Amazon’s Ring accused of violating customer privacy

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission), an American agency that protects the interests of consumers, accused former employees of the company Ring, which produces home security devices such as electronic doorbells, security cameras and alarms, of using company information improperly. to violate the privacy of users of devices sold by the company.

The most recent complaint was published on Wednesday (31.May.20213). Here is the full text (PDF-441 KB).

According to a court affidavit, an employee working at the doorbell unit was spying on customers through cameras located in bedrooms and bathrooms. The fact, according to the FTC, happened in 2017.

In the same deposition, the agency also disclosed a settlement of US$ 5.8 million with the company for violation of privacy. The information is from the international agency Reuters.

According to the complaint, in 2018, another employee gave information about a client’s recordings to the person’s ex-husband without consent.

“OBLIQUE TO RING”

Amidst the allegations, on your Twitter profilethe FTC said it proposed an order to compel Ring to “delete products such as data, models and algorithms derived from videos you have illegally reviewed”. To take effect, it must be approved by a federal court.

The agency also said that the accused company will also be required to “implement a privacy and security program with new safeguards in human review of videos, as well as other strict security controls such as 2-step authentication for employee and customer accounts”.

Amazon, which acquired Ring in 2018, also faces controversy over the privacy of its devices.

According to Reutersthe multinational has agreed to pay US$ 25 million to settle allegations that it violated children’s privacy rights when it did not delete Alexa recordings at the parents’ request.

“While we disagree with the FTC’s allegations regarding Alexa and Ring and deny violating the law, these settlements put those issues behind us.”Amazon said in a statement.