Ring Launches New Pet Tracking Feature, Raising Privacy Concerns

Critics worry the AI-powered tool could be misused for surveillance despite company's assurances.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Ring, the home security company, has launched a new feature called Search Party for Dogs that uses AI-powered computer vision to scan Ring camera footage for lost pets. While the tool is meant to help reunite missing dogs with their owners, the announcement has sparked backlash from critics who are concerned about the broader implications of embedding AI-driven camera searches in everyday life, including potential misuse for surveillance purposes.

Why it matters

The controversy over Ring's new pet tracking feature highlights the ongoing tensions between the benefits of smart home technology and the risks to privacy and civil liberties. As AI-powered surveillance tools become more prevalent, there are growing fears that they could be exploited by law enforcement or other entities for purposes beyond their original intent.

The details

Ring's Search Party for Dogs allows anyone in the U.S. to initiate a search via the Ring app, whether they own a Ring device or not. When a lost-dog post is made, nearby Ring cameras with the feature enabled temporarily scan footage for matches. If a match is spotted, camera owners receive a notification and can choose to share a clip. While Ring says the feature is not designed to process human biometrics, critics argue that if the AI can detect dogs, it could potentially be adapted to track people as well. There are also concerns that the data collected could be accessed by law enforcement agencies like ICE, despite Ring's assurances that it has no partnership with ICE and does not share footage with them.

  • The Search Party for Dogs feature was initially rolled out to Ring camera owners in the Los Angeles area in early November 2025.
  • The feature was made available nationwide on November 10, 2025.

The players

Ring

A home security company that produces smart home devices, including security cameras and doorbells.

Jamie Siminoff

The founder of Ring, who stated that the Search Party for Dogs feature has helped reunite more than 100 lost dogs with their families since its launch.

Senator Ed Markey

A Massachusetts Democrat who has previously expressed concerns about Ring's privacy violations and facial recognition technology, and who criticized the Search Party for Dogs commercial as being about "mass surveillance".

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What they’re saying

“The goal of the Super Bowl ad was to expand awareness of the Search Party feature to enable more neighbors to show up for one another in moments that really matter. If the ad helps even one more missing dog reunite with its family, the ad has done its job.”

— Jamie Siminoff, Ring Founder (Newsweek)

“Ring has no partnership with ICE, does not give ICE videos, feeds or back-end access, and does not share video with them.”

— Jamie Siminoff, Ring Founder (Newsweek)

What’s next

Ring has committed $1 million to help equip more than 4,000 animal shelters across the country with cameras, allowing them to identify and reunite lost dogs in a more centralized way. The deployment of these shelter solutions will roll out over the course of 2026.

The takeaway

The controversy over Ring's new pet tracking feature highlights the ongoing tensions between the benefits of smart home technology and the risks to privacy and civil liberties. As AI-powered surveillance tools become more prevalent, there are growing fears that they could be exploited for purposes beyond their original intent, underscoring the need for robust privacy protections and transparency around data usage.