A class action suit has been filed against Amazon-owned Ring, seeking damages for millions of Americans whose facial data may have been collected by its Familiar Faces feature.

The lawsuit, which aims to represent all US residents who had their biometric information used without consent, could potentially exceed $5 million in financial claims. Plaintiff Charles Sigwalt argues that the feature is invasive and violates privacy rights.

Ring’s Familiar Faces is designed to alert homeowners when recognised faces appear at their door, but critics argue it has far-reaching implications for personal data privacy. The company allows users to create a directory of up to 50 familiar faces, but concerns remain about the broader use of facial recognition technology in everyday life.

“Here, there are millions of Americans who have walked by Ring cameras which have activated the Familiar Faces feature,” Sigwalt said in his complaint. “The damages in this action far exceed $5,000,000 when calculating both statutory and actual damages.”

The lawsuit was filed in US District Court for the Western District of Washington, where Amazon is headquartered, with a nationwide class of all people affected by Ring’s feature.