BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Amazon has begun using your internet bandwidth to create a shared network that they say will improve devices like Ring Doorbells and Amazon Echo.
The technology is called "Amazon Sidewalk". Amazon said the technology extends the working range of these devices, meaning it will improve their ability to stay online even if they are outside the range of their home wifi. To accomplish this, Amazon previously installed technology in the Ring Doorbell and Echo that was turned on this past Tuesday. The technology that takes your broadband has to be 'opted-out' of for those who don't want it.
"We live in an increasingly connected world where customers want their devices to stay connected and secure," an Amazon spokesperson said. "Wi-Fi is constrained mostly to your home; it doesn't have the range to go into your backyard and into the neighborhood. Cellular offers long-range connectivity, but it is expensive. Sidewalk splits the difference between those two and allows us to securely put billions of things at the edge of the network to make life easier, safer and more convenient for customers."
Sidewalk has garnered much criticism, many of which were highlighted by Geoffrey A. Fowler, a columnist from the Washington Post, who warned of the invasive technology created by Amazon.
WBEN reached out to Erie County Legislator Joe Lorigo, who in 2019 introduced a bill called the "Internet Devices Privacy Act", which he said have required manufacturers to have consent before allowing access to your microphone.
"What an absolute invasion of privacy by Amazon," Lorigo said after hearing from WBEN about Amazon Sidewalk. "That law, unfortunately, didn't go anywhere in the county legislature. But this extension of the invasion of privacy shows how much that law would have been needed and how much something like that is even needed today. It seems to me that this is Amazon's way of creating their own free internet access for themselves when they're out delivering packages or doing things like that. They're doing it on the backs of unsuspecting people all across the country."
Amazon said Sidewalk is designed with multiple layers of privacy and security to secure data traveling on the network and to keep customers safe and in control.
"Sidewalk Bridge owners do not receive any information about devices owned by others connected to Sidewalk and Amazon is not able to see the contents of messages sent over Sidewalk," Amazon said, adding to visit this link for additional details.
There are three layers of encryption to ensure data is visible only to the intended party. Amazon said the encryption also means Amazon "will not be able to interpret the contents of commands or messages sent through Sidewalk by third party services or endpoints".
Lorigo said any law passed by Erie County would likely have only a symbolic effect and said there needs to be someone who stands up to Amazon.
"What we really need to see happen is advocacy from our federal representatives," Lorigo said. "We need our congress members and our United States Senators to take action against this unintended or unnecessary invasion of privacy that corporations like Amazon, Google, etc, are doing."
"I have repeatedly expressed concerns over the increasing influence of Big Tech," Congressman Chris Jacobs said in a statement to WBEN. "This represents another potential intrusion into our everyday lives, and I am monitoring the rollout of this technology. Americans must be protected from unwanted access to their information, especially within the privacy of their own homes."
When discussing the Sidewalk technology on Tuesday's edition of BMaz & Beamer, cybersecurity expert Michael McCartney said it's easy to opt out of Sidewalk by going into your settings and disabling the feature. Hear his full conversation below:
