Amazon Looks To Block 'Union,' 'Living Wage,' Or 'Freedom' Keywords On Internal Messaging App: Report

Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) is reportedly planning on flagging and blocking certain keywords linked to unions on its internal messaging app.

What Happened: The words on Amazon’s watchlist include “Union,” “Living Wage,” “Petition,” “Freedom,” “Robots,” and “Representation” among others, according to a report from The Intercept. 

“Our teams are always thinking about new ways to help employees engage with each other,” said an Amazon spokesperson, according to the report. 

“This particular program has not been approved yet and may change significantly or even never launch at all.”

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Why It Matters: The “auto bad word monitor” was devised after a high-level meeting in November 2021, according to The Intercept. 

The monitor blocks profanities and unsuitable keywords, and managers at Amazon will have the authority to flag or suppress posts they find inappropriate, according to the documents seen by The Intercept. 

The pilot program is expected to be launched this month, according to the report. However, an Amazon spokesperson was quoted as saying, “there are no plans for many of the words you’re calling out to be screened. The only kinds of words that may be screened are ones that are offensive or harassing, which is intended to protect our team.”

On Friday, Amazon workers at a Staten Island warehouse voted in favor to form a union in a historic first. 

Price Action: On Monday, Amazon shares closed 2.9% higher at $3,366.93 in the regular session, according to Benzinga Pro data. 

Read Next: Read How Amazon's 2022 Warehouse Union Election Set It Apart From 2021