- Comments from Ring’s founder have appeared in a leaked email
- They suggest Ring wants its cameras to “zero out crime”
- Ring has hit back at claims that this could lead to mass surveillance
A commercial showing Ring’s new ‘Search Party’ feature hit the headlines after the Super Bowl earlier this month, when privacy concerns were raised about how it could potentially be used for mass surveillance. Now, a leaked email from Ring’s founder has added further fuel to fire – but Ring has hit back at claims that it reveals plans for mass surveillance.
The Search Party feature in Ring cameras is currently used to locate lost dogs, and it does this by harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to scan through other Ring users’ footage in order to recognize wayward pooches. But according to a leaked email seen by 404 Media, that’s only the start of Ring’s plans.
In the message sent to staff in October 2025, Ring founder Jamie Siminoff said: “I believe that the foundation we created with Search Party, first for finding dogs, will end up becoming one of the most important pieces of tech and innovation to truly unlock the impact of our mission. You can now see a future where we are able to zero out crime in neighborhoods.”
The contention from critics and privacy advocates is that by saying Search Party is designed “first for finding dogs,” the implication is that it could later be expanded to look for people. After all, dogs don’t commit crimes (unless fouling your neighbor’s yard counts), so the idea that Ring cameras will be used to “zero out crime” seems to suggest that it could be used to find people instead.
However, Ring has dismissed those claims in a response shared with 404 Media and TechRadar.
What has Ring said?
Ring has been pretty bullish in its response to the leaked email. A spokesperson said that, rather than revealing any specific plans, Jamie Siminoff’s comments “were intended to speak broadly to the long-term potential of customer-controlled features and technologies working together to support safer communities”.
“No single feature is designed to “zero out crime,” and tools like Search Party for Dogs are purpose-built for specific use cases – like helping reunite lost pets – with privacy and user choice at the center,” the spokesperson added.
The leaked email also apparently wasn’t a private one. “Jamie writes these emails knowing they may be shared externally, this isn’t the first (or last) time his notes have been shared,” the spokesperson said.
While its Search Party feature is enabled by default, Ring also says it’s possible to turn it off. “Ring provides relevant context about when sharing may be helpful – but the decision remains firmly in the customer’s hands, not ours,” Ring’s spokesperson said.
Finally, Ring was keen to stress that features like Search Party aren’t designed to be broadened to identify other subjects. “Search Party for Dogs helps camera owners identify potential lost dogs using detection technology built specifically for that purpose; it does not process human biometrics or track people. Fire Watch alerts owners to nearby fire activity. Community Requests notify neighbors when local public safety agencies ask the community for assistance,” the spokesperson added.
Analysis: Far from the end of the controversy
On the face of it, cutting down on crime is something most people would be in favor of. No one likes having their parcels stolen off their front porch, for instance, and the idea of using home security cameras and video doorbells to catch perpetrators – and those responsible for more serious crimes – might sound worthwhile.
But despite Ring’s protestations, this controversy has arisen due to the way Ring’s Search Party feature works, as well as its future implications. Search Party is enabled on Ring cameras by default, and it uses AI to scan footage from other Ring cameras in the company’s network, thereby turning it into an automated surveillance system of sorts.
With law and order in the United States becoming heavily politicized – and with agencies like ICE drawing strong criticism for their actions – many critics are concerned that law enforcement could misuse a network like Ring’s in order to surveil the public at large.
With revelations over the size of the US government’s mass surveillance programs making the news in recent years, that might not be too far-fetched an idea. It was these concerns that arguably compelled Ring to sever its ties with the surveillance tech company Flock Safety.
It’ll be interesting to see if Ring continues to modify its stance in light of the public backlash. Ring says facial recognition data is kept private and secure, but a number of customers have been returning their cameras.
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