Ring Rolls Out TAKE Encryption as Default for Cloud Video Features
Ring is switching its default video encryption to a new scheme called TAKE (Throw Away the Key Encryption), which temporarily decrypts footage in the cloud to power AI features like Smart Alerts before deleting the keys within 24 hours. The standard, built on the IETF's Messaging Layer Security protocol, will roll out globally starting in September, though users can still opt for full end-to-end encryption instead.
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By making a cloud-decryption model the default rather than true end-to-end encryption, Ring is prioritizing feature availability like video search and smart alerts over the strongest privacy protections, even as it faces backlash over facial recognition tools like Familiar Faces. The move highlights the ongoing tension between AI-powered convenience and user trust in home surveillance devices.
- TAKE becomes Ring's global default, temporarily decrypting video in the cloud and deleting keys within 24 hours.
- The standard enables AI features like Smart Alerts that full end-to-end encryption would otherwise limit.
- Users can still manually switch to end-to-end encryption if they prefer stronger privacy over cloud features.
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus — If Ring's new TAKE encryption and Smart Alerts have your attention, the Battery Doorbell Plus is the natural place to start — head-to-toe video so you see packages on the porch, not just visitors' faces. It installs without wiring and pairs with the Ring app for motion notifications and two-way talk.
See Ring Battery Doorbell Plus on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techcrunch.com — Ivan Mehta, 2026-08-26
Published there as: “Ring introduces a new encryption standard, makes it the default for cloud features”
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