Amazon Ring's neighborhood watch app is making police requests public


The Amazon logo is seen outside its JFK8 distribution center in Staten Island New York U.S. November 25 2020.  REUTERSBrendan McDermidFiles

The Amazon logo is seen outside its JFK8 distribution center in Staten Island, New York, U.S. November 25, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/Files

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc's camera unit, Ring, is planning to make police requests for users' video footage through its neighborhood watch app more transparent, the company said on Thursday, a move that follows criticism that its products facilitate surveillance and profiling.

Public safety agencies such as police and fire departments now must request material from their communities through a new, publicly viewable type of post on the Neighbors app, Ring said in a blog.

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