Amazon scraps online ‘Ambassador’ scheme

A scheme that paid staff to paint a positive image of working in Amazon’s warehouses on social media has been scrapped, according to reports in the media.

The campaign, which began in 2018, in response to hostility over safety and conditions at it’s fulfilment centres, rewarded members of staff for talking positively about the company on social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram, was quietly ended at the end of 2021.

Described as the “fulfilment centre ambassador scheme”, participants, it was claimed, received training on how to leave “no lie unchallenged”. According to documents obtained by the Intercept last year, Amazon’s handpicked workers were told to “reply in a “blunt” but “polite” manner to what the company considered untruths posted by politicians, labour rights activists and indeed any other critics.”

Now the scheme has been abandoned, with Amazon executives citing unhappiness with the scheme’s “poor reach”.

The GMB union, which organises workers at Amazon sites in the UK, has criticised the scheme, and claimed that “Amazon’s propaganda isn’t fooling anyone’.

Mick Rix, GMB National Officer, said:

“Amazon’s paid propaganda isn’t fooling anyone. Too many workers Amazon workers in the UK –  and around the world  – report exhaustion due to dehumanising work methods. Year upon year there are increases in reportable injuries. Amazon bosses are in denial; they are conning the public about the true working conditions in Amazon warehouses. GMB research shows every year an increasing and grossly unacceptable number of workers suffering  injuries – even requiring an ambulance to take them to hospital.”