House Subcommittee Presses Amazon on Ring Police Partnerships and Privacy Risks
A House subcommittee demands Amazon clarify how its Ring doorbell cameras and Neighbors app interact with law enforcement. Lawmakers threaten to end these police partnerships if the company fails to address mounting surveillance and privacy concerns.
A House subcommittee continues to pressure Amazon over privacy and surveillance concerns surrounding its Ring doorbell cameras. Chairman Raja Krishnamoorthi leads this effort by demanding assurances that Amazon honors its one-year moratorium on police use of facial recognition technology, a ban that Ring has not explicitly adopted despite its parent company's recent policy shift.
Lawmakers express deep worry about Ring's active partnerships with local police departments and the Neighbors app, which allows users to share recorded videos directly with law enforcement. The subcommittee warns that the unregulated flow of this footage potentially stokes community fears and prejudices, creating an environment that undermines civil liberties rather than enhancing public safety.
The subcommittee also accuses Amazon of stonewalling its investigation by withholding requested documents since February. Krishnamoorthi renews the demand for full transparency regarding all agreements with cities and law enforcement agencies, warning that Ring must end its police partnerships and retire the Neighbors app if acceptable solutions are not presented.