Source: Fortune.com
Summary
Amazon’s smart doorbell maker Ring has ended its partnership with police surveillance tech company Flock Safety. The decision comes after a backlash over a Super Bowl ad featuring a lost dog being found through a network of cameras, sparking fears of a dystopian surveillance society. The partnership aimed to allow Ring camera owners to share video footage with law enforcement. Flock Safety, which operates automated license-plate reading systems, has faced public outcry over its role in immigration enforcement. Ring and Flock stated that the integration never launched and no customer videos were sent to Flock.
Our Reading
The strategy enters a familiar phase.
Ring distances itself from Flock Safety after a public backlash. Flock’s automated license-plate reading systems have sparked concerns over immigration enforcement. The Super Bowl ad, though unrelated to Flock, fueled fears of surveillance. Amazon faces ongoing concerns over Ring’s potential for surveillance. The Electronic Frontier Foundation warns of the potential loss of privacy.
Translation: Amazon is rebranding caution as a “joint decision”.
Author: Evan Null
