Ring recently made headlines with its announcement that it had terminated its partnership with Flock Safety. However, what caught the attention of many was what Ring didn’t address in its statement. The absence of any mention of the public outcry regarding ties to ICE or a commitment to addressing user concerns about the company’s associations with law enforcement was conspicuous.

Amidst a growing concern over authoritarianism, the specter of mass surveillance conducted through AI-powered cameras looms large in the minds of many. Despite this, Ring’s statement failed to acknowledge these fears. Instead, the company cited logistical reasons for ending Flock’s integration with its Community Requests tool, stating that it would demand more time and resources than initially anticipated.

The decision to sever ties with Flock was widely seen as a response to public pressure. Following the airing of Ring’s Search Party Super Bowl ad, sentiment on social media and news platforms skewed heavily negative, according to research by Peakmetrics. The move to disassociate from Flock was clearly an attempt to salvage some of the company’s damaged reputation.

Founder and VP Jamie Siminoff must have found the retreat particularly challenging, given his consistent stance that Ring’s products are meant to enhance crime prevention and law enforcement efforts.

This retreat is not unfamiliar territory for the company. Despite significant shifts in public opinion regarding law enforcement since Siminoff’s departure from Ring in 2023 and his subsequent return, he remains steadfast in his belief that the combination of AI, cameras, and police can contribute to safer neighborhoods.

Although Ring has cut ties with Flock, its Community Requests tool remains unchanged. The tool remains active, thanks to a collaboration with Axon, a similar law enforcement technology firm renowned for its production of Tasers.

Introduced by Siminoff upon his return, the Community Requests tool allows authorized local law enforcement agencies to solicit video footage from residents in proximity to an ongoing investigation without a warrant. The footage is then processed through Axon’s evidence management system. Participation in these requests is voluntary, with Ring asserting that user privacy is always safeguarded, and footage is never shared automatically.

One of Axon’s former executives held a high-ranking position at ICE.

Ring has highlighted the tool’s role in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping investigation and its contribution to identifying the suspect in the Brown University shooting.

Although the termination of the Flock integration does not alter the Community Requests tool, it does put a pause on its expansion. If the integration had proceeded, the program could have reached up to 5,000 local law enforcement agencies partnered with Flock. Instead, it is now restricted to agencies collaborating with Axon, a partnership that Ring affirms is ongoing.

Ring asserts that federal agencies, including ICE, cannot utilize Community Requests to request footage from Ring users. However, critics argue that in jurisdictions where local police operate under a 287(g) agreement, ICE could potentially access resources, including video footage.

This is the same issue that led to criticism of Flock. According to 404 Media, 287(g) agreements with local agencies granted ICE indirect access to Flock’s automated license plate reader system – a nationwide network of AI-powered surveillance cameras.

While Flock has engaged in trial projects with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), it maintains that it has no active contracts with DHS. In contrast, Axon has numerous contracts with the department.

From Nonlethal Weapons to Surveillance Systems

Axon has transformed its business from manufacturing Tasers into a billion-dollar enterprise, now producing body and vehicle cameras, as well as software platforms used by law enforcement agencies. Public records indicate that Axon has secured over 70 contracts with the DHS for its equipment and software, totaling more than $96 million between 2003 and 2024.

If Ring’s decision to sever ties with Flock was based on its connections to ICE, it would logically follow to disassociate from Axon as well.

In addition to Axon Evidence, Axon operates Fusus, a cloud-based platform acquired in 2024 that aggregates real-time data from cameras, sensors, drones, and community feeds to create a shared intelligence network for rapid, coordinated responses. Axon actively promotes this software as a tool for CBP on its website.

Reports from 2023 suggested that Fusus could integrate real-time data from private cameras, albeit requiring additional hardware and fees. The functionalities of the platform bear similarities to the groundwork for a dystopian neighborhood surveillance system reminiscent of the fears evoked by Ring’s Super Bowl ad.

If Ring’s decision to cut ties with Flock was motivated by its connections to ICE, a similar action would be to end its partnership with Axon. However, the company has chosen not to take that step.

With its extensive infrastructure already in place, comprising millions of AI-powered cameras in households nationwide, and a tool linking user footage with law enforcement relying on a firm with direct links to the DHS, Ring faces a dilemma.

If Ring intends to rebuild trust among its users, a vague reference to a partnership termination due to “resource constraints” will not suffice. The company must openly address these concerns and clearly define the boundaries of its utilization of this potent technology and, more crucially, where it draws the line.

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