Ring will introduce end-to-end encryption to address security concerns

2020 has seen Ring come in for plenty of criticism about the security of its products and the closeness of its leadership with law enforcement. The EFF has said that the company’s Android app was riddled with third party trackers, and its partnerships with police forces was leading us toward a surveillance state. To address some of those concerns, the company is beefing up encryption for users’s stored videos.

The biggest change is the introduction of end-to-end encryption for its videos, which will be added to Control Center in due course. Unfortunately, users need to activate it for themselves in Control Center, but in doing so will be given much more control over who sees their videos. In addition, users will soon be able to determine how long their videos are stored in the cloud, if they have the Ring Protect Plan, before being deleted.

Finally, Ring has enabled users to disable the Neighbors feed -- the company’s crime-and-security themed version of NextDoor -- from their apps. This may not address all of the complaints leveled at the company, especially its long-reported closeness with police forces, but it’s a start.