Amazon has 200 million subscribers today. Which not only use Amazon's products and services but also serve as a source of user data for the company. Using this data, the company decides the prices of the goods, the suggested products and which products to manufacture themselves. It uses data from the Shopping App, Kindle, Ring Door Bell, Echo Smart Speaker and Prime Video Services. The more users use these services, the better they can predict what kind of person you are. The company can also use this algorithm to predict which product you will buy next. Customers are obviously are not happy with this level of monitoring.
Customers are obviously are not happy with this level of monitoring. People who have requested their data from Amazon are amazed by the sheer amount of information they send. That includes audio files every time the customer speaks to company's voice assistant Alexa.
Amazon has come under scrutiny from regulators for data-grabbing. Last year, Amazon was fined $886.6 for processing personal data in violation of EU data protection rules, which it is appealing against.
What data does Amazon collect?
Amazon collects your name, address, searches, and conversations with Alexa. The company also knows your orders, what you see on Prime, the contacts you upload, and the communication you have with the company via e-mail. Amazon's website uses cookie trackers to enhance your shopping experience, the company says. This information can tell a lot about you. "With this information, Amazon can tell you where you work, where you live, what you do in your spare time, and who your family and friends are," says Rowenna Fielding, director of data protection consultancy Miss IG Geek. Data from Amazon Prime, Amazon Photos, Kindle and Echo speakers is also used. The company shares some of this data with other companies in the group. This information is also shared with third parties. Amazon says your identifying data is not shared directly with third parties.
How to prevent Amazon from collecting data?
Amazon collects large amounts of data, so the only way is to stop using the company's services altogether. But there are some ways you can reduce this amount of data. You can request your data from the company. There are separate privacy hubs for Alexa and Ring Door Bell, where you can delete your recordings as well as change your privacy settings. You can also give Alexa the command "Alexa, delete what I just said" or "Alexa, delete everything I said today." You can avoid tracking Amazon by using a browser like Duck Duck Go or Brave. Turning off browsing history and opting out of interest based ads are also some of the solutions.