Washington, D.C., on Wednesday sued Amazon for allegedly hiding the fact that it stopped its fast delivery service in two predominantly black neighborhoods, despite still advertising the service to residents.
The lawsuit, which was filed in District of Columbia Superior Court, claims the change was made unexpectedly in 2022, when it imposed a delivery “exclusion” zone on two low-income ZIP codes in the district. The company relies on other delivery services like UPS and the United States Postal Service in the area, according to the Associated Press.
“Amazon is charging tens of thousands of hard-working Ward 7 and 8 residents for an expedited delivery service it promises but does not provide,” D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb said. “While Amazon has every right to make operational changes, it cannot covertly decide that a dollar in one ZIP code is worth less than a dollar in another.”
Amazon has admitted that it stopped the speedy service in the two zones but said it had done so out of concern for driver safety rather than for discriminatory purposes.
“We made the deliberate choice to adjust our operations, including delivery routes and times, for the sole reason of protecting the safety of drivers,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said. “The claims made by the attorney general, that our business practices are somehow discriminatory or deceptive, are categorically false.” […]
— Read More: justthenews.com
