A Super Bowl ad from Ring is drawing widespread concerns from people across the country.
During Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast, Ring introduced the AI-driven feature, announcing that it can access cameras throughout a neighborhood to help locate lost pets. The company calls the feature “Search Party.”
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Noel Lopez is both a pet owner and a Ring doorbell camera user.
"I thought at first it seemed like it was a good idea, but the more I went on, I feel like it seems like it could be used against people," Lopez said.
He’s not alone in that concern.
The ad sparked an online conversation centered on privacy issues and the potential for misuse.
At the root of the issue are concerns that this feature could lead to mass surveillance. Specifically, that Ring cameras could eventually not just track pets but also people.
Ring said facial recognition is something the devices already do, but like the “Search Party” feature, the company said it requires user permission.
In a statement, a Ring spokesperson addressed "Search Party" specifically.
"We built the feature with strong privacy protections from the start and camera owners choose on a case-by-case basis whether they want to share videos with a pet owner to support a reunion."
Still, the commercial was enough to turn some people away from the company altogether.
"I feel like I'll probably look into another company instead of Ring and probably replace the one I have," Lopez said.