Ring Founder Defends Super Bowl Ad Amid Backlash

Jamie Siminoff says Ring's "Search Party" feature isn't about surveillance, despite privacy concerns.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Ring founder Jamie Siminoff has spent the week defending the company's new "Search Party" feature, which uses AI and footage from Ring devices to help track lost pets. Critics say the tool illustrates how easily such widespread monitoring could be repurposed for surveillance, sparking backlash and raising concerns from lawmakers like Sen. Ed Markey.

Why it matters

The controversy over Ring's Super Bowl ad highlighting "Search Party" highlights growing concerns about the privacy and civil liberties implications of AI-powered home security and surveillance technologies, even when marketed for benign purposes like finding lost pets.

The details

Siminoff has insisted that Ring isn't stockpiling video footage without user consent, and that Search Party only uses clips from owners who opt in. However, a leaked internal email suggests the company sees the feature as a way to "zero out crime" in neighborhoods, raising further privacy worries. Ring also recently ended a controversial arrangement with Flock Safety amid concerns about law enforcement access to data.

  • The controversial Ring Super Bowl ad aired on February 12, 2026.
  • Siminoff has been defending the "Search Party" feature in media interviews throughout the week of February 12-19, 2026.

The players

Jamie Siminoff

The founder and CEO of Ring, the home security and smart home company.

Sen. Ed Markey

A U.S. Senator who has flagged "serious privacy and civil liberties risks" with Ring's "Search Party" feature.

Nancy Guthrie

A homeowner whose Nest camera footage was reportedly retrieved by Ring, even though she did not have a subscription.

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What they’re saying

“I believe that the foundation we created with Search Party, first for finding dogs, will end up becoming one of the most important pieces of tech and innovation to truly unlock the impact of our mission. You can now see a future where we are able to zero out crime in neighborhoods.”

— Jamie Siminoff, Ring Founder and CEO (Leaked internal email (via Mashable)

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

Ring has promised to use fewer map-style visuals in future advertising spots to address privacy concerns, and the company is likely to continue defending its "Search Party" feature and privacy practices in the media.

The takeaway

The backlash over Ring's Super Bowl ad highlights the growing unease around the privacy implications of AI-powered home security and surveillance technologies, even when marketed for benign purposes. As these tools become more advanced, there are increasing concerns about how the data and capabilities could be misused or repurposed in ways that infringe on civil liberties.