Senators ask Jeff Bezos to explain how Amazon recommends products
Two high-profile Senate Democrats are asking Amazon for answers about its “Amazon’s Choice” badge, as it could be deceiving consumers into buying “inferior” products.
In a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Monday, Senators Bob Menendez and Richard Blumenthal asked for more clarity on how the Amazon’s Choice program works, citing a recent BuzzFeed report that showed it often endorses defective or poor quality items.
The senators asked for a “detailed explanation” on the selection process for the Amazon’s Choice badge, including the algorithm used to make the determination and whether employees actually review each item before assigning the distinction. They’re also asking what Amazon is doing to verify user reviews, which could affect what products get the badge, and if any financial compensation is involved in the process.
The letter is the latest example of Washington’s growing concern of Big Tech, specifically regarding the control Amazon has over consumer behavior as more shopping activity moves online and to mobile devices.
An Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider that it uses investigators and automated technology to prevent and detect fake reviews at scale.
More Amazon news
Amazon got caught copying products and manipulating search results
Amazon got caught cheating? Amazon has been repeatedly accused of copying third-party sellers’ products and then manipulating the search results to favor Amazon’s own brands. The company has denied the accusations. Reuters got access to internal Amazon documents...
China energy crisis wreaks havoc in the manufacturing sector
China in the dark Factories in China's busiest manufacturing provinces have been ordered to suspend production for up to a week or even longer, prompting concern global supplies of goods might be disrupted. China is in the midst of an energy crisis that has turned...
China stands up to protect intellectual property
E-commerce sites must guard intellectual property or be shut in China China plans to tighten oversight of e-commerce platforms like Alibaba Group over the infringement of intellectual property rights. Companies would lose their trading...
