Police in the UK are asking Amazon Ring owners to register them with the police. They’re asking residents with such devices to donate their camera footage in the event of a crime in their area.
Think twice before you buy one. We’ve long warned that these are a honeypot for authorities + will be used to extend the surveillance state onto people’s private properties.
Silkie Carlo, Director of Big Brother Watch said:
“These doorbells might seem like useful gadgets to homeowners, but to police they’re a privately run surveillance network to be exploited. That’s one of the reasons police forces have been pushing sales for Amazon and offering discount codes.
“These cameras often capture entire residential streets and are planned to use facial recognition. In the US, some police forces have demanded constant direct access to the video feeds. Many people will rightly feel uncomfortable about being surveilled by their neighbours.
“We’d encourage people to think carefully before using these cameras and certainly before signing up to a citizen-run police surveillance network.”