Amazon is facing a class action lawsuit accusing it of false advertising and deceptive practices because Prime Video serves commercials by default. Variety coverage: “For years, people purchased and renewed Amazon Prime subscriptions believing that it included ad-free streaming,” the complaint says. “But last month, Amazon changed the deal. To stream movies and TV shows without ads, Amazon customers now have to pay an additional $2.99 per month. This is unfair. subscribers are already paying for the ad-free version, so they don't have to pay an additional $2.99 per month on top of what they've already paid for.”
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Wilbert Napoleon, a resident of Eastvale, California, who claims to be a Prime member. “Plaintiffs bring this action on behalf of themselves and other Amazon Prime customers,” the complaint states. The complaint alleges that Amazon violates consumer protection laws in Washington and California that prohibit unfair competition and deceptive business practices and practices. The suit alleges that Amazon's conduct was “immoral, unethical, oppressive, unconscionable, and materially harmful to consumers,” and the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, including punitive damages. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and an injunction to restrain Amazon from allegedly deceiving them.
The lawsuit alleges that starting January 29, Amazon will start placing ads on Prime Video content in major markets, including the US, unless users choose to pay an additional fee ($2.99 per month in the US) for an ad-free experience. I was woken up on February 9th after I started posting it. . Some analysts predict that Prime Video advertising will generate more than $3 billion in revenue in 2024.