Amazon COVID-19 Distance Assistant prompts privacy concerns

A system introduced by Amazon to enforce social distancing in its US warehouses during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted skepticism about its privacy and surveillance implications.

Comprising a 50-inch monitor, depth sensors and AI-enabled camera, Amazon's Distance Assistant provides real-time feedback to workers by displaying live video of people walking past, with red circles highlighting individuals maintaining 6 feet distance and red circles to highlight those who are too close. 

The system was initially deployed in a few facilities and then expanded to hundreds more. Amazon said it would open-source the software and AI behind the Distance Assistant, allowing other businesses to create similar systems - a move presented as an effort to promote wider adoption of social distancing technologies.

The company reported positive feedback from employees and site leaders who found value in the visual cues, but also raised  concerns about privacy and data retention, potential surveillance, and autonomy, with employees feeling pressured to accept a significant level of monitoring to keep their jobs.

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