this post was submitted on 01 Mar 2026
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I find it puzzling that people are OK with allowing a mammoth, regularly hostile corporation know exactly what books they're reading as well as the exact details of their reading habits. Everything is accessible to Amazon - when and how often you access a book, how fast you read and when you linger on or return to a page. I wonder when they'll implement camera-based eye tracking so they know what word you're on?
The same public libraries that vigorously defend the privacy of our reading lists are simultaneously fine outsourcing all ebook access to Amazon where there's no expectation of privacy at all. Epubs at those libraries are now so well hidden they're not even mentioned anymore and access is buried multiple levels deep in the mandatory Libby app.
I love the ease of access and convenience of ebooks, but paper books are becoming more and more appealing by comparison.
I sideload my own books and then turn off the internet on the Kindle. Other than knowing what books I have, are they still able to monitor all those other things?
I ask because I don't completely understand some of this internet networking stuff. The other day I turned off my router while I was watching a video on YouTube and the video kept playing with no interruption or lag while I thought I had turned off the wifi in my house. I guess we can't turn it off anymore? Or was it able to keep playing because it was cached?
If the Kindle never has Internet access (and that includes access through another app) Amazon should not be able to connect at all, but even if your books are from a public library Amazon will still be provided a record of them.
From one library's site: "...we want you to know that when you check out a Kindle eBook you must use your Amazon account. At that point we no longer have control over protecting your records associated with this transaction. At the very least, Amazon may use this information to recommend other items for purchase to you, as is the case with any purchases you make through the site."
YouTube buffers content and your device may have already downloaded the entire file, but if it's a phone it would just switch to the mobile network.
Sometimes I think I'm too paranoid about this stuff and the next day they'll be another headline about corporate abuse of "protected" consumer data or yet another breach. Remember Facebook's years long access of protected medical records through a tracking tool installed on a third of medical websites? I'm probably not paranoid enough.
Amazon can't see shit that me and mine read, but that's cuz I liberated my Kindle books and now read/listen to all of my Kindle/audible books through audiobookshelf.
So glad I made that jump a few years ago