A Baltimore Amazon driver claimed that when he rang the Ring doorbell, he was greeted with a racist slur. Here’s what happened next in 60 seconds.
Use a Ring doorbell cam? You can opt out of sending videos straight to police
Concerned about privacy? You’re not alone. More people are raising eyebrows about who has access to their data, especially when it comes to surveillance cameras like Ring doorbells. The idea of your Ring videos being shared with law enforcement can be unsettling for some.
Now, Ring has partnerships with many police departments through its “Neighbors” app. This platform allows users to share video clips and receive local crime updates. But if you’re looking to opt out of Ring’s police partnerships, here’s how you can go about it:
Via the Ring App:
1. Open the Ring app on your smartphone.
2. Tap the three horizontal lines in the top left corner to access the main menu.
3. Choose Control Center from the list.
4. Find the section labeled Community Control and tap on it.
5. Tap on Video Requests. Here, you’ll see a list of police departments that could request video from your Ring devices.
6. Flip the toggle to turn off sharing. This will opt you out of receiving future video requests from local law enforcement.
Via the Neighbors App:
If you’re using the Neighbors app by Ring:
1. Open the Neighbors app.
2. Tap your profile icon in the top left corner.
3. Tap on Settings.
4. Select Privacy Settings.
5. Find Law Enforcement Requests and toggle it off.
Remember, even if you turn off these features, it won’t remove any previously shared videos or automatically decline any active requests; you must do that manually. Also, this doesn’t stop law enforcement from contacting you directly; it only prevents them from doing so through the Ring/Neighbors platform.
Stay vigilant, protect your privacy and remember — you’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to your data.
Here's what Amazon knows about you when you use a Ring doorbell
When you want to protect your home, you look for security systems that warn when people are on your property, record footage you can access at any time and can sound an alarm that scares off any would-be burglars.
Alarm systems should have your protection at heart. The information your alarm company accesses should be used for that purpose and that purpose only.
If you have a Ring doorbell, check your PayPal account: Amazon’s Ring is coughing up a $5.6 million settlement. A May 2023 FTC complaint accused the doorbell cam giant of skimping on security, which allowed hackers and Ring’s own employees to access private video feeds and accounts. If you filled out a claim, you have 30 days to collect it.
This handy product solves the Ring doorbell's biggest problem
Did you know that a video doorbell can deter up to 50% of crime on your property? Wireless Ring doorbells are one of the market’s most popular, easy-to-install security items. But these battery-powered models need to be charged to do their jobs.
Best security cameras for properties with bad or no Wi-Fi
One of my readers is interested in security cameras but is also worried about hackers. She asked me, “Can wireless cameras work without Wi-Fi?” The short answer is yes.
Of course, that introduces a follow-up question: “What are the best security cameras that don’t require Wi-Fi?” Type that into a search engine and you’ll be swarmed with countless options. But you don’t have time to research every camera on the market.
Ring Doorbell's nasty legal loophole
Who really owns the rights to your Ring Doorbell camera footage? Spoiler alert: it might not be you. In this one-minute podcast, I’ll fill you in.
3 ways to get more life out of your video doorbell battery (and 1 way you're killing it)
Before video doorbells, you had to peek through peepholes to see strangers standing on your front porch. If vengeful exes or armed robbers are waiting on the other side of the door, standing too close can put you in danger. Luckily, with video doorbells, you can see who wants to come in from your smartphone.
List: 10 cities where surveillance cameras are always watching
Want to get away from the hustle and bustle? Rental companies like Airbnb and Vrbo can provide the space you need anywhere you want. Can you truly relax knowing that you might be on camera? Tap or click here for a hidden camera detector to bring to your hotel room or rental.
Doorbell app is handing over your data to Facebook
Facebook has a history of mishandling users’ personal information. It’s been caught multiple times sharing private data with other companies.
Multiple privacy breaches have led many people to delete their Facebook accounts altogether. You should think about deleting yours, too. Tap or click here to find out how to delete your Facebook account.