More and more video streaming platforms are playing ads, and at least one person thinks that’s illegal. An Amazon subscriber from California is seeking a class action lawsuit for himself and other customers, accusing the tech giant of false advertising and deceptive practices after ads started to play by default on Prime Video.
Plaintiff, Wilbert Napoleon, filed the lawsuit for himself and other consumers who subscribed to Amazon Prime before Dec. 28, 2023. Napoleon is seeking a minimum of $5 million along with an injunction from a judge that would ban Amazon from continuing to play ads on Prime Video.
The lawsuit calls Amazon’s actions “immoral” and “unethical.” It said it’s unfair that Prime users must now pay an additional $2.99 monthly to stream shows without ads since they had been paying for an ad-free version before the recent change. The suit is seeking damages and an end to the practice.
“For years, people purchased and renewed their Amazon Prime subscriptions believing that they would include ad-free streaming,” the lawsuit said. “But last month, Amazon changed the deal. To stream movies and TV shows without ads, Amazon customers must now pay an additional $2.99 per month… This is not fair, because these subscribers already paid for the ad-free version; these subscribers should not have to pay an additional $2.99/month for something that they already paid for.”
In response to the media’s request for comment, Amazon said, “We are unable to comment on pending litigation.”
