A Neighborhood Watch or a Surveillance System?
Ed Dorini, a resident of the Sun Valley area in Los Angeles, takes pride in his home and is dedicated to its safety. To monitor his property, Dorini installed 10 Ring cameras three years ago. He also found Ring’s companion app, Neighbors, useful for sharing safety concerns with his community. However, the app’s automatic forwarding of posts to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has raised questions about the impact of community surveillance.
Surveillance: A Poor Deterrent
While homeowners may believe that surveillance cameras deter crime, research suggests otherwise. In fact, surveillance has been found to perpetuate prejudice, breed paranoia, and increase the risk of police or vigilante violence, especially against people of color. Neighbors, with its most active users residing in whiter, more affluent areas, has become another example of how community surveillance can further marginalize certain groups.
Questionable Posts Sent to LAPD
An analysis of Neighbors posts in Los Angeles revealed that over 13,000 posts were automatically forwarded to LAPD officers in just over two years. However, more than 30% of these posts did not describe criminal activity but rather reported suspicious behavior and profiling. This raises concerns about the role of community surveillance in shaping perceptions of who belongs in certain neighborhoods.
Ring’s Partnerships with Police Departments
The Ring network, owned by Amazon, has partnerships with 2,604 police departments across the United States. These partnerships allow police departments access to Ring camera footage for crime investigations. However, there is a lack of transparency regarding the extent of this collaboration, which has led to concerns about privacy and racial profiling.
Unequal Usage Across Neighborhoods
Analysis of Neighbors posts revealed that users in neighborhoods with higher income levels tended to post more often. In Los Angeles, richer areas posted roughly six times more on Neighbors than poorer areas. This disparity in usage reflects the unequal distribution of resources and highlights the potential for racial profiling.
The Impact on Communities of Color
For communities of color, the experience of surveillance and interaction with police is often different from that of white communities. Neighborhood platforms like Neighbors can perpetuate fear and suspicion, leading to unsubstantiated accusations and a heightened sense of insecurity. Racial profiling and biased reporting can further marginalize and endanger people of color.
A Need for Accountability and Transparency
As technology like Neighbors continues to shape community surveillance, there is a need for accountability and transparency. Ring has updated its guidelines to discourage biased reporting, but it remains unclear how effectively these guidelines are enforced. Stricter moderation and community guidelines can help create a safer and more inclusive environment for all users.
The Choice to Move
For some residents, the negative impact of community surveillance and racial profiling is enough to drive them away. Ernie Arzu, a Black resident of South Los Angeles, decided to move after experiencing a lack of police assistance and witnessing the negative effects of Neighbors on his wife’s perception