Page 9 - December_Newsletter_2022

Only after years of criticism did Amazon add a setting to not keep any audio recordings.

“Providing customers with transparency and control over their information has always been
incredibly important to Amazon, and we believe we’ve been very good stewards of peoples ’data,”
says a spokesperson.

Ring doorbell

Acquired by Amazon in 2018, Ring doorbells have tiny cameras inside
that let you live-stream, record and interact with whomever is at your
doorstep — even if you’re not home.

What it knows: Live and recorded video, audio and photos of the out-
side of your house; when people come and go and you receive packages;
status of linked devices like lights.

Why that matters: You’re not the only one who wants to peer through
your doorbell. Police have made tens of thousands of requests for Ring video clips, and Amazon has
handed footage to police without owners ’permission at least 11 times this year. (Amazon says it
reserves the right to respond to emergency police requests when they relate to matters of life and
death.)

Ring brought surveillance cameras to millions of more homes, igniting a privacy debate about re-
cording neighbors without permission.

Fire TV or Omni TV set

The streaming devices allow you to watch video from Amazon
and other services on any TV. The dedicated Omni TV set also
contains microphones to talk to Alexa, displays information, and
even springs to life when someone enters the room.

What it knows: What and when you stream on Prime Video;
when you open or close third-party streaming apps; records au-
dio for Alexa queries; the Omni TV also records information
about what specific programs you watch using an over-the-air
antenna.

Why that matters: It can reveal your interests, politics, joys
and embarrassments — and it’s easy to forget Amazon is helping
your TV watch back.