Amazon's Ring Cuts Ties with Flock Safety Amid Surveillance Concerns

Amazon's Ring ended its partnership with Flock Safety, following backlash from a Super Bowl ad depicting surveillance through cameras. The partnership was intended to allow video sharing through Ring's Community Requests feature. However, the integration required more resources than expected and was mutually cancelled.

Amid rising concerns over privacy and surveillance, Amazon's doorbell company Ring has severed its partnership with police surveillance technology firm Flock Safety. This decision comes on the heels of public backlash following a controversial Ring advertisement aired during the Super Bowl.

The ad, which showcased a lost dog being found through a network of cameras, sparked fears of an Orwellian surveillance society. Despite the controversy, Ring clarified that the advertised feature, Search Party, was unrelated to Flock Safety.

Ring and Flock intended to collaborate on a feature allowing Ring users to share video footage in response to law enforcement requests. However, both companies cited extensive resource requirements as the reason for halting the integration. The decision follows broader concerns about privacy and surveillance raised by Ring's facial recognition features.

(With inputs from agencies.)