Ring Ends Collaboration with Flock Safety Amid Privacy Concerns

Ring has faced significant backlash after announcing a partnership with surveillance technology company Flock Safety, which works with law enforcement agencies. Following public outrage, Ring has decided to cancel the integration with Flock Safety.

In a statement released on Ring’s blog and shared with The Verge, the company explained that after a thorough review, they realized that the planned integration with Flock Safety would require more time and resources than anticipated. As a result, they made the joint decision to cancel the integration. Ring reassured customers that the integration never went live, and no Ring customer videos were shared with Flock Safety.

Ring emphasized its commitment to making neighborhoods safer but acknowledged the responsibility they have to their customers, communities, and the trust placed in their products and features.

The partnership with Flock Safety was announced last October, but criticism escalated recently due to unrest related to ICE activities. Influencers on social media claimed that Ring was providing a direct link to ICE through Flock, although this was inaccurate as the integration had not been launched. Ring has a history of collaborating with law enforcement, which contributed to the intense criticism of the new partnership.

In addition to the Flock controversy, Ring aired a Super Bowl ad for its AI-powered Search Party feature, causing concerns about potential mass surveillance. The ad depicted Ring cameras scanning a neighborhood, raising fears about the extent of surveillance capabilities.

Ring also introduced a new facial recognition feature called Familiar Faces, further fueling concerns about privacy and surveillance. Senator Ed Markey, a vocal critic of Ring, urged Amazon to cancel the facial recognition feature.

Ring spokesperson Yassi Yarger emphasized that their products are intended for specific purposes and not for mass surveillance. Familiar Faces is an opt-in feature designed to give customers more control over the alerts they receive while protecting their data.

The decision to partner with Flock was part of Ring’s Community Requests program, which aimed to facilitate collaboration between local law enforcement agencies and the program. Community Requests replaced the controversial Requests for Assistance program criticized for potentially infringing on civil liberties.

Despite canceling the Flock integration, Ring stated that the Community Requests program will continue. This program proved instrumental in assisting authorities during a shooting near Brown University, where community members shared video footage that helped identify a suspect.

Ring clarified that Community Requests allows public safety agencies to request video footage from users in a specific area during an active investigation. However, law enforcement agencies must partner with a third-party evidence management system like Flock to use the service, ensuring better chain of custody. Previously, police could request footage directly from users.

Flock was the second partner announced for Community Requests, following Axon, a law enforcement technology company. Ring confirmed that the Axon partnership remains unaffected by the cancellation of the Flock integration and stated that they are not exploring any other partnerships at the moment.

In conclusion, Ring’s decision to cancel the integration with Flock Safety reflects their commitment to addressing public concerns and maintaining trust with customers. The company continues to navigate the delicate balance between enhancing neighborhood safety and respecting privacy rights.