News - How to Disable Ring's Surveillance Feature and Address Privacy Concerns

Following the controversial presentation of Ring's Search Party feature in a Super Bowl ad, heightened privacy concerns have been stirred. This feature, designed to assist in reuniting lost pets with their owners, enables a network of Ring cameras to monitor and identify animals. By pooling video feeds and utilizing AI, Search Party has successfully located 99 missing dogs within a 90-day timeframe. Despite its intentions, this approach raises discomfort among users regarding potential misuse and future surveillance capabilities focused on tracking people. Introduced last year, the feature's effectiveness is questioned due to the low percentage of lost pets found in comparison to the millions of missing pets in America each year. Nonetheless, Ring's Search Party has gained some attention, yet also skepticism, as many fear inadvertently contributing to a broader surveillance state. Ring users seeking to protect their privacy have an option to disable the feature, as it is automatically activated on devices. To disable it, users can open the Ring app, access the menu, navigate to Control Center, find the Search Party settings, and disable options for Search for Lost Pets and Natural Hazards. This must be done for every device individually. Furthermore, light is shed on concerns regarding Ring's interaction with law enforcement and the sharing of camera footage. Users desiring more privacy control are advised to delete saved videos via the History icon and selecting 'Delete All.' These steps address the privacy-related issues that many customers face with the default settings of Ring's Search Party feature.