Ring controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
2026
Flock Safety partnership backlash
A proposed relationship with Flock Safety drew criticism because Flock operates automated license-plate-recognition systems and critics feared that combining the two networks would expand warrantless or weakly governed surveillance. Ring subsequently announced that it would withdraw from the partnership.
2025
Search Party surveillance debate
Ring's AI-assisted Search Party feature, initially promoted for locating lost pets, triggered criticism that a distributed camera network could normalize wider forms of automated object or person detection.
2023
FTC privacy and security enforcement action
The FTC alleged that Ring employees and contractors had excessive access to customer videos and that inadequate security protections enabled hackers to access accounts, cameras, and recordings. Ring agreed to pay $5.8 million and implement privacy and security measures.
2020
Third-party tracking concerns in the Ring app
The Electronic Frontier Foundation reported that the Ring Android application transmitted identifiable information and device-related data to several third-party analytics and marketing services.
2019
Law-enforcement access and private surveillance criticism
Civil-liberties groups and lawmakers criticized Ring's Neighbors partnerships with police departments, arguing that the system could create a distributed surveillance network outside traditional public-sector oversight.
2017
ADT litigation over Ring Alarm
ADT sued Ring in a dispute involving alleged trade-secret misappropriation connected with Ring Alarm. A judge temporarily blocked sales of the alarm product, and the dispute later ended in a settlement whose amount was not confirmed in the cited material.