Seattle, September 22, 2025 — Amazon has entered a federal courtroom in Seattle to face trial over allegations brought by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that the company used deceptive tactics to enroll millions of consumers into its Prime subscription service and made cancellation deliberately difficult.
The FTC’s lawsuit, originally filed in June 2023, accuses Amazon of violating the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) and Section 5 of the FTC Act. Central to the case are claims that Amazon employed “dark patterns” — manipulative interface designs — to push users into signing up for the $139-per-year Prime membership without clear consent. The agency also alleges that Amazon created a complex cancellation process internally nicknamed “Iliad,” referencing the epic struggle of Homer’s Trojan War saga.
According to court documents, Amazon was aware of widespread nonconsensual enrollment but resisted changes that could reduce such sign-ups due to their impact on revenue. The FTC claims that during checkout, users were presented with prominent buttons to enroll in Prime, while the option to decline was obscured or minimized. Key information about pricing and auto-renewal was often hidden in fine print.
The cancellation process, described as “labyrinthine,” allegedly required navigating four pages, six clicks, and up to fifteen options. A preliminary ruling by Judge John Chun found that Amazon violated ROSCA by collecting billing information before disclosing full membership terms. The judge also ruled that two Amazon executives could be held personally liable if the FTC proves misconduct.
Amazon has denied the allegations, stating that its sign-up and cancellation flows are transparent and user-friendly. “We remain confident that the facts will show these executives acted properly and we always put customers first,” a company spokesperson said.
The trial is expected to last four weeks and will rely heavily on internal communications, executive testimony, and expert analysis. If the FTC prevails, Amazon could face significant financial penalties, consumer refunds, and court-mandated changes to its subscription practices.
