As part of its revision of the policy, which it plans to post "in the next few weeks," Amazon plans to clarify the circumstances under which it might sell or share customer information, the company said in a letter sent to state regulators Monday. The company also plans to list the companies with which it offers joint or co-branded services and to provide more information on the types of customer information it collects from other sources, the company said in its letter. "In sum, we believe the changes to our privacy notice will make our privacy practices and policies more transparent to customers and easier to understand," the company said in its letter.
"There's no significant change here from what we did in September of 2000 except the wording," Amazon spokeswoman Patty Smith said.
Amazon ignited a firestorm of criticism when it last updated its privacy policy in September 2000. Under the current policy, Amazon warns customers that it might transfer their personal data "in the unlikely event" that the company or its assets are acquired. The company's previous policy said Amazon would not "sell, trade or rent your personal information to others" and did not make an exception for the case of a transfer of business control.
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