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Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash

theverge.com

February 12, 2026

4 min read

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69/100

Summary

Ring has canceled its partnership with Flock Safety, a surveillance technology company, amid backlash regarding privacy concerns. The decision follows increased scrutiny and criticism, particularly after a controversial Super Bowl advertisement.

Key Takeaways

Ring has canceled its partnership with Flock Safety due to public backlash and concerns over surveillance practices.
The planned integration with Flock Safety was never launched, meaning no customer videos were shared with the company.
Ring faced significant criticism following a Super Bowl ad that raised fears of mass surveillance through its cameras.
The company has introduced a new facial recognition feature called Familiar Faces, which is designed to be opt-in and aims to enhance user control over alerts.

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Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash ↗

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Analysis ready

Community Sentiment

Mixed

Positives

Using local, private AI object recognition with systems like Frigate NVR and Amcrest cameras ensures user data remains secure, addressing major privacy concerns.

Concerns

The cancellation of the Flock Safety partnership raises doubts about Ring's commitment to ethical considerations, suggesting financial motives may override customer concerns.
The backlash against surveillance technologies indicates a growing distrust among consumers towards companies that prioritize security over privacy.