FTC distributes $5.6 million in refunds to Ring customers from privacy settlement

What just happened? Ring, the smart home security company owned by Amazon, found itself in the crosshairs of the Federal Trade Commission back in 2023 over some serious privacy missteps. Now, over twelve months later, the commission is sending $5.6 million in refunds to customers as part of the settlement Ring agreed to last year.

The settlement stems from charges that Ring failed to properly safeguard video footage from its popular doorbell cameras and indoor security cams. According to the FTC's complaint, Ring employees and contractors were able to access customers' private videos without consent for purposes like training AI algorithms.

Even more concerning, the earlier regulators found that Ring neglected to implement basic security practices, allowing hackers to breach customer accounts and gain control over cameras and videos between 2016 and 2020. The FTC didn't mince words, calling it an "egregious violation of users' privacy."

Under ...