Amazon Can’t Force Children to Arbitrate Alexa Privacy Claims

Amazon.com Inc. can’t force children to arbitrate a class action claiming the Alexa Voice Service records and stores their confidential communications in violation of state law, a federal district court in Washington said.

Adopting a magistrate judge’s October 2019 recommendation, the opinion by Judge Richard A. Jones of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington said the contract between the parents and Amazon for the Alexa service, which included an arbitration agreement, wasn’t enforceable against the children.

As a general rule, parties who don’t sign an arbitration agreement aren’t bound by it, the court said.

Amazon argued ...