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Tag: Amazon

  • Workers at Medium Are Forming the Newest Tech Union

    Workers at Medium Are Forming the Newest Tech Union

    Workers at Medium are the latest group of tech employees that have decided to unionize, in an industry where the concept was once foreign.

    An overwhelming majority of workers at Medium, some 70%, have come out in favor of forming a union with the Communications Workers of America. The Medium Workers Union has said it will push the company to create a more equitable workplace.

    The Medium Workers Union emphasizes the challenges faced by companies at the crossroads of media and tech, and is committed to helping the company and employees be responsible stewards of the responsibility that comes with that.

    We are organizing because both tech and media are at a crossroads, and it is more important than ever that companies in both industries are equitable and supportive of their employees. This is the age of newsroom buyouts, startups folding, tech companies shifting more jobs to contractors, and the general implosion of independent media. Tech and media companies alike are constantly changing direction, dissolving and reforming, pivoting and refocusing. This often creates business advantages, but it also upends workers’ lives. To thrive as a creative, sustainable platform, Medium must support and protect its workforce and create the best environment possible in these turbulent times.

    We will hold Medium, and ourselves, to ethical and just standards. We’ll amplify the voices of the marginalized. We’ll defend democracy with our platform. We’ll restore justice where harm has been done. We’ll help shape a company where all are welcome, protected, and have an equitable share in decision making. And together we’ll build a platform where our users are guaranteed the same.

    The tech industry was once a union-free zone, but recent events have begun to change that. Workers at Kickstarter created a union in February 2020, Alphabet created a union in January 2021 and Amazon workers are currently voting on unionization.

    One thing is clear: Tech companies are increasingly facing a reckoning with their employees and being held to higher standards than in the past.

  • Investors Urging Amazon to Stop Pressuring Workers On Unionization

    Investors Urging Amazon to Stop Pressuring Workers On Unionization

    Investors are reportedly urging Amazon to stop pressuring workers amid the first-ever vote on unionization by the company’s workers.

    Amazon is notoriously anti-union, even going so far as to hire Pinkerton detectives to monitor and impede unionization efforts. The company has also been accused of illegally firing individuals who supported organizing. Most recently, Amazon has made waves with employees, pressuring workers in Bessemer, Alabama to vote against unionization.

    According to The Financial Times, via Bloomberg, some of Amazon’s investors have had enough, urging the company to stop interfering with unionization efforts. The group is made up of more than 70 investors, collectively holding some $20 billion of the company’s shares. The comptrollers for the state of New York and New York City, BMO Global Asset Management, Sweden-based Folksam and Ohman Fonder, as well as the Church of England Pensions Board are just a few of the investors in question.

    “As these workers seek to organize with [the union] for health, safety, and protection, Amazon’s investors are watching,” New York City comptroller Scott Stringer said, according to the FT. “There is power in their unity and power in labour, and they have my full support as they fight for a safe, fair workplace.”

    The investor backlash is just the latest setback Amazon has faced, due to its dealings with employees. The company recently settled a case with the FTC over stealing some $62 million in tips from its Flex drivers. If the company doesn’t make some major changes, it will likely continue to face fallout and backlash from employees, lawmakers and investors alike.

  • Video: Amazon’s New Electric Vans Quietly Delivering

    Video: Amazon’s New Electric Vans Quietly Delivering

    Amazon has just launched their first electric Rivian delivery vans on the road in Los Angeles. Customers will begin seeing the custom electric delivery vehicles in up to 15 additional cities in 2021. The company plans to have a 10,000 electric delivery fleet operating on the road in the United States and Europe by 2022.

    “We’re loving the enthusiasm from customers so far—from the photos we see online to the car fans who stop our drivers for a first-hand look at the vehicle,” said Ross Rachey, Director of Amazon’s Global Fleet and Products. “From what we’ve seen, this is one of the fastest modern commercial electrification programs, and we’re incredibly proud of that.”

    Ross Rachey, Director of Amazon’s Global Fleet, outlines the company’s electric delivery plans:

    “We are reimagining sustainable delivery,” says Ross Rachey, Director of Amazon’s Global Fleet. “Climate change doesn’t allow us to sit back and be passive. We can’t wait. This vehicle went from sketch, to design, to on-road testing with customer deliveries in just over a year. And we’ll build on that momentum heading into full-scale production.”

    “Amazon made a commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040,” notes Rachey. “Electrifying our fleet is going to help us get there. We’ve relied on Rivian’s automotive expertise. We’ve listened to our drivers. We’ve created something that’s at the leading edge of safety technology, that’s better for our drivers, better for the planet, and unlike anything that’s out on the road today. We’ve reset expectations for electric delivery vehicles. And we’re just getting started.”

    Amazon partnered with Rivian, leveraging its customizable skateboard platform to create a first-of-its-kind all-electric delivery vehicle. “Rivian’s purpose is to deliver products that the world didn’t already have, to redefine expectations through the application of technology and innovation,” said RJ Scaringe, Rivian Founder and CEO. “This milestone is one example of how Rivian and Amazon are working toward the world of 2040, and we hope it inspires other companies to fundamentally change the way that they operate.”

    The current fleet of vehicles was built at Rivian’s studio in Plymouth, Michigan, and can drive up to 150 miles on a single charge according to the company. Amazon has installed thousands of electric vehicle charging stations at its delivery stations across North America and Europe.

    Amazon explains it’s ambitious goals:

    Along with custom electric delivery vehicles, Amazon is exploring new technologies, alternative fuels, and delivery methods that deliver packages to customers in a more sustainable way. Amazon currently operates thousands of electric vehicles worldwide and is redesigning its delivery stations to service electric vehicles—ranging from the electrical design to the physical layout. Last year, Amazon delivered more than 20 million packages to customers in electric delivery vehicles across North America and Europe and will continue building on that momentum in 2021.

  • Amazon Goes Full-Court Press Against Alabama Warehouse Union Efforts

    Amazon Goes Full-Court Press Against Alabama Warehouse Union Efforts

    Amazon is pulling out all the stops in its efforts to dissuade Alabama warehouse workers from unionizing, even campaigning in the restroom.

    Workers at Amazon’s Bessemer, Alabama warehouse made headlines several weeks ago when the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) scheduled a vote for workers to decide on unionization. Amazon is notoriously anti-union, even hiring Pinkerton detectives to monitor and thwart efforts. The company has been accused of illegally firing individuals who advocated for better working conditions and supported organizing.

    Amazon is not letting up its anti-union efforts, according to The Washington Post, putting so much pressure on employees ahead of the vote that some feel they’re being harassed. The company is even putting fliers on the inside of bathroom stall doors with the message: “Where will your dues go?”

    “They got right in your face when you’re using the stall,” said Darryl Richardson, a pro-union worker. Another pro-union worker, who remained anonymous due to fear of retaliation, said: “I feel like I’m getting harassed.”

    Amazon is already on thin ice when it comes to employee relations. The company just settled for nearly $62 million for stealing tips from Flex drivers. It’s not hard to imaging the company’s full-court press in Bessemer backfiring, driving more employees to vote in favor of unionization. Should the vote pass, it will likely be the first of many, serving as a template for workers around the country.

  • Jeff Bezos Stepping Down As CEO, Will Transition to Executive Chair

    Jeff Bezos Stepping Down As CEO, Will Transition to Executive Chair

    In a surprise announcement, Amazon has said CEO Jeff Bezos is stepping down and transitioning to the role of Executive Chair in Q3 ‘21.

    Jeff Bezos is the founder of Amazon and has been inextricably linked with the company ever since. He’s guided it from an online bookstore to the e-commerce and cloud computing behemoth it currently is. In turn, the company has helped drive Bezos’ personal worth, making him one of the richest people in the world, only eclipsed by Tesla’s Elon Musk in January 2021.

    After nearly three decades at the helm of Amazon, Bezos is taking a step back.

    “Amazon is what it is because of invention. We do crazy things together and then make them normal. We pioneered customer reviews, 1-Click, personalized recommendations, Prime’s insanely-fast shipping, Just Walk Out shopping, the Climate Pledge, Kindle, Alexa, marketplace, infrastructure cloud computing, Career Choice, and much more,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO. “If you do it right, a few years after a surprising invention, the new thing has become normal. People yawn. That yawn is the greatest compliment an inventor can receive. When you look at our financial results, what you’re actually seeing are the long-run cumulative results of invention. Right now I see Amazon at its most inventive ever, making it an optimal time for this transition.”

    The company says Andy Jassy will become the new Chief Executive Officer.

    Given that Bezos owns aerospace company Blue Origin, as well as The Washington Post, he certainly has enough to keep him busy outside of Amazon. However, given his statement’s emphasis on surprising inventions, one can’t help but wonder if he will focus on his other businesses, or if he plans on a second act.

  • Amazon Stiffs Drivers $62 Million in Tips

    Amazon Stiffs Drivers $62 Million in Tips

    The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced Amazon is settling to the tune of $61.7 million for tips it withheld from drivers.

    As part fo the Amazon Flex program, drivers were promised $18–25 per hour for making deliveries. In addition, ads recruiting Flex drivers routinely said: “You will receive 100% of the tips you earn while delivering with Amazon Flex.”

    Amazon also assured customers that any tips they gave would go straight to drivers. There’s only one problem: Amazon didn’t pay its drivers the tips from customers, pocketing nearly $62 million.

    “Rather than passing along 100 percent of customers’ tips to drivers, as it had promised to do, Amazon used the money itself,” said Daniel Kaufman, Acting Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Our action today returns to drivers the tens of millions of dollars in tips that Amazon misappropriated, and requires Amazon to get drivers’ permission before changing its treatment of tips in the future.”

    “This theft did not go unnoticed by Amazon’s drivers, many of whom expressed anger and confusion to the company,” said FTC Commissioner Rohit Chopra. “But, rather than coming clean, Amazon took elaborate steps to mislead its drivers and conceal its theft, sending them canned responses that repeated the company’s lies. The complaint charges that Amazon executives chose not to alter the practice, instead viewing drivers’ complaints as a ‘PR risk,’ which they sought to contain through deception.”

    To make matters worse, in 2016, Amazon lowered the hourly rate they were paying drivers without notifying them. Instead, Amazon used the tips it had been withholding as a fund to maintain the $18-25 per hour rate, making drivers think they were receiving the same hourly rate.

    In essence, Amazon was ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul,’ stealing from drivers tips to cover for the fact that it had lowered drivers hourly rates without telling them. Amazon only stopped this behavior after it became aware of the FTC’s investigation in 2019.

    The $61.7 million settlement will be used by the FTC to compensate those drivers who were impacted. Amazon is also “prohibited from making any changes to how a driver’s tips are used as compensation without first obtaining the driver’s express informed consent.”

    For a company already accused of illegally firing workers for trying to organize unions, and using Pinkerton detectives to monitor workers and thwart unionization efforts, it’s little wonder that Amazon employees continue working to unionize.

    Amazon’s behavior in this matter is reprehensible, and represents a new low for corporate/worker relations.

  • Pentagon May Cancel JEDI Contract With Microsoft

    Pentagon May Cancel JEDI Contract With Microsoft

    The Pentagon has warned it may be forced to cancel its $10 billion JEDI contract with Microsoft amid Amazon’s ongoing legal challenges.

    Microsoft stunned the industry when it won the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure contract, worth $10 billion. Amazon immediately sued, claiming a number of issues, including irregularities in the Pentagon’s review process and undue interference from the Trump administration.

    The Pentagon corrected its review process, coming to the same conclusion that Microsoft rightfully won the contract. Not content, Amazon renewed its complaints, claiming the Pentagon’s second review process was more flawed than the original. Amazon also maintained the second review showed it was cheaper by tens of millions of dollars.

    Meanwhile, Microsoft has maintained that Amazon used the review process to improperly gain access to what Microsoft bid, and then lower its own bid to undercut — illustrating why these type of contracts are supposed to be a blind bidding process, to make sure each company bids fairly.

    After refusing to accept its loss and move on, it appears Amazon’s legal tactics may finally be paying off. According to Business Insider, the Pentagon has sent a memo to Congress warning they may have to cancel Microsoft’s JEDI win if Amazon’s legal challenges persist. At this point, the Pentagon is still without much-needed cloud capabilities, seen as important to national security.

    The Pentagon is quickly arriving at the point where it may be faster to cancel the contract and start over, in hopes of finally having an up-and-running cloud solution. It’s also possible the Pentagon may go with a multi-cloud approach, rather than awarding it to single company.

  • Amazon’s Alexa Has ‘Hunches’ and Acts On Them

    Amazon’s Alexa Has ‘Hunches’ and Acts On Them

    Amazon’s Alexa has crossed a significant milestone, having “hunches” regarding what needs to be done and taking the appropriate action.

    As smart assistants become more ubiquitous, a key feature is the ability to predict what a person will want, when they will want it and take preemptive action. This is especially important for Amazon as Alexa’s head scientist, Rohit Prasad, is arguing that AI should be judged based on how helpful it is, rather than the old Turing Test.

    According to the company, Alexa now learns about a person’s habits and forms “hunches” about what they want to do. For example, if a person normally turns off a particular light before going to bed, but forget to one night, Alexa can either remind them or automatically turn it off. In contrast, if a person leaves a particular light on, such as a porch light, Alexa will leave it on as well.

    Amazon says the new feature will allow Alexa to “proactively turn off the lights, adjust the thermostat, turn down the water heater, or start the robotic vacuum when Alexa has a hunch that everyone is away from home or asleep.”

    Users can enable or disable where Alexa proactively acts on the Hunches feature, although it’s a safe bet many customers will enable it.

  • Amazon Offers Support For President Biden’s Vaccination Plans

    Amazon Offers Support For President Biden’s Vaccination Plans

    Amazon has congratulated President Biden and Vice President Harris on their inauguration and offered its support in ramping up the vaccine rollout.

    One of President Biden’s biggest challenges will be significantly increase the pace of the country’s vaccination efforts. In an open letter, Amazon’s Dave Clark, CEO, Worldwide Consumer, made it clear the company is ready to assist.

    We have an agreement in place with a licensed third-party occupational health care provider to administer vaccines on-site at our Amazon facilities. We are prepared to move quickly once vaccines are available. Additionally, we are prepared to leverage our operations, information technology, and communications capabilities and expertise to assist your administration’s vaccination efforts. Our scale allows us to make a meaningful impact immediately in the fight against COVID-19, and we stand ready to assist you in this effort.

    Clark also makes the case that Amazon’s workers, many of whom are considered essential workers, should be among the first vaccinated.

    There is no word yet on whether the new administration will take Clack up on the offer, but it’s a safe bet no options are off the table.

  • Amazon Warehouse Workers Voting On Unionization

    Amazon Warehouse Workers Voting On Unionization

    Amazon warehouse workers are preparing to vote on whether to form the company’s first union.

    Amazon is famously opposed to its employees unionizing. The company has gone to extreme measures, even hiring Pinkerton detectives to monitor efforts. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) accused Amazon of threatening, suspending and terminating employees for trying to organize.

    It appears Amazon’s efforts have not been successful, however, as employees at the company’s warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama are moving forward with plans to vote on unionization. The NLRB has scheduled the vote for February 8 through March 29, and will involve approximately 6,000 employees.

    It remains to be seen if the vote will pass. If it does, however, it would be a big step forward for unionization efforts within one of the biggest companies in the US.

  • Consumer Groups Take Amazon to Task Over Prime Cancellation Process

    Consumer Groups Take Amazon to Task Over Prime Cancellation Process

    Amazon is coming under fire from consumer groups for how it handles Prime cancellation.

    Amazon Prime is a wildly popular service the online giant offers, providing expedited shipping, steaming services, ebooks, groceries, gaming and more. Given everything the service offers, it’s $119 per year fee is a good deal, especially compared to other streaming services.

    When customers do want to cancel, however, Amazon doesn’t make it easy, running them through multiple prompts and warnings. This has caught the attention of consumer groups in both the US and the EU, according to The Seattle Times.

    A Norwegian customer rights group has filed a legal complaint against Amazon, citing the company’s cancellation policy.

    “It should be as easy to end a subscription as it was to subscribe in the first place,” said Finn Lützow-Holm Myrstad, director of digital policy for the Norwegian Consumer Council. “This practice not only betrays the expectations and trust of consumers but breaches European law.”

    Groups in other EU countries have expressed support, sharing similar concerns. Even in the US, the Public Citizen consumer group has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Amazon’s policy.

    “Amazon should treat customers with respect instead of trying to undermine their autonomy and fight their decisions,” said Burcu Kilic, Public Citizen’s director of digital rights program.

    It remains to be seen if regulators will do anything about Amazon’s Prime cancellation, but the scrutiny is further evidence of the increased pressure Big Tech is under.

  • Walmart, Target and Amazon Using AI to Dictate Return Policy

    Walmart, Target and Amazon Using AI to Dictate Return Policy

    Some of the biggest retailers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help dictate their return policies.

    For many consumers, once they return an item they never give it another thought. For retailers, however, returns can represent a significant loss. There are a number of factors that can make it even worse, such as the size of item, shipping and shelf life.

    Walmart, Target and Amazon are turning to AI to help them optimize their return process. According to The Wall Street Journal, the retailers are using AI to determine when it is worth processing a return, versus letting the customer keep the product and issuing them a refund instead.

    Lorie Anderson of Vancouver, WA, tried to return makeup to Target, as well as batteries to Walmart. In both cases, the retailers told her to keep the items and still issued a refund.

    “They were inexpensive, and it wouldn’t make much financial sense to return them by mail,” Ms. Anderson, 38 years old, said. “It’s a hassle to pack up the box and drop it at the post office or UPS. This was one less thing I had to worry about.”

    Target even encourages customers to donate items they receive a refund for.

    AI has been making its way into a wide range of industries. This is merely the latest example of how it can be used to help companies make better decisions.

  • Tesla Replaces Facebook As Fifth Most Valuable US Company

    Tesla Replaces Facebook As Fifth Most Valuable US Company

    Tesla entered an exclusive club Friday, becoming the fifth most valuable US company at Facebook’s expense.

    Tesla closed the day Friday with a valuable of $820 billion, making it one of the top five most valuable US companies, according to CNBC. The previous fifth-place company, Facebook, was worth $763 billion at the close of market.

    Tesla’s new valuation places it in exclusive company, along with Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet. It also underscores the importance of the electric vehicle (EV) market as countries and companies pivot to environmentally sustainable transportation.

    As CNBC points out, Tesla is benefiting from the recent elections, with President-elect Joe Biden committed to heavy investment in EV charging infrastructure and the domestic auto industry. Similarly, Democratic candidates winning the Georgia runoff races was seen as another boost to Tesla, as it clears potential obstacles to Biden’s agenda and environmental initiatives.

  • Amazon’s Head Alexa Scientist: ‘The Turing Test Is Obsolete’

    Amazon’s Head Alexa Scientist: ‘The Turing Test Is Obsolete’

    Amazon’s head scientist of Alexa is arguing that the Turing Test is obsolete as an AI test and should be replaced.

    Alan Turing published his famous paper 70 years ago, wherein he outlined the Turing Test as a way to evaluate artificial intelligence to see if it had achieved true intelligence. Since then, it has been the gold standard researchers have used in their efforts to advance AI.

    Writing in Fast Company, Rohit Prasad says the Turing Test is now obsolete.

    The Turing Test is fraught with limitations, some of which Turing himself debated in his seminal paper. With AI now ubiquitously integrated into our phones, cars, and homes, it’s become increasingly obvious that people care much more that their interactions with machines be useful, seamless and transparent—and that the concept of machines being indistinguishable from a human is out of touch. Therefore, it is time to retire the lore that has served as an inspiration for seven decades, and set a new challenge that inspires researchers and practitioners equally.

    Prasad makes the case that the work of modern AI researchers should focus on making AIs that complement humanity, rather than ones that are indistinguishable from humans.

    Instead of obsessing about making AIs indistinguishable from humans, our ambition should be building AIs that augment human intelligence and improve our daily lives in a way that is equitable and inclusive. A worthy underlying goal is for AIs to exhibit human-like attributes of intelligence—including common sense, self-supervision, and language proficiency—and combine machine-like efficiency such as fast searches, memory recall, and accomplishing tasks on your behalf. The end result is learning and completing a variety of tasks and adapting to novel situations, far beyond what a regular person can do.

    Prasad’s point of view has a lot of merit, and could fundamentally change many researchers’ approach to the field. Changing expectations could also help address concerns from those who believe AI is the biggest existential threat to humanity. By focusing on complementary AI systems, instead of ones that duplicate human intelligence, some of those concerns may be nullified.

    Either way, Prasad’s argument is well-worth a read in its entirety.

  • Amazon to Acquire Podcast Startup Wondery

    Amazon to Acquire Podcast Startup Wondery

    Amazon has announced it is acquiring podcast startup Wondery, with plans to add it to Amazon Music.

    Amazon launched podcasts on its music platform in September 2020 and, like many digital companies, has benefited from the pandemic as people’s habits change. The company is planning on using Wondery to accelerate the growth of its podcast business.

    Amazon Music launched podcasts in September 2020, and together with Wondery, we hope to accelerate the growth and evolution of podcasts by bringing creators, hosts, and immersive experiences to even more listeners across the globe, just as we do with music. This is a pivotal moment to expand the Amazon Music offering beyond music as listener habits evolve.

    Wondery is already known for “Dirty John,” “Dr. Death,” “Business Wars,” and “The Shrink Next Door.” Amazon has assured users that all of Wondery’s podcasts will continue to be available on their platforms of choice.

    When the deal closes, nothing will change for listeners, and they’ll continue to be able to access Wondery podcasts through a variety of providers. With Amazon Music, Wondery will be able to provide even more high-quality, innovative content and continue their mission of bringing a world of entertainment and knowledge to their audiences, wherever they listen.

    Details of the deal were not disclosed, but reports in early December placed the value somewhere between $300 and $400 million. Amazon’s investment in the startup is further evidence of the importance of the podcast industry.

  • Amazon Delivers 1.5 Billion Products During Holiday Season

    Amazon Delivers 1.5 Billion Products During Holiday Season

    Amazon has reported a record-breaking holiday season, shipping some 1.5 billion products.

    Consumer purchasing has underwent major transformation as a result of the pandemic. Record numbers of individuals turned to online shopping to avoid crowds and practice social distancing.

    Amazon was one of the biggest beneficiaries of this transformation, as customers turned in droves to the online giant. The company delivered some 1.5 billion electronics, toys, home products, beauty and personal care products during the holidays.

    In addition, third-party sellers saw a 50% growth in sales, compared to 2019. Small and medium-sized businesses sold almost 1 billion products via Amazon.

    The company’s growth also resulted in hundreds of thousands of new jobs, with the company adding some 400,000 full and part-time jobs in 2020. The company also spent over “$2.5 billion in bonus pay to front-line workers,” as well as donated millions of items during the holiday season.

    “Amazonians around the world have truly shown what it means to be customer-centric and support our communities this year,” said Jeff Wilke, CEO Worldwide Consumer at Amazon. “When our customers—including healthcare workers on the front lines—most needed essential supplies, our teams and partners went above and beyond to stock and deliver those items. When it became clear that COVID-19 testing was going to be important, Amazonians across the company moved quickly to build our own testing capacity so we could help protect employees and deliver products to customers. And when customers needed a little extra holiday cheer, millions of employees and partners worked together to deliver more savings and holiday gifts than ever before. We couldn’t be prouder of, or more thankful for, our teams around the world.”

    Given the success of online shopping this year, and especially this holiday season, it’s a safe bet shopping is forever changed.

  • Shipping Scams Up 440% Amid Record Online Shopping

    Shipping Scams Up 440% Amid Record Online Shopping

    Shipping scams are up a whopping 440% as online shopping hits new records amid the pandemic.

    The coronavirus pandemic has changed how people are doing their holiday shopping, with many opting for online outlets rather than in-person options. Never too far behind any trend, scammers are seeing a potential gold mine.

    According to Check Point Software Technologies, a firm specializing in cybersecurity, scammers are trying to trick shoppers into divulging sensitive information. The scammers are impersonating shipping companies, such as Amazon, DHL and Fedex, to get people to lower their guard.

    Unlike classic phishing emails that are designed to lure people into giving personal details, credit card info or bank account credentials, these emails are specifically impersonating shipping vendors with different versions of fake messages reporting a “delivery issue” or “Track your shipment” details.

    All are trying to lure the recipients to submitting details and stealing credentials or financial data. We believe hackers have specifically chosen this vector in November, as they know that large numbers of online shoppers are waiting for their packages to arrive and are more attentive to shipping-related emails while they may be more aware of more traditional e-commerce related fraud and phishing attempts.

    Check Point recommends basic security precautions, such as never giving credentials over email, verifying that any links include the correct domain and not a lookalike, being suspicious of an email that seems overly pushy, as well as any that contain spelling and grammatical errors.

  • Amazon Will Provide Free Cloud Training to 29 Million

    Amazon Will Provide Free Cloud Training to 29 Million

    Amazon has announced it will provide free cloud training to some 29 million people around the world by 2025.

    Amazon’s AWS is the leading cloud platform, with 31% of the market. In spite of its lead, Microsoft, Google, Oracle and IBM have been making headway in an effort to close the gap. At the same time, the cloud computing market as a whole is experiencing unprecedented growth as a result of the pandemic and companies’ reliance on remote work.

    To help with the latter, Amazon is investing hundreds of millions to provide free training to 29 million people around the world over the next several years. Teresa Carlson, Vice President of Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon Web Services, made the announcement at re:Invent 2020.

    As part of our efforts to continue supporting the future workforce, we are investing hundreds of millions of dollars to provide free cloud computing skills training to people from all walks of life and all levels of knowledge, in more than 200 countries and territories. We will provide training opportunities through existing AWS-designed programs, as well as develop new courses to meet a wide variety of schedules and learning goals. The training ranges from self-paced online courses—designed to help individuals update their technical skills—to intensive upskilling programs that can lead to new jobs in the technology industry.

    Given the free training will be through “existing AWS-designed programs,” it’s a safe bet the training will also help Amazon maintain its lead in the cloud market. While the company is spending hundreds of millions of dollars, it’s hard to put a price on millions of people having their first serious exposure to cloud computing via Amazon’s platform.

  • How To Find Trustworthy Supplements on Amazon

    How To Find Trustworthy Supplements on Amazon

    One of the largest businesses in the world, Amazon, makes up 77% of all supplement sales online. This percent is larger than the five biggest vitamin sellers combined. However, since many are controlled by third-parties, online supplement legitimacy has grown controversial.

    The history of the mismarketed supplement on Amazon is long-lived. Hundreds of articles began emerging about fake products as early as 2013. In June 2020, NPR discovered over 100 dietary supplements illegally marketed as antiviral medications.

    Mismarketed supplements come in a variety of forms, including those that:

    • Wrongfully record doses of active ingredients.
    • Include unlisted ingredients or ingredients by the wrong name.
    • Lack of at least one major active ingredient.

    The most commonly mislabeled supplements on Amazon range from bodybuilding supplements and CBD products to herbal and dietary vitamins. The goal of supplements is usually to augment or increase heath relative to personal goals, but poorly manufactured supplements often produce adverse, even dangerous effects.

    Nearly 5,500 health incidents were reported to the US Poison Control Center over the past year. Vitamins have been known to negatively affect vital organs such as the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. Worse, overdoses and other forms of supplement poisoning have increased by 35% in less than 25 years. The issues associated with vitamin and supplement use are only increasing, and the industry is not slowing down.

    The supplement and vitamin market is one of the most thriving industries worldwide. It is projected that the global market for dietary supplements will surpass $27 billion dollars by 2027. It is safe to assume that the market for supplements — whether they are high quality or not — will only continue to grow over time.

    From a business point of view, controlling the 58% of third party vitamin sellers on Amazon’s platform is tricky. Many dishonest businesses are familiar with loopholes in the legal and digital business systems, leading to exploits that include:

    • Reselling supplements that were not approved through quality control.
    • Falsely claiming to be located inside of the US to avoid consequences.
    • Paid for reviews that claim a poor quality supplement is safe for human use.

    Tricky business practices make it extraordinarily difficult to purchase safe supplement products through Amazon. This revelation pushed the company to take action, although not as quickly as most had hoped.

    Amazon’s Project Zero launched in 2019 in order to combat false advertising and poor business practices listing supplements online. The program utilizes a program that crawls Amazon search listings to identify suspicious, fake, or dangerous products. Unfortunately, the program requires opting-in by small businesses, reducing reach and identification capabilities.

    A year later in 2020, Amazon debuted a pilot program to vet new businesses on a live basis. It is hoped that the program will identify poor quality supplements before they hit the market, but the full extent of the program has not yet been tested.

    Until better circumstances surround the Amazon supplement industry, it will be important to choose only verified, safe sellers. Look for supplements that follow USDA regulations, possess signs of high quality, and are free from red flags. Until then, this infographic may give further insights.

  • Amazon Accused of Illegally Firing Employee Over Working Conditions

    Amazon Accused of Illegally Firing Employee Over Working Conditions

    The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has accused Amazon of illegally firing an employee advocating for better working conditions.

    On the heels of news the NLRB accused Google of illegally spying on and firing employees, not to mention its firing of Timnit Gebru, Amazon is now in hot water too.

    Amazon has already made headlines for aggressively working against unionization efforts, even going so far as to hire Pinkertons to monitor employees suspected of organizing. At least six employees claim they were fired in the spring over their efforts to improve working conditions.

    According to BuzzFeed News, however, the NLRB has found that one of those employees, Courtney Bowden, has a legitimate case. In fact, “the agency found merit in her allegations that Amazon threatened, suspended, and ultimately terminated her because she had been talking with coworkers at an Amazon warehouse in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, about pay and other workplace issues, which is a legally protected activity.” At least one of those issues was providing sick pay for part-time employees.

    The case will now go before an administrative law judge March 9, 2021. Given Amazon’s history, its recent actions and the NLRB’s findings, it seems likely the judge may find in Bowden’s favor.

    Either way, this has not been a good week for Big Tech and employee relations.

  • Professor Scott Galloway: Amazon May Spin Off AWS

    Professor Scott Galloway: Amazon May Spin Off AWS

    Amid increased antitrust scrutiny, at least one expert is predicting Jeff Bezos and Amazon may spin off AWS.

    AWS is currently the dominant cloud provider, with 31% of the cloud computing market. At the same time, Amazon is a major force in the e-commerce market, and several of its acquisitions have helped it became a significant player in other industries. Whole Foods, Ring and Twitch are just a few of the acquisitions that have made Amazon a powerhouse far beyond its original form.

    The company’s expansion into other markets has drawn the attention of the government, as it looks closely at Big Tech in general. While the current scrutiny has come under a Republican administration, Democrats traditionally come down even harder on big business, raising the stakes with an incoming Biden/Harris administration.

    Scott Galloway, Professor of Marketing, NYU Stern School of Business, spoke with CNN’s Michael Smerconish about the antitrust challenges facing tech companies.

    “It’s a real concern for all of them. There’s already a case against Google, which I think the Biden/Harris administration will pick up. The shadow of the Biden/Harris administration has already resulted in more change at Facebook and Twitter than we’ve seen in a long time. [They’ve] made huge efforts to try and stop the spread of misinformation around the COVID-19. And I would argue that it’s tantamount to teens who have held a great party and their parents are coming home, and they’re trying to clean up their act.”

    Professor Galloway then spoke specifically about the lengths Amazon may go to avoid antitrust issues.

    “As it relates to Amazon, it will be Google, then likely Facebook for antitrust action. I do think it will happen to Amazon, but not until those two are done. I personally think Jeff Bezos, who’s the smartest businessperson in the world, will likely spin AWS prophylactically. And my prediction, Michael, is that in the year 2025, the most valuable company in the world will be a recently spun, independent AWS. The largest, most profitable cloud company in the world would be a stock that everyone would own.”