What Does Amazon Know about You?

The logo of Amazon is pictured inside the company's office in Bengaluru, India, April 20, 2018. (Reuters)
The logo of Amazon is pictured inside the company's office in Bengaluru, India, April 20, 2018. (Reuters)
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What Does Amazon Know about You?

The logo of Amazon is pictured inside the company's office in Bengaluru, India, April 20, 2018. (Reuters)
The logo of Amazon is pictured inside the company's office in Bengaluru, India, April 20, 2018. (Reuters)

From selling books out of Jeff Bezos’s garage to a global conglomerate with a yearly revenue topping $400bn (£290bn), much of the monstrous growth of Amazon has been fueled by its customers’ data, according to The Guardian.

Continuous analysis of customer data determines, among other things, prices, suggested purchases and what profitable own-label products Amazon chooses to produce.

The 200 million users who are Amazon Prime members are not only the corporation’s most valuable customers but also their richest source of user data.

The more Amazon and services you use – whether it’s the shopping app, the Kindle e-reader, the Ring doorbell, Echo smart speaker or the Prime streaming service – the more their algorithms can infer what kind of person you are and what you are most likely to buy next. The firm’s software is so accomplished at prediction that third parties can hire its algorithms as a service called Amazon Forecast.

However, not everyone is happy about this level of surveillance. Those who have requested their data from Amazon are astonished by the vast amounts of information they are sent, including audio files from each time they speak to the company’s voice assistant, Alexa.

Like its data-grabbing counterparts Google and Facebook, Amazon’s practices have come under the scrutiny of regulators. Last year, Amazon was hit with a $886.6m (£636m) fine for processing personal data in violation of EU data protection rules. And a recent investigation showed concerning privacy and security failings at the tech giant.

Amazon can collect your name, address, searches and recordings when you speak to the Alexa voice assistant. It knows your orders, content you watch on Prime, your contacts if you upload them and communications with it via email. Meanwhile, when you use its website, cookie trackers are used to “enhance your shopping experience” and improve its services, Amazon says.



Manga Productions Partners with SEGA to Publish 'Sonic Racing: Crossworlds' Game in MENA

Manga Productions signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa. (SPA)
Manga Productions signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa. (SPA)
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Manga Productions Partners with SEGA to Publish 'Sonic Racing: Crossworlds' Game in MENA

Manga Productions signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa. (SPA)
Manga Productions signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa. (SPA)

Manga Productions, a subsidiary of Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), has signed a publishing and distribution agreement with the Japanese gaming giant SEGA to publish the iconic game Sonic in the Middle East and North Africa.

CEO of Manga Productions Dr. Essam Bukhary said: “Manga Productions has built strategic partnerships that support the creative content industry in Saudi Arabia and the region. Our collaboration with SEGA brings 'Sonic Racing: Crossworlds' to MENA audiences.”

In a statement on Monday, Manga Productions said it will collaborate with SEGA to publish the game for audiences in the MENA region, providing opportunities for Saudi talents to participate in the publishing process, as well as marketing the game.

“Sonic Racing: Crossworlds” is the next-generation kart racing game developed by SEGA's arcade racing team. Its standout feature is its dynamic track design, where players warp into an unknown world on the second lap of each race, making every race unpredictable and thrilling.

With a record-breaking 23 characters available at launch, the roster will continue to expand through post-launch updates, featuring guest appearances from Hatsune Miku, Joker (Persona 5 Royal), Ichiban Kasuga (Like a Dragon), Minecraft, SpongeBob SquarePants, and more.

Players can customize their racing strategies using over 70 types of “Gadgets,” each offering unique skills and advantages. The game also supports cross-play in online multiplayer, allowing up to 12 players to compete in various exciting modes.