Overview

• Judge John Chun’s summary-judgment order held that Amazon broke the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act by collecting billing information before presenting key Prime terms.
• The ruling also allows a jury to consider personal liability for two Amazon executives if the FTC proves its claims at trial.
• The FTC alleges Amazon steered users into Prime through deceptive design and made cancellation onerous, with an internal flow nicknamed “Iliad.”
• Amazon denies wrongdoing and says its sign-up and cancellation processes are clear and simple, asserting customers value Prime.
• The four-week jury trial in Seattle will weigh potential penalties and injunctions that could force changes to Amazon’s subscription practices.