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Amazon Service May Stop 'Porch Piracy,' But Not Everyone's On Board

In-car delivery might protect your Amazon order, but some are worried about protecting their privacy.

Amazon Service May Stop 'Porch Piracy,' But Not Everyone's On Board
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SMS

Amazon rolled out its newest service Tuesday: Amazon Key in-car delivery. It lets Amazon employees unlock your car and leave packages inside.

The service could help cut down on the theft of packages left outside of homes, a problem which has been growing since the rise of online retail — package thieves even have their own nickname, "porch pirates." According to a 2017 report from Package Guard, a company that makes devices meant to secure porch deliveries, 11 million homeowners had packages stolen over the past year.

Amazon also introduced in-home delivery last year. But while these programs may promote safety for your Amazon order, some are concerned about the safety of their privacy. 

Cybersecurity researchers found out the camera used for Amazon in-home delivery can be hacked, which could allow someone to enter your home after the delivery is complete. Amazon does notify users if the camera is offline for an extended period of time. 

In-car delivery, however, doesn't involve a camera system.