Italian Authorities Block Amazon from Accessing Worker Personal Information

Italy’s privacy regulator has prohibited Amazon’s logistics division from using personal data of 1,800 employees at a facility near Rome. The company was collecting sensitive information about workers’ medical conditions, union activities, and family details through unauthorized surveillance.

Privacy regulators in Italy announced Tuesday they have prohibited Amazon Italia Logistica from accessing personal information belonging to 1,800 employees at the company’s distribution center in Passo Corese, located northeast of Rome.

The logistics division must immediately cease collecting data through four surveillance cameras positioned near restroom facilities and employee break rooms at the warehouse, according to the regulatory agency’s announcement.

Amazon has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the decision.

The collected information, which multiple supervisors could access, contained details about employees’ health issues, strike participation, union involvement, and private family matters. The privacy authority determined this data collection violated regulations prohibiting employers from gathering information unrelated to evaluating job performance capabilities.

The prohibition applies to information the online retail giant collected during active employment and kept on file for as long as 10 years after employees departed the company, regulators noted.

The oversight agency conducted on-site inspections at the Passo Corese location from February 9 through 12, with their investigation ongoing to identify additional possible rule violations.