Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.
The Amazon-owned security doorbell manufacturers have been facing a tidal wave of controversies, mostly involving hacks and obtaining video footage from its users. The company is now coming clean to how it handles its less-than-reputable employees.
In November, United States Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Chris Coons (D-DE) wrote a letter to Ring. In it, among other questions, were concerns of how Ring is using video footage, who is looking at it, and whether or not employees have been abusing their privileges.
Amazon’s VP of Public Policy, Brian Huseman, is releasing his response to the senators where he answers those questions. In it, he does confirm that over four years, four members of Ring’s R&D team have been released due to policy violations.
“In each instance, once Ring was made aware of the alleged conduct, Ring promptly investigated the incident, and after determining that the individual violated company policy, terminated the individual.”
Members of Ring’s R&D team have violated company policy and were promptly terminated – Here’s more to that story
The members of the Ukraine-based team were trying to obtain and keep Ring footage through questionable means. Ring has given them privileges but only for professional means, as keeping them for personal use is incredibly creepy. However, that does not stop members of the R&D team to continuously access videos through Ring’s AWS server.
However, Huseman reassures the senators that, “A very limited number of employees (currently three) have the ability to access stored customer videos for the purpose of maintaining Ring’s AWS infrastructure.”
The combination of data leaks, police obtaining information, and hacks has led Ring to increase its security measures. Just this past week, the company said they are releasing Control Center, a new way to protect itself against hacks.
In response to the hacks, Ring Founder and CEO Jamie Siminoff have said the videos “made him cry.”
What do you think? Surprised by the Ring shitshow at this point? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
Editors’ Recommendations from CES 2020:
- Razer just released some sweet gaming gear for home and away
- Here’s everything Acer announced at CES 2020
- VIZIO hits CES with new TVs – including its first OLED model
- Here’s everything MSI announced at CES 2020
Follow us on Flipboard, Google News, or Apple News
