I am no Amazon apologist, but it seems to me they tried to provide a dollar value to stock-based compensation and used a higher-than-today value. That doesn’t seem like malicious intent; it seems like a well-intentioned idea that was derailed by the mercurial stock market. Some sort of disclaimer that the “estimate is provided for demonstration purposes only and is not a promise of actual market value”. I have worked for several companies who provide the fair-market-value equivalent for stock compensation. But it is _stock compensation_.
But I really doubt that this was malicious. Of course it is easier AND morally satisfying to be angry at the mega-corp.
But I really doubt that this was malicious. Of course it is easier AND morally satisfying to be angry at the mega-corp.