Ring
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| Type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Home security |
| Official website | https://ring.com/ |
Ring is a manufacturer of home security and smart home devices owned by Amazon, the company was acquired as a subsidiary in 2018.[1]
Controversies
Police partnerships
The following section was sourced from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_(company)#Police_partnerships
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.[2][3]
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".[4][5] 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."[6] 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".[7]
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".[8] 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.[9] 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.[10]
In November 2020, a pilot program in Jackson, Mississippi, enabled participating Ring users to enable police to livestream their cameras at any time.[11]
References
- ↑ https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/12/amazon-officially-owns-ring-so-lets-talk-product-integration/
- ↑ Reichert, Corinne. "Ring puts suspected thief in Facebook sponsored ads". CNET. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
- ↑ Alba, Davey; Mac, Ryan (June 7, 2019). "Amazon's Doorbell Camera Company Is Using Security Video For Ads. That May Only Be The Beginning". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
- ↑ "Amazon's Ring doorbell police tie-up criticised". BBC News. August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
- ↑ Ng, Alfred. "This map tells you where police have partnered with Amazon's Ring". CNET. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
- ↑ Guariglia, Matthew (August 8, 2019). "Amazon's Ring Is a Perfect Storm of Privacy Threats". Electronic Frontier Foundation. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ↑ Biddle, Sam (February 14, 2019). "Amazon's Home Surveillance Chief Declared War on "Dirtbag Criminals" as Company Got Closer to Police". The Intercept. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ↑ Haskins, Caroline; Koebler, Jason (July 25, 2019). "Amazon Requires Police to Shill Surveillance Cameras in Secret Agreement". Vice. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- ↑ Haskins, Caroline; Maiberg, Emanuel; Mead, Derek; Koebler, Jason (July 29, 2019). "Amazon Told Police It Has Partnered With 200 Law Enforcement Agencies". Vice. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- ↑ Haskins, Caroline; Koebler, Jason; Mead, Derek (August 2, 2019). "US Cities Are Helping People Buy Amazon Surveillance Cameras With Taxpayer Money". Vice. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- ↑ Holmes, Aaron. "Police are tapping into residents' Ring doorbells and home security cameras to stream 24/7 live video". Business Insider. Retrieved November 11, 2020.