Amazon’s Ring To Partner With Flock, A Network Of Ai Cameras Used By Ice, Feds, And Police

In Brief

Amazon’s surveillance camera shaper Ring announced a business connected Thursday pinch Flock, a shaper of AI-powered surveillance cameras that stock footage pinch rule enforcement.

Now, agencies that usage Flock tin petition that Ring doorbell users share footage to thief pinch “evidence postulation and investigative work.”

Flock cameras activity by scanning nan licence plates and different identifying accusation astir cars they see. Flock’s authorities and constabulary customers tin besides make earthy connection searches of their video footage to find group who lucifer circumstantial descriptions. However, AI-powered exertion utilized by rule enforcement has been proven to exacerbate racial biases.

On nan aforesaid time that Ring announced this partnership, 404 Media reported that ICE, nan Secret Service, and nan Navy had entree to Flock’s web of cameras. By partnering pinch Ring, Flock could perchance entree footage from millions much cameras.

Ring has agelong had a poor way record pinch keeping customers’ videos safe and secure. In 2023, nan FTC ordered nan institution to salary $5.8 cardinal complete claims that labor and contractors had unrestricted entree to customers’ videos for years.

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