Today I learned Amazon has a form so police can get my data without permission or a warrant

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Here is something I didn't know when I purchased Amazon Ring cameras and Amazon Echo Dots: there is a webpage where law enforcement can fill out a form, say there's a life-threatening emergency, and get access to your data without your consent, a court order, or any kind of warrant. There's nothing in the Terms of Service about this, and the company has maintained for years that it helps police get consent first, but it's happening anyhow.

Over the past seven months alone, Amazon has provided private Ring videos to law enforcement 11 times, the company told Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) in a letter dated July 1st and provided to press this week.

Here are Markey's questions and Amazon's answers about that specifically:

(Markey...

Continue reading...