Italy Data Regulator Bans Amazon Unit’s Use of Biometric Staff Data, Threatens €20M Fine
Italy’s data regulator has ordered Amazon’s Italian unit to cease processing employee biometric data, including geolocation and facial recognition, within 30 days. Noncompliance risks fines up to €20 million or 4% of global turnover and could disrupt its Italian logistics operations.
1. Regulator’s Order
Italy’s Data Protection Authority (Garante) has issued an order requiring Amazon Europe Core S.à r.l.’s Italian branch to stop its systematic processing of employee personal data within 30 days, citing breaches of GDPR principles.
2. Affected Data Practices
The ban covers the use of biometric identifiers—voice prints and facial images—and continuous geolocation tracking employed for attendance verification, security access and performance monitoring in Amazon’s Italian warehouses.
3. Potential Penalties
Under GDPR, failure to comply with the regulator’s directive could incur administrative fines up to €20 million or 4% of Amazon’s annual global turnover, exposing the company to significant financial liability.
4. Operational Impact
The suspension of these automated data processes may force Amazon to revert to manual time-tracking and access-control systems in Italy, potentially raising labor costs, creating security vulnerabilities and delaying order fulfillment.