- Ring was accused of failing to protect its users’ private video streams
- The payment is related to a 2023 complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- Some 117,044 Ring users are affected and will receive around $47 each
Ring Doorbell users could be lining up for cash as part of a $5.6 million settlement after the company was accused of failing to protect private video footage.
A 2023 complaint filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused the Amazon-owned company of allowing its employees and contractors to access customers’ private videos.
The home security and doorbell camera provider allegedly used footage from its cameras to train algorithms without consent.
Ring was also accused of failing to implement key security protections, which allowed hackers to take control of customers’ accounts, cameras and videos. This led to “egregious violations of user privacy,” the FTC noted.
About 117,044 Ring customers will receive a payment worth about $47 each via PayPal within 30 days. Full details can be found in the FTC website.
Ring Doorbell users could receive a refund as part of a $5.6 million settlement after the company was accused of failing to protect private video footage.
Today, Ring’s CEO is Liz Hamren, who took over the role last year.
It affects only those who had certain types of devices, including indoor cameras, during the time periods regulators allege unauthorized access took place.
The settlement also required Ring to remove content that had been obtained illegally and put in place stronger security protections.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Ring said criminals took emails and passwords that were “stolen from other companies to illegally log into Ring accounts of certain customers” who used the same credentials on multiple sites in 2019, adding The company quickly addressed this by notifying those it discovered were “exposed in a third-party, non-Ring incident” and taking steps to protect affected accounts.
Ring did not immediately address FTC allegations that employees and contractors illegally accessed the footage.
Earlier this year, the California-based company separately announced it would stop allowing police departments to ask users for doorbell camera footage, marking the end of a feature that had drawn criticism from advocates. of privacy.
The deal comes after years of concerns about popular doorbells and home surveillance cameras.
In January, Ring said it would stop sharing images with police departments and other public safety agencies.
The company was founded in 2011 by entrepreneur Jamie Siminoff, who was inspired to create the doorbell security footage after discovering he kept missing deliveries, according to Amazon. At the time it was called ‘Doorbot’.
It was later renamed Ring, but Siminoff’s concept was rejected by entrepreneurs on the reality show Shark Tank in 2013. It was sold to Amazon in 2018 for $1 billion.
Today, its executive director is Liz Hamren, who took over the role last year.