Ring Revises Policy: Halts Law Enforcement Access to Doorbell Camera Footage

Ring Revises Policy: Halts Law Enforcement Access to Doorbell Camera Footage

Amazon's subsidiary, Ring, has announced a significant policy change: it will no longer permit law enforcement agencies to access user-recorded footage from its doorbell cameras. This decision marks a departure from Ring's previous stance and was announced via a blog post on Wednesday.

Previously, police departments could use a feature in Ring's Neighbors app to request video recordings from users' doorbell cameras. This tool facilitated the process for law enforcement to gather video evidence from Ring devices in local neighborhoods. However, Ring has decided to discontinue this feature, effective immediately, as of late January. The company, however, did not elaborate on the reasons behind this policy shift.

Eric Kuhn, who leads the Neighbors program, clarified in the announcement that while direct requests for footage would no longer be possible, law enforcement agencies could still engage with the community through public posts on the Neighbors app. 

This update represents the latest in a series of measures that Ring has implemented to modify the level of interaction between police departments and the Neighbors app. These changes come amid growing scrutiny and public debate over Ring's relationships with law enforcement agencies across the United States and indicate a significant shift in how Ring manages the balance between community safety and user privacy.

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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