Ring introduces TAKE, a new Throw Away the Key Encryption designed to protect videos while preserving cloud-based features like smart alerts and AI-powered search.

TAKE remains opt-in alongside End-to-End Encryption, which is available as a more restrictive alternative for users who want maximum control and are willing to sacrifice some cloud features.

Rollout begins in September and will become the default worldwide, with an option to opt into E2EE instead of TAKE.

The move addresses growing consumer privacy concerns about surveillance in homes and public spaces.

Users can still voluntarily share footage with law enforcement via the Neighbors app if requested by police.

The announcement follows prior criticism of Ring, including scrutiny of facial recognition and a class-action suit over storage of images without consent.

TAKE is framed as an ongoing privacy and security initiative, backed by a white paper and a dedicated privacy page for transparency.

Ring emphasizes there are no backdoors for governments; key delivery is push-only, with recovery options if users lose device access.

The information comes from Ring’s blog and a white paper on TAKE, with TechCrunch providing ongoing coverage.

Ring founder asserts TAKE provides a physical privacy guarantee by preventing third-party access to footage without consent.

Competitors offer local-processing options that don’t require cloud processing, highlighting privacy trade-offs between cloud features and on-device privacy.

Ring notes it only trains on publicly available videos or with explicit user permission, which can be revoked at any time.