A federal trial has kicked off to determine if Amazon intentionally built a digital maze for customers trying to cancel their Prime subscriptions. The U.S. government is suing the company, alleging that its “labyrinthine” cancellation process, codenamed “Iliad,” was an illegal tactic to trap consumers.
The lawsuit, brought by the Federal Trade Commission, argues that this difficult exit was the final piece of a deceptive strategy. The first piece involved “dark patterns” at checkout, where manipulative designs allegedly tricked millions of users into signing up for the service in the first place.
The FTC contends that the “Iliad” process was a calculated business decision designed to reduce subscriber loss by creating an intentionally poor user experience. The complaint details a frustrating journey through multiple pages and confusing options, all meant to make the user give up.
This trial is a high-stakes confrontation between the U.S. government and one of its most powerful corporations. It reflects a growing determination in Washington to enforce consumer protection laws in the tech sector. A loss for Amazon could result in massive fines and a complete overhaul of its subscription practices.
Amazon is fighting the lawsuit, arguing that its subscription process has always been transparent and that the FTC’s claims are outdated and exaggerated. The company’s lawyers will argue that it has made continuous improvements to its user interface to enhance clarity. The trial is expected to last about four weeks.