This partnership goes back to 2015 when Ring let the Los Angeles Police Department see how front-door footage could reduce property crimes. Since then, the Ring program exploded, spreading to cities across the nation. Want to see if your local department may swing by for your footage? Tap or click here for an interactive map to see if your city has a partnership with Ring. Keep reading for details on how police are using Ring to catch criminals, along with the biggest concerns among privacy advocates.
Could this create a national surveillance network?
Now, Ring’s partnership with law enforcement agencies is spreading faster than ever before. Just how often are Ring videos requested? According to Ring, departments requested security camera videos for more than 22,335 incidents last year alone. Ring says this program helps police crack cases, but many people worry about civil liberties. Although police can’t demand homeowners to surrender Ring footage without a warrant, they’ve created a loophole. Some police departments hand out Ring video doorbells for free — as long as you hand over footage whenever they ask. Now, here’s how video requesting works. Police can send you a notification through your Ring app requesting permission to see your videos. They do this with a feature called “Video Requests.” Find out more about it in this video: If you want to grant them permission, you can send over your footage. Remember, though: You have the option to say no.
You can opt out of this program through your app
First, change your privacy settings to avoid receiving future requests. Here’s how to adjust your settings:
Open the Ring app.Open the settings menu by tapping the top left corner of the app.Select Control Center.Slide the toggle next to Video Requests to the left. This turns the feature off.You’ll see a verification message. Tap Yes, Disable Now.
Now, the Video Requests feature is off. Remember that if you post videos on social media, law enforcement will be able to see them. If you’re a Ring doorbell owner, there are even more settings you should change to maximize your privacy. This isn’t just to get the most from your security device; it’s also to ensure you’re not oversharing information that can be used against you. Tap or click here for three settings to change right now.
How successful is this partnership?
Tech makes life more convenient, and the Ring doorbell is a great way to get peace of mind. But many new advancements come with a privacy trade-off. Note: Sidewalk doesn’t work with Ring’s doorbells, just recent versions of the Floodlight Cam and Spotlight Cam. If you own a Ring, you probably got an email saying you’ve automatically joined the program. But before you accept the automatic entry, you need to know the details. Tap or click to find out if Sidewalk is safe to use or something you should opt-out of right away.
