Amazon is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging its Ring doorbell cameras illegally collected people’s facial data without their consent.
The complaint, filed June 1 in federal court in Washington state, alleges Ring’s “Familiar Faces” feature uses facial recognition technology to scan, store and classify visitors, including passersby, raising concerns about biometric privacy and transparency.
Ring introduced the feature in the United States in December 2025, allowing users to receive personalized alerts that identify people at their door. But the lawsuit argues the technology scans anyone captured on camera, not just known visitors, converting faces into unique biometric identifiers, or “faceprints” for up to six months.
Those identifiers can then be used to recognize people when they appear again, the complaint says, with the data stored in Amazon’s cloud systems.
What Does the Complaint Allege?
The lawsuit says people had their facial data collected without notice or consent when visiting homes or businesses equipped with Ring cameras.
It also argues the technology scans and analyzes faces before determining whether someone is “familiar,” meaning strangers, delivery workers and passersby may be recorded and categorized.
The complaint points to limits on the feature in Illinois; Portland, Oregon and Texas where stricter biometric privacy laws apply, as evidence the company is aware of potential legal concerns.
“Defendant’s conduct here represents a profound privacy failure for millions of people who are now being tracked by Amazon,” the complaint states.
Legal and Privacy Concerns
The lawsuit accuses Amazon of violating the Federal Trade Commission Act, which prohibits deceptive and unfair business practices.
While collecting biometric data is not illegal on its own, the complaint argues it becomes a legal issue when companies fail to clearly disclose how that data is collected or used.
The filing also raises concerns about facial recognition technology more broadly, including claims it can misidentify people, particularly people of color and women.
What Amazon Says
Amazon declined to comment on the lawsuit when reached by USA TODAY, citing pending litigation.
Plaintiffs are seeking damages exceeding $5 million.
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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