For Immediate Release
S.T.O.P. Demands Amazon End All Use of “Just Walk Out”
(New York, NY, 4/8/2024) - Today, the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.), a New York-based privacy and civil rights group, demands Amazon end all uses of “Just Walk Out,” a biometric surveillance software that tracks customers' movements and purchases in stores. Amazon announced it will be phasing out its use of “Just Walk Out” in Amazon Fresh grocery stores, but will keep the technology in some Amazon Go stores, MLB ballparks, and a small number of Fresh stores in the UK. The civil rights group expressed relief that Amazon is scaling back its use of “Just Walk Out,” but demanded the tech giant go further by removing the software from all its retail locations. S.T.O.P. also renewed its call on the New York City Council to ban biometric surveillance in public accommodations.
SEE: Gizmodo - Amazon Ditches 'Just Walk Out' Checkouts at Its Grocery Stores
https://gizmodo.com/amazon-reportedly-ditches-just-walk-out-grocery-stores-1851381116
“Not only is this technology highly invasive, but it’s also incredibly ineffective,” said Surveillance Technology Oversight Project Staff Attorney Nina Loshkajian. “‘Just Walk Out’ isn’t some sort of AI miracle—Amazon relies on workers in India to confirm a portion of their sales under the technology’s supervision, leading to major delays in processing. This is a surveillance gimmick with no real added convenience, especially given the risk the system poses to customer privacy. Customers should not have to hand over their sensitive biometric data just so Amazon can outsource its labor to other countries.”
In June, S.T.O.P. and its co-counsel filed a proposed class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington claiming that Starbucks and Amazon illegally failed to notify customers that their stores in New York City used “Just Walk Out” to collect biometric data on customers. The class action also claims that Starbucks illegally shared those customers’ biometric data with Amazon. Originally, the case was filed in the Southern District of New York under two separate suits respective to each company.
SEE: Press Release - Class Action Claims Amazon Illegally Hid its Biometric Surveillance From Go Store Customers in NYC
https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2023/3/16/class-action-claims-amazon-illegally-hid-its-biometric-surveillance-from-go-store-customers-in-nyc
Press Release - Class Action Claims Starbucks Illegally Hid Biometric Surveillance From Some NYC Customers and Illegally Shared Customers’ Biometric Data With Amazon
https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2023/5/4/class-action-claims-starbucks-illegally-hid-biometric-surveillance-from-some-nyc-customers-and-illegally-shared-customers-biometric-data-with-amazon
Loshkajian continued, “Biometric surveillance has no place in stores and other public accommodations, whether for supposed convenience or for law enforcement. With racial biases baked into technology like facial recognition, false arrests aren’t a fluke, but are inevitable. It’s long past time the New York City Council ban the scan in stores, arenas, and other public accommodations to prevent algorithmic discrimination by businesses and law enforcement.”
Last May, S.T.O.P. joined elected officials and civil rights groups in New York City Hall Park to rally against facial recognition and other biometric surveillance ahead of a City Council hearing on proposed bans. The New York City Council Technology and Civil and Human Rights Committees discussed two proposed city laws, one banning biometric surveillance in residential buildings, and one banning the technology in places of public accommodation, such as stores and sports arenas.
SEE: Press Release - Electeds, Advocates Rally Against Facial Recognition Ahead Of City Council Hearing On Bans
https://www.stopspying.org/latest-news/2023/5/3/electeds-advocates-rally-against-facial-recognition-ahead-of-city-council-hearing-on-bans
The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project is a non-profit advocacy organization and legal services provider. S.T.O.P. litigates and advocates for privacy, fighting excessive local and state-level surveillance. Our work highlights the discriminatory impact of surveillance on Muslim Americans, immigrants, and communities of color.
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CONTACT: S.T.O.P. Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn.
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