Amazon to launch Ring ‘neighbourhood watch’ app in UK amid US privacy fears

Amazon's doorbell camera company, Ring, plans to launch a new app called Neighbours in the UK on October 21. The app aims to replace neighbourhood WhatsApp or Facebook groups by providing a platform for neighbours to post about safety matters, lost pets, and community issues. It will be free to use for any user, regardless of whether they own a Ring product or not.

Dave Ward, the managing director of international for Ring, explained that the app will provide a more focused and useful service compared to broad platforms like WhatsApp. Neighbours will allow users to set their address and a radius of 0.1 to 5 miles to join a local community. The service will not initially offer features like Neighbours Verified (for fire brigade advisories) and Community Requests (for police to request footage), which have raised privacy concerns.

Instead, it will focus on posting about safety, community matters, or lost pets, with content moderated by AI and humans. The app will also feature a 'Search Party for Dogs' to help locate lost pets in the neighbourhood. To address privacy concerns, Ring has introduced TAKE (throw away the key encryption) to provide limited access to camera footage for 24 hours, with additional access requiring user consent.

The app will have strict guidelines to prevent illegal or discriminatory content, promoting community-focused posts. Amazon acquired Ring in 2018 for over $1 billion.