Ring Stops Deal with Flock Safety After Ad Causes Worry

Ring, the company that makes video doorbells, has stopped a plan to work with Flock Safety. Flock helps police use cameras. Ring made a TV ad for the Super Bowl that some people thought was about too much spying. Because of this worry, Ring ended the deal.
By Newsroom | Technology, Security |

A controversial Super Bowl advertisement by Amazon's Ring doorbell company has prompted the immediate termination of a planned partnership with Flock Safety, a firm that assists law enforcement with surveillance. The decision follows widespread criticism and concerns raised by privacy advocates regarding the potential for increased surveillance and data sharing.

Details of the Partnership and its Dissolution

Amazon's Ring, a popular maker of video doorbells, announced on Thursday its decision to end a planned collaboration with Flock Safety. Flock Safety provides technology used by law enforcement for evidence collection and investigation.

Super Bowl Flop: Ring Now Ending Surveillance Deal with Flock Safety - 1

  • The partnership, initially announced in October, was designed to allow Ring users the option to share their video footage with law enforcement agencies that utilize Flock Safety's software.

  • This sharing was intended to occur through Ring's "Community Requests" feature, a system where police could ask for video evidence.

  • Ring stated that the integration with Flock Safety "never launched," and no customer videos were ever shared with Flock.

  • Privacy and civil liberties advocates had urged Ring to abandon the partnership.

Super Bowl Ad Ignites Privacy Fears

The public outcry intensified following a Ring advertisement that aired during the recent Super Bowl.

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Super Bowl Flop: Ring Now Ending Surveillance Deal with Flock Safety - 2

  • The commercial featured a lost dog being found with the help of a network of neighborhood Ring cameras, utilizing a feature called "Search Party."

  • While many viewers found the ad heartwarming, others expressed alarm, interpreting it as a depiction of a dystopian surveillance society.

  • Critics voiced concerns that such technology could be used for unintended or harmful surveillance purposes.

  • The ad, while promoting the "Search Party" feature for finding lost pets, was perceived by some as blurring the lines between community assistance and widespread monitoring.

Contrasting Accounts of the Partnership's Status

While Ring has confirmed the termination of the partnership, statements from both companies indicate differing timelines and active engagement levels.

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  • Ring spokesperson Emma Daniels stated that the Flock partnership was "never active" and no launch date was ever set.

  • Both Ring and Flock have also asserted that they do not have a relationship with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following earlier viral posts that suggested otherwise.

  • Flock Safety has indicated that its platforms allow participating police officers to track vehicle movements, sometimes without warrants, by creating a centralized database from video data.

Read More: Ring Stops Deal with Flock Safety After People Worry About Privacy

FeatureRing's StanceFlock Safety's Stance
Partnership StatusNever active, no launch dateJoint decision to cancel planned integration
Video SharingNo Ring videos were ever sent to FlockIntegration would enable voluntary sharing with law enforcement
ICE RelationshipNo direct relationship with ICENo direct access to ICE cameras, systems, or data

Broader Surveillance Concerns

The incident highlights ongoing public scrutiny of Ring and its involvement with law enforcement technology.

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  • Ring has faced previous concerns regarding its facial recognition technology and its general data collection practices.

  • The company also maintains a similar partnership with another police surveillance tech company, Axon.

  • The decision to sever ties with Flock Safety comes amidst growing pressure on tech companies to re-examine their work with government agencies.

Conclusion and Implications

The abrupt end to the Ring-Flock Safety partnership underscores the significant impact of public perception and privacy advocacy on corporate decisions. The controversy generated by the Super Bowl ad has forced Ring to publicly distance itself from a collaboration that raised substantial privacy concerns. While Ring maintains the partnership was never operational, the rapid dissolution signals a strong response to widespread criticism. The ongoing dialogue surrounding the use of surveillance technology by both private companies and law enforcement agencies is likely to continue, with future partnerships facing increased public and regulatory scrutiny.

Read More: Ring Stops Working With Flock Safety After People Got Worried About Privacy

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did Ring stop working with Flock Safety?
Ring stopped because people were worried about spying after seeing a Ring TV ad during the Super Bowl.
Q: What does Flock Safety do?
Flock Safety helps police use video cameras to find things, like cars or people.
Q: Did Ring share videos with Flock Safety?
Ring said no videos were ever shared and the plan to work together never really started.
Q: What was the Super Bowl ad about?
The ad showed how Ring cameras could help find a lost dog, but some people thought it showed too much watching.