Amazon Delivery Firms Say Racial Bias Skews Customer Reviews
Time and again, they say, drivers of color get worse feedback than their White counterparts. The ratings help determine pay and employment.
Delivery vans at an Amazon facility in Denver.
Photographer: Chet Strange/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
When an Amazon.com Inc. delivery driver drops a package at someone’s home, the customer can give them a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down—feedback the company uses to help determine how much to pay the driver’s employer and whether they keep their job.
In doing so, Amazon is trusting the customer to provide an honest rating. But what if the person is biased against the driver?