ALBAWABA - France's data protection agency, CNIL, announced a fine of 32 million euros ($34.9 million) on Amazon's French warehouse management unit, Amazon France Logistique, citing an "excessively intrusive" surveillance system used to monitor staff performance.
According to CNIL, Amazon France Logistique utilized data from scanners used by staff for package processing to monitor employee performance. The scanners recorded instances of inactivity exceeding 10 minutes and detailed the handling of packages down to the second.
Among the unacceptable surveillance methods identified by CNIL was the "stow machine gun," which flagged articles scanned "too fast" or in less than 1.25 seconds. The agency noted that workers faced constant pressure and were required to regularly justify absences, even monitoring the time between employees entering the warehouse and starting work.
(Shutterstock)
CNIL emphasized that employees were inadequately informed about the surveillance practices, and the collected data was retained for 31 days. The imposed fine amounted to approximately three percent of Amazon France Logistique's turnover.
An Amazon spokesman responded, rejecting the findings as "factually incorrect" and asserting the company's right to appeal. The spokesperson defended the surveillance systems, stating that they are necessary to "guarantee security, quality, and efficiency."
CNIL's investigation, initiated in 2019 following media reports and worker complaints, revealed that several thousand employees were affected by the intrusive surveillance practices.
