Police and other public safety agencies will no longer be able to request and receive videos from users of Amazon’s Ring devices via its Neighbors app, the company said, ending a feature that has stirred controversy in the past.
Ring announced the plan to discontinue the voluntary “Request for Assistance” tool in the app as part of a broader update Wednesday morning. The change means that police and fire departments will need a warrant to request footage from Ring users, unless they can show it’s an emergency, Bloomberg News reported.
A post by Ring’s Eric Kuhn did not give a reason for the change.
“As we look to the future of Neighbors, we’re focusing our resources on delivering new product and app experiences that better empower our customers to connect with each other, and stay informed by local government and public safety agencies,” said Ring spokesperson Yassi Yarger via email. “We’re excited for what’s to come and to see all the ways customers will continue to connect and share with each other and their communities.”
New features in the app will include “Ring Moments,” which the company describes as “a new post category that expands the content allowed on the Neighbors app beyond just crime and safety.”
The company, acquired by Amazon in 2018, introduced the tool in 2021, requiring public safety agencies to make requests for video footage publicly on the app, rather than sending private messages. Prior to that, Ring gave customers the ability to opt out of receiving requests for videos from police and other public safety investigators.
The use of Ring by police, and the company’s partnerships with law enforcement agencies, raised repeated concerns about privacy and civil liberties, and the potential to expand police surveillance powers.
Liz Hamren, who succeeded founder Jamie Siminoff as CEO of Amazon’s Ring business last year, told GeekWire in a recent podcast interview that Ring is working on new AI features including vehicle detection and video search.
