police-it-has-partnered-with-200-law-enforcement-agencies|access-date=August 2, 2019|website=Vice|language=en-US}}</ref> In early August 2019, ''Motherboard'' also reported that Ring would match payments by cities to cover the subsidized purchase of Ring cameras, so that they could be resold to residents at a discount.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Haskins|first1=Caroline|last2=Koebler|first2=Jason|last3=Mead|first3=Derek|date=August 2, 2019|title=US Cities Are Helping People Buy Amazon Surveillance Cameras With Taxpayer Money|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/d3ag37/us-cities-are-helping-people-buy-amazon-surveillance-cameras-using-taxpayer-money|access-date=August 2, 2019|website=Vice|language=en-US}}</ref>

In November 2020, a pilot program in Jackson, Mississippi, enabled participating Ring users to enable police to livestream their cameras at any time.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Holmes|first=Aaron|title=Police are tapping into residents' Ring doorbells and home security cameras to stream 24/7 live video|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ring-doorbells-live-video-security-camera-police-fusus-2020-11|access-date=November 11, 2020|website=Business Insider}}</ref>

===Alleged use of facial recognition technology===
''The following section was sourced from [[Wikipedia:Ring_(company)#Alleged_use_of_facial_recognition_technology|Wikipedia]]:''

In February 2018, Business Insider reported references to use of facial recognition technology in Ring's privacy policy. The policy stated:<blockquote>Where permitted by applicable law, you may choose to use additional functionality in your Ring product that, through video data from your device, '''can recognize facial characteristics of familiar visitors'''. For example, you may want to receive different notifications from your Ring Doorbell depending on whether a visitor is a stranger or a member of your household. '''If you choose to activate this feature, we obtain certain facial feature information about the visitors you ask your Ring product to recognize'''. We require your explicit consent before you can take advantage of this feature.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ghosh|first=Shona|title=Amazon's newest acquisition, the doorbell startup Ring, made a smart move to fend off Google|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-smart-doorbell-ring-facial-recognition-2018-2|access-date=2023-07-20|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-07-25|title=Privacy {{!}} Ring|url=https://shop.ring.com/pages/privacy|access-date=2023-07-20|archive-date=July 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725110729/https://shop.ring.com/pages/privacy}}</ref></blockquote>In December 2018, patents filed by Ring surfaced to identify "suspicious" people and automatically alert police.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Amazon's Ring takes heat for considering facial recognition for its video doorbells|url=https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/amazons-ring-takes-heat-for-considering-facial-recognition-for-its-video-doorbells/|access-date=2023-07-20|website=CNET|language=en}}</ref>

In August 2019, a Buzzfeed News reported, "Ring Says It Doesn't Use Facial Recognition, But It Has "A Head Of Face Recognition Research."" The piece reported on a 2018 presentation from Ring Ukraine's "Head of Face Recognition Research", as well as a statement from Ring Ukraine's website stating, "We develop semi-automated crime prevention and monitoring systems which are based on, but not limited to, face recognition."<ref>{{Cite web|first1=Nicole|last1=Nguyen|first2=Ryan|last2=Mac|date=2019-08-30|title=Ring Says It Doesn't Use Facial Recognition, But It Has "A Head Of Face Recognition Research"|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nicolenguyen/amazon-ring-facial-recognition-ukraine|access-date=2023-07-20|website=BuzzFeed News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-05-23|title=Ring Ukraine|url=https://ring-ukraine.com/|access-date=2023-07-20|archive-date=May 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523100219/https://ring-ukraine.com/}}</ref>

Also in 2019, as part of his investigation into Ring's cooperation with law enforcement, Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts probed the company's privacy policy's reference to use of facial recognition technology.<ref>{{Cite web|title=September 2019 Inquiry Letter from Sen. Markey to Ring|url=https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Markey%20letter%20-%20Ring%20Law%20Enforcement%209.5.19.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Senator Markey Investigation into Amazon Ring Doorbell Reveals Egregiously Lax Privacy Policies and Civil Rights Protections {{!}} U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts|url=https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-investigation-into-amazon-ring-doorbell-reveals-egregiously-lax-privacy-policies-and-civil-rights-protections|access-date=2023-07-20|website=www.markey.senate.gov|language=en}}</ref> Amazon responded:<blockquote>We do not currently offer facial recognition technology in Ring products. This sentence in the Privacy Notice refers to a contemplated, but unreleased feature. We do frequently innovate based on customer demand, and facial recognition features are increasingly common in consumer security cameras today, such as: Google Nest Hello, Tend Secure Lynx, Netamo Welcome, Wisenet Smartcam, and Honeywell Smart Home Security. If our customers want these features in Ring security cameras, we will only release these feature with thoughtful design including privacy, security, and user control; and we will clearly communicate with our customers as we offer new features.<ref>{{Cite web|title=November 2019 Response from Amazon to Sen. Markey|url=https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Response%20Letter_Ring_Senator%20Markey%2011.01.2019.pdf}}</ref></blockquote>In November 2019, the Intercept reported on internal documents detailing "Proactive Suspect Matching". The feature would use facial recognition to group videos and create a profile of an alleged criminal based on Ring camera footage.<ref name="Intercept" /> Ring denied that the feature was in use or development.

In 2020, Ring posted a one-sentence position stance on their blog stating, "Ring does not use facial recognition technology in any of its devices or services, and will neither sell nor offer facial recognition technology to law enforcement."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ring|date=2020-08-20|title=Ring's Stance on Facial Recognition Technology|url=https://blog.ring.com/about-ring/rings-stance-on-facial-recognition-technology/|access-date=2023-07-20|website=The Ring Blog|language=en}}</ref> In 2021, Senator Markey and his colleagues introduced the "Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Senators Markey, Merkley Lead Colleagues on Legislation to Ban Government Use of Facial Recognition, Other Biometric Technology {{!}} U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts|url=https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-markey-merkley-lead-colleagues-on-legislation-to-ban-government-use-of-facial-recognition-other-biometric-technology|access-date=2023-07-20|website=www.markey.senate.gov|language=en}}</ref> A year later, Markey renewed his investigation into Ring,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Senator Markey Renews Investigation into Amazon Ring's Surveillance Practices and Cooperation with Police {{!}} U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts|url=https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-renews-investigation-into-amazon-rings-surveillance-practices-and-cooperation-with-police|access-date=2023-07-20|website=www.markey.senate.gov|language=en}}</ref> and in July 2022, Markey cited Ring's "[refusal] to commit to not incorporating facial recognition technology in its products" as evidence of the need for legislation to "prohibit use of biometric technology by federal agencies and condition federal grant funding to state and local entities on moratoria on the use of biometric technology."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Senator Markey's Probe into Amazon Ring Reveals New Privacy Problems {{!}} U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts|url=https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markeys-probe-into-amazon-ring-reveals-new-privacy-problems|access-date=2023-07-20|website=www.markey.senate.gov|language=en}}</ref>

Amazon has attempted to distance themselves from Ring Ukraine, the branch responsible for developing computer vision and facial recognition solutions. In a statement for release, the general manager of the Kyiv-based office commented, "We are no longer part of a small startup, but a full-fledged R&D center working for one of the world's largest corporations. [We are involved not only in Ring's product line but also in many other Amazon projects. That is,] We are a large Ukrainian team of specialists working on the world market." At legal's request, the general manager was asked to remove the reference to Amazon.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Biddle|first=Sam|date=2020-01-24|title=Ring Ukraine News Suppressed at Amazon's Request, Journalists Say|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/01/24/amazon-ring-ukraine/|access-date=2023-07-20|website=The Intercept|language=en-US}}</ref> "Ring Ukraine" was eventually rebranded as "Squad".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ring Ukraine office need you to forget they are part of Amazon|url=https://ain.capital/2021/01/29/ring-ukraine-changes-its-name-to-squad/|access-date=2023-07-20|website=AIN.Capital|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Alleged user tracking===
''The following section was sourced from [[Wikipedia:Ring_(company)#Allegations_of_user_tracking|Wikipedia]]:''

On January 27, 2020, the Electronic Frontier Foundation concluded that the Ring doorbell app for Android was sending identifiable personal information– including names, IP addresses, mobile network carriers, persistent IDs, and sensor data–to AppsFlyer, branch.io, Facebook, and Mixpanel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/01/ring-doorbell-app-packed-third-party-trackers|title=Ring Doorbell App Packed with Third-Party Trackers|last=Budington|first=Bill|date=January 27, 2020|website=Electronic Frontier Foundation|language=en|access-date=January 27, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90464883/amazons-ring-will-let-users-opt-out-of-sharing-data-with-other-companies|title=Amazon's Ring will let users opt out of sharing data with other companies|last=Newman|first=Jared|date=February 14, 2020|website=Fast Company|access-date=March 23, 2020}}</ref>