Ring bars police from seeking user doorbell footage; minimal impact here, police say

Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
·1 min read

Ring, the popular home security system, says it will no longer allow law enforcement agencies special access to request doorbell footage from its users, the company announced last week.

This does not guarantee protection from all forms of police surveillance tied to footage from companies like Ring.

Rochester-area police departments claim they rarely used the tool. So they say the change will have little impact. They said it has been more successful to collect home security footage by going door-to-door during investigations.

Previously, police agencies could use Ring's Neighbors app to select a radius of homes nearby a suspected crime scene and send them an alert requesting footage. Privacy watchdogs raised concerns that the feature could change neighborhoods into a place of constant surveillance and lead to more instances of racial profiling.

Which Rochester-area police departments used Ring footage?

Five police agencies in Monroe County used the tool at one time or another, according to data from Atlas of Surveillance. Those agencies include:

  • Brighton Police Department

  • Greece Police Department

  • Gates Police Department

  • Rochester Police Department

  • Monroe County Sheriff's Office

A Ring doorbell camera is seen installed outside a home in Wolcott, Conn., July 16, 2019. On Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, Amazon-owned Ring said it will stop allowing police departments to request doorbell camera footage from users, marking an end to a feature that has drawn criticism from privacy advocates.
A Ring doorbell camera is seen installed outside a home in Wolcott, Conn., July 16, 2019. On Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, Amazon-owned Ring said it will stop allowing police departments to request doorbell camera footage from users, marking an end to a feature that has drawn criticism from privacy advocates.

Ring can still share your home video with police ― here's how

Law enforcement agencies can still access the videos using a search warrant. Ring also maintains the right to share footage without user consent in limited circumstances.

In mid-2022, Ring disclosed it handed over 11 videos to police without notifying users that year due to "exigent or emergency" circumstances, one of the categories that allow it to share videos without permission from owners.

More: Rochester area police killings: 13 people dead since Daniel Prude

Includes reporting by the Associated Press.

— Kayla Canne reports on community justice and safety efforts for the Democrat and Chronicle. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com or on Twitter @kaylacanne.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Ring will no longer allow police to request doorbell video from users