Ring could be planning to expand Search Party feature beyond dogs

Engadget

by Lawrence Bonk

February 19, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff has hinted at expanding the company's Search Party feature beyond its current use for locating lost dogs. In internal emails, Siminoff expressed optimism about the tool's potential to evolve into a powerful surveillance system aimed at reducing crime in neighborhoods. While initially designed to help dog owners locate their pets using aggregated data from Ring cameras, the CEO envisions a future where this technology could play a significant role in crime prevention. The Search Party feature has already sparked controversy due to its surveillance capabilities. Critics argue that combining it with other tools like "Familiar Faces," which uses facial recognition to identify individuals, could create a highly effective system for monitoring and identifying people. Siminoff previously suggested that the technology could even assist law enforcement in solving crimes, such as catching suspects by leveraging footage shared through Ring's Community Requests feature. Ring had planned to expand its surveillance efforts through a partnership with Flock Safety, an AI-powered surveillance company. However, this collaboration was scrapped after public backlash following a Super Bowl ad highlighting the Search Party tool. While Ring denied that public sentiment influenced the decision, they stated the integration required more resources than anticipated. The company has also emphasized that Search Party does not process human biometrics or track individuals without owner consent. Despite canceling the Flock partnership, Ring's commitment to crime prevention remains a central part of its mission. Founded with the goal of reducing neighborhood crime, the company continues to explore innovative ways to integrate technology with law enforcement. This focus on surveillance raises important questions about privacy and security in smart home devices, making it a key area of interest for tech enthusiasts and critics alike. For readers interested in tech, the potential expansion of Ring's surveillance tools highlights the growing intersection of AI, facial recognition, and community safety. While the technology could offer significant benefits for crime prevention, it also raises concerns about mass surveillance and the ethical use of personal data. As Ring continues to evolve its features, balancing privacy with security will likely remain a critical challenge in the development of smart home devices.

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Originally published on Engadget on 2/19/2026