Jamie Siminoff, founder of Ring, has spent the past week addressing mounting privacy concerns following the company’s Super Bowl advertisement and renewed scrutiny over its data practices in connection with the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case.
The Super Bowl ad, which showcased Ring’s surveillance capabilities, quickly drew criticism from privacy advocates who argued it normalized constant monitoring and contributed to a growing “surveillance nightmare,” as described by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Siminoff has been attempting to counter the backlash, emphasizing the company’s commitment to user privacy.
The concerns extend beyond the advertisement, although. Siminoff addressed questions regarding how law enforcement recovered video footage in the Guthrie case, explaining that Ring does not store deleted recordings from doorbell cameras without an active subscription. “If you delete a recording or if you don’t want a recording, you don’t have a subscription. We do not have it stored,” Siminoff stated during an appearance on FOX Business’ “The Bottom Line.” He cautioned against speculation about the specifics of the investigation, noting that different companies have different systems.
Siminoff’s explanation came after reports that the FBI recovered footage from a Nest camera, as well as Ring footage, in the search for Nancy Guthrie, a missing mother. He emphasized that he “built the systems” with his team to ensure deleted footage remains inaccessible without a subscription. He also acknowledged that information circulating about the case is often inaccurate, stating, “a lot of the things that we’re hearing are not always correct, and we discover out later what’s actually happening.”
The debate over Ring’s privacy practices is not new. The Federal Trade Commission previously sued Ring for illegally collecting and storing audio and video data between 2017 and 2020. Consumer Reports found in 2022 that Ring doorbells can record audio from as far as 20 feet away, potentially capturing conversations of neighbors and pedestrians. These findings contribute to what the Electronic Frontier Foundation calls the “digital porch-to-police pipeline,” where user footage is readily shared with law enforcement.
Ring has actively engaged with law enforcement agencies, offering free devices and access to user footage. This practice has raised concerns about warrantless access to private recordings and the potential for misuse of surveillance data. Amazon and Google have been contacted for comment on the privacy concerns, but have not yet responded.
As of February 19, 2026, the Guthrie case remains ongoing, and the FBI has not publicly detailed how it obtained the recovered video footage. Siminoff has indicated he will continue to address privacy concerns, but has not announced any specific policy changes.
