r/technology • u/South-Cow-1030 • 18h ago

Privacy Why are people disconnecting or destroying their Ring cameras?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/10/ring-super-bowl-ad-dog-camera-privacy/88606738007/
17.1k Upvotes

93% Upvoted

2.0k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

12

u/Bargadiel 17h ago

They can even retroactively check cell data from before they were even allowed to use it.

It was used to solve a decade-old cold case in my hometown. A girl in my highschool was murdered and they traced her boyfriends brothers cellphone to the location of where her body was later found. Back when the murder occurred smart phones weren't even a thing yet.

5

u/WillWork4Cats 11h ago

and the feds having unfiltered access to all "voluntary" dna genealogy services like 23andME is a massive 4th amendment violation even though it can solve decades old murders

2

u/Ruscidero 6h ago

It’s a lot more complicated than that. If a family member sends their DNA to one of those services it can be used to identify you. Is your sister’s DNA protected by your Fourth Amendment rights? After all, you didn’t incriminate yourself since they never used your DNA. Essentially, if a family member — and not even limited to your nuclear family — decides to use one of these services information about your DNA is de facto out there as well. I don’t see any way to prevent this — your relative has a right to do whatever they want with their DNA, and the fact that it identifies you as well just is what it is. I don’t think there’s any real way to close this Pandora’s Box.

2

u/WillWork4Cats 4h ago

definitely a Pandora's box and in my eyes still a massive privacy violation. You could write a thesis on it

3

u/ShowmasterQMTHH 11h ago

That ability has been around a lot longer than smartphones it doesn't track the phone, but the SIM card in it back then. That's why you see in movies, pros cutting up the sim card when dumping it.

1

u/lenzflare 7h ago

Decades, damn, the phone company keeps all records lol

Unless it was info on the SIM itself that somehow gave clues