Privacy Concerns About Amazon’s Acquisition of iRobot
Privacy concerns have come to light about the $1.7 billion acquisition of iRobot by Amazon. There have been questions raised over the company’s manufacturing practices, design, and privacy policies. In this article, we’ll look at some of those concerns.
Privacy concerns about iRobot’s $1.7 billion deal with Amazon
There are privacy concerns about iRobot’s deal with Amazon. The company’s robot vacuums have the capability to remember floor plans, which could be helpful for Amazon in targeting ads. The company has said that it won’t use this information to target ads to users, but privacy advocates are still concerned.
Pro-worker and privacy groups are urging US antitrust regulators to block the deal. The groups cite privacy concerns as well as the deal’s potential to further Amazon’s dominance of the smart home device market. The FTC started an investigation into the deal earlier this month.
Concerns about iRobot’s design
Amazon’s acquisition of iRobot is raising concerns about the company’s ability to innovate and grow. iRobot is on a hiatus for several products, including its Terra lawn mower, which will not launch until 2020. The $1.7 billion acquisition is a risky move for both sides of the deal. Amazon will gain a new way to collect and store information about consumers through robots, which could potentially lead to new competition in the marketplace.
The Roomba is designed to map out the floor plan of a home and transfer that information to Amazon’s corporate offices. This could allow Amazon to better target advertisements to consumers based on their household’s size, location, and even the placement of furniture and toys in the home.
Concerns about iRobot’s manufacturing
In recent years, iRobot has experienced ups and downs, and now is trying to reinvent itself. The company is embroiled in multiple patent fights with its biggest rival, and it has been hit with high US tariffs on imported Chinese products. Meanwhile, its supply chain is struggling with increased shipping costs.
The proposed merger between iRobot and Amazon could face scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Antitrust advocates have already expressed opposition to the deal, and FTC Chair Lina Khan has previously criticized other big tech companies for acquiring iRobot.
Concerns about iRobot’s privacy practices
Amazon’s $1.7 billion acquisition of Rooma maker iRobot has raised concerns about its privacy practices. Privacy advocates worry that the company will use customer data to target ads. However, the company denies using personal information for advertising purposes. The company is also offering customers the ability to opt out of storing their home layouts.
Privacy advocates are concerned that the company may use home mapping data to target ads to users. Currently, the home mapping files of Roombas are only accessible to iRobot. But Amazon is a cloud-based tech giant. Privacy advocates say this may be a dangerous move because Amazon may combine the data with health insurance risk assessments and spy on consumers in their own homes.
