Cyber Monday Sale! 50% Off All Access

Report Reveals Controversy Surrounding Video Doorbells — and Why Delivery Drivers Don't Like Them Homeowners exhibiting "boss behaviors" are complicating the issue of surveillance.

By Amanda Breen

Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images

As video doorbells, like the Amazon-owned Ring brand, increase in popularity, so do some of the surveillance issues that surround them.

According to a report from research firm Data & Society, delivery drivers from FedEx to UberEats and even Amazon itself have frequently been subjected to a range of actions the authors describe as "boss behavior" — like barking orders at drivers, and, in some cases, uploading the recordings to social media.

Related: Amazon Is Huge Because It Started With a Great MVP

According to The Guardian, Amazon's Ring system is poised to become the largest corporate-owned, civilian-installed surveillance network in the U.S., with 400,000 Ring devices sold in December 2019 alone — even before the pandemic pumped up online retail sales.

One Ring-related case last year involved an Amazon delivery driver who was recorded during what appeared to be a mental breakdown — yelling "Shit" repeatedly before driving away. The homeowner put the video on TikTok, where it received more than 1.3 million views and over 8,000 comments.

"Why should you put someone on social media?" a driver told Data & Society. "Why don't you just report directly to Amazon, and maybe they can deal with it?...That's like an invasion of privacy, too, and it doesn't end up well. You can imagine how the family of that driver feels when they see that footage."

Other viral Ring videos feature drivers throwing or kicking packages, or leaving them extremely far from the door.

Related: Amazon Delivery Driver Gets Paid for 'Doing Nothing'

The majority of drivers believed that using doorbell camera footage for public shaming was unacceptable, but some also saw the devices as benefiting themselves — preventing them from being falsely accused of package theft in some cases.

But the authors of the report stress that doorbell-camera-enabled "boss behaviors" continue to complicate worker management, giving Amazon and other companies more control over delivery drivers who they claim are independent contractors.

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

There Are Certain Words That Will Break ChatGPT. I Tried Them — Here's What Happened.

ChatGPT appears to be unable to process requests that contain a few notable names.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business Process

5 Powerful Ways to Streamline Your Work Processes with AI

The correct way to combine AI, automation, and human talent in the modern world by adopting a hybrid model. Learn the key steps businesses can take to successfully streamline operations and enhance performance using advanced technology.

Leadership

Leadership vs. Management: How to Understand the Difference and 6 Ways to Bridge the Gap

Here are the key differences between leadership and management, highlighting their complementary roles and providing six strategies to develop managers into future leaders.

Thought Leaders

Why Your Business Should Simplify and Consolidate Its Tech Stack

Cut the clutter and streamline your tech — this is the new catchphrase for security, productivity and long-term IT success.

Business Plans

'Irrelevance Is Worse Than Death': How This CEO's Competitive Drive Resulted in a Global Powerhouse AI Startup

From a sports-centric childhood in Boston to leading the global AI startup SuperNormal, Colin Treseler's journey is a masterclass in persistence, adaptability, and the art of using time wisely.