Suit against Amazon Prime for Introduction of Advertising
In February, Amazon introduced advertising on its paid streaming service, Prime Video. Only those who pay more can watch series without ads. The Consumer Center in Saxony has filed a class-action lawsuit against this.
Thousands of households in Germany are participating in a class-action lawsuit against Amazon. The reason for the lawsuit is the introduction of advertising on Amazon’s paid streaming service, Prime Video. Since its opening on May 23, 18,534 consumers have registered in the lawsuit registry, the Consumer Center in Saxony announced. Anyone who had an Amazon Prime subscription before February 5th and paid for it can join the lawsuit.
In February, the company began “to a limited extent” to display ads in movies and series on its video streaming service. Those who want to avoid this and continue streaming without ads must subscribe to the additional “Prime Video Ad Free” for 2.99 euros. According to consumer advocates from Saxony, this constitutes a significant change in the contract that requires the active consent of customers.
Amazon Denies Allegations
Companies like Amazon are not untouchable, stated Andreas Eichhorst, the head of the Consumer Center. “Even though fighting against such a powerful provider consumes many resources, we will address it and take a clear stand against such misconduct,” Eichhorst explained. Registration in the lawsuit registry is possible at the Federal Office of Justice. The Consumer Center in Saxony also offers support in this process.
If the class-action lawsuit is successful, affected individuals will receive a refund of 2.99 euros per month, totaling 35.88 euros per year. Amazon had already denied the allegations at the beginning of the year, stating that they had fulfilled all legal obligations.