The Current Are you under surveillance in your own neighbourhood?
Feb 25, 2026
Kristen Thomasen, Chair in Law, Robotics and Society at the University of Windsor, explains why doorstep cameras raise neighbourhood privacy alarms. She discusses Ring’s controversial ad, risks of corporate and state access, past hacks and employee breaches. Short takes on police partnerships, data overload, and how convenience can erode community trust.
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Ad Normalizes Networked Neighborhood Surveillance
- Ring's lost-dog ad signals a broader push to normalize networked, AI-enabled neighborhood surveillance.
- Kristen Thomasen says the commercial reframes invasive camera networks as community benefits to gain social acceptance.
Homeowner Used Doorbell Footage To Prove Package Theft
- Brittany Schwab used her Ring doorbell footage to prove a package theft after receiving no delivery alert in real time.
- She took screenshots, sent them to the seller and could use them as evidence for police reports.
Dog Tag Analogy Hides Scale And Automation
- Comparing AI-linked camera networks to a neighbor calling from a dog tag is a flawed analogy that understates scale and automation.
- Thomasen notes the difference between one person noticing a dog and an AI scanning many homes' footage across a wide area.