Home / Crime and Justice / Ring Sued Over "Familiar Faces" Privacy Breach
Ring Sued Over "Familiar Faces" Privacy Breach
2 Jun
Summary
- Lawsuit alleges Ring's facial recognition feature collects data without consent.
- Feature allows users to identify regular visitors via AI recognition.
- Amazon previously paid $5.8 million for privacy violations.
Amazon's Ring is facing a class action lawsuit filed on Monday in Seattle, alleging privacy violations stemming from its "Familiar Faces" feature. The suit claims the AI-powered facial recognition technology illicitly collects images of individuals who pass by Ring cameras without their consent.
The "Familiar Faces" feature, which launched in December, allows Ring users to identify people frequently visiting their homes. While users must opt in, privacy advocates contend that unsuspecting passersby have their facial data scanned without agreement. This concern forms the core of the lawsuit.
This is not the first privacy-related issue for Ring. In 2023, Amazon settled with the FTC for $5.8 million over allegations of improper access to customer videos by employees. Ring has also faced scrutiny for its collaborations with law enforcement, including providing footage to police without a warrant.
Previously, Ring canceled plans to partner with Flock Safety after backlash over the surveillance company's alleged data sharing with federal agencies. Ring founder Jamie Siminoff cited an excessive "workload" as the reason for canceling the deal.
