Is Amazon Safe?

An independent privacy and security review of amazon.com. All claims sourced from official privacy policies, regulatory actions, and credible research.

TL;DR

Amazon collects extensive data across its ecosystem — purchase history, browsing behavior, Alexa voice recordings, smart home device data, and credit history from bureaus. In March 2025, Amazon removed the ability for Echo users to process voice commands locally, requiring all audio to be sent to Amazon's cloud. Amazon's state-specific disclosures confirm it collects biometric data (palm scans via Amazon One), precise geolocation, and audio/visual recordings. Amazon received a record €746 million GDPR fine in 2021 for behavioral advertising without proper consent.

amazon.com
🔴 High Risk
Last verified: 2026-02-16 · How we calculate risk

📊 What Amazon Collects About You

Based on Amazon's privacy policy (December 31, 2025):

Purchase & Browsing
Complete purchase history, items viewed, search queries, browsing behavior, wish lists, product reviews, and items in cart. Amazon also collects 'page-view information from some merchants with which we operate co-branded businesses'
Source: Amazon Privacy Notice (Dec 2025)
Voice & Audio (Alexa)
Voice recordings when you speak to Alexa, text transcripts of those recordings, and information about your interactions with Alexa-enabled devices. As of March 28, 2025, Amazon removed the option to process audio locally — all voice commands are now sent to Amazon's cloud
Source: Amazon Alexa Terms of Use (Dec 2025); Technowize reporting (Mar 2025)
Biometric Data
Palm scan data through Amazon One (used in Amazon Go stores and Whole Foods). Amazon's California disclosures confirm collection of 'biometric information that is used to identify you, such as your palm scan'
Source: Amazon Additional State-Specific Privacy Disclosures
Smart Home & IoT
Data from Ring doorbells (video, audio, motion detection), Blink cameras, Echo devices (device status, network connectivity, software performance, location), and other connected smart home devices
Source: Amazon Privacy Notice; Alexa Terms of Use
Device & Technical
Device identifiers, cookies, browsing and usage information, IP address, and information about internet-connected devices linked with Alexa
Source: Amazon Privacy Notice (Dec 2025)
Financial & Credit
Payment methods, transaction history, and 'credit history information from credit bureaus, which we use to help prevent and detect fraud and to offer certain credit or financial services'
Source: Amazon Privacy Notice (Dec 2025)
Third-Party Data
Updated delivery and address information from carriers, account information from co-branded business partners, search results from paid listings, and information about interactions with Amazon subsidiaries' products
Source: Amazon Privacy Notice (Dec 2025)

🔍 Tracking & Third-Party Data Sharing

Amazon operates a significant advertising network and tracks user behavior across its own properties and partner sites. Amazon's ad network is the third-largest digital ad platform in the US after Google and Meta. The company also collects data from physical retail locations (Whole Foods, Amazon Go) including biometric palm scans.

  • Amazon Ads is the third-largest digital advertising platform in the US, with extensive cross-site tracking capabilities
  • As of March 2025, all Alexa voice commands are sent to Amazon's cloud — local processing has been removed even for users who previously opted in
  • Ring doorbell cameras and Blink cameras collect video, audio, and motion data from around your home
  • Amazon collects credit history from credit bureaus as stated in its own privacy notice
  • Amazon employees have been caught leaking customer data on multiple occasions (2018, 2020)

🔓 Breach History

Amazon has not experienced a single massive data breach, but has had a pattern of internal data leaks and employee misconduct involving customer data.

2020
Amazon employees leaked customer email addresses to third parties. This was the second such incident — a similar leak occurred in 2018. The employees were fired.
Source: EarthWeb — Amazon Data Breaches Timeline
2020
Six people were indicted for bribing Amazon employees to gain unfair advantages in the third-party marketplace, involving access to proprietary customer and seller data
Source: EarthWeb — Amazon Data Breaches Timeline
2019
Personal data and order histories of Amazon Japan customers were exposed to other users due to a technical glitch
Source: EarthWeb — Amazon Data Breaches Timeline

⚖️ Regulatory Actions & Fines

2021
Luxembourg's CNPD fined Amazon €746 million (then ~$877 million) for GDPR violations related to behavioral advertising without proper consent — the largest GDPR fine at the time
Source: Luxembourg CNPD; CSO Online
2023
FTC filed a complaint alleging Amazon enrolled consumers into Amazon Prime without consent and made it difficult to cancel (dark patterns)
Source: FTC.gov
2023 (reduced 2025)
French CNIL fined Amazon France Logistique €32 million for excessive employee surveillance monitoring (scanning speed, idle time). Later reduced to €15 million on appeal in December 2025
Source: EDPB; France Council of State ruling (Dec 2025)

⚠️ Key Privacy Risks Specific to Amazon

Amazon's ecosystem spans e-commerce, voice assistants, smart home cameras, grocery stores, cloud computing, and streaming — creating an unusually comprehensive profile of daily life
The March 2025 removal of local Alexa processing means all voice interactions are now cloud-processed, with no opt-out for Echo owners
Ring doorbell cameras have been controversial for enabling neighborhood surveillance networks and sharing footage with law enforcement
Amazon collects credit bureau data as stated in its privacy policy — unusual among consumer technology companies

🛠️ Privacy Controls Available

Amazon provides data management tools, but the breadth of its ecosystem makes comprehensive privacy control difficult. The March 2025 removal of local Alexa processing reduced user control over voice data.

  • Alexa Privacy Settings: Review and delete voice recordings (but can no longer process locally)
  • Request Your Data: Download personal information Amazon holds
  • Advertising preferences: Opt out of interest-based ads
  • Account deletion available
  • Ring and Blink: Video sharing controls
  • Manage cookies and browsing preferences

🛡️ How to Protect Your Privacy on Amazon

1. Use a VPN — Hides your IP address and encrypts your connection, preventing Amazon from linking your activity to your real location and ISP.

2. Use a privacy browser — Firefox with strict tracking protection or Brave blocks many third-party trackers. Consider browser extensions like Privacy Badger (EFF) or uBlock Origin.

3. Check your browser fingerprint — See how uniquely identifiable you are with our Browser Fingerprint Test.

4. Check for breaches — See if your accounts have been compromised with our Email Breach Checker.

5. Review your settings — Tighten Amazon's privacy settings and disable data collection where possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Amazon safe to use in 2026?

Amazon is a legitimate service used by millions, but its data collection practices raise privacy concerns. Our analysis rates its privacy risk as "high" based on data collection scope, tracking practices, breach history, and regulatory actions. Whether it's "safe" depends on your personal comfort with data exposure.

Does Amazon sell my data?

Most major services claim they don't "sell" data in the traditional sense. However, they may share data with advertising partners, use it for targeted advertising, or monetize it through data-driven ad platforms. The functional result for users is often similar whether data is technically "sold" or used for ad targeting.

How do I delete my Amazon data?

Most services offer a data download and deletion option in their account settings, typically under "Privacy" or "Your Data." Under GDPR (EU), you have the legal right to request full data deletion. In the US, some states (California, Virginia, Colorado, and others) offer similar rights. Check Amazon's privacy settings for data download and account deletion options.

When was this review last updated?

This review was last verified on 2026-02-16. We check the privacy policy at https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GX7NJQ4ZB8MHFRNJ and update our review when significant changes occur. See our methodology page for details on our review process.

📎 Sources

  1. Amazon Privacy Policy (effective December 31, 2025)
  2. Amazon Privacy Notice (updated Dec 31, 2025)
  3. Technowize — 'Amazon Echo Privacy Update 2025: Local Data Processing Removed' (Mar 2025)
  4. Luxembourg's CNPD fined Amazon €746 million (then ~$877 million) for GDPR violations related to behavioral advertising without proper consent — the largest GDPR fine at the time — Luxembourg CNPD; CSO Online (2021)
  5. FTC filed a complaint alleging Amazon enrolled consumers into Amazon Prime without consent and made it difficult to cancel (dark patterns) — FTC.gov (2023)
  6. French CNIL fined Amazon France Logistique €32 million for excessive employee surveillance monitoring (scanning speed, idle time). Later reduced to €15 million on appeal in December 2025 — EDPB; France Council of State ruling (Dec 2025) (2023 (reduced 2025))
Read our full review methodology →

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