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Are Video Doorbells And Neighborhood Watch Apps Generating More Fear Than Security?

NEW YORK (CBSNEWS.COM) - More than 900 local police departments across the U.S. have partnered with Ring since 2018, and crime-sharing apps like Neighbors, Citizen, and Nextdoor are some of the most downloaded apps in its category.

But for many, the growing popularity of these digitized versions of neighborhood watch programs is cause for alarm.

Ring Doorbell Camera
A doorbell device with a built-in camera made by home security company Ring is seen on August 28, 2019. (credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

"These apps are dangerous because they not only reflect people's biases about marginalized people, but these apps legitimize that bias as an effective guide for addressing crime," wrote Myaisha Hayes, campaign director at Media Justice, a civil rights organization focused on equity in the digital age.

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