SAN FRANCISCO, June 3 — Amazon was sued on Monday by a Virginia resident over what he said ‌were privacy violations after the company’s Ring doorbell cameras at friends and family members’ homes collected and stored images of his face using facial recognition software. The plaintiff, Charles Sigwalt, who is ‌seeking class-action status, sued Amazon in federal court in Seattle alleging a feature known as “Familiar Faces” retains images of passersby without their consent. He is seeking at least US$5 million in damages for the class.

Familiar Faces, which is optional, uses artificial intelligence to identify and remember people so that when they return to a home or a business, notifications can include specific names.

Those affected “did not consent to have their privacy rights violated at the entrance way,” according to the suit. “Millions of other Americans passed by a Ring security camera and unknowingly had their facial recognition information collected.”

Amazon declined to ‌comment.

The suit, which seeks unspecified damages for those impacted, is just the latest ⁠in a string of controversies around Amazon’s Ring, ⁠the unit that makes the eponymous smart doorbells and ⁠security systems. Ring, which Amazon bought in ⁠2018 for US$1 billion (RM3.9 billion), ⁠in February faced a backlash over a service that it advertised during the Super Bowl that it said helps people find lost dogs by activating its neighbourhood network ⁠of cameras. Users and privacy advocates were concerned the cameras could be deployed to surveil whole neighbourhoods or areas. Following the criticism, Ring in February ended an unrelated partnership with Flock Safety, which deploys license plate readers and cameras for law enforcement use. In 2023, the US Federal Trade Commission reached a US$5.8 million settlement with Ring over ⁠privacy allegations that it said included a former employee spying on female customers in their home bedrooms and bathrooms.

The FTC said Ring employees had unrestricted access ⁠to customers’ sensitive video data, allowing them and contractors to view and download it. Amazon ⁠denied any ⁠wrongdoing as part of the settlement. US Democratic Senator Ed Markey alleged in 2022 that Ring violated people’s privacy through its partnerships with law enforcement, allowing them access to some user footage ‌without proper consent. In the suit filed on Monday, Sigwalt said Amazon’s “conduct here represents a profound privacy failure for millions of people who are now being tracked by Amazon.” — Reuters

KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — As of today, over 4,000 litterbugs have been caught so far, said Housing and Local Government (KPKT) minister Nga Kor Ming. 

Nga said that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) now has 4,000 free social workers to help clean up the streets of KL. 

This comes following major updates to the anti littering laws, where the government has introduced heavy fines of up to RM2,000 and mandatory community service orders (up to 12 hours) for minor offences like tossing cigarette butts, plastic bottles, or spitting in public. 

“We now have 4,000 free social workers who will help us and DBKL sweep the streets for free. 

“And they also have to pay us a RM2,000 fine at the same time,” Nga said. 

Aside from working together with DBKL to stamp out litterbugs while also making the City Centre cleaner, Nga also pointed out that KL will be safer now, especially with the rollout of thousands of facial recognition and high definition closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras around the city. 

“KL is going to have not 1,000 but 10,000 facial recognition and high definition CCTV. It will be just like in Shanghai and Beijing. 

“There will no longer be any cases of snatching or stealing because the CCTV installed by DBKL can recognise your face and the Royal Malaysia Police will be waiting for you,” he said. 

Previously in May, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh and Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud revealed the installation of 10,000 AI powered CCTV. These units are outfitted with high resolution sensors and facial recognition technology, allowing for real time coordination.