Amazon.com Makes Changes in Privacy Guidelines

Amazon.com Inc., the biggest Internet retailer, said it revised its privacy policy and will be informing its 23 million customers of the changes via e-mail.

The move comes amid concern by government regulators and consumer groups about protecting the privacy of Internet users.

Amazon.com also faces several class-action lawsuits that allege its Alexa software unit secretly intercepted personal data and transmitted the information to Amazon.com and other parties. The Federal Trade Commission is formally investigating Alexa.

The Seattle-based company said the policy change was made to build trust with its customers and provide them with a clear picture of what the company is and isn’t doing with the information. The lawsuits weren’t a factor, a spokesman said.

“None of those class-action lawsuits has anything in the world to do with shopping at Amazon.com,” spokesman Bill Curry said. “They all relate to Alexa, and the only reason we’re named is because we own Alexa.”

The company didn’t say how the new policies specifically differ from the old ones.

Shares of Amazon.com fell $1.44 to $41.50 on Nasdaq.