Amazon cashes in on TikTok trend with new TV show featuring viral Ring doorbell footage

By Alma Fabiani

Published Aug 19, 2022 at 09:00 AM

Reading time: 1 minute

34991

If you spend at least a solid 30 minutes a day on TikTok, chances are you’ve seen the viral video of two drunk individuals—one woman, one man—standing in front of what the man believes to be the woman’s house. He is then seen asking his companion if she has the key to open her front door, to which she responds: “Why would I have the key?”

As it turns out, they’re standing on the porch of a complete randomer’s house—the person who ended up sharing the clip online, @sophie.sciascia—and are being filmed by her Ring video doorbell camera.

With over 2.5 billion views on the app and counting, it’s safe to say that #ringdoorbell content is gaining traction—and like always, Amazon, aka the company that owns and produces the smart home technology that captures viral-to-be clips, has come up with an effortless way to monetise on its device’s sudden rise in popularity.

As first revealed by entertainment news site Deadline, September 2022 will bring us—or audiences in the US, at least—Ring Nation, a TV show hosted by comedian Wanda Sykes which will feature short videos such as “neighbours saving neighbours, marriage proposals, military reunions and silly animals.”

@sophie.sciascia

by far the funniest thing my ring camera has ever captured. someone find these people so i can actually invite them over.

♬ original sound - Sophiesciascia

With Amazon completing its $8.5 billion acquisition of giant media company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)—known for its production and distribution of feature films and TV programmes—in March 2022, it’s no surprise as to why Ring Nation will soon be on our watchlists.

Let’s take a step back for a minute here. Amazon bought Ring in 2018 and MGM just this year—which, by the way, owns the production company behind the Emmy-winning documentary series Live PD, Big Fish Entertainment. In other words, it wasn’t enough for the multinational tech company to give law enforcement access to its loyal customers’ Ring camera footage without a warrant, it also had to go and produce a whole TV show to invite audiences to participate in the surveillance state.

@nelaaa888

I can’t stop laughing 😂😂 #ringdoorbell #caughtoncamera #amazon #foryoupage #fyp

♬ original sound - Y.medrano

Described as a “daily dose of life’s unpredictable, heartwarming and hilarious viral videos” in a press release, Ring Nation comes as yet another stark reminder that these days, privacy doesn’t represent much to most people—hello meta selfies and at-home DNA tests—especially when they’re offered 15 minutes of fame in exchange for it.

Keep On Reading

By Eliza Frost

Zayn Malik’s new song suggests One Direction era wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows

By Eliza Frost

All the Easter eggs from the first episodes of The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3

By Eliza Frost

Will Belly choose herself in the final episodes of The Summer I Turned Pretty?

By Eliza Frost

Online pornography showing choking to be made illegal, says government 

By Eliza Frost

What is Shrekking? The latest toxic dating trend explained 

By Eliza Frost

Vogue has declared boyfriends embarrassing, and the internet agrees

By Eliza Frost

Do artists really owe us surprise guests at gigs, or are our expectations out of control?

By Eliza Frost

We finally know why Conrad and Belly broke up in The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2

By Eliza Frost

Skibidi, tradwife, and delulu are among new words added to Cambridge Dictionary for 2025

By Eliza Frost

Kendall Jenner reveals plans to quit Kardashian fame for a normal job

By Eliza Frost

Kim Kardashian wants to know how much a carton of milk costs 

By Eliza Frost

Does the SKIMS Face Wrap actually work, or is it just another TikTok trap?

By Eliza Frost

UK to lower voting age to 16 by next election. A controversial move, but the right one

By Eliza Frost

Jennifer Lawrence weighs in on The Summer I Turned Pretty love triangle, revealing she is Team Jeremiah

By Eliza Frost

All the Tea on the new app that lets women vet men and date safely

By Eliza Frost

Bad timing? Gavin Casalegno’s Dunkin’ ad sparks backlash over actor’s alleged conservative views

By Eliza Frost

How to spot a performative male out in the wild 

By Eliza Frost

Couples who meet online are less happy in love, new research finds

By Eliza Frost

Did Katy Perry just confirm relationship with ex-Canadian PM Justin Trudeau?

By Eliza Frost

The swag gap relationship: Does it work when one partner is cooler than the other?