A new data protection scandal is rocking Amazon! Millions of users have probably unsuspectingly revealed their movements - all without their knowledge or consent. But what is behind the serious allegations that Amazon is currently facing in a Californian court case? The answer could come as a surprise to many - and be costly for Amazon.

What exactly is Amazon accused of?

On January 29, 2025, a class action lawsuit was filed against Amazon in California. The lawsuit alleges that the online giant secretly collected location data from users' cell phones - without their knowledge. At the center of the scandal is a so-called "spyware" that enabled Amazon to create detailed movement profiles of users.

The collected data is said to have been made available not only to the company's own users, but possibly also to third parties. A software development kit (SDK) that Amazon distributed to app developers was used for this purpose. These developers integrated the SDK into their apps, including popular applications such as "Speedtest" or "NewsBreak". This allowed Amazon to access the location data of millions of users - all without their consent.

Why is this data collection problematic?

You might think: "I have nothing to hide!" But this is exactly the catch. The data collected by Amazon provides in-depth insights into users' lives. Their movements can be used to draw conclusions about their habits, interests and even their health or religious activities. Such information is particularly sensitive and can fall into the wrong hands.

For example, a company that knows about people's movement profiles could target advertising - or worse still, an authoritarian government could misuse this data for surveillance purposes. So the question is: how secure is our personal information when it ends up in the hands of a company as big as Amazon?

What consequences could this scandal have?

The lawsuit against Amazon not only demands compensation for the affected users, but could also have far-reaching consequences for the company itself. Data protection laws are becoming ever stricter, and the accusation that the privacy of millions of users has been violated in this way is anything but harmless. We may see stricter regulations for companies like Amazon that collect our data in the near future - and perhaps a new wave of class action lawsuits.

The public could also lose confidence in Amazon and other tech giants if they are found to be involved in such massive data breaches. The damage to the company's image could be more serious than the financial consequences.

A serious mistake by Amazon!

This scandal is an example of how technology can not only enrich our lives, but also endanger them. Privacy is a fundamental asset - and those who violate it must be held accountable. Even if Amazon certainly had no malicious intentions, it is hardly excusable that the company collected personal data unnoticed. At the end of the day, we as users need to take care of our data more than ever - and companies need to be aware of their responsibilities.