Amazon has been sued due to introducing Ads

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Wow, I have my doubts about how far this will go in court.

Amazon Prime Video Slapped With Class Action Lawsuit Over Introduction of Ads | Cord Cutters News

Some Amazon Prime customer were angry enough at Prime Video’s introduction of ads that decided to take legal action. The retail giant is facing a proposed class action lawsuit filed on Friday that alleges it breached its terms of service and misled customers by introducing ads into Prime Video...

cordcuttersnews.com

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/b...mazon-prime-video-ad-tier-lawsuit-1235822779/

The lawsuit alleges Amazon was being deceptive since customers now have to pay the additional $2.99 to get the same feature that was promised to them earlier. A Prime subscription costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year if paid annually.

“Based on Amazon’s advertisements, reasonable consumers who subscribed to Amazon Prime before the change reasonably expected that their Amazon Prime subscription would include ad-free streaming of movies and tv shows for the duration of the subscription,” the lawsuit said, noting that the practices were “deceptive.”

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages as well as a ban prohibiting Amazon from pursuing the “deceptive conduct, as allowed by law.”

 

[GreyLord]

What I dislike FAR more is that I HAVE Amazon Prime streaming. They want to make all this great content and such, but what if we don't even WATCH Prime that much and only have it for the free shipping?

I don't care about these new shows that Amazon is making and don't care about streaming the stuff. Separate the two...

Oh wait, if they did that, the video service probably would cost a LOT more as I'd imagine there are a LOT of those who feel the same way I do.

It's dumb though. I had Amazon Prime BEFORE they had streaming (as far as I know) and by default, I subsidize the streaming part of their business now, even though I really don't care too.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Good. Should be sued for being so full of garbage that you can't find anything good too.

 

[R_J_K75]

If I had to guess, there's probably fine print in the Amazon Prime agreement that customers have to agree to before subscribing protecting Amazon by saying they reserve the right to change the terms of the subscription without notice. I'm sure this will go nowhere.

 

[Yora]

If I had to guess, there's probably fine print in the Amazon Prime agreement that customers have to agree to before subscribing protecting Amazon by saying they reserve the right to change the terms of the subscription without notice. I'm sure this will go nowhere.

I don't know about the US, and I know that in comparison I am living in a socialist utopia. But in Germany, fine print in pre-made contracts that are take it or leave it, won't get you anywhere as a company.
If obvious trickery is involved, then the paragraph in question is void and the rest of the contract stays in place as if the paragraph never existed.

Since the quote from the lawyer includes "reasonable customers did reasonably expect", that case seems to target a similar principle in US law. That's exactly the terms on which laws of this kind are based.

 

[MarkB]

I just wish they'd stop asking whether I want to upgrade to ad-free every time I open the site. Then again, I suppose that counts as one of the ads.

 

[R_J_K75]

I don't know about the US, and I know that in comparison I am living in a socialist utopia. But in Germany, fine print in pre-made contracts that are take it or leave it, won't get you anywhere as a company.
If obvious trickery is involved, then the paragraph in question is void and the rest of the contract stays in place as if the paragraph never existed.

Since the quote from the lawyer includes "reasonable customers did reasonably expect", that case seems to target a similar principle in US law. That's exactly the terms on which laws of this kind are based.

You may very well be right, I'm not a lawyer. I agree that Amazon should honor the original contract for existing customers. I was watching something last week on Prime and the ads were pretty frequent and long.

 

[tomBitonti]

If I had to guess, there's probably fine print in the Amazon Prime agreement that customers have to agree to before subscribing protecting Amazon by saying they reserve the right to change the terms of the subscription without notice. I'm sure this will go nowhere.

Not a lawyer, but I thought there were limits to such terms. A contract that can be changed by one side isn’t much of a contract.

But, changing terms on renewal is fair game. All Amazon needs to do is make the changes effective on the next renewal.

TomB

 

[Bagpuss]

What I dislike FAR more is that I HAVE Amazon Prime streaming. They want to make all this great content and such, but what if we don't even WATCH Prime that much and only have it for the free shipping?

I don't care about these new shows that Amazon is making and don't care about streaming the stuff. Separate the two...

I have the separate, I just pay for the streaming, at £5.99 a month (now with ads).

I get the Prime delivery through a shared account so don't pay for that.

To be fair I watched the whole of the Mr & Mrs Smith series and I think I only saw about 3 or four ads. There wasn't even one per episode.

 

[R_J_K75]

Not a lawyer, but I thought there were limits to such terms. A contract that can be changed by one side isn’t much of a contract.

But, changing terms on renewal is fair game. All Amazon needs to do is make the changes effective on the next renewal.

TomB

Guess time will tell how this will play out.