Amazon.com did not deceive consumers in its revised privacy policy
and the information it gave consumers on how it might disclose
their data, according to a letter by the US Federal Trade
Commission to pressure groups Electronic Privacy Information Centre
(EPIC) and Junkbusters.
EPIC and Junkbusters called for the FTC to investigate alleged
violations of federal law when it changed its privacy policy last
September to allow it to share customer data with third party
companies unless a customer specifically requested otherwise. The
groups said this conflicts with Amazon.com’s representations in its
previous privacy policy which said it did not share personal data,
but gave consumers the choice of opting out of any future data
sharing. The FTC found that there was no such conflict.
Amazon.com’s previous policy stated:
“Amazon.com does not sell, trade or rent
your personal information to others. We may choose to do so in the
future with trustworthy third parties, but you can tell us not to
by sending a blank e-mail message to never@amazon.com.”
EPIC and Junkbusters were concerned that that Amazon.com may now
disclose personal information about consumers who previously sent
such an e-mail. According to the FTC’s letter:
“Amazon has assured us that, despite the
ambiguity of its revised policy on this issue, it will not disclose
to third parties any personal information concerning consumers who
previously selected ‘never’. Moreover, Amazon has informed the FTC
that it has never sold, traded, or rented the personal information
of any of its customers, even those customers who did not e-mail
never@amazon.com, and it will not do so without notice to its
customers and an opportunity for them to choose not to have their
information shared.”
The FTC’s letter is available on EPIC’s web site, at http://www.epic.org/privacy/amazon/ftc_letter.html.
