The landscape of intelligence gathering has dramatically shifted from a state-monopoly to a commercialized “intelligence as a service” model. Private companies, leveraging technologies like facial recognition, drones, and vast networks of consumer-grade devices such as doorbell cameras, are now providing intelligence to government entities. This erosion of the state’s exclusive control raises significant privacy and civil liberties concerns, as commercial actors often face fewer legal restrictions and can facilitate warrantless data access. The recent controversy around Amazon Ring’s proposed “Search Party” program, aiming to scan neighborhood camera footage, highlights the tension between community safety narratives and the normalization of mass surveillance. This trend toward privatization, driven by technological diffusion and market demand, poses fundamental questions about democratic oversight and personal privacy when intelligence power is wielded by profit-driven private actors.