Amazon’s Ring Unveils AI-Powered Facial Recognition Amid Privacy Debate

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

December 10, 2025

Enhanced Visitor Identification

Amazon has rolled out an AI-powered facial recognition feature for its Ring doorbells in the United States, enabling users to identify frequent visitors through a catalog of up to 50 faces. Dubbed “Familiar Faces,” the feature allows homeowners to label and recognize family members, friends, neighbors, delivery personnel, or household staff. Once a face is registered in the Ring app, personalized alerts—such as ‘Mom at Front Door’—replace generic notifications, providing a more tailored home monitoring experience.

Customizable Alerts and User Control

Designed to enhance user experience, the new feature offers flexibility by allowing owners to disable or customize alerts on a per-face basis. Activation is optional; users must enable the feature explicitly within the settings. Faces can be assigned directly through the Event History section or the newly established Familiar Faces library, with options to edit labels, merge duplicates, or remove entries as desired. Additionally, anonymous face data is purged automatically after 30 days, and all biometric information is encrypted and isolated from third-party access.

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Privacy and Security Concerns

Despite these enhancements, the introduction of Familiar Faces has intensified scrutiny over Ring’s privacy safeguards. Critics, including consumer protection organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation and U.S. Senator Ed Markey, have voiced alarms about the potential misuse of biometric data. Past incidents, including a $5.8 million fine from the Federal Trade Commission over lax security practices and issues with exposing personal data via the Neighbors app, have fueled these concerns.

Implications for Law Enforcement and Data Sharing

Historically, Amazon has collaborated with law enforcement agencies—providing doorbell footage on request and partnering with surveillance technology firms like Flock—which further complicates the debate. Although Amazon asserts that face data is processed in the cloud without being used to train AI models, the technical limitations of further anonymizing data remain a point of contention, particularly given the similarity of this function to Ring’s “Search Party” feature for finding lost pets.

Conclusion

The addition of AI-powered facial recognition to Ring doorbells represents a significant technological step forward in smart home security. However, with ongoing calls from lawmakers and privacy advocates to halt or rigorously secure such advancements, users must weigh the convenience of tailored notifications against potential privacy infringements. In an era where digital surveillance is increasingly pervasive, maintaining a balanced approach to innovation and security is paramount.

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Cyprus Income Distribution 2024: An In-Depth Breakdown of Economic Classes

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

December 24, 2025

New findings from the Cyprus Statistical Service offer a comprehensive analysis of the nation’s income stratification in 2024. The report, titled Population By Income Class, provides critical insights into the proportions of the population that fall within the middle, upper, and lower income brackets, as well as those at risk of poverty.

Income Distribution Overview

The data for 2024 show that 64.6% of the population falls within the middle income class – a modest increase from 63% in 2011. However, it is noteworthy that the range for this class begins at a comparatively low threshold of €15,501. Meanwhile, 27.8% of the population continues to reside in the lower income bracket (a figure largely unchanged from 27.7% in 2011), with nearly 14.6% of these individuals identified as at risk of poverty. The upper income class accounted for 7.6% of the population, a slight decline from 9.1% in 2011.

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Income Brackets And Their Thresholds

According to the report, the median equivalent disposable national income reached €20,666 in 2024. The upper limit of the lower income class was established at €15,500, and the threshold for poverty risk was set at €12,400. The middle income category spans from €15,501 to €41,332, while any household earning over €41,333 is classified in the upper income class. The median equivalents for each group were reported at €12,271 for the lower, €23,517 for the middle, and €51,316 for the upper income classes.

Methodological Insights And Comparative Findings

Employing the methodology recommended by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the report defines the middle income class as households earning between 75% and 200% of the national median income. In contrast, incomes exceeding 200% of the median classify households as upper income, while those earning below 75% fall into the lower income category.

Detailed Findings Across Income Segments

Upper Income Class: Comprising 73,055 individuals (7.6% of the population), this group had a median equivalent disposable income of €51,136. Notably, the share of individuals in this category has contracted since 2011.
Upper Middle Income Segment: This subgroup includes 112,694 people (11.7% of the population) with a median income of €34,961. Combined with the upper income class, they represent 185,749 individuals.
Middle Income Group: Encompassing 30.3% of the population (approximately 294,624 individuals), this segment reports a median disposable income of €24,975.
Lower Middle And Lower Income Classes: The lower middle income category includes 22.2% of the population (211,768 individuals) with a median income of €17,800, while the lower income class accounts for 27.8% (267,557 individuals) with a median income of €12,271.

Payment Behaviors And Economic Implications

The report also examines how income levels influence repayment behavior for primary residence loans or rental payments. Historically, households in the lower income class have experienced the greatest delays. In 2024, 27.0% of those in the lower income bracket were late on payments—a significant improvement from 34.6% in 2011. For the middle income class, late payments were observed in 9.9% of cases, down from 21.4% in 2011. Among the upper income class, only 3% experienced delays, compared to 9.9% previously.

This detailed analysis underscores shifts in income distribution and repayment behavior across Cyprus, reflecting broader economic trends that are critical for policymakers and investors to consider as they navigate the evolving financial landscape.

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