Amazon's Ring, a smart doorbell company, has ended its partnership with Flock Safety, a firm that provides surveillance services, following criticism over its handling of user privacy.

In October, Ring and Flock Safety announced a deal that would have enabled law enforcement agencies to access video footage from Ring devices, with customer consent, for investigative purposes.

The proposed agreement would have allowed agencies partnered with Flock to retrieve relevant video recordings from Ring devices, provided customers had given their permission.

The decision to cancel the partnership came shortly after a Ring advertisement aired during the Super Bowl, sparking widespread criticism for its perceived invasiveness.

According to Ring, the partnership with Flock would have required significantly more time and resources than initially anticipated, leading to the decision to terminate the agreement.

Ring also stated that the integration of its cameras with Flock's systems never took place, and as a result, no customer videos were shared with Flock Safety.

A Flock Safety spokesperson described the cancellation of the partnership as a mutual decision, stating that it would allow both companies to better serve their customers and communities.

Flock Safety released a statement saying, "We believe this decision allows both companies to best serve their respective customers and communities," following the cancellation of the partnership.

Ring, acquired by Amazon in 2018, has previously faced concerns regarding its privacy policies, particularly with regards to its collaboration with law enforcement agencies and its handling of user data.

A recent Ring advertisement, which showcased the company's Search Party feature, drew new criticism and sparked concerns about surveillance and privacy.

The advertisement, which depicted a neighborhood using Ring devices to locate a lost dog, was widely criticized for promoting a form of community surveillance.

Senator Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, responded to the advertisement by calling on Amazon to discontinue its monitoring features, citing concerns about the potential for a "surveillance state."

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates for internet rights, criticized the advertisement, saying it used a relatable scenario to promote a feature that could potentially enable widespread surveillance and tracking.

The advertisement was also mocked on social media, with rival company Wyze releasing a satirical video that poked fun at Ring's Search Party feature.

In the video, Wyze co-founder Dave Crosby jokingly suggests that the technology could be used to track anyone, but claims it is only used for finding lost dogs, highlighting the potential risks and concerns surrounding the feature.

Both Ring and Flock Safety have faced public scrutiny over their handling of user privacy and their collaborations with law enforcement agencies.

Flock Safety, founded in 2017, has experienced rapid growth, with its cameras and license plate readers currently active in over 5,000 US cities, primarily through contracts with police agencies.

The company's plans to partner with Ring were announced amidst controversy, with Senator Ron Wyden accusing Flock of not doing enough to prevent the misuse of its cameras, particularly in relation to immigration and abortion laws.

Flock Safety has disputed these allegations, denying any wrongdoing.

Ring also collaborates with law enforcement agencies, receiving thousands of requests for footage from customer cameras each year, and complying with these requests when legally required.

DP World's global ports operator has undergone a change in leadership, with the previous head stepping down amidst scrutiny surrounding their association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem's departure as chairman and chief executive follows the release of newly uncovered files, which indicate he exchanged numerous emails with Epstein over the course of a decade.

The mention of an individual in these files does not imply any wrongdoing, and the BBC has reached out to Sulayem for a statement regarding the matter.

On Friday, DP World announced the appointments of Essa Kazim as chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as chief executive, without making any reference to Sulayem, whose photograph appears to have been removed from the company's website.

DP World, a Dubai-owned logistics company with a significant presence in global trade infrastructure, operating port terminals across six continents, has faced increasing pressure from its business partners in recent days.

Earlier in the week, the UK development finance agency and La Caisse, Canada's second-largest pension fund, announced that they would be suspending new investments in the firm.

Additionally, the Prince of Wales' Earthshot project, which received funding from DP World, was reported to the UK Charity Commission following Sulayem's appearance in the recently released files.

The documents suggest a close and extensive relationship between Sulayem, a prominent Gulf business figure, and Epstein, spanning multiple areas of interaction.

US lawmakers Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie have accused Sulayem of being one of several influential individuals associated with Epstein, citing him as one of "six powerful men" linked to the disgraced financier.

The lawmakers, who co-sponsored the legislation that led to the release of the Epstein files last year, claim that certain information was improperly redacted from the documents.

On 9 February, Thomas Massie highlighted a redacted document that appeared to contain an email from Epstein in 2009, referencing a "torture video"; the recipient responded that they would be traveling between China and the US, although the context of the exchange is unclear.

US officials have confirmed that Sulayem was the recipient of the email in question, which was sent by Epstein.

The complete episode is available for streaming on the BBC Sounds platform.