Amazon Ring announced that police will no longer be able to request users' doorbell footage through the Neighbors app.
The neighborhood watch app will still be functional and can be used by public safety agencies to share announcements and tips.
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Amazon Ring Discontinues RFA
Neighbors app was originally launched in 2017 to connect communities. In 2021, Ring updated the app by adding police requests for user footage through a public post.
Prior to the Neighbors app, law enforcement must contact users privately to request a copy from their smart doorbell cameras. However, Ring met privacy concerns due to its partnership with hundreds of police departments.
Starting this week, the Request for Assistance (RFA) feature of the app will be discontinued. "They will no longer be able to use the RFA tool to request and receive video in the app," the announcement read.
Amazon Ring Neighbors App for Public Safety Announcements
Despite the feature's closure, the company assured that public safety agencies like fire and police departments can still use the app to post safety tips, updates, and community events.
Public safety agency posts will still be publicly available for users to see on the app's feed and the agency's profile.
On the other hand, Ring introduced two new tools for the app. The Ring Moments is a post category that will allow users to expand the allowed content on the app beyond crime and safety.
In addition, the Best of Ring will feature the most popular Ring videos from across the country. The company announced that it will start rolling out in the coming weeks which will help users discover new content.
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