Amazon’s Ring privacy problem is back
VoxJul 13, 2022
According to a letter sent by Amazon to Congress earlier this month, its doorbell surveillance company, Ring, has shared videos with police departments 11 times this year, without the consent of users.
The letter was in response to an inquiry by Sen. Ed Markey and was publicized by his office on Wednesday.
Amazon is plagued by a myriad of ethical issues and this latest disclosure highlights its unwillingness to protect customers' data. It's time for consumers to decide whether the convenience offered by the tech company is really worth their privacy.
Amazon acted well within its legal and ethical rights by disclosing the surveillance videos to law enforcement - who had judged each instance to constitute an emergency. Despite criticisms, police access to Ring's network could substantially support law enforcement's work.