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Smart Soap Dispenser
A bottle that automatically dispenses soap, lights up a 20-second
timer and can direct an Echo speaker to begin playing songs or
jokes while you wash.
What it knows: When you wash your hands through a motion
detector.
Why that matters: We don’t know what Amazon could do with data about your personal hygiene.
Amazon says it needs the hand-washing data to help provide functionality.
One Medical membership or Amazon
Pharmacy
One Medical is a nationwide subscription-based primary care provider that leans into technology for in-
person, digital, and virtual care services. It is being acquired by Amazon in a still-pending deal. Amazon
Pharmacy allows prescriptions to be shipped to your house, built out of an online pharmacy called Pill-
Pack.
What it knows: The services know your medical history, medications and body measurements. Amazon
Pharmacy knows when and how often you order drugs.
Why that matters: Your body is the latest frontier for Amazon’s data ambitions. “As required by law,
Amazon will never share One Medical customers ’personal health information outside of One Medical for
advertising or marketing purposes of other Amazon products and services without clear permission from
the customer,” said the company when it announced the acquisition. While your health information is cov-
ered by a federal privacy law, tech companies like Amazon are experts at getting around its limitations by
convincing people to share their personal data for purposes that aren’t covered by the law.
Smart Thermostat
The device allows you to set up programs to optimize
energy use and control your heater or air conditioner
from afar.
What it knows: Home temperature; “hunches”
about when you’re home, away or asleep; energy use.
Why that matters: The small data points can look
meaningless, but they add up to a picture of your daily
routines.
