Few companies touch as much of daily life as Amazon. It sells almost everything, streams video and music, runs a major cloud service, makes smart speakers and doorbell cameras and operates a large advertising business. Each of those lines produces records about customers. This guide explains what Amazon is likely to keep, what that means for your privacy and which settings give you the most control. It is not a claim that Amazon misuses data. It is a practical look at how a large online retailer and device maker operates and what you can do about it. For a comparison with another platform, see whether Apple tracks and saves our data.
1. What Amazon records
Different parts of the company record different things.
- Shopping. Searches, products viewed, items in carts and lists, past orders, returns and reviews.
- Account. Name, email, phone number, addresses, payment methods and login history.
- Devices and apps. Information from Echo speakers, Fire tablets and TVs, Kindle e-readers and the mobile shopping app.
- Voice. Requests spoken to Alexa after the wake word, plus transcripts and related interaction data.
- Media. What you watch, listen to and read through its streaming and e-book services.
- Home devices. Ring video and event data, depending on the product and settings.
- Advertising. Interests inferred from your activity, used to show ads on and off Amazon.
Retail and advertising data is usually valuable to the company because it shows purchase intent, which is more valuable than guesses based on browsing alone.
2. How the data is used
Amazon uses data for the visible features customers like, such as recommendations, delivery estimates and fraud detection. It also uses it for advertising, product development and in some cases to train voice or recommendation systems. Most of these uses are described in the privacy notice, which changes from time to time. When the notice and your expectations differ, regulators sometimes get involved. In 2023 the Federal Trade Commission announced a settlement with Amazon over Alexa and children’s data, including a $25 million civil penalty (ftc.gov). That case is a reminder that voice data from children deserves special care.
For a broader look at hidden collection, read data collection risks and do you know what data is being gathered about you.
Curious what’s already out there? Wiperts’ 100% Free Diagnosis shows which data brokers are listing your name, home address and phone number. Check your exposure free — it takes about a minute.
3. Settings that matter most
Review and delete browsing and order history
In your account, you can view and remove items from your browsing history and turn off recommendations based on it. Archive orders you want hidden from the main list.
Manage advertising preferences
Open the advertising preferences page in your account and opt out of interest-based ads where offered. This limits personalization, not data collection altogether.
Control Alexa recordings
In the Alexa app, open the privacy settings to review voice history, delete recordings and choose automatic deletion after a set period. You can also turn off the setting that uses recordings to improve services. Our article on whether Alexa is spying on your family goes deeper.
Audit Ring and home devices
Review video-sharing options, neighborhood alert settings and who has access to your account. Turn on two-factor authentication.
Check public lists and reviews
Wish lists, gift registries and reviews can be public. Change visibility to private or remove your name and city if you do not want strangers to see them.
Secure the account
Use a unique password and two-factor authentication. A compromised retail account exposes addresses, payment methods and order history.
4. Requesting or deleting your data
Amazon provides ways to request a copy of your data and to close your account. Closing an account removes access to purchases, streaming and device services, so download what you need first. Some records may be kept for legal and tax reasons. If you live in a state with a consumer privacy law, you may have additional rights to access, delete or correct personal data. The California Privacy Protection Agency explains those rights at cppa.ca.gov.
5. The public side: addresses, names and orders
Customers sometimes expose more than they intend. A gift registry can show a name and city. A public review can use a real name. A package with a name label discarded in the trash contains a home address. Scammers also impersonate delivery notices and order confirmations to harvest information. When you shop online, think about what a stranger could infer from public parts of your account.
Use a delivery locker or a P.O. box where possible, and use an alias name for gifts if you are sensitive about privacy. If a delivery notice looks suspicious, do not click the link; open the retailer’s app or site directly. Report scams at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
6. Retailer data versus broker data
Retailers like Amazon hold first-party data about you from your own activity. Data brokers hold third-party data compiled from many sources, including public records, marketing lists and purchase datasets. Changing your retailer settings does not alter broker profiles. If you want to reduce what strangers can look up about you, you also need to remove people-search listings. See how to remove your personal information.
7. Timeline: tightening your account
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| Today | Turn on two-factor authentication, review advertising preferences |
| This week | Delete Alexa recordings, set auto-delete, make lists private |
| This month | Audit Ring and device settings, clear browsing history |
| Each year | Download your data and review the privacy notice |
8. Smart home and children: extra care
Voice assistants, cameras and tablets in a household collect data from people who never agreed to anything, including children and guests. If you use these devices, create a household policy. Decide which rooms get microphones, whether cameras face public areas such as sidewalks or neighbors’ windows, and how you will tell visitors that devices are present. Many jurisdictions have rules about recording audio and video, so check local law before placing cameras that capture shared spaces.
For children, use the parental controls available on tablets and speakers, review purchase settings so a child cannot buy items with a voice command, and delete children’s voice recordings periodically. Explain to older kids that a voice assistant is a service run by a company, not a friend, and that they should avoid sharing full names, addresses, schools and passwords out loud.
Finally, remember that smart devices are accounts. Use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication on the main account and remove devices you no longer use before selling or giving them away. A factory reset and de-registration prevent the next owner from inheriting your settings, history or camera feeds. For a broader look at connected televisions and similar devices, see whether your smart TV is gathering personal data.
9. Checking for lookalike sellers and fake accounts
Marketplaces include third-party sellers, and not all of them are honest. Before ordering, look at the seller’s name and feedback, avoid paying outside the platform and be cautious of unusually low prices. If a seller asks you to confirm your order over email or text and requests a card number or code, treat it as a scam. Legitimate order issues are handled through your account’s message center.
10. Three scenarios and what to do
Scenario 1: You use Alexa at home. Set auto-delete, mute the microphone when not needed and keep devices off the guest network if you can. Teach family members how to delete recordings.
Scenario 2: You want to leave Amazon. Download your data, cancel subscriptions, delete payment methods and close the account. Expect some records to remain for legal reasons.
Scenario 3: A stranger knows your order details. Change your password, enable two-factor authentication, check for unauthorized orders and report fraud. Visit identitytheft.gov if identity theft is a concern.
11. Myths and facts
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| Alexa records everything all the time | Devices listen for a wake word, but recordings can be stored after activation |
| Deleting history erases it everywhere | Some records are retained for legal or operational reasons |
| Only Amazon sees my orders | Sellers, carriers and payment processors see parts |
| Opting out of ads stops tracking | It limits personalization |
| Closing the account removes me from brokers | Brokers use other sources |
12. Common mistakes
- Never checking public wish list and review settings.
- Leaving voice history on indefinitely.
- Using a weak, reused password.
- Clicking delivery scam links.
- Assuming retailer privacy settings cover broker listings.
13. Questions to ask yourself
Do I need voice assistants in every room? Would I be comfortable if my purchase history were read aloud? Who else shares my account and devices? Is my real name necessary for public reviews? These questions help you decide what to change.
14. How Wiperts fits
Retail privacy settings handle what one company holds about you. Wiperts handles the public side: it scans more than 100 data brokers and people-search sites, submits removal requests, removes personal results from Google and Bing and monitors for new listings. The free diagnosis shows what is currently public.
100% Free Diagnosis: Check Your Exposure
Find out what data brokers have on you. Enter your details in the free scanner on the Wiperts homepage:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Select State
- Email Address
- Website
Scan Databases Now — no payment is needed to see your exposure report.
15. Key takeaways
- Amazon records purchases, browsing, voice, device and advertising data across its services.
- You can control voice history, ad preferences, public lists and account security through settings.
- Retailer settings do not remove people-search listings, which require separate opt-outs.
- Review settings each year and secure your account with two-factor authentication.
Pick the Wiperts plan that fits your household
| Plan | Covers | One-time deep scrub | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | 1 person | $89 | $14/month |
| Couples (most popular) | 2 people | $149 | $24/month |
| Family | Up to 4 people | $199 | $39/month |
Every plan includes removal of your name, date of birth, salary, home address and phone number from 100+ data brokers and people-search sites, Google and Bing search-result removal, home blurring on maps, and 24/7 monitoring that re-removes your data if it reappears. See plans and start your removal
16. Frequently Asked Questions
Does Amazon track what I buy and browse?
Yes. Amazon records your purchases, searches, items viewed, wish lists and reviews to power recommendations, search results, advertising and fraud checks.
Does Alexa record my conversations?
Alexa devices process voice requests after the wake word, and recordings may be stored unless you delete them or set auto-delete. You can review and delete them in the Alexa privacy settings.
Can I delete my Amazon data?
You can delete some data, such as voice history, browsing history and certain order information, and you can request closure of your account. Some records must be kept for legal and tax reasons.
Is my shipping address public?
Not normally, but public wish lists, gift registries and reviews can reveal your name and city, so check those settings.
Does Amazon share my data with advertisers?
Amazon operates its own advertising business and uses data to target ads. You can adjust personalization settings, and third parties may receive limited information depending on the service.
Is Ring part of this?
Ring is an Amazon service with separate settings for video sharing, neighborhood alerts and law enforcement requests. Review them in the Ring app.
Sources
Related Reading
- Is Alexa Spying on Your Family? What Smart Speakers Really Record
- Does Apple Track and Save Your Data? What iPhone Users Should Know
- Is Your Smart TV Gathering Personal Data? How to Stop It
- How to Stop Websites From Tracking Your Clicks
- How Much Data Do Google and Facebook Collect, and How Do You Limit It?
- Do You Know What Data Is Being Gathered About You?
- Data Collection Risks: The Hidden Dangers of Data Collection
- How to Set Up an Alias Email Address for Social Media and Sign-Ups
Ready to erase your footprint?
Stop letting data brokers profit from your personal life. Start your removal today.
Start Removing