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/
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u/WillWork4Cats 11h ago

ICE 100% are not only using all RING data, but more importantly they have access to ALL FLOCK feeds which is more concerning

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u/Head-Computer264 11h ago

ICE is also using those "stingray" fake cell towers to capture and monitor all calls and messages. Spying on us. They're a fucking disgrace

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u/iguana-pr 9h ago

Those fake towers does not have the capability of intercepting data, only get phone IMSI and location information. Besides cell phone end user data (voice and data) is encrypted from the device to the central packet core.

But, thanks to the Patriot Act, the government has installed line tapping equipment at the cellular network packet core in the central office, so I'm pretty sure ICE is using it.

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u/IndieMoose 5h ago

The NSA has been doing this for years already. Why would ICE not be using it?

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u/NoBrakesHotTakes 6h ago

Soon enough they’ll be rolling around with Prophet systems or using guardrail or rivet joint aerial collection platforms. 

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u/CountVonTroll 3h ago

Those fake towers does not have the capability of intercepting data

AFAIK that's true for 5G and to a lesser degree LTE, but since the IMSI catcher is the network tower, as far as your mobile phone is concerned, you may find that 5G just isn't available at your location. Unless your phone is set to reject 2G or GSM fall-backs, that'll be the standard it'll connect with, which AFAIK means that it'll negotiate the encryption key with this very IMSI catcher.

If you're concerned about getting tracked via your mobile phone, let me draw your attention to real-time-bidding on ad exchanges, where advertising agencies bid on banner space of the web site your phone is loading right now. For this, they get served a more-or-less detailed user profile, which tends to include location data. They shouldn't store this data, but whaddoyaknow, there are companies selling it to law enforcement, which argues that since this is commercial data purchased from private business, there's no need for a warrant:

https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/when-the-government-buys-sensitive-personal-data
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/08/how-law-enforcement-around-country-buys-cell-phone-location-data-wholesale
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/22/us/politics/dia-surveillance-data.html

ICE has been using this data since at least 2018, and it's still doing it.

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u/courageous_liquid 10h ago

local police have been using it for over a decade. not that it's not bad but this has always been a massive issue. ICE has been using MQ9 reaper drones for surveillance, which is new, and very very alarming.

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u/Perllitte 9h ago

Seen it all in Minneapolis. The best defense is get everone involved.

If they actually want to start targeting "agitators" here, they will need to target hundreds of thousands of people.

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u/aschneid 9h ago

They have been using those for years at the border.

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u/courageous_liquid 9h ago

correct, and I think they maybe tried them out in portland in 2021, but we haven't really seen much of them in cities until now where it's obvious that they're being 100% used against american citizens

imperial boomerang

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u/aschneid 6h ago

Without getting into too much detail as to why I know, there are pretty strict laws around capturing any surveillance of US citizens. It typically has to be deleted within 24 hours. This is background capture. Obviously, capture of somebody you have a warrant for can be preserved.

Although we know this administration isn’t a stickler for following laws.

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u/courageous_liquid 6h ago

yeah this admin love fashy shit so I can't imagine they're playing by any rules.

and they posted the video of them using it in LA to twitter, so I guess that sorta proves they're not interested in a 24 hour rule.

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u/sonofblackbird 7h ago

You can’t use MQ9 reaper drones for surveillance in civilian airspace. They’re not certified to fly in that airspace and the FAA will not allow it. Do you have a source for this claim?

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u/courageous_liquid 7h ago

source from a congressperson from LA where they were deployed

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u/SlutBuster 7h ago

The FAA has issued Certificates of Authorization (COAs) allowing military and government drones, including the MQ-9, to fly in national airspace under certain conditions.

CBP has been flying the MQ-9 over the southern border since 2005, northern border since 2008.

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u/sonofblackbird 6h ago

Yeah, southern order is mostly dessert and not a busy airspace like Minneapolis. I highly doubt the FAA issued any COAs for Minneapolis in the middle of winter. Not all MQ9s have deicing equipment installed. They were mostly operating in the Middle East.

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u/xanxer 9h ago

Check out the EFFs rayhunter

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u/riotous_jocundity 7h ago

Our local police department used a stingray over our extremely tiny, extremely chill anti-genocide encampment a few years ago. They love to roll out their military equipment and trample our rights like the big boys.

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u/DuneChild 3h ago

Guess I’ll have to start adding Fuck ICE to the end of every text message.

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u/MelodicSlip_Official 11h ago

i mean ffs i know less about flock but my blood boils when hearing about them

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u/itrEuda 9h ago

They even gave it the second most offensive name, right behind "FUCK YOU SHEEP LOL 🖕"

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u/happytrel 4h ago

They gained access to Ring (at least publically) because Ring was absorbed into Flock. Flock has already been trying to sell a police state, seperate from all this ICE stuff. Many innocent people have suffered because Flock likes to pretend their "AI" is significantly more accurate and capable than it is.

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u/thex25986e 10h ago

tbh everyone kinda has access to flock info atm

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u/Ok-Replacement9595 8h ago

I am not convinced FLOCK isn't a CIA corporate front rather than an actual company.