LI lawmaker demands action after Turn To Tara probe exposes privacy concerns with Amazon Key

A state senator from Long Island already announced new legislation to combat the problem. Now, a candidate for Congress is taking the fight to Capitol Hill.

News 12 Staff

Mar 8, 2022, 10:39 PM

Updated 940 days ago

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Another New York lawmaker is demanding that action be taken in the wake of a Turn To Tara to probe that exposed serious privacy concerns with Amazon's contactless delivery service. 
A state senator from Long Island already announced new legislation to combat the problem. Now, a candidate for Congress is taking the fight to Capitol Hill. 
Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan says his shock quickly turned to outrage after watching News 12's initial investigation into the Amazon Key program last month.
"Residents who...pay to live in a building have a right to know who is in their building and landlords have the right to know who's in the property that they own. Andwhen that's not happening and when people are circumventing that, government needs to step up and hold people accountable," says Lafazan.
News 12 in February highlighted several instances in which the keyless device was installed without the owner's permission. The device allows drivers to enter your building without being buzzed up.
State Sen. Kevin Thomas, the head of the state Senate Consumer Protection Committee took action, saw News 12's coverage and proposed a new state law to protect the millions of New Yorkers who live in apartment buildings.
"So there's going to be consent, No. 1,and No. 2,  once consent is given here, there's going to be supervision in installing it at these apartment buildings," he says. 
Now Lafazan, a candidate for Congress, wants to take the fight to Capitol Hill because he believes the privacy of millions of apartment dwellers are at risk not only in New York, but also across the country. His proposed federal bill would additionally leave Amazon on the hook for damages incurred during unauthorized installations.
"Your investigation showed that these third-party contractors installing Amazon's keyless entry were costing buildings money.  The cost of incompetence shouldn't be pushed on to the buildings and the residents.  So, I've written to my senator and Assembly member and I'm asking my constituents to do the same," says Lafazan.
Amazon admitted to News 12 that mistakes were made and even fired one of the contractors who installed the device at a Yonkers condominium. But until there is a law on the books, there is nothing illegal about it.