The Ring doorbell was created because its inventor, Jamie Siminoff, was unable to hear his doorbell ring as he worked in his garage. His solution was a Wi-Fi-enabled doorbell that alerted his phone and enabled video communication when someone was at the door.
In 2022, Amazon has decided to leverage the footage captured by Ring doorbells to create a reality TV show called Ring Nation. Sounds interesting, right? It is interesting, but it's also proving to be somewhat controversial.
What Is Ring Nation?
Ring Nation is surveillance footage meets reality TV. According to Deadline, the show, narrated by comedian Wanda Sykes, features viral videos shared by people from their Ring video doorbells and smart home cameras. Think America's Funniest Home Videos, but updated for the 21st Century.
The series features clips such as neighbors saving neighbors, marriage proposals, military reunions, and silly animals.
Ring Nation debuted on September 26, 2022, amid controversy, as activists are calling for the show to be canceled.
Why Activists Want Ring Nation Canceled
A coalition of activists called Media Justice and Allies have raised strong objections to Ring Nation for several reasons...
1. Normalization of Surveillance
In an open letter shared by Media Justice to the producers of Ring Nation, the coalition has accused Ring Nation of attempting "to put a happy face on a dangerous product." Media Justice argues that by making video surveillance seem happy and fun, Ring Nation wants society to accept the presence of cameras everywhere.
2. Violation of Privacy
The activists claim that the show will promote a product that promotes privacy violations.
Although Ring claims that it only shares footage with authorities with the permission of the owner or by order of a judge, an investigation by Senator Ed Markey claims otherwise. The company has clarified to us that "Ring sometimes voluntarily provide information to law enforcement when there is an emergency" in an effort to save lives.
3. Police Access to Neighbors App
Ring formerly had partnerships with over 2,000 police departments across the US. Under the program, Ring offered free cameras to police in exchange for promoting Ring in their jurisdictions. However, that is no longer the case, with Ring having stopped donating to law enforcement in 2019.
The coalition of activists claims that Ring gives police backdoor access to its Neighbors app via a special portal. The coalition says that this access is open to abuse, and Ring Nation seeks to normalize it. However, Ring told us that "police do not have free access to customer footage through the Neighbors app." Instead, requests can be made for help with ongoing investigations, and any information or recordings need to be shared by users with their knowledge.
4. Risks to Vulnerable Groups
The coalition argues that Ring profits from racial profiling. According to a report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Los Angeles Police Department alleges that footage from Ring cameras was used to track and monitor Black Lives Matter protesters. Ring has refuted this claim, stating that "requests for lawful activities, such as protests" are strictly prohibited. The LAPD case cited met Amazon's guidelines as it "included a case number and specifically stated that the public safety enforcement user was requesting video to only identify individuals responsible for theft, property damage, and physical injury."
In addition to disproportionately targeting people of color, the activists claim Ring cameras enable vigilantes to surveil their neighbors and racially profile bystanders and also threaten abortion seekers. Again, Ring has refuted this claim, stating that it has "implemented important design and moderation changes to fight bias" and making it clear that "racial profiling has no place on Neighbors".
Should Amazon Cancel Ring Nation?
According to the MIT Technology Review, Ring says any footage captured without consent will not make it onto the show.
Like with everything we do, privacy is foundational to the show, and we secure permissions for each video from the owner and anyone identifiable in the video or from companies that hold the rights to the clips.
That sounds reasonable enough. However, the activists are not saying the show will violate people's privacy. Rather, they say the show will promote Ring.
There are many questions regarding the Ring Doorbell invading other people's privacy, promoting this product might not be a good idea. Therefore, Ring Nation will use entertainment to convince society to accept mass surveillance and a product that the activists consider "dangerous."
This is a strong argument, one this writer absolutely agrees with. Indeed, there are several reasons not to install Ring doorbells. However, we also think it's a losing argument. Why? Amazon will not cancel a show that is probably going to be a commercial success for them, not to mention a marketing tool for Ring.
A better approach, perhaps, would be for the activists to work with Congress to pass laws that protect Ring users and the civil liberties of the public.
The Need to Regulate Home Surveillance
The home surveillance industry is a genuine threat to users and everyone else. Just like Facebook and social media in general, Ring users are in danger of having their privacy violated.
The US government has increasingly been moving towards more regulation of social media and big tech, and we believe this should extend to home surveillance products as well.