US trade regulator and 22 states accuse Amazon of taking $20bn with secret surcharges
The US Federal Trade Commission and 22 states have filed a lawsuit against Amazon, alleging the company used secret surcharges to overcharge advertisers by $20 billion. Amazon has rejected the claims, labeling the lawsuit as misguided.
Why it matters
This legal action represents a significant escalation in antitrust scrutiny of major tech platforms and their advertising practices.
‘Amazon has millions of advertising customers who were misled into paying significantly higher prices,’ the FTC chair says. Photograph: Charles-McClintock Wilson/NurPhoto/Shutterstock ‘Amazon has millions of advertising customers who were misled into paying significantly higher prices,’ the FTC chair says. Photograph: Charles-McClintock Wilson/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Amazon US trade regulator and 22 states accuse Amazon of taking $20bn with secret surcharges FTC alleges in lawsuit that online retailer ‘secretly and systematically overcharged’ advertisers for years
Prefer the Guardian on Google The US’s main trade regulator and 22 states sued Amazon on Monday, alleging the online retailer “secretly and systematically overcharged” advertisers on Amazon.com.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said these practices led to higher costs for customers on items like groceries and other essential goods that are sold on Amazon .
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