Is Amazon Key a Step Too Far?

Every holiday season, there are a slew of news stories about packages being stolen off front porches. Package thieves, also called porch pirates, represent a burgeoning, albeit illegal, cottage industry that continues to grow as more people rely on online stores for holiday shopping and everyday household needs. Amazon is trying to solve the problem with Amazon Key. But is this technology helpful or just downright intrusive?

What Amazon Key Is

Amazon Key is both a product and a service. If you order an Amazon Key Home Kit, you’ll get an Amazon Key-compatible smart lock for your front door, and an Amazon Cloud Cam (Key Edition). The Cloud Cam is an indoor camera that offers both live feed and saved video clips. Once a third-party Amazon contractor sets up the smart lock and camera for you (or once you do it yourself), you can use the app to unlock the smart lock from anywhere, and view security footage.

How Amazon Key Thwarts Porch Pirates

If you opt-in to receive in-home deliveries, then your Amazon Key allows delivery drivers to unlock your smart lock, set the package just inside your door, and close and relock the door. At first blush, this system sounds like it’s ripe for potential abuse. But Amazon has taken considerable steps to protect customers who opt-in. You’ll get a notification before a delivery is made so that you can watch it live. You’ll also get the details about the delivery after it’s made, such as the exact times—right down to the second—that your door was unlocked. The delivery drivers open the door with the full understanding that they are on camera the entire time. Plus, the delivery drivers never have access to the lock’s security codes, which means they can only open the door after scanning a package intended for that exact address.

Xcel Delivery Services is a security-minded company that offers live tracking information and electronic notifications for delivery confirmation. We can deliver your package locally within a one-or two-hour time window. Just call our staff in Phoenix at (602) 368-1300.

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