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Ad Tech Must Define Ethics Amid Surveillance Concerns

An AdExchanger opinion column highlights a late-January RFI from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) asking ad tech and location-data vendors how their tools could "directly support investigations." ICE framed the request as market research rather than a solicitation. The piece criticizes the ad-tech industry's muted public response and calls for firms to define ethical red lines if they insist they are not in the "surveillance" business. The author notes past industry pushback against labels like "surveillance advertising" and urges concrete, public commitments beyond social-media outrage to prevent reputational and regulatory risks.

DHS Targets Critics: Subpoenas Sent to Major Tech Platforms

The New York Times reports the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has recently increased use of subpoenas seeking the identities of anonymous social‑media accounts that criticize Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or report ICE agent locations. The subpoenas were sent to platforms including Google, Reddit, Discord and Meta. Reporting from Bloomberg and The Washington Post is cited showing related cases where DHS sought account owners’ identities (including Instagram accounts), sometimes withdrawing subpoenas after lawsuits. Some platforms reportedly complied in at least some cases; Google says it notifies users when it can and pushes back on subpoenas it deems overbroad. The NYT notes the department’s growing reliance on administrative subpoenas, which do not require a judge’s approval.

Ring Ditches Flock Partnership Amid Surveillance Controversy

Ring, the Amazon-owned home security company, said it will no longer pursue a planned integration with Flock Safety, a maker of AI-powered surveillance cameras used by law enforcement agencies. The original deal, announced in October, would have allowed Ring users to share doorbell footage with Flock and its network of public-safety partners. Ring said the joint decision to cancel the partnership was due to the integration requiring significantly more time and resources than anticipated. The move follows public concern over Ring’s AI features — including a recent Super Bowl ad for its Search Party capability and a December facial-recognition feature called "Familiar Faces" — and reporting that Flock’s footage has been accessed by agencies such as ICE, the Secret Service and the Navy. Ring retains other law-enforcement sharing options (including a partnership with Axon) and has faced prior regulatory action over video access controls.