Ring, an Amazon company that makes video doorbells and security cameras, announced it’s expanding its Community Requests feature by allowing local public safety agencies to ask Ring users for help, such as sharing video footage. The change has drawn privacy concerns, including from a U.S. senator.
Public safety agencies using Flock Safety’s Nova platform or FlockOS can send requests asking for video footage from Ring cameras to assist in an investigation or incident in the neighborhood.
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Flock Safety is a surveillance tech company that makes license plate reader cameras and software for law enforcement, neighborhoods and cities to track vehicle activity for crime prevention and investigation.
Ring says it is reaffirming its commitment to neighborhood safety by expanding its “Community Requests” feature. According to a news release, the update enables more users to assist local agencies by sharing video footage. The video doorbell company says this effort supports public safety efforts through community involvement.
How the process works for agencies
Flock Nova and FlockOS are tools used by public safety agencies to help with investigations. When these agencies use them to submit a Community Request to Ring, they must follow strict rules. They have to provide the exact location and timeframe of the incident, a unique investigation code and details about the investigation. Once this information is provided, the request is securely sent to Ring, which can then ask nearby Ring users for relevant video footage.
According to Ring, participation in Community Requests is entirely optional.
“Public safety agencies can’t see who received a notification or who chose not to respond,” the company stated in the news release. “You can even turn off Community Request notifications altogether if you prefer.”
Privacy concerns raised by lawmakers
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., raised concerns about the change, writing a letter to Flock’s CEO Garrett Langley, stating that the company has allowed surveillance data access for federal agencies like the Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Navy, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He says there may be growing privacy concerns about how citizens’ data is being accessed or used.
According to a report by 404 Media, ICE is getting access to Flock’s surveillance data through local police, bypassing the need for a direct agreement with the company. Local police departments are allegedly conducting searches related to immigration enforcement using this system.
“For that reason, I must now recommend that communities that have installed Flock cameras reevaluate that decision,” Wyden wrote in the letter.
Ring plans to support more platforms in the future to make it easier for agencies to access Community Requests.
