Amazon warehouse workers increase demands for a union, Facebook is tracking data from Android apps, and it’s not illegal, and how much money would you take to walk away from Facebook for a year?
First up from Reddit: “We are not robots. We are human beings.” Are the protests from Amazon warehouse workers that are leading a push to unionize. Employees from Amazon’s New York facility are the latest workers to protest against working conditions at its fulfillment centres. The American employees began the push on December 12th, and they are not alone -in 2018 Amazon workers from the U.K., Germany, Italy, Spain and Minnesota protested against the company’s labour practices. According to a report from The Guardian quoting an anonymous employee “[Amazon] overworks you, and you’re like a number to them.” The employee claimed that during Prime week he worked 60 hours which led to a bad car accident after he fell asleep behind the wheel. Other complaints include workers not being allowed bathroom breaks, not being treated well after injuries and other safety issues. According to the report, Amazon has said it doesn’t recognize these allegations and “we encourage anyone to compare our pay, benefits and workplace to other major employers across the country.”
Next up from Reddit: A report from charity watch group Privacy International has found that most Android apps are sending user data to Facebook even if the user doesn’t have a Facebook account. And for those that do have an account Facebook can still collect data if you’re not logged in. Now this probably sounds a little terrifying, given the issues last year surrounding personal data and privacy that featured the social media giant. However, this data collection is not illegal. It is part of Facebook’s SDK for Android. A tool that allows developers to integrate features like Facebook login to their app. The data is collected to build consumer habit profiles. A Facebook spokesperson apparently told Yahoo News that it “requires developers to ensure they have an appropriate legal basis to collect and process users’ information.”
Finally trending on Google: Speaking of Facebook, how much money would it take for you to give it up for a year? Well a new study has found that the average American is willing to walk away from the social media site for only $1,000. Given the site’s headline filled year it may not be so surprising that people are willing to give it up. What about you – how much would it take to give up Facebook for one year? Tweet us @itworldca and let us know.