Now, technology/2024/04/26/amazon-ftc-messages-deleted-bezos/”>Washington Post (which is owned by amazon founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos) reports that amazon is just one of several companies recently accused of turning to encrypted messaging apps like Signal that can permanently and automatically delete messages.
This week's filing includes screenshots of a Signal chat between two amazon executives who said, “Do you feel encrypted?” and proceeded to activate the disappearing messages.
FTC lawyers say Bezos, current CEO Andy Jassy, General Counsel David Zapolsky, former CEO of Global Operations Dave Clark and other executives are all Signal users. Bezos is identified in the document as “a heavy Signal user” who instructed others to use the app, although the hacking of his personal cell phone in 2018 may be part of the reason.
And because amazon did not direct its employees to preserve messages sent in the app until more than 15 months after it was notified of the investigation, the FTC argues: “It is highly likely that relevant information was destroyed as a result of the amazon actions and inactions.”
FTC attorneys are investigating amazon's efforts to preserve documents in order to determine how much information might be missing. Despite requests last fall for relevant documents about advice amazon gave employees about ephemeral apps, the FTC says amazon has so far refused to produce much of what was requested. If the judge finds that amazon was negligent in failing to preserve data linked to the case, it could face penalties, and things could get worse if the judge determines the failures were intentional.