Amazon's Ring Cancels Police Tech Partnership After Super Bowl Ad Backlash

The company faced criticism over a 'surveillance state' ad and its ties to a controversial security software firm.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Amazon's Ring announced it is cancelling its video doorbell partnership with police tech provider Flock Safety, following severe backlash over a Super Bowl ad that depicted a 'surveillance state' scenario. The ad touted Ring's 'search party' feature that uses AI to scan neighborhood Ring cameras to help reunite lost pets with their owners. Critics compared the technology to George Orwell's '1984' and questioned whether it could also be used to identify humans. Ring's partnership with Flock, which sells license plate-scanning tech to law enforcement, also faced criticism for allegedly sharing data with ICE agents.

Why it matters

The backlash highlights growing concerns over data privacy and the use of surveillance technology, especially when it involves partnerships between tech companies and law enforcement. The incident reflects the challenges companies like Amazon face in balancing innovative features with maintaining public trust around data collection and usage.

The details

In October 2025, Amazon's Ring revealed it was partnering with Flock Safety, a security software firm that sells license plate-scanning tech to law enforcement, to help fulfill 'community requests.' Unlike Ring's 'search party' feature, which is automatically enabled, 'community requests' seek voluntary participation from Ring owners to send video footage to public agencies during active investigations. Flock has faced backlash for allegedly sharing its license plate data with ICE agents to aid in the Trump administration's deportation efforts, which the company denies. Following the Super Bowl ad backlash, Ring said it is cancelling the partnership with Flock, citing that it 'would require significantly more time and resources than anticipated.' Ring said its 'community requests' feature will remain in place without Flock's technology.

  • The Super Bowl ad aired on February 12, 2026.
  • In October 2025, Amazon's Ring revealed its partnership with Flock Safety.
  • On February 13, 2026, Ring announced it is cancelling the partnership with Flock.

The players

Ring

An Amazon-owned company that sells video doorbells and home security products.

Flock Safety

A security software firm that sells license plate-scanning technology to law enforcement agencies.

Amazon

The e-commerce giant that acquired Ring in 2018 for $839 million.

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What they’re saying

“We created Big Brother in parentheses for dogs. I know what you're thinking – no, it's not the same thing as the book. This one's only for dogs, 'cause we said it was. We kind of just did this, and we didn't ask anyone, because we can. Privacy is a big word, and it's boring, and it's frankly anti-dog.”

— Spencer Earl, Comedian and social media influencer (TikTok)

What’s next

Ring said its 'community requests' feature will remain in place without Flock's technology, allowing Ring camera owners to voluntarily share video footage with law enforcement during active investigations.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the growing tensions over data privacy and the use of surveillance technology, especially when it involves partnerships between tech companies and law enforcement. It reflects the challenges companies like Amazon face in balancing innovative features with maintaining public trust around data collection and usage.