(TheConservativeTimes.org) – In what seems like a leftist politically-motivated move, the District of Columbia is suing Amazon, accusing the retail giant of discriminatory delivery practices against black neighborhoods.
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The lawsuit suggests Amazon secretly reduced services yet continued to charge for premium memberships.
The District of Columbia has filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the company stopped providing its fastest delivery services to two predominantly black neighborhoods.
These areas are recognized by their ZIP codes, 20019 and 20020, and are widely considered “historically underserved.”
Despite the apparent exclusion, Amazon continued to charge for its Prime membership, a service promising rapid delivery.
Amazon is said to have imposed this delivery “exclusion” in mid-2022, substituting their own delivery personnel with third-party services.
Amazon claims these decisions were based on driver safety concerns in these areas.
The company’s actions suggest a form of digital redlining, as if Gmail, which should be available for everyone, was limited by where one lived, reports The Post Local.
The lawsuit further alleges that prior to this exclusion, over 72% of packages in the affected ZIP codes were delivered within two days.
That rate plummeted to just 24% last year. Meanwhile, other city parts enjoyed a 75% two-day delivery rate, with nationwide speeds improving.
“Amazon is charging tens of thousands of hard-working Ward 7 and 8 residents for an expedited delivery service it promises but does not provide,” says District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb, cited by ABC News.
Attorney General Brian Schwalb insists Amazon’s actions are discriminatory, noting that the areas are predominantly black, per census data.
The lawsuit argues Amazon’s failure to inform residents about delivery changes led to adverse consequences, as these neighborhoods considerably rely on Amazon for essential goods.
Amazon has defended its decision, citing specific threats encountered by delivery drivers as just cause for adjusting operations.
They claim a willingness to collaborate with the attorney general to improve safety in these areas.
This defense, however, might not suffice in quelling the accusations of discrimination and deceptive practices.
“The claims made by the Attorney General, that our business practices are somehow discriminatory or deceptive, are categorically false,” stated Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel, cited by Newsweek.
This lawsuit marks the second significant legal entanglement between Amazon and D.C., following a previously filed antitrust suit.
Residents of two majority-Black D.C. Zip codes receive Amazon deliveries less quickly than their richer neighbors despite paying for the same Prime membership program, according to a lawsuit the city’s attorney general filed Wednesday. https://t.co/ufM4EWDzK3
— Post Local (@postlocal) December 4, 2024
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