After a spy camera designed to look like a towel hook was purchased on Amazon and illegally used for months to capture photos of a minor in her private bathroom, Amazon was sued.

The plaintiff—a former Brazilian foreign exchange student then living in West Virginia—argued that Amazon had inspected the camera three times and its safety team had failed to prevent allegedly severe, foreseeable harms still affecting her today.

Amazon hoped the court would dismiss the suit, arguing that the platform wasn’t responsible for the alleged criminal conduct harming the minor. But after nearly eight months deliberating, a judge recently largely denied the tech giant’s motion to dismiss.

Amazon’s biggest problem persuading the judge was seemingly the product descriptions that the platform approved. An amended complaint included a photo from Amazon’s product listing that showed bathroom towels hanging on hooks that disguised the hidden camera. Text on that product image promoted the spycams, boasting that they “won’t attract attention” because each hook appears to be “a very ordinary hook.”

  • DevCat@lemmy.worldOP
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    11 months ago

    If you advertise your product specifically for doing something that is inherently wrong, yes.

    • chitak166@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Inherently wrong, or illegal? I’m just going to assume you mean ‘illegal’ because what’s right and wrong is subjective.

      What did they advertise that was illegal?

      • AlijahTheMediocre@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        There’s no justification that can be made in good faith for a camera designed to look like a bathroom towl holder. There just aint

        • chitak166@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Okay. Did they advertise anything illegal though, which is what this lawsuit is about?

            • chitak166@lemmy.world
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              11 months ago

              The fact that you’re allowed to have hidden cameras on your property, even in the bathroom.

              Unless you can cite something that says otherwise?