Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Wired magazine recommends against the use of Ring cameras for home security for fear of 'racial profiling'
The Blaze ^ | July 13, 2023 | Joseph Mackinnon

Posted on 07/15/2023 10:34:30 AM PDT by Twotone

The left's resentment of effective means for curbing crime is no longer limited to armed homeowners, robust police forces, stern criminal laws, and effective prosecutors. Now, home surveillance tech has been classed as "dangerous" and potentially racist.

Ring cameras are a popular commodity among those seeking greater security or at the very least some hope of identifying home invaders so that justice can later be meted out.

TheBlaze has previously detailed multiple occasions on which these devices and others like them have been utilized to great effect, highlighting heroics, exposing criminality, documenting statist intimidation efforts, and recording unsettling events.

The prospect that neighbors and communities can coordinate to counter crime, bolster security, report missing pets, and/or look out for one another is condemnable, at least where the tech magazine Wired is concerned. Adrienne So, a senior associate reviews editor at Wired, noted in a July 9 article recently indicated that these devices, while "affordable and ubiquitous," are altogether "dangerous," not only to users but to "society in general."

So reported that upon installing a Ring camera, users are automatically enrolled in the optional Neighbors service.

The Neighbors app is touted as a means of helping "put an end to local crime spree."

The app "uses your address to create a radius around your home. If anyone shares an alert on the app about crime or safety within that radius, you'll get a notification on your phone and tablet. Conversely, if you share an alert on the app about a crime or safety issue in your radius, your neighbors will also get a notification on their phones and tablets."

So fears that homeowners with Ring cameras and the Neighbors app might collaborate with local police services or worse — that the devices might expose the wrong kinds of criminals.

So noted that the Neighbors app enables "Ring owners to send videos they've captured with their Ring video doorbell cameras and outdoor security cameras to law enforcement."

Despite admitting "it is legally not allowed [for police] to access your personal videos or information without your permission" and that Ring owners have the choice not to forward footage of a possible crime to police, So insinuated that law enforcement would access footage for which a warrant is needed.

So's primary concern appears to be less the fact that police might get their hands on incriminating footage but the demographics of those incriminated.

"Neighbors increases the possibility of racial profiling. It makes it easier for both private citizens and law enforcement agencies to target certain groups for suspicion of crime based on skin color, ethnicity, religion, or country of origin," wrote So. "We have been concerned about this issue since Ring started partnering with police departments to hand out free video cameras."

So further suggested, "Putting a frictionless feature directly into Neighbors makes it that much easier for Ring owners to bombard law enforcement with unsubstantiated and possibly biased alarms."

Largely for fear of bias, So recommended against purchasing Ring cameras despite their affordability, because "contributing to a just society is also a factor in keeping your family safe."

Richard Hanania, president of the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology, responded to So's article, tweeting, "I absolutely love this. Ring cameras help solve and prevent crime. What's the problem? If it's too easy and solve and prevent crime, it just means you might start suspecting black people. Ergo, we should make it harder to fight crime. Liberals."

Ted Frank, director of litigation at the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, highlighted how Wired alternatively praised Nextdoor, which removed the feature whereby users can submit incriminating videos to the police "in, you guessed it, 2020" — around the time the "defund the police" movement kicked off in earnest.

Revolver suggested, "It's official: liberalism is not only a mental disorder, it's also a death wish."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: profiling; ringcameras
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-48 next last

1 posted on 07/15/2023 10:34:30 AM PDT by Twotone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Twotone

I’m waiting for the headline which says, “Truth is racist.”


2 posted on 07/15/2023 10:36:04 AM PDT by aimhigh (1 John 3:23 "And THIS is His commandment . . . . ")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

It’s not “profiling” f you have a picture of the crime in progress.


3 posted on 07/15/2023 10:37:36 AM PDT by Salman (It's not a slippery slope if it was part of the program all along. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Great news. Can I get my Ring cameras to only notify me if a person of color is at the door?


4 posted on 07/15/2023 10:38:12 AM PDT by anton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

It’s racist to catch criminals of color.


5 posted on 07/15/2023 10:40:27 AM PDT by Toddsterpatriot (TANSTAAFL)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

I didn’t know cameras did such a thing.

I despise stupid leftists.


6 posted on 07/15/2023 10:42:07 AM PDT by dforest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Paradoxical effect: This article will lead to more people using cameras.


7 posted on 07/15/2023 10:42:30 AM PDT by WashingtonSource
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

There is a middle ground - simply add software that replaces black faces in their images with random white faces.


8 posted on 07/15/2023 10:43:47 AM PDT by BobL (Trump has all the right Enemies; DeSantis has all the wrong Friends)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

The existence of my ring cameras served as a deterrent. The perp decided not to kick in my door. We opted to not blow him in half. Win. Win.


9 posted on 07/15/2023 10:45:52 AM PDT by DariusBane (Liberty and Risk. Flip sides of the same coin. So how much risk will YOU accept? Vive Deo et Vives)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

Don’t give the Bastards any ideas.


10 posted on 07/15/2023 10:45:53 AM PDT by Howie66 (Let's Go Brandon!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Salman

If you catch a member of America’s Royal Race while they do crime you are a hater and an insurrectionist!

;-)


11 posted on 07/15/2023 10:47:39 AM PDT by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: aimhigh

> I’m waiting for the headline which says, “Truth is racist.”

That’s *every* headline that includes “ist,” “phobe,” or any of the other usual leftist buzzwords or phrases (including the obvious tell they’ve mostly stopped using, “here’s why (complete inversion of truth).”)


12 posted on 07/15/2023 10:48:09 AM PDT by No.6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Twotone
If one buys a black ring camera, would that be anti-racist?

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/ring-stick-up-indoor-outdoor-wire-free-1080p-security-camera-black/6403964.p?skuId=6403964

13 posted on 07/15/2023 10:52:16 AM PDT by Worldtraveler once upon a time (Degrow government)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

That means you need one if you’re a write person to video evidence from black criminals.

That’s exactly what it says if you read libtard like I do


14 posted on 07/15/2023 10:53:31 AM PDT by NWFree (Sigma male 🤪)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NWFree

White person


15 posted on 07/15/2023 10:53:43 AM PDT by NWFree (Sigma male 🤪)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Adrienne So is a moron who clearly lives in a protected bubble of non-black elite no-nothings ...

black home owners use these Ring cameras as much or more than whites to protect themselves from crimes and to help catch the criminals when they happen, primarily because blacks are much more frequently victims of crimes than whites ... all one has to do to see that the above statements are true, is to watch the On Patrol Live TV show on Friday and Saturday nights ... see what happens in Berkeley and Richmond counties in South Carolina then ... in one recent incident, a whole gaggle of black women were clustered around a patrol car, comparing their Ring videos on their smart phones, helping to track the cops to track down a shooter ...


16 posted on 07/15/2023 10:58:46 AM PDT by catnipman (In a post-covid world, ALL "science" is now political science: stolen elections have consequences)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone
It makes it easier for both private citizens and law enforcement agencies to target certain groups for suspicion of crime based on skin color, ethnicity, religion, or country of origin," wrote So.

It makes it MUCH easier for both private citizens and law enforcement agencies to target specific individuals for suspicion of crime based on surveillance video and photos, instead of targeting certain groups based on skin color, ethnicity, religion, or country of origin.

How do you target someone based on their religion, from video footage? OK, well-groomed men wearing dress shirts and ties would have me leaning toward Mormons or JWs, but that’s about it.

17 posted on 07/15/2023 10:59:58 AM PDT by AF_Blue (My decision-making skills closely resemble those of a squirrel when crossing a road)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dforest

This story is just as ridiculous as the “Only Nazi’s go to gyms” story that some dumb ass leftist wrote..leftists really do have too much time on their hands, EVERYTHING is racist


18 posted on 07/15/2023 11:00:18 AM PDT by Sarah Barracuda
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: catnipman

Yup—OPL is a great show—Freepers who want to see what is happening in the real world could learn a lot from every episode.

It should be required viewing for all politicians.

The cameras everywhere in homes and commercial buildings expose the lying perps with regularity.

The criminals all sound like Democrats—lots of excuses, blaming someone else including imaginary people and getting combative when called out on their lies.

The most amusing perps are the ones who claim to know the law on police procedure—they just make it up as they go.


19 posted on 07/15/2023 11:04:23 AM PDT by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

The cameras give a brown black tint when in operation, ha ha ha ha ha ha.


20 posted on 07/15/2023 11:05:45 AM PDT by ronnie raygun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-48 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson