Amazon Grants Police Unfettered Access to Many Doorsteps

In a letter sent to Sen. Ed Markey, Amazon reveals that it gives police Ring, a home security company owned by Amazon, video doorbell footage without the owners’ permission. The letter stated that police were granted access at least eleven times in 2022, signifying unfettered access to doorsteps. Amazon revealed this when lawmaker, Ed Markey, opened an investigation questioning the doorbell’s surveillance practices.

Meanwhile, according to Ring’s policies, which Amazon bought in 2018, the police cannot view recordings unless they are posted publicly or shared discreetly. However, this rule does not apply to subpoenas and emergency requests, as the company does not need a user’s consent. 

Special Circumstances Warranting Video Release without Consent

Ring’s “Neighbors” is an app where users post Ring camera footage and comments; police can also use it to request videos and send alerts. Amazon says it only provides police with footage in emergencies, like cases involving serious physical harm or imminent danger of death.

Furthermore, Ring has set standards for determining emergencies, and it decides whether or not police requests meet these. Also, according to Brendan Daley, Ring’s spokesperson, the company does not need consent when there are warrants, although it notifies the owners.

Amazon’s vice president, Brian Huseman, wrote that each of the eleven times Amazon shared footage without consent was justifiable. He stated that it shared the video because Ring made a good-faith determination that disclosing information without delay was necessary. However, the company did not provide information on when or where these eleven incidents occurred.

What Amazon’s Agreement with Law Enforcement Means

Amazon has stated that it currently has agreements with 2,161 police departments, giving them access to Neighbors. This agreement enables law enforcement officers to request Ring doorbell footage for neighborhoods. When the police request footage of a specific area, Amazon notifies Ring owners, asking them to upload recordings of the specified time. The doorbells are particularly useful to police because users can activate them through motion detection and capture audio from up to thirty feet.

Ring’s “Neighbors” Policy and Congressional Scrutiny of Amazon

Ring has set policies regarding the app Neighbors, regulating the access public safety agencies and police have to video footage. For instance, the app does not share addresses unless you post them or share a video responding to a Request for Assistance post.

If users share their recordings, they also share the address associated with the device and the email address linked to the account. Neighbors will give the public safety user who created the Request for Assistance post full access to these pieces of information.

Meanwhile, there is already Congressional scrutiny of Amazon. The letter Amazon sent to the lawmaker revealing that it has released eleven videos without consent will likely increase this scrutiny. Not to mention elevating the upbraid privacy practices lawmakers are already leveling on the e-commerce marketplace.

All of these are aside from the antitrust concerns Amazon is facing over its dominance of the online retail market. There is also the issue of its treatment of third-party sellers using the platform.  “At the same time, citizens have the right to privacy and property protection. Sharing video footage without consent is a fine line; homeowners deserve to know what is done with the footage no matter what,” says criminal defense lawyer Adam Rossen. Furthermore, the popularity of Ring doorbells and Amazon’s increasing technological capabilities and agreement with police have raised privacy concerns.

Conclusion

Congress is currently mulling over federal data privacy law, although the proposed bill will not cover data sharing with police. Nevertheless, Markey upbraided Amazon for not removing audio recordings by default, arguing that Ring should remove facial or voice recognition for its products. However, Ring told the lawmaker that the company’s customers expect, welcome, and appreciate this audio functionality.

Sheri Crwn