Senators Ask Amazon Why It Bought Cameras From Chinese Firm on Entity List
Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., are asking Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos questions about his company's contracts with Dahua Technology, a Chinese company that is on the Commerce Department Entity List and reportedly sells facial recognition software used to track Uighurs' movements. In a Feb. 10 letter, the senators asked, “When did you become aware of the reports of Dahua Technology’s participation in China’s state surveillance system against the Uyghurs and other groups targeted by the party-state?” They asked if officials knew Dahua Technology was on the Entity List when Amazon agreed to buy $10 million worth of cameras. “While buying equipment from Dahua Technology is not illegal, it does raise several questions for you as the Chief Executive of Amazon,” they said.
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The senators also asked whether Amazon completed any contracts after November media reports that Dahua Technology source code was used to monitor Uighurs. “What criteria does Amazon use to determine when to terminate a business relationship with an entity that engages in human rights violations? If Amazon does not have such a criteria, will it develop one in light of the recent Dahua related reports?”