The Familiar Faces feature may store biometric data without users’ knowledge.
The successes continue to come for Ring, Amazon’s smart home brand. The company was sued over allegations that a feature in its doorbells and cameras would allow the devices to collect and store photos of passersby without their consent. The Familiar Faces feature, at the center of the trial, is optional and leverages AI to recognize and remember people who frequent a location. Plaintiff Charles Sigwalt is seeking class-action certification for the lawsuit and is seeking at least $5 million in damages.
“Millions of other Americans have walked past a Ring security camera and unknowingly had their facial recognition information collected,” the suit states. He also referenced a letter to Amazon from U.S. Senator Edward Markey, who wrote: “Amazon’s system forces non-consenting viewers to access a biometric database without their knowledge or consent.” This is an unacceptable violation of privacy. »
Since Amazon acquired Ring in 2018, the company has faced lawsuits over device hacking and privacy concerns. It also faced backlash over a feature announced during the 2026 Super Bowl that seemed more like a mass surveillance tool than a way to find lost pets.
