It was discovered that a camera in a coffee vending machine at an Amazon warehouse was secretly filming the workplace break room.
Amazon is known to be trying to monitor its employees in various ways, such as
Coffee machine camera at Amazon warehouse raises concerns
https://sahanjournal.com/business-work/amazon-coffee-machine-camera-surveillance/
Sahan Journal, a non-profit site that covers news in Minnesota, reported on February 20, 2024 that it was accidentally found that a camera in a coffee vending machine in an Amazon warehouse was filming the break room.
Jonathan Canady, who works as a sorter at Amazon's Maple Grove warehouse in Minnesota, learned of the existence of the camera on February 9th.
According to Mr. Canady, an employee at the delivery station was about to get a coffee that day when he noticed a button labeled 'Gallery' on the coffee vending machine's touch screen. When the employee pressed the button, he found about six photos of the break room.
The discovery spread through the workplace like wildfire, causing a huge uproar as employees rushed to the vending machines to see for themselves, forcing management to rush to the scene and 'triage the situation.' Apparently there wasn't.
Abdirahman Muse, executive director of the Awood Center, a labor organization for East African workers in Minnesota, said that Amazon's excessive tracking of its workers has just come to light. He said it was a worrying situation.
Meanwhile, Amazon spokesperson Alisa Carroll explained that the vending machine's camera took the photo of the break room due to a malfunction. According to Carroll, this model, delivered by vending machine manufacturer Canteen, is equipped with a touch screen and is also equipped with a camera so that users can purchase coffee with a card.
However, since Amazon provides free coffee to employees, the camera is not actually used, and the camera does not have the ability to record audio, Carroll said.
After discovering that the camera was taking photos, Amazon management worked with employees to address the issue and immediately contacted Canteen to send a representative to inspect the machine.
Canteen did not respond to requests for comment from Sahan Journal.
Amazon says the office's coffee vending machine is running with the camera covered in tape until a new coffee vending machine arrives that doesn't have a camera or has a disabled camera.
According to Canady, there are two other surveillance cameras in the break room: one on the ceiling and one attached to the self-checkout counter. These cameras were clearly visible to employees and their presence was clearly recognized, whereas no one knew about the cameras in the coffee vending machines.
'I understand that there are surveillance cameras around the building, and that's fine, but the cameras on the coffee machines seem really duplicitous and it's upsetting,' Canady said.
Carroll also said he did not know how many similar coffee vending machines were in Amazon's workplaces, but added: 'Amazon does not intend to make employees feel vulnerable in any way.' said.
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