Decision To Cancel The Deal
Amazon’s Ring said it will not proceed with a partnership with Flock Safety, ending an agreement announced in October that would have linked Ring devices with a network of cameras and license plate readers used mainly by police in the United States. The companies said the integration never launched and that no Ring customer videos were shared with Flock. Ring said it decided not to move forward after concluding the partnership would require more time and resources than expected. Flock said in an email to the BBC that the cancellation was a mutual decision and said the change would allow both companies to serve their customers and communities.
What The Partnership Would Have Done
The agreement would have allowed agencies that work with Flock to request access to video captured by Ring devices for investigations, when customers permitted it. Ring said the feature was never activated. The company, which Amazon acquired in 2018, has faced repeated questions about privacy practices, and the plan to work with Flock drew attention because Flock operates systems used by law enforcement.
Super Bowl Advertisement And Public Reaction
The decision came days after a Ring advertisement aired during the Super Bowl and drew criticism for its tone. The ad promoted a feature called Search Party and showed neighbors using Ring tools to help find a lost dog. Critics described the message as unsettling and said it presented neighborhood monitoring in a way that raised concerns about surveillance. Senator Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, called on Amazon to stop what he described as monitoring features and urged Americans to oppose what he called a surveillance state. The Electronic Frontier Foundation said the ad used a sentimental story to present a future in which consumer devices could be used to identify and track people and animals.
Responses From Rivals And Online Reaction
The advertisement was also mocked on social media and by competitors. Wyze released a video that rephrased Ring’s commercial in a satirical way. In that video, Wyze co founder Dave Crosby said the technology could be used to find anyone but was shown being used to find lost dogs. The video has drawn close to 100,000 views on YouTube.
Flock Safety And Law Enforcement Use
Flock was founded in 2017 and has expanded quickly. The company said last year that its cameras and license plate readers were active in more than 5,000 U.S. cities, mainly through contracts with police agencies. The announcement of the Ring partnership came a day after Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, accused Flock of not doing enough to prevent abuse of its systems. He cited concerns that the tools were being used to support immigration enforcement and to target women under state abortion laws. Flock has disputed those claims.
Ring’s Own Law Enforcement Ties
Ring also works with law enforcement agencies. The company has said it receives thousands of requests each year for footage from customer cameras and that it complies with requests when legally required. While Ring’s Search Party feature is not directly connected to Flock, both companies have faced public mistrust over privacy practices and their relationships with police.
Featured image credits: Flickr
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