The Federal Trade Commission has brought its case against Amazon to trial, focusing on the company’s allegedly manipulative subscription practices. A key highlight of the lawsuit is the Prime cancellation process, which the company itself supposedly nicknamed “Iliad” in a nod to its epic difficulty, a detail the government is using to argue intent.
According to the FTC, canceling a Prime membership was a deliberately convoluted affair. The complaint describes a four-page, six-click, fifteen-option ordeal that served as a significant deterrent. The government contends this system was not a result of poor design but a calculated strategy to retain subscribers who no longer wanted the service, thereby protecting a crucial revenue stream.
The lawsuit also alleges that the difficult exit was paired with an deceptively easy entrance. The FTC claims Amazon used “dark patterns” to trick users into enrolling during checkout. These design tricks included making the Prime sign-up button large and unavoidable while hiding the option to continue without a subscription, effectively steering customers into unwanted memberships.
The trial is a critical moment for federal regulators, who are increasingly concerned with how digital design affects consumer welfare. It is part of a broader, bipartisan push to hold Big Tech accountable for practices that have gone largely unregulated for years. A ruling against Amazon could force widespread changes in how online subscriptions are sold and managed.
Amazon is fighting back, arguing that the “Iliad” process is a thing of the past and that the company has made significant strides in simplifying the user experience. The defense will likely portray the FTC’s case as an overreach based on outdated information. The jury’s decision, expected in about four weeks, will have major implications for the e-commerce giant and the digital economy as a whole.
