I spent a whole day in a room full of privacy engineers talking about how they were trying to move their companies towards better practices and then I glanced at my phone, read this, and just let the wave of rage and despair wash over me: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/07/amazon-ring-cashes-techno-authoritarianism-and-mass-surveillance
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@evacide lately I'm often having to remind myself that the eternal struggle between good and evil is... eternal. We make gains here and there but it's never "done". The setbacks are frustrating but it's still worth fighting for the right thing.
@evacide
‘…employees at Ring will have to show proof that they use AI to get promoted’.
‘…employees at Ring will have to show proof that they use AI to get promoted’.
How very ‘The Circle’ of you
@evacide I really wish it was possible to put a custom firmware on the Ring. I got one way back before we knew Amazon was going to do all this and now I'm stuck in a position where I can't afford to replace it right now. I don't even have a normal doorbell to put in its place (but really need to be able to look through the camera even with its stupid online-only crap and delay.)
I don't suppose that there is any sort of custom firmware for them or anything? I've looked before, but never found anything.
@evacide I wonder how mist people would've react just 20-10 years ago if you asked them, "would you willingly pay up to install surveillance equipment at your house for a techno-authoritarian state?"
@evacide The problem is not only with the developers of that crap, but rather with its end users. It seems as crazy as if mice were willing to pay for a mousetrap to fall for:-(
@evacide
you don't even have to buy it. your neighbours did.
@evacide
When I read (well, listened to) 1984 the absolute biggest thing that stood out to me was Mr Charrington saying to Winston that he "never had a use for such luxuries" in reference to the Telescreen. It really set a tone that I'm finding many didn't pick up on. The Telescreen in 1984 was a device that was sold to the public as a benefit to them that was later turned against them. No one was forced to buy one and yet everyone had one.
When I read (well, listened to) 1984 the absolute biggest thing that stood out to me was Mr Charrington saying to Winston that he "never had a use for such luxuries" in reference to the Telescreen. It really set a tone that I'm finding many didn't pick up on. The Telescreen in 1984 was a device that was sold to the public as a benefit to them that was later turned against them. No one was forced to buy one and yet everyone had one.
There is no better example for where we are now.
@evacide We all knew this was happening. We need to discourage the use of these Ring doorbells.
@evacide
Yet another reason to never leave my house again:
" the surveillance-first-privacy-last approach that made Ring one of the most maligned tech devices. Not only is the company reintroducing new versions of old features which would allow police to request footage directly from Ring users, it is also introducing a new feature that would allow police to request live-stream access to people’s home security devices. "
@evacide
Ring cameras are easily identifiable as such from the street, and a few of my neighbors even have "Ring" notice signs in their yards. And this is a quite liberal neighborhood.
Ring cameras are easily identifiable as such from the street, and a few of my neighbors even have "Ring" notice signs in their yards. And this is a quite liberal neighborhood.
I wonder what the result would be of printing up flyers, headed DO YOU KNOW WHAT AMAZON IS DOING WITH YOUR RING CAMERA VIDEO?, followed by a few paras of this info, and taping them to people's doors.
@evacide My last apartment complex gave everyone a free Ring doorbell, and it was the most useless thing I've ever owned after turning on end-to-end encryption.
@evacide I was considering a Ring. I am happy I never got one.
@evacide Thanks very much for this information. I’ve been extremely reticent about installing Ring and other similar systems just for this reason. Is there a product/service in the US like Ring that does not spy on people like this?
@lawyersgunsnmoney There are companies like Eufy and Lorex that make cameras with local storage, but I haven't done a deep dive.
@evacide @lawyersgunsnmoney Reolink as well. I use their doorbell cam and have it record to my Synology NAS. It can also record to an SD card and that works great too
@evacide Appreciate the suggestions and follow up very much! I’ll research Eufy and Lorenz cameras. Family needs to up our home security game
@evacide wow. They're fucking scum.
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