(Newswire.net — November 10, 2017) — Amazon has recently launched a new service for what they are describing as in-home delivery.
The starting price for the gear you will need for their delivery service is $249.99.
The idea behind the service is that their contracted delivery personnel has temporary access to your home in order to leave your package on the inside of your front door.
Many are baffled as to why anyone would give Amazon access to their home.
Amazon claims that the service is reliable and safe and that you can monitor the delivery with a camera that comes as part of the package.
The new Cloud Cam connects to your home Wi-Fi, so once a courier scans his barcode the camera starts recording and the front door opens. The customer then receives a message and video footage of the delivery.
Multiple ethical and legal issues arise.
Will customers trust Amazon enough to let them constantly monitor their homes through Cloud Cameras? Do the benefits of delivery outweigh the risks of strangers having access to your home?
Law enforcement issues may be additionally troublesome after last year’s case when Amazon refused to help officers with a murder in Arkansas. Officers requested data from a nearby Alexa and the request was denied by Amazon. What will happen in the future with potential legal demands to open an Amazon Key lock?
Lawyers are also baffled, “If a criminal gains access and some harm occurs, who is responsible? And what criminal law would apply?” questioned Elisabeth Joh, professor of law from the University of California.
Amazon currently uses only its own delivery people, and is able to cover 37 cities in the US. The company hopes to expand their service to other cities and areas it currently doesn’t cover. This will probably require licensing a third party delivery service.
Twitter users have already expressed their mistrust of the service.
“I’m excited to watch the 2030 Netflix docudrama about the Amazon Key murders”, wrote one Twitter user.
Another user also expressed his worries, “*Calls Customer Service*
Hi. I used the Amazon Key service and now my Xbox is missing. Also, they let my cat out. I’d like to cancel”