Ring, the Amazon-owned home security company that’s just as quick to sell you a camera as it is to give law enforcement access to the same camera’s footage without a warrant, produces a television show that sparks an invitation to participate in the surveillance state. You know, as a fun family activity.
Deadline reports that Wanda Sykes has signed on to host Ring Nation, a new clip show themed America’s Funniest Home Videos from MGM Television, Ring and Big Fish Entertainment, the production company behind Live PD. Described as a “daily dose of the unpredictable, heartwarming and hilariously viral video” in a press release, Ring Nation will feature footage captured by people’s Ring cameras presented in an entertaining manner.
Ring Nation invites participation in the Surveillance State as a fun family activity
“Bringing the new community together is at the core of our mission at Ring, and Ring Nation offers friends and family a fun new way to spend time together,” said Jamie Siminoff, Ring Founder and Ring Nation Executive Producer, in the press release. “We are thrilled to have Wanda Sykes join Ring Nation to share people’s memorable moments with viewers.”
As Deadline points out, Ring Nation is a fairly transparent piece of corporate synergy for Amazon, which owns MGM Television, Big Fish, and Ring, and has (obviously) a vested interest in encouraging more people to add Ring technology to their homes. There are almost certainly Ring owners out there who are interested in attending Ring Nation and will take the opportunity to have Wanda Sykes comment on the captivating footage they are capturing around their homes.
But as one of Ring’s least veiled attempts to normalize the idea and practice of people constantly policing one another, Ring Nation may just be the reminder some people need to avoid this particular instance of our modern panopticon.
Ring Nation will premiere in syndication on September 26th.