Amazon's Ring has an app called Neighbors which lets anyone upload videos and photos of crimes, suspicious activities and more.
The app shows video clips from other Ring doorbells and provides alerts about crime in your area. For example, a neighbor might post clips from their doorbell showing a package theft, a suspicious person or a burglary. And "News Team" notices provide updates about things like fires, burglaries and other notable events.
You might not have heard about the Neighbors app, but anyone can download and use it, even folks who don't own a Ring doorbell. I'll show you what it's like, where it can be useful and where it raises some obvious concerns about privacy and creating a police state.The app opens to this screen, which is basically a feed posted by Ring doorbell owners in your area. It shows "suspicious" and "crime" activity.
Anyone with the Neighbors app can upload a photo or video with a title and description about what they're posting. You can label it as a crime, which the app says has to be "illegal action which is punishable by law."If this sounds like what you're posting, tap "Yes." If you're reporting a safety, suspicious or strange incident, tap "no.
I can tap into any of these to see the post's video or photo and additional information, like what happened. I've purposely zoomed out so that you can't see my house, but users can zoom in or out and pan around the map. They can also set the time period to see reports in the last 24 hours, week, 14 days or month.Anything can be posted, even if what one person assumes is suspicious might not be.There are some pretty obvious pros and cons to the app.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Amazon announces new renewable energy projects in the US and IrelandAmazon is one of many big businesses turning to renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind.
Read more »
Fortnite star Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins is moving from Twitch to Microsoft's competing serviceAmazon has lost its biggest streaming star to Microsoft.
Read more »
U.S. House Republicans ask to review Amazon Web Services after Capital One breachAmazon.com Inc was asked by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives on ...
Read more »
Deathwatch for the AmazonBrazil's policies are fatally damaging the Amazon. The rainforest is teetering on the brink of collapse
Read more »
Jeff Bezos Sells About $1.8 Billion Worth of Amazon Shares in Three DaysNew filings show that the Amazon founder and CEO unloaded slightly more than 900,000 shares. The documents also indicate that the richest man on Earth has transferred 25% of his Amazon stake to his ex-wife as a part of their divorce settlement.
Read more »
Amazon will pull the plug on Dash buttons at the end of AugustThose little branded gadgets that let users reorder products with just one touch will stop working at the end of August, Amazon said Thursday.
Read more »