The “Follow Foundation” announced a financial reward of $10,000 for anyone who can hack Ring smart home cameras, with the aim of preventing it from sending user information to Amazon, while maintaining the safety of the devices and their basic functions.
This award comes within the framework of the “Follow” program, which aims to eliminate what it describes as “user-hostile features” in technical products, which are features that are imposed on consumers and allow data to be collected or shared without their full control.
The announcement aims to find a way for Ring camera owners to continue using all of its functions, such as monitoring, alerts, and recording, while ensuring that no data is sent to Amazon servers or shared with other parties.
The solution provided must be practical and sustainable, so that the camera continues to work efficiently in monitoring the home while ensuring that no footage or personal information is leaked to the company’s servers.
This initiative comes in light of the growing discussions about the privacy of smart home devices, especially after repeated criticism of the way companies deal with user data, including sharing video recordings with law enforcement agencies or using them for analytical purposes.
The organization stressed that its goal is not to disrupt or harm the company’s services, but rather to enable users to have greater control over their data, explaining that any successful solution will be published openly for everyone to benefit from.
It also stated that the winner is not obligated to publish the details of the amendment he arrived at, due to the legal challenges related to the US Digital Copyright Act (DMCA), which may expose the hacker to legal accountability if he publishes tools to break the “digital lock.”
It is noteworthy that the “Ring” company, owned by Amazon, has been repeatedly criticized by digital rights organizations due to its data sharing policies, making this technical challenge the focus of the cybersecurity community and privacy advocates around the world. (24)
