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FTC Refunds Ring Customers $5.6 Million for Video Privacy Issues
April 25, 2024
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is giving back $5.6 million to consumers due to a settlement with Ring, an Amazon-owned company. The issue arose when Ring failed to protect customers’ private video footage from unauthorized access.
In 2023, the FTC filed a complaint against Ring, accusing the company of letting its employees and contractors view customers’ private videos. Ring allegedly used this footage without consent to train algorithms and for other purposes. Additionally, the company didn’t have adequate security measures in place, allowing hackers to gain control over customers’ accounts, cameras, and videos. The FTC described these lapses as serious breaches of user privacy.
As part of the settlement, Ring had to delete unlawfully obtained content, enhance its security measures, and pay a significant fine. The FTC is now using the fine money to refund eligible Ring customers.
The refunds will be distributed through 117,044 PayPal payments to customers who owned certain Ring devices, including indoor cameras, during the periods when unauthorized access occurred. Eligible customers must redeem these payments within 30 days. For more details on the refund process, consumers can contact Rust Consulting, the refund administrator, or visit the FTC’s FAQ page.
Ring addressed a separate issue from 2019 where bad actors used stolen emails and passwords from other companies to access Ring accounts. The company claims to have notified affected customers and taken steps to protect compromised accounts. However, Ring did not directly respond to the FTC’s allegations regarding unauthorized access to video footage by employees and contractors.
Earlier this year, Ring announced it would no longer allow police departments to request doorbell camera footage from users, ending a controversial feature criticized by privacy advocates.
This refund initiative serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting personal data and the consequences companies face when failing to do so.
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