Ring doorbells are facing fresh scrutiny over data privacy, and a new initiative is putting money on the table to solve it. The Fulu Foundation is offering a bounty for developers who can sever Ring's connection to Amazon's cloud, allowing users to store footage locally. This comes after criticism of Ring's "Search Party" feature and broader concerns about surveillance tech.
"Complete what we started," read a leaked email from a Ring spokesperson, suggesting the feature would move beyond pets, according to Salon.com. Ring's partnership with police tech company Flock was also cancelled after weeks of backlash, according to MediaPost. The foundation had been eyeing Ring for a while due to ongoing controversies, according to Wired.
The Fulu Foundation isn't the only group taking action. Privacy advocates have long criticized Ring's data-sharing practices and its partnerships with law enforcement. This bounty represents a more direct, technical approach to addressing those concerns.
The Fulu Foundation is offering a bounty of at least $10,000 to developers who can create a solution that allows Ring doorbell users to store their footage locally and prevent data from being sent to Amazon's servers. The foundation may match additional donations up to $10,000, potentially doubling the reward.
To win the bounty, developers must create a solution that integrates Ring doorbells (released in 2021 or later) with a local computer or server. The key requirement is that the doorbell no longer sends data to Amazon servers or requires a connection to Amazon hardware to function.
The Fulu Foundation is offering the bounty to address privacy concerns related to Ring doorbells and their connection to Amazon's cloud services. These concerns intensified after the introduction of Ring's "Search Party" feature, which raised the possibility of broader surveillance.
Storing Ring doorbell footage on Amazon's cloud gives the tech giant access to personal data, raising privacy concerns. The "Search Party" feature, which uses a network of Ring doorbells, has heightened these concerns, as critics fear it could be used for broader surveillance beyond finding lost pets.
Local storage for Ring doorbell footage gives users direct control over their data, reducing reliance on corporate cloud services. It also minimizes the risk of unwanted surveillance and data breaches by cutting off data transmission to Amazon.
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