Amazon says it does not sell customer data and shares it only as the notice describes
Amazon states that it is not in the business of selling customers' personal information to others. It says it shares customers' personal information only as described in the sharing section and with subsidiaries that Amazon.com, Inc. controls, provided those subsidiaries are subject to this notice or follow practices at least as protective. Separately, the advertising section says Amazon may share an advertising identifier and an estimate of ad value with ad companies; that sharing is described elsewhere in the notice, not in the sharing list itself.
Supporting quotations
we are not in the business of selling our customers' personal information to others.
We share customers' personal information only as described below and with subsidiaries Amazon.com, Inc. controls that either are subject to this Privacy Notice or follow practices at least as protective as those described in this Privacy Notice.
we may share an advertising identifier and an estimate of the value of the ads they show you on our behalf so they can serve you with more effective Amazon ads.
Qualifications & exceptions
Subsidiary sharing is limited to subsidiaries Amazon.com, Inc. controls that are subject to this notice or follow practices at least as protective.
The advertising section separately describes sharing advertising identifiers and ad-value estimates with ad companies.
Not stated here
The notice does not define "selling"; how the advertising-identifier sharing is treated under any state law definition of sale or sharing is not stated in the supplied text.
Cross-references
contrast (model-proposed): Ad companies may get an ad-value estimate, and some use it to show you other advertisers' ads — contrast: The sharing section says Amazon is not in the business of selling customer information and shares it only as described, while the advertising section says Amazon may share advertising identifiers and ad-value estimates with ad companies, some of which use them for other advertisers' ads. Reviewed as a tension between two provisions, not a legal finding about whether this is a sale.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Data from transactions involving third parties is shared with those third parties
Amazon makes available products, services, applications and skills provided by third parties, for example third-party sellers in its stores, apps from third-party providers in its App Store, and third-party Alexa skills. It also offers services jointly with third-party businesses, such as co-branded credit cards. Amazon says you can tell when a third party is involved in your transaction, and it shares customers' personal information related to that transaction with that third party.
Supporting quotations
We make available to you services, products, applications, or skills provided by
We also offer services or sell product lines jointly with third-party businesses, such as co-branded credit cards.
You can tell when a third party is involved in your transactions, and we share customers' personal information related to those transactions with that third party.
Qualifications & exceptions
Sharing covers personal information related to the transaction involving that third party.
Not stated here
The third party's own handling of the information is not governed by the supplied text.
Sharing & Disclosure · Restriction or exception
Service providers get the data they need for their functions and may not use it for other purposes
Amazon employs other companies and individuals to perform functions on its behalf, such as fulfilling orders, delivering packages, sending mail and email, analyzing data, marketing assistance, providing search results and paid listings, processing payments, credit risk scoring and customer service. These providers have access to the personal information needed for their functions, but may not use it for other purposes.
Supporting quotations
We employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf.
These third-party service providers have access to personal information needed to perform their functions, but may not use it for other purposes.
scoring, assessing and managing credit risk
Qualifications & exceptions
Access is limited to the personal information needed to perform their functions.
Providers may not use it for other purposes.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Customer data can transfer in a business sale, staying under prior notice promises unless you consent
Amazon might sell or buy businesses or services. In those transactions customer information is generally one of the transferred assets, but it remains subject to the promises in any pre-existing Privacy Notice unless the customer consents otherwise. If Amazon.com, Inc. or substantially all of its assets are acquired, customer information will be one of the transferred assets.
Supporting quotations
As we continue to develop our business, we might sell or buy other businesses or services.
In such transactions, customer information generally is one of the transferred business assets but remains subject to the promises made in any pre-existing Privacy Notice (unless, of course, the customer consents otherwise).
Also, in the unlikely event that Amazon.com, Inc. or substantially all of its assets are acquired, customer information will of course be one of the transferred assets.
Qualifications & exceptions
Transferred information remains subject to promises in any pre-existing Privacy Notice unless the customer consents otherwise.
Not stated here
For a full acquisition of Amazon.com, Inc., the sentence does not repeat the pre-existing-promises limit.
Sharing & Disclosure · Permission or license
Amazon releases account data when it believes release is appropriate for law, enforcement or safety
Amazon releases account and other personal information when it believes release is appropriate to comply with the law; enforce or apply its Conditions of Use and other agreements; or protect the rights, property or safety of Amazon, its users or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection and credit risk reduction. The trigger is Amazon's own belief that release is appropriate.
Supporting quotations
We release account and other personal information when we believe release is appropriate
or protect the rights, property, or safety of Amazon, our users, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
Qualifications & exceptions
Release depends on Amazon believing it is appropriate for one of the listed purposes.
Includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
Not stated here
The Conditions of Use referenced here are a separate document and were not supplied.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company commitment
Other sharing with third parties comes with notice and a chance to say no
Apart from the sharing described in this section, Amazon says you will receive notice when personal information about you might be shared with third parties, and you will have an opportunity to choose not to share it.
Supporting quotations
Other than as set out above, you will receive notice when personal information about you might be shared with third parties, and you will have an opportunity to choose not to share the information.
Qualifications & exceptions
Applies to sharing other than the categories set out in the sharing section.
Not stated here
The form and timing of the notice are not stated.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Ad companies get advertising identifiers, including codes derived from your email, not your name
Amazon provides ad companies with information that lets them serve you more useful and relevant Amazon ads and measure their effectiveness. Amazon says it never shares your name or other information that directly identifies you for this; instead it uses an advertising identifier such as a cookie, a device identifier, or a code derived by applying irreversible cryptography to other information like an email address. For example, if you already downloaded one of its apps, Amazon will share your advertising identifier and that event so you are not shown an ad to download it again.
Supporting quotations
We provide ad companies with information that allows them to serve you with more
We never share your name or other information that directly identifies you when we do this.
Instead, we use an advertising identifier like a cookie, a device identifier, or a code derived from applying irreversible cryptography to other information like an email address.
For example, if you have already downloaded one of our apps, we will share your advertising identifier and data about that event so that you will not be served an ad to download the app again.
Qualifications & exceptions
Amazon states it never shares your name or other directly identifying information for this purpose.
Identifiers can include a code derived from irreversible cryptography applied to information such as your email address.
Not stated here
Which ad companies receive identifiers is not named.
Sharing & Disclosure · Company practice
Ad companies may get an ad-value estimate, and some use it to show you other advertisers' ads
Amazon says it does not share your specific shopping actions, such as purchases, product views or searches, with ad companies. It may, however, share an advertising identifier and an estimate of the value of the ads they show you on its behalf, so they can serve more effective Amazon ads. Some ad companies also use this information to serve you relevant ads from other advertisers. The notice points to Your Ads Privacy Choices to opt out of personalized advertising, such as cross-context behavioral advertising; that page was not supplied.
Supporting quotations
While we do not share your specific shopping actions like purchases, product views, or searches with ad companies, we may share an advertising identifier and an estimate of the value of the ads they show you on our behalf so they can serve you with more effective Amazon ads.
Some ad companies also use this information to serve you relevant ads from other advertisers.
You can learn more about how to opt-out of personalized advertising (such as cross-context behavioral advertising) by visiting
Qualifications & exceptions
Specific shopping actions such as purchases, product views or searches are stated not to be shared with ad companies.
Some ad companies use the shared information for other advertisers' ads, not only Amazon's.
Not stated here
The Your Ads Privacy Choices opt-out page was not supplied; what the opt-out stops is not stated here.