Company:Ring

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Short description: Home security products manufacturer
Ring LLC
TypeSubsidiary
PredecessorBot Home Automation, Inc.
FoundedNovember 15, 2013; 10 years ago (2013-11-15) (as Doorbot)
FounderJamie Siminoff
HeadquartersSanta Monica, California, U.S.[1]
Products
Services
Number of employees
1,300 (2018)[2]
ParentAmazon (2018–present)
Websitering.com

Ring LLC is a manufacturer of home security and smart home devices owned by Amazon. It manufactures a titular line of smart doorbells, home security cameras, and alarm systems. It also operates Neighbors, a social network that allows users to discuss local safety and security issues, and share footage captured with Ring products. Via Neighbors, Ring users may also provide footage and data to law enforcement agencies to assist in investigations.

The company was first founded in the Fall of 2013 by Jamie Siminoff as the crowdfunded startup Doorbot; it was renamed Ring in the Fall of 2014, after which it began to receive equity investments. It was acquired by Amazon in 2018 for approximately $1 billion.[3]

Ring's product lines have faced scrutiny over privacy issues; the Neighbors service has been criticized by civil rights advocacy groups as building a private surveillance network backed by law enforcement agencies. Various security vulnerabilities have also been discovered in Ring products.

History

As a startup (2013–2017)

In November 2013, Ring was founded as Doorbot by Jamie Siminoff. Doorbot was crowdfunded via Christie Street, and raised US$364,000, more than the $250,000 requested.[1][4][5] Siminoff's team envisioned the product's concept as an "alarm system literally turned inside out" in comparison to other security systems, describing it as a "pre-crime" system.[6] In 2013, Siminoff and Doorbot appeared on an episode of the reality series Shark Tank to seek a $700,000 investment in the company, which he estimated was worth $7 million.[7] Kevin O'Leary made an offer as a potential investor, but Siminoff declined it.[8] Siminoff estimated that the appearance led to $5 million in additional sales.[8]

On September 26, 2014, the company was rebranded as Ring as it launched its second-generation hardware; Siminoff explained that the new name and updated hardware was more reflective of the company's positioning of the doorbell as a home security product.[6]

In 2016, Shaquille O'Neal acquired an equity stake in Ring, and subsequently became a spokesperson in the company's marketing.[9] The company raised over $200 million in investments from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Qualcomm Ventures, Goldman Sachs, DFJ Growth and Sir Richard Branson.[10][11][12]

In 2017, ADT sued Ring for trade secret theft in the case of ADT vs. Mike Harris relating to Ring Alarm. Sales of the alarm product were preliminarily blocked by a judge in late 2017.[13] The case ended up settling for an unconfirmed $25 million.[14] With a reported burn rate of $10 to $12 million per month[15] and incurred legal expenses, Ring needed to raise cash. The ADT settlement, however, spooked investors causing the CEO to seek a quick sale.[16]

Siminoff's attitude towards Amazon changed overnight. In a November 2017 interview with the Ambient, when asked about Amazon Key, the CEO responded,

"Amazon is both an investor in Ring as well as a strong partner, so we have a lot of respect there but, in this instance with what they've done, I was never a fan of how this was put together," he explains. "I don't believe the seal around the home should ever be breached by a third-party company. No matter how many cameras you have and how much control you have over it, I just don't think it's a good idea." "To me it's backwards because Amazon is usually so thoughtful around scale and when you're doing like 50 million interactions a day, even if the smallest percentage – like 0.0001% goes wrong – that could be like five deaths a day!"[17]

According to emails between Jeff Bezos and other Amazon executives unearthed during a congressional investigation, Amazon began conducting due diligence to acquire Ring in November 2017.[18]

Subsidiary of Amazon (2018–present)

On April 12, 2018, Ring was acquired by Amazon for approximately $839 million.[19][20] Emails obtained by congress revealed that, despite Amazon executives' concerns about Ring's quality and security, Bezos valued Ring for its market share, not its technology.[21] One email revealed that Amazon evaluated sales data before buying two of the top four wireless home security device manufacturers.[22]

In May 2018, Ring launched the hyperlocal social network Neighbors, which is designed to allow users to anonymously discuss local safety and security issues, as well as share photos and videos captured with Ring products. The service also allows local police departments to post bulletins, and for them to request footage from users that may assist in investigations.[23][24]

In September 2019, the House Judiciary Committee began investigating the acquisition of Ring, Blink, and Eero as part of an investigation into digital markets.[25]

In September 2020, Amazon announced a new platform known as Amazon Sidewalk, which is designed to allow internet of things devices to communicate over the internet via a wireless mesh network formed by devices such as Amazon Echo speakers. Ring products are supported by the platform.[26][27][28][29]

The United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform launched an investigation into Ring's data-sharing partnerships with local governments and police departments on February 19, 2020.[30][31]

In October 2020, Congress published the report on competition in digital markets, featuring their findings on acquisitions entrenching Alexa's dominance of the Internet of Things.[32] Along with the rationale for acquiring Ring, the investigation also surfaced Siminoff's involvement in the Eero acquisition, hinting at the Ring Alarm Pro: an Eero + Ring hub launched in 2021.[33]

In April 2021, ADT Inc. sued Ring for trademark infringement, after re-introducing blue octagonal signs that were too similar to the ADT logo. Ring first agreed to cease using a similar logo in 2016 following a prior complaint.[34]

In September 2022, Amazon-owned MGM Television launched a syndicated television series co-branded with Ring, Ring Nation, which highlights viral videos recorded using phones, home security cameras, and smart doorbells. Despite its title, the series is not exclusive to footage captured with Ring products.[35]

In March 2023, Ring founder Jamie Siminoff stepped down as CEO to become "Chief Inventor". He was replaced by Elizabeth Hamren, a former executive at Discord, Oculus, and Xbox.[36]

In May 2023, the FTC reached a $5.8 million settlement with Ring, asserting that Ring "[compromised] its customers’ privacy by allowing any employee or contractor to access consumers’ private videos and by failing to implement basic privacy and security protections, enabling hackers to take control of consumers’ accounts, cameras, and videos."[37] Among many claims, the complaint alleges, "between June and August 2017, a Ring employee viewed thousands of video recordings belonging to at least 81 unique female users (including customers and Ring employees)."[38][39]

Products and services

Ring Video Doorbell 2
A screen capture from a Ring doorbell

Ring Video Doorbell

The Ring Video Doorbell is the company's flagship product; it is a smart doorbell that contains a high-definition camera, a motion sensor, and a microphone and speaker for two-way audio communication. It integrates with an associated mobile app, Neighbors, which allows users to view real-time video from the camera, receive notifications when the doorbell is rung, and communicate with visitors at the door via the integrated speaker and microphone. It is also capable of operating as a surveillance camera, and can automatically trigger recordings when rung, or when its motion sensors are activated.[40][41][42][43]

A second-generation model, Ring Doorbell 2, was released in 2017, with updated hardware and a 1080p camera with improved low-light performance, that does not rely solely on Wi-Fi, unlike the original model.[44] The Ring Doorbell Pro interoperates with Amazon Alexa to play prerecorded greetings to visitors and allow visitors to leave a message.[45]

The "Ring Chime" accessory is a unit plugged into a power outlet to play the doorbell's chime. The "Chime Pro" is an extended version that also doubles as a wireless repeater for Wi-Fi networks.[46]

In November 2020, Amazon announced the recall of 350,000 Ring doorbells in the United States and 8,700 in Canada due to a potential fire risk.[47]

Ring Cameras

Ring Indoor Cam

In 2015, Ring released the "Stick-Up Cam", a wireless IP camera. It was updated in 2018 with a cylindrical form factor, motion detection, two-way audio, as well as battery, wired, and solar power options.[48] In 2017, Ring released the "Floodlight Cam", a camera integrated with a pair of motion-activated LED floodlights,[49] and in 2019, the "Ring Indoor Cam" was released.[50] At CES 2019, Ring announced a peephole camera.[51]

Ring Alarm

In July 2018, Ring launched an alarm security kit called the Ring Alarm, which includes a keypad, siren, and motion sensors.[52][53][54] In September 2021, Ring announced Ring Alarm Pro, combining Ring Alarm with the connectivity of Eero.[55] The Ring Alarm Pro is not currently compatible with Sidewalk, but does ship with a 902-928 MHz radio, indicating that Sidewalk compatibility may be available at a later date.

Always Home Camera

In September 2020, Ring unveiled the "Always Home Cam", an aerial indoor camera that flies on a predetermined path when activated by an alarm sensor.[56]

Automotive security

In September 2020, Ring unveiled a new line of automotive products, including the Ring Car Alarm and Car Cam. Car Alarm is an OBD-II car alarm that can send alerts of events such as break-ins via Ring and Amazon Alexa, and leverages Amazon Sidewalk for connectivity. Car Cam consists of a dashcam and a rear window camera to capture the interior of a car, and features similar car alarm functionality, as well as "emergency crash assist" to automatically notify emergency services if a "serious crash" is detected, as well as having a "traffic stop" voice command.[56][57]

In addition, Ring announced the launch of Car Connect—a platform allowing car manufacturers to integrate existing cameras and security systems within vehicles (such as backup cameras) into the Ring platform. Tesla was announced as the first partner for Car Connect, with plans to offer an aftermarket accessory for the Model 3, Model X, Model S, and Model Y in 2021.[56][57]

Astro as robotic home security guard

In September 2022, Amazon announced a pilot program to use the domestic robot Astro as a remote-controlled security guard connected to Ring security devices. A promotional video shows a woman in a call center remote-controlling the robot to confront burglars after receiving an alert from the Ring security system.[58] An article in MIT Tech Review notes that "combining Astro's ability to roam around a house with Ring's established surveillance system, might create even more surveillance problems than either product did in their previous iterations".[59]

Amazon Sidewalk

Main page: Amazon Sidewalk

In late 2017, Ring acquired Iotera, an IoT company known for its small location-based trackers.[60] In September 2019, Amazon announced "Amazon Sidewalk", a low-bandwidth long-range wireless communication protocol based on Iotera's technology.[61] In January 2022, Ring announced Ring Sidewalk Bridge Pro to extend Sidewalk coverage to public spaces.[62] In March 2023, Amazon opened up the Sidewalk protocol to developers, boasting IoT network coverage of up to 90% of the country with mainly Ring and Alexa devices.[63]

Subscription plans

Ring products require a "Ring Protect" subscription plan in order to store and view recordings from the cameras; without a subscription, the user is limited to real-time footage only. The "Ring Protect Basic" plan allows footage to be retained for 60 days up to 180 days, while the "Ring Protect Pro" subscription adds "unlimited" storage of footage, enables professional monitoring and LTE cellular backup on the Ring Alarm, and extends the warranty on the user's Ring products from one year to the life of the devices.[64][65][66]

As of March 29, 2023, the Home/Away modes feature will also require a subscription. For new users, Ring Protect Pro will be required in order to use Ring Alarm via the mobile app, otherwise the system may only be controlled with the physical keypad.[67]

Neighbors app

Main page: Software:Neighbors (app)

Neighbors is a hyperlocal social networking app launched by Ring in 2018. Described as being akin to a neighborhood watch, it allows users to crowdsource information on and discuss safety and security concerns in their area. The service allows users to share footage captured from Ring products. All user posts are anonymous and do not include specific location information, and are moderated to remove off-topic content (in contrast to services such as Nextdoor). Ring also has partnerships with local police departments in some cities to incorporate Neighbors into their crime monitoring processes, who are able to make official posts for distribution on the service. Ring has credited the service with having helped to solve crimes, and noted that activity on the service surged in areas of California affected by wildfires in November 2018.[23][24]

Amazon disclosed Ring's criteria for accepting requests from police departments for video footage shared to Neighbors in a response to left wing Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey on November 1, 2019. Ring stated that each police request was required to be associated with a case number and submitted individually, although no evidence was needed for footage to be given. Ring also stated that they provided at most 12 hours of footage recorded within the previous 45 days in a maximum search area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) for each request. Markey criticized Amazon's response, describing Ring as "an open door for privacy and civil liberty violations".[68][69]

Police departments may access user-generated footage through the Ring Neighborhoods portal, using a map interface. Amazon claims that it seeks permission from applicable users before releasing footage to law enforcement, but may release footage without user consent in emergency situations, or under subpoena.[70][71] In July 2022, Amazon stated to in a letter to Markey that it had released footage without user permission at least eleven times so far in 2022—the company's first public confirmation that it has done so.[70] In January 2024, Ring announced that the program would be discontinued, citing recent efforts to reposition Neighbors away from a focus on crime.[72]

Reception

Products

TechHive gave the second-generation Ring doorbell a 4 out of 5, noting improvements in hardware and ease of installation over the first-generation model, but criticizing a lack of printed and online documentation.[44]

Security and privacy issues

Police partnerships

In June 2019, Ring faced criticism over a "Community Alert" program, under which the company has made geographically-targeted sponsored posts on social media services such as Facebook, asking readers to provide tips on suspects in verified cases, based on imagery posted on the Neighbors service by a Ring customer. Ring stated that it sought permission from the user before using their content in this manner. However, these discoveries did lead to concerns over the use of such footage in material deemed to effectively be advertising, as well as concerns over other possible uses of the footage (such as for training facial recognition) due to the wide copyright license that users must grant to in order to use Neighbors (an irrevocable, unlimited, and royalty-free license to use shared content "for any purpose and in any media formats in any media channels without compensation to you"), and Ring's partnerships with local law enforcement agencies.[73][74]

Digital rights advocacy group Fight for the Future criticized Ring for using its cameras and Neighbors app to build a private surveillance network via partnerships with local law enforcement agencies, which encourage them to promote the products. The group stated that these partnerships "undermine our democratic process and basic civil liberties".[75][76] According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Ring used these partnerships and its marketing strategies to foster fear, which leads to a "vicious cycle" that spurs hardware sales. The organization said that Ring, as well as Neighbors and similar "neighborhood watch" apps such as Citizen and Nextdoor, "facilitate reporting of so-called 'suspicious' behavior that really amounts to racial profiling."[77] Matt Cagle of the American Civil Liberties Union said that the Ring Neighbors Portal "blurs the line between corporate and government surveillance" and that "Many people are not going to feel like they have a choice when law enforcement asks for access to their footage".[71]

In July 2019, Vice publication Motherboard obtained records revealing the extent of Ring's partnership with the Lakeland (Florida) Police Department (LPD). The department was granted access to a "Law Enforcement Neighborhood Portal" for making posts on Neighbors and the ability to "request videos directly from Ring users," and received a donation of 15 Ring cameras. However, the memorandum of understanding stated that the LPD would be required to participate in "outreach efforts on the platform to encourage adoption of the platform/app" (receiving $10 credits for Ring camera purchases for each new user). Ring also recommended that the LPD establish specific new positions for the partnership, including a "social media coordinator".[78] Later in the month, Motherboard obtained public records containing an officer's notes from an April 2019 training webinar, which stated that Ring had partnered with at least 200 law enforcement partners.[79] In early August 2019, Motherboard also reported that Ring would match payments by cities to cover the subsidized purchase of Ring cameras, so that they could be resold to residents at a discount.[80]

In November 2020, a pilot program in Jackson, Mississippi, enabled participating Ring users to enable police to livestream their cameras at any time.[81]

Alleged use of facial recognition technology

In February 2018, Business Insider reported references to use of facial recognition technology in Ring's privacy policy. The policy stated:

Where permitted by applicable law, you may choose to use additional functionality in your Ring product that, through video data from your device, can recognize facial characteristics of familiar visitors. For example, you may want to receive different notifications from your Ring Doorbell depending on whether a visitor is a stranger or a member of your household. If you choose to activate this feature, we obtain certain facial feature information about the visitors you ask your Ring product to recognize. We require your explicit consent before you can take advantage of this feature.[82][83]

In December 2018, patents filed by Ring surfaced to identify "suspicious" people and automatically alert police.[84]

In August 2019, a Buzzfeed News reported, "Ring Says It Doesn't Use Facial Recognition, But It Has "A Head Of Face Recognition Research."" The piece reported on a 2018 presentation from Ring Ukraine's "Head of Face Recognition Research", as well as a statement from Ring Ukraine's website stating, "We develop semi-automated crime prevention and monitoring systems which are based on, but not limited to, face recognition."[85][86]

Also in 2019, as part of his investigation into Ring's cooperation with law enforcement, Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts probed the company's privacy policy's reference to use of facial recognition technology.[87][88] Amazon responded:

We do not currently offer facial recognition technology in Ring products. This sentence in the Privacy Notice refers to a contemplated, but unreleased feature. We do frequently innovate based on customer demand, and facial recognition features are increasingly common in consumer security cameras today, such as: Google Nest Hello, Tend Secure Lynx, Netamo Welcome, Wisenet Smartcam, and Honeywell Smart Home Security. If our customers want these features in Ring security cameras, we will only release these feature with thoughtful design including privacy, security, and user control; and we will clearly communicate with our customers as we offer new features.[89]

In November 2019, the Intercept reported on internal documents detailing "Proactive Suspect Matching". The feature would use facial recognition to group videos and create a profile of an alleged criminal based on Ring camera footage.[90] Ring denied that the feature was in use or development.

In 2020, Ring posted a one-sentence position stance on their blog stating, "Ring does not use facial recognition technology in any of its devices or services, and will neither sell nor offer facial recognition technology to law enforcement."[91] In 2021, Senator Markey and his colleagues introduced the "Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act."[92] A year later, Markey renewed his investigation into Ring,[93] and in July 2022, Markey cited Ring's "[refusal] to commit to not incorporating facial recognition technology in its products" as evidence of the need for legislation to "prohibit use of biometric technology by federal agencies and condition federal grant funding to state and local entities on moratoria on the use of biometric technology."[94]

Amazon has attempted to distance themselves from Ring Ukraine, the branch responsible for developing computer vision and facial recognition solutions. In a statement for release, the general manager of the Kyiv-based office commented, "We are no longer part of a small startup, but a full-fledged R&D center working for one of the world's largest corporations. [We are involved not only in Ring's product line but also in many other Amazon projects. That is,] We are a large Ukrainian team of specialists working on the world market." At legal's request, the general manager was asked to remove the reference to Amazon.[95] "Ring Ukraine" was eventually rebranded as "Squad".[96]

Vulnerabilities

In January 2019, it was uncovered that employees at Ring's two offices had access to the video recordings from all Ring devices.[97] In addition, The Intercept reported that the video data was stored unencrypted.[98] In a December 2019 test, Motherboard found that Ring's software did not implement security features such as recognizing unknown IP addresses or providing a display of active login sessions, allowing the publication to access a Ring account from IP addresses based in multiple countries without warning the user.[99]

The Neighbors network leaks metadata about the footage posted in videos and "crime alerts". This metadata, combined with public city map data, is frequently sufficient to discover the exact location of the Ring doorbell or a camera. In one experiment, Gizmodo located 20,000 devices based on information collected (scraped from the app) over a period of month. University researchers were able to locate 440,000 devices using data spanning back to 2016.[100]

Cybersecurity firm Bitdefender identified a vulnerability in the Ring Video Doorbell Pro product in July 2019, which was patched before being publicly disclosed in November 2019.[101][102][103] Hackers accessed a number of Ring cameras in December 2019 and used the device speakers to broadcast racial slurs, threats, and other inflammatory language to multiple households across the United States.[104][105][106] A Motherboard investigation discovered crime forums that distributed software exploits of Ring devices that were used in the cyberattacks, and that members of the hacking forum Nulled had been recording their breaches as "podcasts".[107] Ring responded to the incidents by advising its users to have strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and adopt other security measures.[108] Ring mandated two-factor authentication for all users on February 18, 2020.[109][110]

Allegations of user tracking

On January 27, 2020, the Electronic Frontier Foundation concluded that the Ring doorbell app for Android was sending identifiable personal information– including names, IP addresses, mobile network carriers, persistent IDs, and sensor data–to AppsFlyer, branch.io, Facebook, and Mixpanel.[111][112]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Company Overview of Ring Inc.". https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=246348314. 
  2. ↑ Murphy, Mike. "Ring, which Amazon just bought for $1 billion, was once rejected by 'Shark Tank'" (in en-US). https://www.marketwatch.com/story/ring-which-amazon-just-bought-for-1-billion-was-once-rejected-by-shark-tank-2018-02-27. 
  3. ↑ https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000101872419000004/amzn-20181231x10k.htm
  4. ↑ Perez, Chris. "Doorbot Is Knocking Upon the Future of Doorbells" (in en). https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/doorbot-is-this-your-next-doorbell-ces-2013-183425. 
  5. ↑ Hsu, Jeremy (January 25, 2013). "'DoorBot' for Homeowners Hits $250,000 Goal". http://www.technewsdaily.com/16580-doorbot-homeowners-funding-goal.html. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Etherington, Darrell (2014-09-29). "Doorbot Becomes Ring, A Home Security Solution That Also Greets Your Visitors" (in en-US). https://techcrunch.com/2014/09/29/doorbot-ring-home-security-doorbell/. 
  7. ↑ "After This Entrepreneur Got Nothing on 'Shark Tank,' Richard Branson Wrote Him a Check" (in en). Inc.com. August 19, 2015. https://www.inc.com/chris-matyszczyk/he-got-nothing-on-shark-tank-then-richard-branson-gave-him-28-million.html. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "This guy turned his failure on 'Shark Tank' into a $109 million investment from Goldman Sachs" (in en). Business Insider. http://www.businessinsider.com/ring-doorbot-shark-tank-goldman-sachs-2017-1. 
  9. ↑ Susan Adams (February 27, 2018). "The Exclusive Inside Story Of Ring: From 'Shark Tank' Reject To Amazon's Latest Acquisition". https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2018/02/27/amazon-is-buying-ring-the-pioneer-of-the-video-doorbell-for-1-billion/. 
  10. ↑ Friedman, Zack. "Shark Tank Reject Raises $209 Million, Fights Crime" (in en). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2017/02/22/shark-tank-ring-siminoff/#7da6d3a43312. 
  11. ↑ "UPDATED: ABC's 'Shark Tank' makes its decision on Allen County native, veteran Bart Lomont's Robin Autopilot | News, Sports, Jobs - News-Sentinel" (in en-US). http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local-news/2017/11/13/abcs-shark-tank-makes-its-decision-on-allen-county-native-veteran-bart-lomonts-robin-autopilot/. 
  12. ↑ DFJ (October 19, 2017). "Jamie Siminoff, Ring". https://medium.com/dfj-vc/jamie-siminoff-ring-13613363b85c. 
  13. ↑ Liptak, Andrew (2017-11-05). "A judge has blocked Ring from selling its security system pending the outcome of a lawsuit" (in en-US). https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/5/16609880/ring-barred-from-selling-security-system-adt-lawsuit-z1. 
  14. ↑ Jacobson, Julie (2018-01-19). "Ring Reaches Settlement With ADT in Zonoff Lawsuit, Plus Other Developments" (in en). https://www.securitysales.com/automation/smart-home/ring-reaches-settlement-with-adt-in-zonoff-lawsuit-plus-other-developments/. 
  15. ↑ "At Ring's R&D Team, Security Gaps and Rookie Engineers". https://www.theinformation.com/articles/at-rings-r-d-team-security-gaps-and-rookie-engineers. 
  16. ↑ Schleifer, Theodore (2018-03-03). "Here's how a lawsuit against Ring scuttled one deal a few months before Amazon bought it" (in en). https://www.vox.com/2018/3/3/17065222/amazon-ring-adt-lawsuit-valor-equity-partners-deal. 
  17. ↑ "Ring CEO is taking on smart home security, one Silicon Valley copycat at a time" (in en). 2018-01-04. https://www.the-ambient.com/features/ring-ceo-jamie-siminoff-talks-189. 
  18. ↑ "Amazon Documents | U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee". 2022-08-26. https://judiciary.house.gov/online-platforms-and-market-power/amazon-documents.htm. 
  19. ↑ https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000101872419000004/amzn-20181231x10k.htm
  20. ↑ "Amazon is making its second-biggest acquisition ever — the doorbell company Ring". Recode. https://www.recode.net/2018/2/27/17059768/amazon-ring-acquisition-doorbell. 
  21. ↑ "Amazon Bought Ring for Market Position Despite Internal Concerns" (in en-US). 2020-07-30. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-bought-ring-market-position-012807874.html. 
  22. ↑ "Email". https://judiciary.house.gov/uploadedfiles/00214132.pdf. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "In first move since Amazon acquisition, Ring launches Neighbors app to help users fight crime" (in en-US). May 8, 2018. https://www.geekwire.com/2018/first-move-since-amazon-acquisition-ring-launches-neighbors-app-help-users-fight-crime/. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Rubin, Ben Fox. "How Ring's Neighbors app is making home security a social thing" (in en). https://www.cnet.com/news/how-rings-neighbors-app-is-making-home-security-a-social-thing/. 
  25. ↑ "Amazon". https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/democrats.judiciary.house.gov/files/documents/amazon%20rfi%20-%20signed.pdf. 
  26. ↑ "Amazon Sidewalk is a new long-range wireless network for your stuff". September 25, 2019. https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/25/amazon-sidewalk-is-a-new-long-range-wireless-network-for-your-stuff/. Retrieved 26 September 2019. 
  27. ↑ Goodin, Dan (2021-05-29). "Amazon devices will soon automatically share your Internet with neighbors" (in en-us). https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/05/amazon-devices-will-soon-automatically-share-your-internet-with-neighbors/. 
  28. ↑ Brandom, Russell (2020-09-21). "Amazon will launch a new location-tracking mesh network system later this year" (in en-US). https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/21/21448926/amazon-sidewalk-ring-echo-tile-wifi-mesh-ble-location-tracking. 
  29. ↑ Lardinois, Frederic (2023-01-05). "Amazon Sidewalk adds new partners, plans to open to developers soon" (in en-US). https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/05/amazon-sidewalk-adds-new-partners-plans-to-open-to-developers-soon/. 
  30. ↑ Ng, Alfred. "Congress demands answers from Ring on police partnerships". https://www.cnet.com/news/congress-demands-answers-from-ring-on-police-partnerships/. 
  31. ↑ Krishnamoorthi, Raja (February 19, 2020). "2020-02-19.RK to Huseman-Amazon re Ring (1)". https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2020-02-19.RK%20to%20Huseman-Amazon%20re%20Ring%20%281%29.pdf. 
  32. ↑ "Investigation of Competition in Digital Markets: Majority Staff Report and Recommendations". https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/2020/10/06/investigation_of_competition_in_digital_markets_majority_staff_report_and_recommendations.pdf. 
  33. ↑ Ring (2021-09-28). "Ring and eero Bring Connectivity to Smart Home Security With Ring Alarm Pro" (in en). https://blog.ring.com/products-innovation/ring-and-eero-bring-connectivity-to-smart-home-security-with-ring-alarm-pro/. 
  34. ↑ Priest, David. "ADT sues Amazon's Ring over use of blue octagon logo" (in en). https://www.cnet.com/home/security/adt-sues-amazons-ring-over-use-of-blue-octagon-logo/. 
  35. ↑ Baum, Gary (2022-08-25). "Senator Slams Amazon's 'Ring Nation' as Surveillance-State TV" (in en-US). https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ed-markey-slams-amazon-wanda-sykes-ring-nation-1235205556/. 
  36. ↑ Bishop, Todd (March 1, 2023). "Amazon's Ring names Xbox and Oculus vet Elizabeth Hamren as new CEO; founder Jamie Siminoff remains chief inventor". https://www.geekwire.com/2023/amazons-ring-names-xbox-and-oculus-vet-elizabeth-hamren-as-new-ceo-founder-jamie-siminoff-remains-chief-inventor/. 
  37. ↑ "FTC Says Ring Employees Illegally Surveilled Customers, Failed to Stop Hackers from Taking Control of Users' Cameras" (in en). 2023-05-31. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/05/ftc-says-ring-employees-illegally-surveilled-customers-failed-stop-hackers-taking-control-users. 
  38. ↑ "Federal Trade Commission v. Ring LLC, Case No. 1:23-cv-1549". https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/complaint_ring.pdf. 
  39. ↑ Brodkin, Jon (2023-06-01). "FTC: Amazon/Ring workers illegally spied on users of home security cameras" (in en-us). https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/06/ftc-amazon-ring-workers-illegally-spied-on-users-of-home-security-cameras/. 
  40. ↑ Dave, Paresh. "Ring modernized the doorbell, then its inventor, Jamie Siminoff, went to war against crime" (in en-US). Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-ring-jamie-siminoff-20170412-htmlstory.html. 
  41. ↑ "The real cost of setting up a smart home" (in en). USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/11/12/real-cost-setting-up-smart-home/844977001/. 
  42. ↑ Pollicino, Joe (December 6, 2012). "DoorBot lets you see and talk with who's at the door from the comfort of your smartphone (video)". https://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/edison-junior-doorbot-video-doorbell/. 
  43. ↑ Ashe, Dru (December 7, 2012). "DoorBot: The Wi-Fi Doorbell That Connects to Your Smartphone | Complex". http://www.complex.com/tech/2012/12/introducing-doorbot-the-wifi-video-doorbell-that-connects-to-your-smartphone. 
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 "Ring Video Doorbell 2 review: Better features, new frustrations" (in en). August 23, 2017. https://www.techhive.com/article/3216065/ring-video-doorbell-2-review.html. 
  45. ↑ Clark, Mitchell (February 11, 2021). "Alexa can now greet people from your Ring Doorbell Pro". The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/11/22279020/alexa-ring-doorbell-greeting-quick-replies. 
  46. ↑ Hollister, Sean (November 19, 2018). "Pre-Black Friday deal alert: Ring Video Doorbell 2 and Echo Dot for $140". https://www.theverge.com/good-deals/2018/11/19/18103207/best-buy-black-friday-deals-sale-ring-video-doorbell-2-free-echo-dot-2018. 
  47. ↑ Manfredi, Lucas (November 10, 2020). "Amazon's Ring recalls 350,000 video doorbells for fire hazard" (in en-US). https://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/ring-recalls-350000-second-generation-video-doorbells-for-battery-related-fire-hazard. 
  48. ↑ Cipriani, Jason. "Ring Stick Up Cam Battery review: An all around security camera, inside and out Review" (in en). https://www.zdnet.com/product/ring-stick-up-cam-battery/. 
  49. ↑ Delaney, John R. (August 2, 2017). "Ring Floodlight Cam" (in en). https://www.pcmag.com/review/355300/ring-floodlight-cam. 
  50. ↑ "Ring Launches its First-Ever Indoor-Only Security Camera, Ring Indoor Cam, the Company's Most Affordable Camera To-Date" (in en). September 25, 2019. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190925005858/en/Ring-Launches-its-First-Ever-Indoor-Only-Security-Camera-Ring-Indoor-Cam-the-Company%E2%80%99s-Most-Affordable-Camera-To-Date. 
  51. ↑ Graham, Jefferson (January 7, 2019). "No doorbell, no problem: Ring introduces Door View Cam that replaces peephole in homes". USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2019/01/07/ces-2019-ring-introduces-peephole-camera-people-without-doorbells/2484864002/. 
  52. ↑ Wollerton, Megan (July 20, 2018). "Ring Alarm Security Kit review". CNET (CBS Interactive). https://www.cnet.com/reviews/ring-alarm-indoor-security-kit-review/. 
  53. ↑ Sawers, Paul (October 2, 2017). "Ring launches Protect, a DIY home security system starting at $199". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/2017/10/02/ring-launches-protect-a-diy-home-security-system/. 
  54. ↑ Wetzel, Kim (October 2, 2017). "Affordable, DIY Ring Protect Looks to Lock Up the Home Security System Market". Digital Trends. https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/ring-protect/. 
  55. ↑ Tuohy, Jennifer Pattison (2021-09-28). "Ring Alarm Pro locks up your smart home in one Amazon-powered packaged" (in en-US). https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/28/22692073/ring-alarm-pro-amazon-event-release-date-specs-price-features. 
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 56.2 "Ring's newest security camera is a $249 autonomous indoor drone shipping in 2021" (in en-US). January 11, 2021. https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/24/rings-newest-security-camera-is-a-249-autonomous-indoor-drone-shipping-in-2021/. 
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 Seifert, Dan (September 24, 2020). "Ring announces new line of security cameras for cars" (in en). https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/24/21453632/ring-car-alarm-security-camera-connect-tesla-price-specs-features-amazon. 
  58. ↑ Introducing Amazon Astro: Your Virtual Security Guard, September 28, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFvUl1Mn5mQ, retrieved October 15, 2022 
  59. ↑ Basu, Tanya (September 28, 2022). "Amazon has a new plan for its home robot Astro: to guard your life" (in en). https://www.technologyreview.com/2022/09/28/1060418/amazon-wants-astro-to-guard-your-life/. 
  60. ↑ By (2023-05-01). "Your Guide To Using Amazon's Sidewalk Network For The Internet Of Things" (in en-US). https://hackaday.com/2023/05/01/your-guide-to-using-amazons-sidewalk-network-for-the-internet-of-things/. 
  61. ↑ Lardinois, Frederic (2019-09-25). "Amazon Sidewalk is a new long-range wireless network for your stuff" (in en-US). https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/25/amazon-sidewalk-is-a-new-long-range-wireless-network-for-your-stuff/. 
  62. ↑ Tuohy, Jennifer Pattison (2022-01-07). "Amazon introduces the Sidewalk Bridge Pro to expand the network" (in en-US). https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/6/22871031/amazon-launches-ring-sidewalk-bridge-pro. 
  63. ↑ Tuohy, Jennifer Pattison (2023-03-28). "Amazon has just opened up its Sidewalk network and it's gigantic" (in en-US). https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/28/23659191/amazon-sidewalk-network-coverage. 
  64. ↑ Seifert, Dan (July 3, 2018). "Ring Alarm review: simple, cheap home security". https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/3/17530782/ring-alarm-security-system-smart-home-review-price-features. 
  65. ↑ "How much do Ring camera storage plans cost?" (in en). January 24, 2019. https://www.androidcentral.com/how-much-do-ring-camera-storage-plans-cost. 
  66. ↑ "Ring Floodlight Cam review: An excellent choice—if you're living in Ring's ecosystem" (in en). January 26, 2018. https://www.techhive.com/article/3250641/ring-floodlight-cam-review.html. 
  67. ↑ Tuohy, Jennifer Pattison (2023-03-03). "More Ring camera and alarm features will soon require subscriptions" (in en-US). https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/3/23623523/ring-alarm-camera-features-subscription. 
  68. ↑ Lecher, Colin (November 19, 2019). "Amazon lets police ask for Ring videos that are more than a month old". https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/19/20973173/amazon-ring-police-video-privacy-markey-senate-letter. 
  69. ↑ "Response Letter_Ring_Senator Markey January 11, 2019.pdf". United States Senate. November 1, 2019. https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Response%20Letter_Ring_Senator%20Markey%2011.01.2019.pdf. 
  70. ↑ 70.0 70.1 Ng, Alfred (July 13, 2022). "Amazon gave Ring videos to police without owners' permission" (in en). https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/13/amazon-gave-ring-videos-to-police-without-owners-permission-00045513. 
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 Biddle, Sam (February 14, 2019). "Amazon's Home Surveillance Chief Declared War on "Dirtbag Criminals" as Company Got Closer to Police". https://theintercept.com/2019/02/14/amazon-ring-police-surveillance/. 
  72. ↑ "Amazon’s Ring to Stop Letting Police Request Doorbell Video From Users" (in en). Bloomberg.com. 2024-01-24. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-24/amazon-s-ring-to-stop-letting-police-request-video-from-users. 
  73. ↑ Reichert, Corinne. "Ring puts suspected thief in Facebook sponsored ads" (in en). https://www.cnet.com/news/ring-puts-suspected-thief-in-facebook-sponsored-ads/. 
  74. ↑ Alba, Davey; Mac, Ryan (June 7, 2019). "Amazon's Doorbell Camera Company Is Using Security Video For Ads. That May Only Be The Beginning." (in en). https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/daveyalba/amazon-ring-doorbell-company-using-security-footage-for-ads. 
  75. ↑ "Amazon's Ring doorbell police tie-up criticised" (in en-GB). BBC News. August 1, 2019. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-49191005. 
  76. ↑ Ng, Alfred. "This map tells you where police have partnered with Amazon's Ring" (in en). https://www.cnet.com/news/this-map-tells-you-where-police-have-partnered-with-amazons-ring/. 
  77. ↑ Guariglia, Matthew (August 8, 2019). "Amazon's Ring Is a Perfect Storm of Privacy Threats" (in en). https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/08/amazons-ring-perfect-storm-privacy-threats. 
  78. ↑ Haskins, Caroline; Koebler, Jason (July 25, 2019). "Amazon Requires Police to Shill Surveillance Cameras in Secret Agreement" (in en-US). https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mb88za/amazon-requires-police-to-shill-surveillance-cameras-in-secret-agreement. 
  79. ↑ Haskins, Caroline; Maiberg, Emanuel; Mead, Derek; Koebler, Jason (July 29, 2019). "Amazon Told Police It Has Partnered With 200 Law Enforcement Agencies" (in en-US). https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/j5wyjy/amazon-told-police-it-has-partnered-with-200-law-enforcement-agencies. 
  80. ↑ Haskins, Caroline; Koebler, Jason; Mead, Derek (August 2, 2019). "US Cities Are Helping People Buy Amazon Surveillance Cameras With Taxpayer Money" (in en-US). https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/d3ag37/us-cities-are-helping-people-buy-amazon-surveillance-cameras-using-taxpayer-money. 
  81. ↑ Holmes, Aaron. "Police are tapping into residents' Ring doorbells and home security cameras to stream 24/7 live video". https://www.businessinsider.com/ring-doorbells-live-video-security-camera-police-fusus-2020-11. 
  82. ↑ Ghosh, Shona. "Amazon's newest acquisition, the doorbell startup Ring, made a smart move to fend off Google" (in en-US). https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-smart-doorbell-ring-facial-recognition-2018-2. 
  83. ↑ "Privacy | Ring". 2018-07-25. https://shop.ring.com/pages/privacy. 
  84. ↑ "Amazon's Ring takes heat for considering facial recognition for its video doorbells" (in en). https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/amazons-ring-takes-heat-for-considering-facial-recognition-for-its-video-doorbells/. 
  85. ↑ Mac, Nicole Nguyen, Ryan (2019-08-30). "Ring Says It Doesn't Use Facial Recognition, But It Has "A Head Of Face Recognition Research"" (in en). https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nicolenguyen/amazon-ring-facial-recognition-ukraine. 
  86. ↑ "Ring Ukraine". 2019-05-23. https://ring-ukraine.com/. 
  87. ↑ "September 2019 Inquiry Letter from Sen. Markey to Ring". https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Markey%20letter%20-%20Ring%20Law%20Enforcement%209.5.19.pdf. 
  88. ↑ "Senator Markey Investigation into Amazon Ring Doorbell Reveals Egregiously Lax Privacy Policies and Civil Rights Protections | U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts" (in en). https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-investigation-into-amazon-ring-doorbell-reveals-egregiously-lax-privacy-policies-and-civil-rights-protections. 
  89. ↑ "November 2019 Response from Amazon to Sen. Markey". https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Response%20Letter_Ring_Senator%20Markey%2011.01.2019.pdf. 
  90. ↑ Biddle, Sam (2019-11-26). "Amazon's Ring Planned Neighborhood "Watch Lists" Built on Facial Recognition" (in en-US). https://theintercept.com/2019/11/26/amazon-ring-home-security-facial-recognition/. 
  91. ↑ Ring (2020-08-20). "Ring's Stance on Facial Recognition Technology" (in en). https://blog.ring.com/about-ring/rings-stance-on-facial-recognition-technology/. 
  92. ↑ "Senators Markey, Merkley Lead Colleagues on Legislation to Ban Government Use of Facial Recognition, Other Biometric Technology | U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts" (in en). https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-markey-merkley-lead-colleagues-on-legislation-to-ban-government-use-of-facial-recognition-other-biometric-technology. 
  93. ↑ "Senator Markey Renews Investigation into Amazon Ring's Surveillance Practices and Cooperation with Police | U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts" (in en). https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-renews-investigation-into-amazon-rings-surveillance-practices-and-cooperation-with-police. 
  94. ↑ "Senator Markey's Probe into Amazon Ring Reveals New Privacy Problems | U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts" (in en). https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markeys-probe-into-amazon-ring-reveals-new-privacy-problems. 
  95. ↑ Biddle, Sam (2020-01-24). "Ring Ukraine News Suppressed at Amazon's Request, Journalists Say" (in en-US). https://theintercept.com/2020/01/24/amazon-ring-ukraine/. 
  96. ↑ "Ring Ukraine office need you to forget they are part of Amazon" (in en-US). https://ain.capital/2021/01/29/ring-ukraine-changes-its-name-to-squad/. 
  97. ↑ Wiggers, Kyle (January 10, 2019). "Ring employees reportedly had access to all live and recorded customer videos". VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/2019/01/10/ring-employees-reportedly-had-access-to-all-live-and-recorded-customer-videos/. 
  98. ↑ Biddle, Sam (January 10, 2018). "For Owners of Amazon's Ring Security Cameras, Strangers May Have Been Watching Too". The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2019/01/10/amazon-ring-security-camera/. 
  99. ↑ Cox, Joseph (December 17, 2019). "We Tested Ring's Security. It's Awful". https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/epg4xm/amazon-ring-camera-security. 
  100. ↑ "Ring's Hidden Data Let Us Map Amazon's Sprawling Home Surveillance Network" (in en-us). December 9, 2019. https://gizmodo.com/ring-s-hidden-data-let-us-map-amazons-sprawling-home-su-1840312279. 
  101. ↑ Palmer, Danny (November 7, 2019). "Amazon fixes Ring Video Doorbell wi-fi security vulnerability". https://www.zdnet.com/article/amazon-fixes-ring-video-doorbell-wi-fi-security-vulnerability/. 
  102. ↑ Ng, Alfred (November 7, 2019). "Ring doorbells had vulnerability leaking Wi-Fi login info, researchers find". https://www.cnet.com/news/ring-doorbells-had-vulnerability-leaking-wi-fi-login-info-researchers-found/. 
  103. ↑ "Ring Video Doorbell Pro Under the Scope". November 7, 2019. https://www.bitdefender.com/files/News/CaseStudies/study/294/Bitdefender-WhitePaper-RDoor-CREA3949-en-EN-GenericUse.pdf. 
  104. ↑ Cox, Joseph; Koebler, Jason (December 12, 2019). "Inside the Podcast that Hacks Ring Camera Owners Live on Air". https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/z3bbq4/podcast-livestreams-hacked-ring-cameras-nulledcast. 
  105. ↑ Murdock, Jason (December 10, 2019). "Ring camera hacker uses home security system to spew racial slurs at Florida family". https://www.newsweek.com/florida-cape-coral-amazon-ring-home-security-system-hacked-racial-slurs-1476430. 
  106. ↑ Howerton, Matt (December 11, 2019). "Hacker says, 'pay bitcoin ransom or get terminated,' through couple's Ring security cameras". https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/hacker-says-pay-bitcoin-ransom-or-get-terminated-through-couples-ring-security-cameras/287-226c535c-c765-4b29-91b6-d849fb315e94. 
  107. ↑ Cox, Joseph; Cole, Samantha (December 11, 2019). "How Hackers Are Breaking Into Ring Cameras". https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3a88k5/how-hackers-are-breaking-into-ring-cameras. 
  108. ↑ Holley, Jessica (December 12, 2019). "Family says hackers accessed a Ring camera in their 8-year-old daughter's room". https://www.wmcactionnews5.com/2019/12/11/family-says-hackers-accessed-ring-camera-their-year-old-daughters-room/. 
  109. ↑ "Ring makes two-step verification mandatory". February 19, 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51555450. 
  110. ↑ Song, Victoria (February 18, 2020). "Ring Finally Rolls Out Mandatory Two-Factor Authentication After Privacy Scandals". https://gizmodo.com/ring-finally-rolls-out-mandatory-two-factor-authenticat-1841760958. 
  111. ↑ Budington, Bill (January 27, 2020). "Ring Doorbell App Packed with Third-Party Trackers" (in en). https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/01/ring-doorbell-app-packed-third-party-trackers. 
  112. ↑ Newman, Jared (February 14, 2020). "Amazon's Ring will let users opt out of sharing data with other companies". https://www.fastcompany.com/90464883/amazons-ring-will-let-users-opt-out-of-sharing-data-with-other-companies. 

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