Amazon announces change to Ring doorbell due to controversial police requests

FOOTAGE captured by Ring doorbells can no longer be requested by police for use in investigations, Amazon has announced.

Amazon, which bought Ring for a reported $1 billion in 2015, says it will no longer allow police to request user images in the neighborhood watch app Neighbors.

Since Amazon launched the Neighbors app in 2017, law enforcement has been allowed to privately message users requesting footage.

In 2021, Ring made police requests for footage public in the Neighbors app, putting an end to private messages.

In a blog post On Wednesday, Ring said it plans to discontinue the Request for Assistance (RFA) tool that allowed police to obtain materials from homeowners.

“Public safety agencies such as fire and police can still use the Neighbors app to share helpful safety tips, updates and community events,” Eric Kuhn, head of Neighbors, wrote in the post.

“They will no longer be able to use the RFA tool to request and receive video in the app.”

Sharing doorbell images with the police is not unique to Ring

It has been reported that Google is also sharing images obtained from Nest doorbells with law enforcement agencies.

The company's terms of service state that it may transfer video footage from Nest doorbells to the police in extreme life-threatening situations.

“If we reasonably believe that we can prevent death or serious bodily harm to someone, we may provide information to a government agency,” the company says.

“For example, in the case of bomb threats, school shootings, kidnappings, suicide prevention and missing persons cases.

“We continue to consider these requests in light of applicable law and our policies.”

A spokesperson told CNET that Google “may release information to law enforcement authorities without a subpoena or warrant” — at least in the US, under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.

The spokesperson added that Google is trying to notify users in advance.

Police can still obtain video footage from Ring through a search warrant or subpoena.

Ring can also provide footage to law enforcement in “cases involving imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm to any person,” according to a letter the company sent to Sen. Ed Markey in 2022 in response to questions about its law enforcement partnerships .

a report from Politico found that Ring shared homeowners' images with police without their knowledge at least eleven times in the 12 months to July 2022.

In all 11 known cases this year, Amazon vice president of public policy Brian Huseman said police requests met the criteria for immediate danger.

In a statement to The Sun at the time, a Ring spokesperson said: “It is simply not true that Ring gives anyone unfettered access to customer data or video, as we have repeatedly made clear to our customers and others.”