The ‘Dark Pattern’ Docket: Amazon’s Prime Service Goes on Trial

Amazon’s Prime service is now on the “dark pattern” docket, as a federal trial begins over allegations that the company used manipulative design to illegally boost its subscriber numbers. The Federal Trade Commission is arguing that millions of consumers were duped by a deceptive user interface.
The trial will examine the FTC’s claim that Amazon’s checkout process was engineered to trick customers. The design allegedly made it incredibly easy to subscribe to Prime with a single click, but intentionally made it hard to find the link to proceed without a subscription, a classic “dark pattern” tactic.
The lawsuit also takes aim at the “Iliad” cancellation flow, a system the FTC says was intentionally designed to be a frustrating ordeal. The government claims this was not a user experience flaw but a deliberate business strategy to retain subscribers by making it too difficult for them to leave the service.
This case is a major front in the ongoing regulatory assault on Big Tech. It highlights a growing concern that tech companies are using their sophisticated design capabilities to exploit users. The FTC is seeking both financial penalties and a permanent injunction to halt these practices.
Amazon denies the charges, asserting that its user experience has always been designed to be helpful and informative. The company’s defense is that it was merely presenting a valuable offer in an effective way, not deceiving anyone. A jury will now decide if Amazon’s designs crossed the line from persuasive to illegal.