Amazon's Ring just deepened its surveillance ties by partnering with Flock Safety, the AI-powered camera company that's been quietly sharing data with federal agencies including ICE and the Secret Service. The move expands police access to millions of doorbell cameras through Ring's Community Request program, raising fresh privacy concerns as law enforcement gains new pathways to civilian footage without warrants.
Amazon's Ring is quietly building the most extensive civilian surveillance network in America, and its latest partnership makes that crystal clear. The doorbell giant just announced it's working with Flock Safety, the AI-powered surveillance company that's been sharing data with federal agencies behind closed doors.
The timing couldn't be more controversial. According to a scathing letter from Sen. Ron Wyden, Flock has been quietly providing data access to the Secret Service, Navy, and ICE - the immigration enforcement agency that privacy advocates have been battling for years. The revelation, first reported by 404 Media, shows how surveillance companies operate in the shadows while marketing themselves as community safety tools.
Here's how the new system works: Local law enforcement agencies already using Flock's Nova or FlockOS platforms can now request video footage directly from Ring users through the Neighbors app. Police must include details about alleged crimes, time and location data, plus a "unique investigation code" - but that's where the guardrails end. The requests appear in Ring users' feeds, creating a crowdsourced surveillance system that privacy experts warn could normalize constant police monitoring.
Ring insists participation is "completely optional," telling users they can disable notifications entirely. The company also claims law enforcement can't see who receives requests or who declines to respond. But critics point out that social pressure and community dynamics make truly voluntary participation nearly impossible when neighbors know police are asking for help.
This isn't Ring's first rodeo with law enforcement partnerships. In April, the company announced a similar deal with Axon, the Taser manufacturer that's been aggressively expanding into surveillance technology. That partnership followed years of controversy over Ring's cozy relationship with police departments, which often received free cameras to distribute in exchange for promoting the devices to residents.
