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Amazon employees demand stoppage of facial recognition contract with law enforcement
Amazon workers have penned a letter to Jeff Bezos calling on the CEO to immediately cancel the access of law enforcement agencies to its Rekognition facial recognition system. The employees’ letter comes on the heels of several Amazon shareholders who have also asked the e-commerce giant to stop selling Rekognition to the police.
As could be seen in the letter to the CEO, Amazon’s employees stated that they do not agree to have their work used for purposes that could target marginalized groups. The letter also cited the United States government’s practice of separating children away from their parents at the border as a key reason why Amazon should cancel its contract with law enforcement agencies. Amazon workers further called for the removal of Palantir, a data-mining company, from the client list of Amazon Web Services (AWS). Palantir, a company founded by Peter Thiel, currently has a contract with ICE and is actively involved in the agency’s deportation and detention programs.
Rekognition is, at its core, an API for deep learning-based analysis to detect, track, and analyze people and objects in videos. In Amazon’s advertisement for the service on YouTube, the company could be seen promoting Rekognition’s facial tracking capabilities such as smart home monitoring, celebrity detection in videos, and more serious applications such as the recognition and tracking of persons of interest. An investigation conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union earlier this year determined that Amazon actively marketed Rekognition to law enforcement officials, citing the software’s advanced face tracking capabilities.
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- A demonstration of the capabilities of Amazon Rekognition. [Credit: Amazon Cloud Services/YouTube]
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- A demonstration of the capabilities of Amazon Rekognition. [Credit: Amazon Cloud Services/YouTube]
The Amazon employees’ initiative against the company’s ties to law enforcement comes on the heels of similar protests in Microsoft and Google. Earlier this year, Google was beset by a brief exodus of workers and employee protests after it was revealed that the company had aided the Pentagon in its AI-driven Project Maven initiative, which uses artificial intelligence to effectively analyze footage from military drones. While Google stated that the work it has done with the Pentagon was mundane, the company ultimately opted not to renew its Project Maven contract, while also announcing new ethics principles to govern its artificial intelligence work.
Microsoft also found itself in hot water last May after it was revealed that the company has a $19.4 million contract with the United States’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a letter addressed to CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft employees stated that they “refuse to be complicit” in ICE’s practice of marginalizing select ethnic groups and actively separating families. In a response to its employees’ protests, Microsoft noted that the company only provides non-surveillance services such as mail, calendar, messaging and document management to the government agency.
The Amazon workers’ full letter to Jeff Bezos could be read in full below.
Dear Jeff,
We are troubled by the recent report from the ACLU exposing our company’s practice of selling AWS Rekognition, a powerful facial recognition technology, to police departments and government agencies. We don’t have to wait to find out how these technologies will be used. We already know that in the midst of historic militarization of police, renewed targeting of Black activists, and the growth of a federal deportation force currently engaged in human rights abuses — this will be another powerful tool for the surveillance state, and ultimately serve to harm the most marginalized. We are not alone in this view: over 40 civil rights organizations signed an open letter in opposition to the governmental use of facial recognition, while over 150,000 individuals signed another petition delivered by the ACLU.
We also know that Palantir runs on AWS. And we know that ICE relies on Palantir to power its detention and deportation programs. Along with much of the world we watched in horror recently as U.S. authorities tore children away from their parents. Since April 19, 2018 the Department of Homeland Security has sent nearly 2,000 children to mass detention centers. This treatment goes against U.N. Refugee Agency guidelines that say children have the right to remain united with their parents, and that asylum-seekers have a legal right to claim asylum. In the face of this immoral U.S. policy, and the U.S.’s increasingly inhumane treatment of refugees and immigrants beyond this specific policy, we are deeply concerned that Amazon is implicated, providing infrastructure and services that enable ICE and DHS.
Technology like ours is playing an increasingly critical role across many sectors of society. What is clear to us is that our development and sales practices have yet to acknowledge the obligation that comes with this. Focusing solely on shareholder value is a race to the bottom, and one that we will not participate in.
We refuse to build the platform that powers ICE, and we refuse to contribute to tools that violate human rights.
As ethically concerned Amazonians, we demand a choice in what we build, and a say in how it is used. We learn from history, and we understand how IBM’s systems were employed in the 1940s to help Hitler. IBM did not take responsibility then, and by the time their role was understood, it was too late. We will not let that happen again. The time to act is now.
We call on you to:
- Stop selling facial recognition services to law enforcement
- Stop providing infrastructure to Palantir and any other Amazon partners who enable ICE.
- Implement strong transparency and accountability measures, that include enumerating which law enforcement agencies and companies supporting law enforcement agencies are using Amazon services, and how.
Our company should not be in the surveillance business; we should not be in the policing business; we should not be in the business of supporting those who monitor and oppress marginalized populations.
Sincerely,
Amazonians
Here’s Amazon’s advertisement for Rekognition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNONL4IecHE
Tesla owners have long griped about the wireless phone charger in the Model Y and other vehicles. It often turns smartphones into miniature ovens rather than reliably topping them up.
Software engineer and Model Y owner Michał Gapiński tackled this issue head-on with a clever DIY upgrade, swapping the cooled wireless charger pad from the China-made Model YL in for the one that came standard in his vehicle.
There are several key differences between the U.S.-built Model Y’s wireless charging pad and the one that Tesla has been installing in the Model YL. The one installed in U.S.-built vehicles lacks active cooling and relies on basic heat dissipation, leading to rapid temperature buildup during charging. In contrast, the Model YL integrates a small fan for active cooling.
Will it fit? Fingers crossed, I want a first YL charger deployed in the regular juniper pic.twitter.com/wWDqSNFVkW
— Michał Gapiński (@mikegapinski) June 2, 2026
This design maintains lower temperatures even in warm ambient conditions, though it does not support faster Qi2 charging on iPhones. The connector matches exactly, making physical swaps feasible on compatible consoles, but coding is required to enable full functionality.
Owners in the U.S. have complained about the wireless charging pad, with many reporting that overheating is fairly common. Within 20 or 30 minutes of placing a phone on the wireless charging pad, many have reported overheating messages on their phones, which halt charging and essentially turn the pad into a fancy place to rest your phone.
Many owners have opted to simply plug their phones into a charging cord. Tesla has acknowledged the problem by releasing several solutions for owners, including a relatively new feature that allows you to simply turn off the charging and simply act as a holder for your phone while driving.
Gapiński said that he sourced the cooled pad affordably from China, and it cost under $200 for the part.
He removed the existing console charger, swapped in the new unit, confirming a perfect connector fit, and handled the trim differences. Since the parameter isn’t fully secured, he enabled it through custom coding outside official Toolbox.
Connector is identical, she fits, now time to code it. https://t.co/Y9idgDrpCq pic.twitter.com/uwwgq6blg7
— Michał Gapiński (@mikegapinski) June 2, 2026
The fan activates quietly, blending with AC and seat cooling. He reported the installation was effective and the wireless charging pad worked perfectly; it even kept the phone cool as it stayed at just 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Many times, the wireless charging pad will bring the phone’s temperature well above 100 degrees, sometimes even being relatively hot to the touch.
The retrofit worked, no issues. First Model Y with a cooled wireless charger! No QI2/faster charging on the iPhone but it does not boil the phone even when it is 30 degrees outside.
The fan kicks in, it is not audible especially with the air conditioning and seat cooling. The… https://t.co/JOyR8Tb1Yo pic.twitter.com/kJcYhQIlYq
— Michał Gapiński (@mikegapinski) June 2, 2026
This retrofit highlighted an elegant, owner-driven solution to a factory shortcoming. It is expected that Tesla will begin installing the cooled charging pads into new cars in the U.S. soon, and hopefully, it will offer some sort of retrofit service or kit to owners here who want to use the charging pad effectively.
For those who love to tinker, it’s an accessible upgrade, proving that innovation thrives beyond the production line.
The Tesla Roadster unveiling could be coming “in a few weeks,” according to the company’s Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, who said at the Tesla Takeover Europe Event in Austria that the all-electric hypercar could finally make its way to the production line after years of anticipation.
Von Holzhausen delivered the news just days after The Information reported that Tesla planned to push the Roadster unveiling to August. It was slated for both April and May of this year, but now it seems the company is leaning toward a late Summer event to cap off the heat with perhaps its most anticipated vehicle of all-time.
🚨 Tesla Chief Designer Franz Von Holzhausen, speaking to the crowd at Tesla Takeover Europe, said at the event that the Roadster is coming “in a few weeks,”
Multiple attendees have confirmed this pic.twitter.com/B1v6yb2Geq
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 6, 2026
Franz has been with Tesla since 2008, and has played a pivotal role in the iconic design language the company has utilized with its vehicles. Speaking to the crowd in Austria virtually, von Holzhausen’s comments injected fresh excitement into a project that has been plagued by delays for nine years.
The second-generation Roadster promises to redefine supercar standards. Tesla’s website still highlights ambitious targets: 0-60 mph in under 1.9 seconds (with optional SpaceX thruster pack potentially achieving 1.1 seconds or less), a top speed exceeding 250 mph, and a range of about 620 miles.
Equipped with a tri-motor all-wheel-drive setup delivering over 1,000 horsepower, the four-seater aims to blend blistering acceleration, everyday usability, and innovative features like cold gas thrusters for short-hop capabilities, technology that will combine the project with SpaceX.
But years after the company promised to start production, which was slated for 2020, the timeline for the Roadster has continued to shift.
Tesla has strung along those who have put $50,000 deposits down, as well as fans and enthusiasts of the company who have been long awaiting the company to bring forth a car truly designed for the human driver, and not autonomy. The Roadster is more than just a halo vehicle for Tesla; it showcases the company’s ability to push the boundaries while incorporating synergies from other Musk companies.
However, it has to make it to production, which is something Musk and Co. have pushed back repeatedly.
As Tesla navigates Robotaxi development and broader autonomy goals, the Roadster serves as a reminder of its performance roots. If von Holzhausen’s timeline holds, fans could witness this engineering marvel by late June or early July 2026. Whether a full unveiling, demo, or initial deliveries, it marks a milestone for electric supercars.
Tesla has reportedly pushed the unveiling of the Roadster once again, but there are also evidently new details about the event that the company plans to show off.
The Information reported this morning that Tesla will now unveil, for the second time, the next-generation Roadster in August, a further delay from the multiple timeline that the company had previously stated.
The report has not been confirmed or denied by Tesla at any capacity.
It also states the unveiling event will take place in Texas, the same place that Tesla executives revealed in May would be the place of manufacture for the company’s highly-anticipated supercar, which boasts a top speed of over 250 MPH and 650 miles of range, according to its website.
Tesla is also expected to showcase the SpaceX package, which will be used for faster acceleration and potentially hovering capabilities, at the unveiling event, the report states. Musk has always planned for this to happen, but now it seems it is more realistic than ever
The report also states the Roadster unveiling is planned for August pic.twitter.com/By26XZIJzU
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 5, 2026
The Roadster has had its unveiling date and manufacturing date pushed back on many occasions. It was set to start production in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic crippled supply chain operations, forcing Tesla to push its timeline back considerably.
However, COVID has been over for some time, and Tesla has still not managed to successfully schedule and execute an unveiling event, which is something fans and enthusiasts, as well as those who have put down a $50,000 deposit, have been waiting for.
The vehicle was close to completion last year, but Musk truly wanted Lars Moravy and Franz von Holzhausen to push the limits of the Roadster. In July of last year, Moravy said:
“Roadster is definitely in development. We did talk about it last Sunday night. We are gearing up for a super cool demo. It’s going to be mind-blowing; We showed Elon some cool demos last week of the tech we’ve been working on, and he got a little excited.”
It is important to note two things: Tesla has not confirmed these details, and the company has regularly pushed these dates back. Until Tesla sends out formal invitations with a concrete date, taking any unveiling event reports with a grain of salt is a good idea.
Tesla owner fixes common feature complaint with crafty DIY retrofit
Tesla exec says Roadster unveil is soon — for real this time
