Tag: Amazon (company)

PolicyTechnology

Amazon’s Ring Expands Police Surveillance Partnerships Despite Previous Privacy Reversal

Amazon’s Ring division has partnered with police technology companies Flock Safety and Axon to expand law enforcement access to doorbell camera footage. The partnerships come less than two years after Ring removed similar police request features, raising questions about the company’s surveillance direction and user privacy protections.

Ring’s Surveillance Partnerships Expand Police Access

Amazon’s Ring division has entered into partnerships with two police technology companies that will facilitate law enforcement requests for doorbell camera footage, according to reports. The company announced partnerships with Flock Safety and Axon Enterprise, marking a significant expansion of its Community Requests feature in the Ring Neighbors app despite having removed similar police request capabilities less than two years earlier.

by Natalie Brooks
Economy

Seasonal Job Market Tightens as Major Retailers Scale Back Holiday Hiring

Major retailers are scaling back seasonal hiring for the holiday shopping season, with several companies planning thousands fewer positions than previous years. Economic uncertainty and increased investment in artificial intelligence are contributing to what the Federal Reserve describes as “very low levels of job creation” despite a strengthening economy.

Retailers Pull Back on Seasonal Hiring

Several major companies have announced reduced seasonal hiring plans for this year’s holiday season, according to workforce analysis firm Challenger. Bath & Body Works plans to hire 32,000 workers, approximately 700 fewer than last year, while Michaels is seeking 10,000 employees—5,000 fewer than in 2022. E-commerce fulfillment company Radial, which manages deliveries for roughly 120 companies, reportedly plans to hire 500 fewer seasonal workers this year, according to PBS News reporting.

by Natalie Brooks
BusinessStartups

Kitchen Startup Poppi Sells to PepsiCo in $2B Deal After Digital-First Growth

What began as gut-healthy drinks made in a kitchen in 2016 has culminated in a massive $1.95 billion acquisition by beverage giant PepsiCo. The founder attributes success to perfect timing, digital-first strategy, and continuous investment in momentum.

From Kitchen Startup to Billion-Dollar Acquisition

In a remarkable entrepreneurial journey, the prebiotic soda brand Poppi has been acquired by PepsiCo for approximately $2 billion, according to reports. The company’s founder stated the success stemmed from having “the right people, right time, right product” and consistently investing when momentum appeared.

by Sarah Collins