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Amazon Ring cameras won't send data to Flock Safety following criticism

A screenshot from the Super Bowl ad that triggered a new wave of criticism.
ⓘ Ring
A screenshot from the Super Bowl ad that triggered a new wave of criticism.
Amazon subsidiary Ring has unexpectedly ended its partnership with Flock Safety following widespread backlash over a planned AI function. However, the Community Requests feature will remain in place.

Ring, which was acquired by Amazon, is a well-known manufacturer of security cameras (starting at $40 on Amazon), especially in the US. The company announced in October 2025 that it would partner with security and analytics firm Flock Safety to strengthen neighborhood security. Under the plan, police forces would be able request private video footage from Ring users via Flock Safety’s system when gathering evidence.

A new Super Bowl commercial for a feature called Search Party has sparked a new outcry. The ad depicts an AI system locating a missing dog by scanning a network of Ring cameras. What was supposed to be heart-warming instead conveyed a troubling message: Ring’s AI can track everything and everyone in a neighborhood.

Although Search Party is technically unrelated to the Flock partnership, the public pressure seems to have become too intense. In a brief statement, Ring said that the integration “would require significantly more time and resources than anticipated” and has thus been canceled. The company stressed that no customer data had been shared with Flock Safety since the feature was still in development. Even so, the Community Requests function will remain. Authorities will be able to issue requests, while Ring users are free to decide whether or not they wish to share relevant clips.

The new feature can use AI to track and locate pets in a neighborhood
ⓘ Ring
The new feature can use AI to track and locate pets in a neighborhood
Ring offers security cameras and doorbells like the one show here.
ⓘ Ring
Ring offers security cameras and doorbells like the one show here.

The following is the Super Bowl commercial in question.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2026 02 > Amazon Ring cameras won't send data to Flock Safety following criticism
Bernhard Rotter, 2026-02-16 (Update: 2026-02-16)