Key facts
- Amazon is being investigated by the Senate Small Business Committee for alleged Chinese influence on its marketplace.
- Senators Bob Menendez and Marco Rubio are investigating Amazon's business dealings with Dahua Technology.
- Dahua Technology is accused of developing facial recognition software to detect Uyghurs for Chinese authorities.
- The House China Committee has requested Amazon clearly identify the origin of all products sold on its platform.
- Lawmakers expressed concern that Chinese companies may be compelled to share data with Beijing under China's 2017 Intelligence Law.
Amazon is facing scrutiny from multiple U.S. Senate and House committees regarding its business practices and alleged ties to China. The Senate Small Business Committee is investigating claims that Amazon's online marketplace has been influenced by China, with Republican staff reportedly finding "compelling evidence" of negligence, though specific details were not disclosed.
Separately, Senators Bob Menendez and Marco Rubio have called on Amazon CEO Andy Jassy to explain the company's dealings with Dahua Technology, a Chinese firm accused of developing facial recognition software capable of identifying and reporting Uyghur Muslims to Chinese authorities. The senators highlighted that Dahua Technology is on the U.S. Commerce Department's Entity List and questioned Amazon's awareness of this designation when entering into a $10 million contract with the company. They expressed concern that Amazon might have ignored U.S. government guidance and engaged with an entity complicit in human rights violations against Uyghurs.
Furthermore, the House China Committee, led by Chairman John Moolenaar and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi, has demanded that Amazon clearly display the country of origin for every product sold on its platform. They specifically pointed to TP-Link, a China-founded company now headquartered in the U.S., as an example of a company whose products are sold on Amazon. The lawmakers warned that any China-linked company is subject to the 2017 Chinese Intelligence Law, which could compel them to assist intelligence agencies. The committee also requested that Amazon implement search tools allowing customers to filter products by country of origin or exclude products from specific nations.