The French data protection watchdog, CNIL, is threatening to fine Amazon a whopping €32 million (roughly Rs 290 crore) for putting in place what it calls a “excessively intrusive” system to track the whereabouts and performance of its workers. The tracking scanners that Amazon uses to monitor its employees are the main target of CNIL’s concerns.The French data protection watchdog, CNIL, is threatening to fine Amazon a whopping €32 million (roughly Rs 290 crore) for putting in place what it calls a “excessively intrusive” system to track the whereabouts and performance of its workers. According to Bloomberg, the CNIL has concentrated its concerns on the tracking scanners that Amazon uses to monitor its employees.
The French watchdog on data protection fined Amazon.com Inc. €32 million ($34.9 million) for installing a system that it deemed to be “excessively intrusive” for tracking employee performance and activities.The CNIL said in a statement on Tuesday that the authority is focusing on scanners that monitor employee performance and activity.Because of “the scale on which they were implemented, both in terms of their exhaustiveness and their permanence,” the watchdog claimed that Amazon’s system is different from conventional monitoring techniques. The massive online retailer was also penalised for having inadequate security on its security cameras.
The CNIL voiced concerns in a statement on Tuesday about the scope and intensity of Amazon’s monitoring system, highlighting how it differs from traditional approaches. The widespread use of scanners to monitor employees’ activities was specifically brought up by the watchdog, raising concerns about individual rights and privacy.
Apart from the concerns regarding employee surveillance, Amazon is also facing fines for its insufficient security protocols with regard to its video surveillance systems. The imposition of this significant penalty by CNIL is indicative of its commitment to protecting personal privacy and making sure businesses follow stringent data protection laws.
Amazon refuted the CNIL’s findings in response to the fine, claiming that they are factually false. The massive online retailer defended its use of warehouse management systems in a different statement, claiming that they are essential for preserving operational safety, quality, and efficiency and that they are industry standard. Amazon emphasised how important these systems are for tracking inventory storage, meeting customer expectations, and quickly processing packages.
Although Amazon acknowledges the operational need for monitoring systems, the CNIL’s concerns raise more general issues regarding how to strike a balance between operational effectiveness and employee privacy protection. The fine suggests that there is a growing awareness of the moral ramifications of sophisticated workplace monitoring technologies, especially when it comes to large-scale use. Amazon has stated that it plans to contest the CNIL’s ruling despite the fine, reserving the right to file an appeal.
Furthermore, Amazon is requesting that managers deduct points from the performance ratings of workers who don’t follow the Return to Office (RTO) guidelines. According to reports from Business Insider, the massive online retailer has taken a bold move by preventing promotions for individuals who don’t satisfy the strict requirements for office attendance.The regulator stated in a 57-page order that Amazon’s intentional attempt to conceal the true nature and intent of the combination is what led to the violations of the competition law. Consequently, Amazon has been hit with fines totaling Rs 2 crore.
Some Amazon employees believe that the company’s unusually stringent return-to-office policy is a part of a larger plan that resembles a “quiet firing” plan, according to insider sources. According to the story, Amazon purposefully makes work environments difficult for staff members in order to entice them to quit on their own, ultimately assisting the business in cutting expenses without having to deal with the fallout from outright firings.