Amazon's Ring employees spied on users' toilets

Ring is best known for its video doorbells, but also sells indoor and outdoor home security cameras. Photo: AP Photo/Jessica Hill.

Employees. security camera maker Ring could watch thousands of videos of people in their bedrooms and bathrooms without the knowledge of the owners, the US regulator said.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said the company, now owned by Amazon, provided employees and third parties contractors to have unhindered access to videos taken with cameras.

One customer service employee viewed thousands of videos from 81 female users, often for an hour or more each day, without the company's knowledge. The employee was not stopped until his activity was discovered by a colleague, the regulator said.

Ring is best known for its video doorbells, but also sells indoor and outdoor security cameras. The company began selling its devices in the UK in 2016.

Amazon paid a $5.8m (£4.7m) fine to settle the case and said the practice has since been discontinued.

The Federal Trade Commission also said that Ring failed to implement «basic privacy and security protections» allowing hackers to take control of thousands of accounts and cameras.

The regulator said the company circumvented security concerns «in pursuit of rapid product development. In addition to employees, hundreds of contractors in Ukraine had access to videos held by clients.

An employee reported to have uploaded thousands of videos was eventually fired, and Ring implemented additional security measures for support staff after the incident.

However, a second employee continued to upload video from a female colleague's camera. , according to the FTC. The regulator said security concerns persisted until 2020, when the company gradually restricted access to videos.

Ring was founded in 2013. The company began selling indoor cameras in 2016 when the first privacy breaches identified by the Federal Trade Commission were discovered and was bought by Amazon in 2018.

An Oxford doctor was set to receive up to £100,000 in 2021 after a judge ruled that her neighbor's smart doorbell camera violated her privacy, setting the stage for similar rulings in the UK.

Amazon separately paid a $25 million fine over allegations that he had failed to protect children who used his Alexa voice speakers. The FTC said the company did not delete the recordings at the parents' request and kept them longer than necessary.

«While we disagree with the FTC's Alexa and Ring claims and deny breaking the law, these agreements Leave these matters behind «, — stated in Amazon.

«Ring independently quickly resolved the problems that arose many years ago, long before the Federal Trade Commission began its investigation. We have been, and remain, focused on delivering products and features that our customers love while at the same time being committed to protecting their privacy and security.”