FTC Sues Amazon for Enrolling Consumers in Prime Without Consent
Amazon Accused of False Advertising and Deceptive Practices
Lawsuit Seeks Class-Action Status
WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that the company violated the law by enrolling people in its Amazon Prime subscription service without their permission.
The lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, also accuses Amazon of false advertising and deceptive practices over Prime Video's inclusion of ads by default.
The FTC alleges that Amazon used "dark patterns" to trick consumers into signing up for Prime. These patterns include making the cancelation process difficult and confusing, and pre-checking the Prime box during checkout without clearly informing consumers of the cost.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of actions by the FTC to challenge alleged digital dark patterns. In recent years, the agency has taken action against companies such as Google, Facebook, and Microsoft for using deceptive practices to manipulate consumers.
The FTC's lawsuit against Amazon is a significant development in the fight against digital dark patterns. The lawsuit sends a clear message to companies that they cannot deceive consumers into signing up for subscriptions or other services.
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