FTC sues Amazon for using ‘deceptive’ tactics to sign up customers for Prime
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The Federal Trade Commission sued Amazon on Wednesday, alleging the retailer worked for years to enroll consumers into its Prime service without their consent, while knowingly making it difficult for them to cancel their subscriptions.
The complaint, which was filed in federal court in Seattle, alleges that Amazon used “manipulative, coercive, or deceptive user-interface designs” to trick consumers into enrolling in automatically renewing Prime subscriptions.
“Amazon tricked and trapped people into recurring subscriptions without their consent, not only frustrating users but also costing them significant money,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan in a press release. “These manipulative tactics harm consumers and law-abiding businesses alike. The FTC will continue to vigorously protect Americans from “dark patterns” and other unfair or deceptive practices in digital markets.”
Amazon Prime costs $139 per year and gives consumers access to free two-day shipping, along with additional perks like access to Prime Video and music streaming.
