Amazon is ending its partnership with Flock Safety after its Super Bowl ad debacle. Ring is terminating its partnership with police tech provider Flock Safety, the Amazon-owned company announced Thursday.
“Following a comprehensive review, we determined the planned Flock Safety integration would require significantly more time and resources than anticipated,” Ring wrote in a blog post. “As a result, we have made the joint decision to cancel the planned integration.”
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The partnership between Flock and Ring came under scrutiny after the Amazon doorbell company ran an ad during the Super Bowl that touted a “Search Party” feature that uses AI to help locate lost pets. When a user initiates the feature, it activates a network of participating Ring cameras, which scan footage for images resembling the missing dog. The Electronic Frontier Foundation called the feature a “surveillance nightmare.”
What is Flock Safety?
Flock Safety is a U.S. technology company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It builds and operates automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras and AI‑powered surveillance systems used by law enforcement agencies, neighborhoods, businesses, and other partners to help deter and solve crime. Its cameras can read vehicle license plates, capture vehicle attributes, and integrate with databases for investigations. It is reported to be deployed in thousands of communities, though exact numbers may vary.
Flock also offers software for managing and querying captured data. The company has faced scrutiny and criticism regarding privacy, data sharing, and surveillance practices, with some reports suggesting unauthorized access or controversial use of its data. While Flock markets its tools as crime-fighting technology, the long-term impact on civil liberties and regulation is still evolving.
Privacy and civil liberties advocates called on Ring to drop its partnership with Flock. A protest calling on the e-commerce company to cut its ties with Flock, ICE and CBP is scheduled for Friday, outside of Amazon’s Seattle headquarters.
Companies like Ring and Flock operate at the intersection of consumer convenience, community protection, and law‑enforcement support — but when advanced features or collaborations are perceived as expanding surveillance beyond intended use, they can quickly spark public backlash. This reaction isn’t just behind closed doors; lawmakers, advocates, and everyday users alike are increasingly vocal about the rights and boundaries surrounding data collection, sharing, and the potential for misuse or mission creep.
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The controversy highlights that even well‑meaning technologies aimed at solving everyday problems — like helping locate lost pets or assisting police investigations — must be clearly communicated, tightly regulated, and transparent about how data flows and who can access it. When ambiguity exists, or when advertising imagery evokes fears of mass surveillance, public trust can erode rapidly.
At the same time, these developments show how corporate decisions are shaped not just by engineering feasibility but also by social acceptance, regulatory risk, and reputational concerns. The fact that a planned technology integration can be paused or canceled under pressure suggests that companies may need to engage more proactively with ethical questions and community perspectives before rolling out complex surveillance‑linked systems.