Amazon is facing a new class-action lawsuit over alleged privacy violations tied to its Ring doorbell cameras. The claim, filed in federal court in Seattle by Virginia resident Charles Sigwalt, alleges that Ring's 'Familiar Faces' feature collects and stores facial images without consent.
The optional feature uses artificial intelligence to identify individuals and notify users when recognised people approach. The lawsuit argues that millions of Americans have had their facial data collected without knowledge or permission, violating their privacy rights. Sigwalt is seeking at least $5 million in damages.
This is not the first legal challenge for Ring. In 2023, the US Federal Trade Commission reached a $5.8 million settlement with the company over claims that employees had unrestricted access to customer video data, including instances of spying on female customers. Amazon denied wrongdoing in that case.
Critics have long raised concerns about Ring's partnerships with law enforcement and the potential for widespread surveillance. The company also faced backlash in 2020 over a Super Bowl advertisement promoting its camera network for locating lost pets, which privacy advocates argued could enable neighbourhood monitoring.
Sigwalt’s suit describes Amazon's conduct as a 'profound privacy failure' for millions tracked without consent. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how facial recognition technology is regulated in the US.
