"Definitely not about dogs": Criticism of AI feature for Ring cameras
Ring cameras can automatically search for lost dogs, thanks to AI. A Super Bowl commercial for "Search Party" is now causing criticism of the "dystopia."
Excerpt from the commercial
(Image: Amazon Ring)
Following a Super Bowl commercial by Ring for a feature of its doorbell cameras, criticism of the “dystopian” technology is growing. The Amazon subsidiary advertised “Search Party” as an AI-powered help for finding lost dogs. Dog owners can report their pets and initiate an AI-powered search via all Ring cameras in the neighborhood. If the searched animal runs through the field of view of one of these devices, users should be automatically notified. “It doesn't take much imagination to envision this being used against suspected criminals, undocumented immigrants, or people that residents deem 'suspicious,'” summarizes the tech magazine 404 Media.
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On YouTube, there are numerous comments under the video that see it similarly, with “dystopian” being mentioned repeatedly. But there is also criticism from politicians; Senator Ed Markey (Democrats) shares the criticism and writes, “This is definitely not about dogs – this is about mass surveillance.” On Bluesky, he points out that the company has already added facial recognition to its cameras and explained to him that they would not ask for consent for this. Speaking to 404 Media, data protection expert Chris Gilliard calls the commercial an “awkward attempt to put a friendly face on” the comprehensive and networked surveillance by a company with close ties to law enforcement agencies.
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Ring has been criticized before for these close ties, which are closely linked to the company's founder. Under the direction of Jamie Siminoff, collaborations with the police were once introduced, allowing authorities direct access to camera footage. This was scaled back during his two-year absence. After his return last year, the tide turned. However, since units of the US federal government have been arresting people seemingly at random and resorting to modern surveillance technology for this purpose, the mood in the USA has shifted. Against this backdrop, criticism of the advertisement for a technology widely used in the USA is now less surprising.
(mho)
