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Foto: 13ª Conferenza Nexa (30/11/2021)
by Andrea Pellegrini Nov. 30, 2021

Nov. 30, 2021

Ciao a tutti, Ecco un po’ di foto dell’interessantissima, come sempre, conferenza annuale svolta oggi: https://oc.p3ll3.eu/apps/gallery/s/Uq6L10JSnjVrwuu <https://oc.p3ll3.eu/apps/gallery/s/Uq6L10JSnjVrwuu> A presto Ciao Ciao Andrea Pellegrini 346 705 0039 <tel:+393467050039> Via Superga, 5 Pino Torinese (TO) Italy pelle(a)andreapellegrini.net <mailto:pelle@andreapellegrini.net>

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Amazon poised to pass UPS and FedEx to become largest U.S. delivery service by early 2022, exec says
by Luigi Scorca Nov. 30, 2021

Nov. 30, 2021

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/11/29/amazon-on-track-to-be-largest-us-delive… Luigi

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in Gazzetta il decreto di attuazione della direttiva sul diritto di autore nel mercato unico digitale
by Mauro Alovisio Nov. 29, 2021

Nov. 29, 2021

Gent.me/mi segnalo la pubblicazione del Decreto Legislativo 8 novembre 2021, n. 177 ad oggetto: "Attuazione della direttiva (UE) 2019/790 del Parlamento europeo e del Consiglio, del 17 aprile 2019, sul diritto d'autore e sui diritti connessi nel mercato unico digitale e che modifica le direttive 96/9/CE e 2001/29/CE. (21G00192) (GU Serie Generale n.283 del 27-11-2021) <http://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/gu/2021/11/27/283/sg/pdf> note: Entrata in vigore del provvedimento: 12/12/2021 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/it/QANDA_21_2821 https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/serie_generale/caricaDettaglioAtto/or… Cordiali saluti

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martedì 30/11/2021: evento l'UNESCO per i 5 anni di Software Heritage
by Stefano Zacchiroli Nov. 29, 2021

Nov. 29, 2021

Salve Nexiane e Nexiani, domani, martedì 30 Novembre 2021, si terrà dalle 9:30 alle 12:30 un evento all'UNESCO <https://events.unesco.org/event?id=1423818652&lang=1033> a Parigi per i 5 anni di Software Heritage <https://www.softwareheritage.org/2021/06/30/five-years-of-software-heritage/>. Sarà un'occasione unica per saperne di più sullo stato attuale di Software Heritage <https://www.softwareheritage.org/>, e scoprire perché tale infrastrutture è importante per una moltitudine di attori, dall'università agli archivisti di patrimonio culturale, dall'industria all'amministrazione pubblica. Sarà possibile seguire l'evento in diretta streaming. Il programma e le informazioni di connessione sono disponibili a partire della pagina dell'evento nell'agenda dell'UNESCO <https://events.unesco.org/event?id=1423818652&lang=1033>. A presto -- Stefano Zacchiroli . zack(a)upsilon.cc . upsilon.cc/zack _. ^ ._ Full professor of Computer Science o o o \/|V|\/ Télécom Paris, Polytechnic Institute of Paris o o o </> <\> Co-founder & CTO Software Heritage o o o o /\|^|/\ Former Debian Project Leader & OSI Board Director '" V "'

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Il Centro Nexa su Internet & Società annuncia la comunità Nexa 2021-2022
by Nexa Media Nov. 29, 2021

Nov. 29, 2021

Gentilissimi, Alla vigilia della 13° conferenza annuale del Centro Nexa, che si terrà domani al Politecnico di Torino nel giorno del 15° anniversario della costituzione formale del Centro, siamo lieti di annunciarvi la nuova composizione della comunità Nexa per l'anno accademico 2021-2022. Quest'anno i nuovi membri sono: due /Faculty Fellow//s/, *Giovanni Leghissa*, professore associato presso il Dipartimento di Filosofia e Scienze dell’educazione dell’Università di Torino, e *Don Luca Peyron*, presbitero della Diocesi di Torino, laureato in Giurisprudenza e licenziato in Teologia Pastorale; due /Fellows/, *Giuseppe Futia*, Senior Data Scientist presso GraphAware Srl e alumnus del Centro Nexa, e *Francesco Ruggiero*, insegnante, scrittore e alumnus del Centro Nexa. Per maggiori informazioni sui nuovi membri della comunità Nexa è possibile consultare la pagina: https://nexa.polito.it/2021-2022-comunita Cordiali saluti, -- Anita Botta Communication Manager Nexa Center for Internet & Society Politecnico di Torino – DAUIN Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24 - 10129 Torino _web:_ https://nexa.polito.it/ _mail:_anita.botta@polito.it <mailto:anita.botta@polito.it> tel: 011 090 7219

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GAO - CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION CISA Should Assess the Effectiveness of its Actions to Support the Communications Sector - notsp
by Diego.Latella Nov. 29, 2021

Nov. 29, 2021

FYI: CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION CISA Should Assess the Effectiveness of its Actions to Support the Communications Sector https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-104462?utm_campaign=usgao_email&utm_con… Diego -- Dott. Diego Latella - Senior Researcher CNR/ISTI, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy (http:www.isti.cnr.it [1]) FM&&T Lab. (http://fmt.isti.cnr.it) CNR/GI-STS (http://gists.pi.cnr.it) https://www.isti.cnr.it/People/D.Latella - ph: +390506212982, fax: +390506212040 =================== I don't quite know whether it is especially computer science or its subdiscipline Artificial Intelligence that has such an enormous affection for euphemism. We speak so spectacularly and so readily of computer systems that understand, that see, decide, make judgments, and so on, without ourselves recognizing our own superficiality and immeasurable naivete with respect to these concepts. And, in the process of so speaking, we anesthetise our ability to evaluate the quality of our work and, what is more important, to identify and become conscious of its end use. […] One can't escape this state without asking, again and again: "What do I actually do? What is the final application and use of the products of my work?" and ultimately, "am I content or ashamed to have contributed to this use?" -- Prof. Joseph Weizenbaum ["Not without us", ACM SIGCAS 16(2-3) 2--7 - Aug. 1986] Links: ------ [1] http://www.isti.cnr.it

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‘It’s critical’: can Microsoft make good on its climate ambitions? | Environment | The Guardian
by Alberto Cammozzo Nov. 28, 2021

Nov. 28, 2021

<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/27/its-critical-can-micros…> When the UN’s landmark climate report was released in 2018, calling for urgent and unprecedented changes, Microsoft executives were told to “commit it to memory”, said Elizabeth Willmott, who leads the company’s carbon program. “And so we did.” The report warned the world must reach net-zero emissions by 2050 in order to avert catastrophic climate change. To achieve this, not only must the emissions released by countries and companies be dramatically curtailed, but billions of tons of carbon dioxide must be sucked out of the atmosphere. These findings directly informed Microsoft’s climate policy, said Willmott. In January 2020, the company announced that it would be carbon negative by 2030 and by 2050 it would have removed from the atmosphere all the carbon it has emitted since it was founded in 1975. By making this pledge, the company joined a small group of businesses, including Ikea and the software company Intuit, committed to going further than net-zero. Microsoft is often ranked as a leading business on climate action. Its policies – from making it easier for people to repair their devices to launching software to help companies measure and manage carbon emissions – have been praised for going beyond the company’s own operations to the footprint of its suppliers and customers. “Being a large, well-known brand, and putting a stake in the ground, talking publicly for years about the importance of climate change, is really critical,” said Simon Fischweicher, head of corporations and supply chains for the environmental non-profit CDP North America. President of Microsoft Brad Smith as the company announced its carbon negative plan at Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, Washington, on January 16, 2020. President of Microsoft Brad Smith as the company announced its carbon negative plan at Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, Washington, on January 16, 2020. Photograph: Lindsey Wasson/Reuters However, Microsoft has also been criticized for actions that appear to contradict its bold rhetoric on climate, including membership of trade associations that lobby against climate legislation, contracts with oil and gas firms and donations to politicians who obstruct climate policy. These connections make it “complicit” in efforts to push against climate action, said Bill Weihl, a former sustainability executive at Google and Facebook and the founder of the advocacy group ClimateVoice. Scaling up goals Microsoft has been operating as a carbon-neutral company for nearly a decade, a feat it has achieved through buying carbon offsets as well as securing renewable power directly from clean energy companies and installing onsite renewable energy, such as solar panels at its offices. Since 2012, Microsoft has also implemented an internal carbon fee, currently set at $15 a metric ton, making business units pay for emissions related to their operations and electricity, as well as from business air travel. “The money gets collected and spent,” said Willmott, whose carbon management team uses the money to fund initiatives such as buying clean energy and carbon offsets. “I have to pinch myself regularly because that was something we dreamed about and didn’t think was actually going to happen.” It’s a “powerful mechanism”, says Fischweicher, to push a company to think more deeply about the impact of its activities: “To pay a fee, you start to think about: ‘What can I do to reduce that so I have more money in my budget?’” But the company has recognized that much more is required to tackle the climate crisis and the plan to go carbon negative was a big step up in ambitions. Microsoft has laid out milestones for reaching the target. By 2025, it aims to reduce the emissions from its direct operations to “near zero” through gains in energy efficiency and using 100% renewable energy. By 2030, it has committed to reducing by at least 50% its direct emissions and those from its supply chain. The company’s supply chain – more than 58,000 suppliers provide everything from office furniture to the metals and plastics used in its products – makes up the bulk of its emissions. Last year, the company implemented a carbon reporting requirement for suppliers and it extended the internal carbon fee to cover supply chain emissions. But in order to remove more emissions than it produces, the company will rely heavily on carbon removal projects. These include nature-based initiatives such as funding reforestation projects, but the company is also pinning its hopes on technology. Microsoft is investing $1bn to support emerging technology that can reduce, capture and remove carbon from the air. As part of this, the company has invested in and purchased carbon removal from Climeworks, which operates the world’s largest direct air capture plant, in Iceland, removing CO2 from the air and trapping it in rock underground. Climeworks direct air capture plant near Reykjavik, Iceland. Climeworks direct air capture plant near Reykjavik, Iceland. Photograph: Halldor Kolbeins/AFP/Getty Images In 2020, Microsoft removed 1.3m metric tons of carbon through a range of initiatives from nature based programs to carbon capture technology. However, these projects face obstacles. Relying on forests and soil to trap endless amounts of carbon is increasingly difficult in the face of worsening wildfires, pests and changes in land use. And carbon removal technology is not anywhere near the scale needed. There are 19 direct air capture (DAC) plants in operation globally, capturing just over 100,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. The International Energy Agency has estimated that reaching net zero by 2050 would require the world to scale up DAC to capture more than 85m tons each year by 2030 and around 980m tons a year by 2050. It’s a challenge that Microsoft is grappling with. The number and type of projects currently available is “far short of what we need”, said Willmott. By 2030, the company estimates, it will need to remove 5m to 6m tons of carbon. This means the technology will need to be considerably scaled up to meet Microsoft’s demands alone, she said, “and that’s to say nothing of the fact that there’s a real spike in corporate demand”. The Canadian firm Carbon Engineering’s pilot plant pellet reactor and associated equipment. Climate crisis: do we need millions of machines sucking CO2 from the air? Read more It’s not just the amount of viable carbon capture projects that’s lacking, Willmot said; there’s also a quality issue. The industry doesn’t fully distinguish between avoided emissions and those that are actually removed from the atmosphere, she said. More robust quality standards would go a long way to making sure “it’s not quite a wild, wild west that it is today”, Willmot said. “[Microsoft is] opening up new conversations about historical emissions without having all the answers,” said Aoife Brophy, departmental research lecturer in innovation and enterprise at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School. “Leaders on climate need to acknowledge the complexity of the problem and be transparent about the fact that there are not always clear solutions.” Microsoft’s focus on historical emissions could also help spur a deeper conversation, she said, about “responsibility for the past, and may lead to much better ways to think about issues like climate justice that have not yet been adequately addressed by companies”. A wider influence The modern corporate sustainability movement requires companies to also consider their impacts on customers, peers and society more broadly. This shift in perspective, said Fischweicher, “is a really critical turning-point moment … because what you’re also talking about is shifting your business model overall”. To Microsoft’s critics, this means the company should reconsider its work with oil companies. The same week that Microsoft made its carbon-negative announcement, it sponsored an oil conference in Saudi Arabia. A 2020 Greenpeace report digging into tech companies’ work with the oil and gas industry – such as providing software to support fossil fuel extraction – found that its contract with ExxonMobil “could lead to emissions greater than 20% of Microsoft’s annual carbon footprint”. The company also spent about $200,000 during the 2020 US election cycle supporting politicians with a history of climate denial. And this October, Microsoft – along with other corporations – was criticized by the watchdog group Accountable.US for its membership of trade organizations with a history of fighting climate crisis legislation, including the Business Roundtable and the US Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, these groups have lobbied against climate legislation included under Joe Biden’s reconciliation bill. The Apple Inc. logo is seen hanging at the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in New York Apple and Disney among companies backing groups against US climate bill Read more “I feel really strongly that we need to be able to work with everyone to make this transition to a low-carbon economy in the future,” said Willmott, responding to these criticisms. “I really think it’s important not to villainize any particular sector, or villainize any particular entities, but rather really work hard from within to shape the journey.” Weihl, whose organization ClimateVoice is calling on Microsoft and others to devote one-fifth of their lobbying dollars to climate policy in 2021, remains skeptical. “Companies are putting their narrow self-interest ahead of actually addressing the climate crisis at scale,” he said. “Silence and unwillingness to publicly distance themselves [from these groups] is not neutrality, it’s complicity.” Whether it’s Microsoft’s customers and affiliations or the type of work it does, experts agree the company’s size and political heft as well as its position within trade groups give it immense power – and it’s all about how the company chooses to use it. “Tech companies shape how we engage with the world, and the information we see on a daily basis,” said Brophy. “We need to think of impact beyond measuring emissions and consider ways in which technology can be used to create change across different systems.” Microsoft’s climate commitments are laudable, she said, but ultimately success will require collective action. “The biggest challenge is that Microsoft’s goals cannot be achieved by Microsoft alone,” said Brophy. “But that’s exactly what we need to see companies across industries doing more of: coming out and being bold, recognizing that they need to be systems leaders.”

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Apple e Google multate dall'Antitrust per l'uso dei dati degli utenti
by Giacomo Tesio Nov. 28, 2021

Nov. 28, 2021

L'Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) ha multato Apple e Google per un totale di 20 milioni di euro (10 milioni di euro per ciascuna), ossia il massimo edittale nel caso in esame, dopo aver accertato due violazioni nell'uso dei dati degli utenti a fini commerciali. Nel caso specifico, Google ha omesso informazioni rilevanti "di cui il consumatore ha bisogno per decidere consapevolmente di accettare che la Società raccolga e usi a fini commerciali le proprie informazioni personali". Google infatti applica una modalità di "opt-out", ossia è l'utente la condivisione dei dati è automaticamente selezionata in fase di creazione dell'account ed è l'utente che deve scegliere di non condividerli. Apple, invece, è stata ritenuta colpevole di aver attuato una "pratica aggressiva" in fase di creazione dell'ID Apple, durante cui non è previsto, per il consumatore, la possibilità di scegliere se condividere i suoi dati. Durante la creazione dell'ID Apple, l'utente può scegliere di non ricevere comunicazioni via email di marketing, ma "non impedisce ad Apple lo svolgimento delle altre attività promozionali connesse all’uso degli Store basate su una profilazione più ampia dei dati acquisiti a fini commerciali". Per quanto Apple abbia sostenuto di "non procedere alla cessione fisica a terzi dei dati profilati degli utenti", secondo l'AGCM quei dati permettono comunque ad Apple di incrementare il fatturato tramite le "commissioni ottenute sulle vendite dei prodotti di soggetti terzi e al differenziale tra prezzo di acquisto all'ingrosso e prezzo di vendita al dettaglio dei beni e servizi" che distribuisce. "Questa architettura di acquisizione, predisposta da Apple, non rende possibile l’esercizio della propria volontà sull’utilizzo a fini commerciali dei propri dati" si legge nella nota dell'AGCM. "Dunque, il consumatore viene condizionato nella scelta di consumo e subisce la cessione delle informazioni personali, di cui Apple può disporre per le proprie finalità promozionali effettuate in modalità diverse". La risposta di Apple In seguito alla pubblicazione dell'articolo, Apple ha inviato una nota, che riportiamo: "Crediamo che l'opinione dell'Autorità sia sbagliata e faremo ricorso contro la decisione. Apple è da tempo impegnata nella protezione della privacy dei nostri utenti e lavoriamo con il massimo impegno per progettare prodotti e funzionalità che proteggano i dati. Diamo a tutti gli utenti un livello di trasparenza e controllo all’avanguardia nel settore, in modo che possano scegliere quali informazioni condividere o meno, e come vengono utilizzate." Provvedimento per Google: https://www.agcm.it/dotcmsdoc/allegati-news/PS11147%20chiusura_estratto.pdf Provvedimento per Apple: https://www.agcm.it/dotcmsdoc/allegati-news/PS11150%20provv%20chiusura_estr… Fonte (via Wayback Machine che i tracciatori sulla pagina sono tanti): https://web.archive.org/web/20211127232315/https://www.dday.it/redazione/41… ___ La risposta di Apple chiarisce bene che il loro problema non è la multa, ma il danno di immagine al loro brand "privacy-friendly". Intanto Google se la ride in silenzio, mentre fa _profitti_ trimestrali dell'ordine dei 18,9 miliardi[1]: la multa dell'AGCM è lo 0.05% dei loro profitti di un singolo trimestre. Questo dovrebbe dare un'idea dell'inadeguatezza degli strumenti "anti-trust" italiani. D'altro canto anche quelli europei [2], se confrontati con questi profitti trimestrali, fanno ridere i polli: in totale, in Europa, Google rischia al massimo multe per 8.2 miliardi di euro. Come rischiare 1 mese di stipendio... per poterne ottenere 12. E questo solo in termini economici: i soldi valgono molto MOLTO meno dei dati personali che Google colleziona e collezionerà nei prossimi decenni grazie alla complicità di politici come la Azzolina. Giacomo [1] https://web.archive.org/web/20211029184756/https://www.macitynet.it/google-… [2] https://www.euronews.com/2021/11/10/google-loses-appeal-against-2-4-billion…

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Fwd: Digital Economy and Society, conferenza 29 Nov. 2021, Scuola Normale Superiore Firenze
by J.C. DE MARTIN Nov. 27, 2021

Nov. 27, 2021

-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Digital Economy and Society, conferenza 29 Nov. 2021, Scuola Normale Superiore Firenze Resent-Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2021 12:49:40 +0100 Resent-From: d004620(a)polito.it Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2021 12:49:28 +0100 From: Mario Pianta <mario.pianta(a)sns.it> To: Mario Pianta <mario.pianta(a)sns.it> care e cari vi segnalo che lunedi 29 Nov a Firenze a Palazzo Strozzi con la Scuola Normale Superiore, Istituto Ciampi, organizziamo una conferenza tutto il giorno su *Digital Economy and Society. **Interdisciplinary perspectives* con 20 tra i maggiori esperti italiani Il programma è sotto e qui https://www.sns.it/it/evento/digital-economy-and-society Il *comunicato stampa* è qui https://normalenews.sns.it/la-rivoluzione-digitale-al-centro-di-una-confere… I posti in presenza sono esauriti, all'incontro si può partecipare su *youtube*, dove ci sarà la registrazione, qui https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mt8LjWQPZw Un caro saluto Mario Pianta REMINDER: Digital Economy and Society. Interdisciplinary perspectives. 29 Nov. 2021, h. 10.30 CET - SNS Firenze <https://sns.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fa00e849abfbf14cd03499082&id…> *Scuola Normale Superiore*, Istituto di studi avanzati "Carlo Azeglio Ciampi" *Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna*, Istituto di Economia *Sapienza Università di Roma*, Dipartimento di Economia e Diritto *Workshop* *Digital Economy and Society* *Interdisciplinary perspectives* <https://sns.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fa00e849abfbf14cd03499082&id…> *Monday, 29 November 2021 10.30 - 18.00 (CET)* *"Altana" Conference Hall, Palazzo Strozzi, Firenze* Streamed on _YouTube <https://sns.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fa00e849abfbf14cd03499082&id…>_ *To participate in presence please fill in the _RESERVATION FORM <https://sns.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fa00e849abfbf14cd03499082&id…>_* Entrance will be allowed up to the maximum capacity of the room. *Programme* *10.30-12.45 Opening* Luigi Ambrosio, Direttore, Scuola Normale Superiore *1st session, Digital technologies and the economy* Chair Mario Pianta, Scuola Normale Superiore /*The road towards human-centred Artificial Intelligence*/ Fosca Giannotti, Scuola Normale Superiore Discussion /*The rise of digital platforms */ Dario Guarascio, Sapienza Università di Roma /*Labour in Italy’s platform economy*/ Valeria Cirillo, Università di Bari /*Digital labour in Italy’s automotive factories*/ Maria Enrica Virgillito, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna /Discussants/ Luigi Marengo, LUISS Roma Jelena Reljic, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna Lunch break *14.00-15.30 /2nd session, Digital labour and society/* /Chair/ Lorenzo Bosi, Scuola Normale Superiore /*The impact of automation on employment and families*/ Daniela Bellani, Scuola Normale Superiore /*The social protection of platform workers */ Matteo Marenco, Scuola Normale Superiore /*Social conflicts on digital platforms*/ Riccardo Chesta, Lorenzo Cini, Scuola Normale Superiore /Discussants/ Armanda Cetrulo, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna Matteo Rinaldini, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia Break *16.00-18.00 3rd session, Understanding the digital economy and society* Chair Guglielmo Meardi, Scuola Normale Superiore /*Is there a digital capitalism?*/ Mario Pianta, Scuola Normale Superiore /*Digital technologies and the economy*/ Giovanni Dosi, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna /*The digital transformation of the public sphere*/ Hans-Jörg Trenz, Scuola Normale Superiore /*Contentious politics in digital times*/ Donatella della Porta, Scuola Normale Superiore Discussion Info: eventiculturali.firenze(a)sns.it <mailto:eventiculturali.firenze@sns.it>

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BREAKING: AMAZON CRIMES WILL COST THE EARTH - Extinction Rebellion disrupts Black Friday by blocking 15 Amazon fulfilment centres - Extinction Rebellion UK
by Alberto Cammozzo Nov. 27, 2021

Nov. 27, 2021

<https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2021/11/26/breaking-amazon-crimes-will-cost-…> From 5am this morning, Extinction Rebellion has blocked a total of 15 Amazon fulfilment centres in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands on Black Friday, the major global discount day. In the UK, people from all across the country are taking part, with 13 blockades in Doncaster, Darlington, Newcastle, Manchester, Peterborough, Derby, Coventry, Rugeley, Dartford, Bristol, Tilbury, Milton Keynes and Dunfermline. These sites account for just over 50% of Amazon deliveries in the UK. The group is blocking the entrances using bamboo structures, lock-ons, and banners with the words ‘AMAZON CRIME’, ‘INFINITE GROWTH, FINITE PLANET’ and ‘BLACK FRIDAY EXPLOITS PEOPLE AND PLANET’ on them. In Tilbury, a rocket part blocked the entrance with an eager Jeff Bezos sat riding it, and the words ‘TO EXTINCTION AND BEYOND’ written on its side. The group intends to stay for at least 48 hours. The action is taking place on Black Friday in order to confront the exploitative and environmentally destructive business practices of one of the world’s largest companies. Amazon is known for a long list of widely recognised “crimes” – from tax avoidance to the exploitation of workers, to rampant wastefulness and ecological destruction – while making its founder and largest shareholder Jeff Bezos one of the richest men on earth. The action aims to expose Amazon’s crimes, while holding it up as an example of the wider economic system, which is designed to keep us hooked on buying things we don’t need, at a price the planet cannot afford. [...] AMAZON’S CRIMES: 1. The company said activities tied to its businesses emitted 60.64 million metric tons of carbon dioxide last year — more than a medium sized country and the equivalent of burning through 140 million barrels of oil. Amazon’s carbon emissions grew by 19% in 2020 and have risen every year since 2018, when it first disclosed its carbon footprint after employees pressured it to do so.[4][5] 2. Not only does Amazon’s business emit more carbon than a country the size of Denmark, but it is actively helping fossil fuel companies such as Shell, Exxon and BP to drill for more oil via its Amazon Web Services.[6] 3. While scientists tell us that companies must rapidly decarbonise, Amazon continues to lobby the US Government to fight against climate legislation, despite pledging to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2040. This target also does not include its supply chain which contributes 75% of its overall emissions and so far it has published no plan on how it intends to meet this target. They are committing the very definition of greenwash.[7][8] 4. Amazon has a historic record of treating its workers “like robots”, with a report just released on Wednesday this week stating that ambulances have been called out to UK warehouses 971 times since 2018, with the company threatening to fire employees in the US for speaking out about its climate impact.[9][10] An employee died at the site in Tilbury just last month. 5. Amazon routinely destroys millions of items of unsold stock and returned items. Many of the products – including smart TVs and laptops – are often new and unused. The Prime Minister called it “an indictment of a consumerist society.”[11] This wasteful practice epitomises the view that the natural world is expendable. 6. Governments are subsidising the growth of this massive monopoly by allowing the e-commerce giant to legally report billions of pounds of sales in a tax haven, meaning they are stealing from the general public in order to grow. This helps Amazon to undercut more responsible businesses and is depriving governments of tax revenue that could be used to fund essential public services.[12] /This list is not exhaustive./ These business practices have helped Amazon’s founder and largest shareholder, Jeff Bezos,0 to become the world’s richest man, while keeping many workers on the poverty line. According to Forbes, Bezos personal wealth amounts to $177bn.[13] [...]

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