Amazon must pay two individual
privacy violation penalties.
.
$25 million will be shelled out
"for allegedly not deleting children's data," .
And $5.8 million will be paid for not restricting access to Ring security videos, CNET reports.
.
The settlement follows a complaint alleging that parents weren't able to delete their kids' voices and location data acquired by Alexa.
Amazon then allegedly used that data for
years to enhance Alexa's algorithm.
Amazon then allegedly used that data for
years to enhance Alexa's algorithm.
[The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Rule] does not allow companies to keep children's data forever for any reason, and certainly not to train their algorithms, Samuel Levine, director of the FTC's Bureau
of Consumer Protection, via statement.
As for the penalty against Ring, employees and contractors were allegedly able to
access customer videos with relative ease.
.
One employee over several months
viewed thousands of video recordings belonging to female users of Ring cameras
that surveilled intimate spaces in their homes such as their bathrooms or bedrooms. , FTC, via statement.
The employee wasn't
stopped until another employee discovered the misconduct, FTC, via statement
Google Fires More Staffers , Following Protests Over , $1.2 Billion Israel Deal.
Google Fires More Staffers , Following Protests Over , $1.2 Billion Israel Deal.
'The Independent' reports that Google has fired at least
20 more workers following protests over the company
supplying Israel with technology amid the Gaza war.
'The Independent' reports that Google has fired at least
20 more workers following protests over the company
supplying Israel with technology amid the Gaza war.
A group representing the fired
workers said the total number of staff
terminated for protesting is now over 50. .
Internal turmoil at the tech giant revolves around
'Project Nimbus,' a 2021 contract for both Google and
Amazon to provide the Israeli government with technology. .
Internal turmoil at the tech giant revolves around
'Project Nimbus,' a 2021 contract for both Google and
Amazon to provide the Israeli government with technology. .
The $1.2 billion contract includes
cloud computing and artificial
intelligence services. .
The $1.2 billion contract includes
cloud computing and artificial
intelligence services. .
Last week, workers held sit-in
protests at Google's offices in both
New York and Sunnyvale, California.
The protests were organized by the group
No Tech For Apartheid, who said that 30 workers
were fired following the initial sit-in. .
According to Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for
No Tech For Apartheid, Google has now fired
"over 20" more workers, “including non-participating
bystanders during last week’s protests.”.
Google’s aims are clear:
the corporation is attempting
to quash dissent, silence
its workers, and reassert
its power over them, Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for No Tech For Apartheid, via 'The Independent'.
In its attempts to do so,
Google has decided to
unceremoniously, and
without due process,
upend the livelihoods of
over 50 of its own workers, Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for No Tech For Apartheid, via 'The Independent'.
In its attempts to do so,
Google has decided to
unceremoniously, and
without due process,
upend the livelihoods of
over 50 of its own workers, Jane Chung, a spokeswoman for No Tech For Apartheid, via 'The Independent'.
Google has disputed the group's claims,
stressing that the company carefully found that, “every single one of those whose employment
was terminated was personally and definitively
involved in disruptive activity inside our buildings.”
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Travis Kelce just landed his first TV job. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end is set to host a spin-off of the Fox game show 'Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?' for Amazon's Prime Video. The new show hosted by Kelce is titled 'Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?' It will see adult contestants answer elementary curriculum questions with the help of a classroom full of famous faces.
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter Duration: 01:24Published
It looks like there's a new 'Legally Blonde' TV show in the works…what like it's hard? Reese Witherspoon and her Hello Sunshine banner is teaming up with Amazon to develop a 'Legally Blonde' TV series. 'Gossip Girl' and 'The O.C.' grads Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage are attached to write the TV offshoot.
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter Duration: 01:07Published
Amazon Is Getting Rid of , Just Walk Out Technology , at Its Fresh Grocery Stores.
The company's Just Walk Out
technology allows customers to
avoid standing in checkout lines.
It works by sending receipts to customers after they've left the store with their items.
While customers have said they enjoy the process, .
they wish they could view their receipts and savings while they are shopping, according
to Amazon spokesperson Carly Golden.
As a result, Amazon is revamping its
grocery chain to better serve customers.
The Just Walk Out technology will
be replaced by smart carts that provide spending data in real time, NPR reports. .
Most Fresh grocery stores are located in
Washington State, California, Illinois and Virginia. .
The retailer also operates Amazon Go
stores in addition to owning Whole Foods.
The retailer also operates Amazon Go
stores in addition to owning Whole Foods.
Amazon Go stores and smaller Fresh
stores in the U.K. will continue to use
Just Walk Out technology, NPR reports.
Last year, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said that the company is still trying to figure out how to have
a greater impact on physical grocery stores.
This revamp, and "selectively" launching new Fresh locations, is part of that process, Golden said
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
FTC to Decide , Whether Noncompete Agreements , Should Be Banned.
After receiving over 26,000 public comments about the issue, the Federal Trade Commission is set to deliver its verdict on April 30, NPR reports. .
The commission said that if approved, the
final rule "would generally prevent most
employers from using noncompete clauses.".
The commission said that if approved, the
final rule "would generally prevent most
employers from using noncompete clauses.".
Approximately one in five Americans, spanning minimum wage workers to CEOs, are subject to noncompete agreements, the FTC estimates. .
The Biden administration says that these types of agreements hurt workers by decreasing wages.
The White House also argues that these
agreements harm the U.S. economy because entrepreneurship isn't allowed to freely flourish. .
FTC Chair Lina M. Khan issued a statement when
the proposed ban was initially introduced.
The freedom to change jobs is
core to economic liberty and to
a competitive, thriving economy, FTC Chair Lina M. Khan, via statement.
Noncompetes block workers from
freely switching jobs, depriving
them of higher wages and better
working conditions, and depriving
businesses of a talent pool that
they need to build and expand, FTC Chair Lina M. Khan, via statement.
Businesses argue that noncompete agreements are essential for safeguarding investments and proprietary information.
Those businesses also question whether
the agency has the power "to regulate
such agreements," NPR reports. .
If the FTC votes to issue a final rule, enforcement wouldn't occur for 180 days,
and legal challenges would likely ensue.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Jon Stewart is saying that Apple asked him not to talk to the Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan on his former Apple show 'The Problem with Jon Stewart.' Khan, who became chair of the FTC in 2021, has made a name for herself for being an outspoken critic of the business practices of Big Tech companies like Amazon and Meta and has been praised by both Democrats and Republicans for her antitrust efforts. Khan was a guest on Monday's episode of Comedy Central's 'The Daily Show,' where Stewart made the revelation.
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter Duration: 01:47Published