Amazon is the latest Big Tech giant to be put on the stand, as a federal trial begins that marks a new era of intense regulatory scrutiny. The lawsuit, brought by the Federal Trade Commission, challenges the very design and business practices that helped make the company’s Prime service a global phenomenon.
This trial is not happening in isolation. It is part of a broad, bipartisan movement in Washington to hold major technology companies accountable for their market power and consumer practices after years of relatively lax oversight. This case focuses on consumer deception rather than antitrust, opening a new front in the battle.
The specific allegations against Amazon—using “dark patterns” to enroll users and a complex “Iliad” process to prevent cancellations—are emblematic of the kinds of practices regulators are now targeting. The focus has shifted to the subtle but powerful ways that digital design can influence and harm consumers.
A victory for the FTC in this case would be a major blow to the tech industry’s “move fast and break things” ethos. It would signal that user interface design is no longer a regulatory blind spot and that companies will be held financially and legally responsible for manipulative tactics.
Amazon’s defense rests on the argument that it is being unfairly targeted for its success. The company contends that its practices are standard for the e-commerce industry and that the government is trying to punish innovation. The outcome of this trial will send a powerful signal about the future of tech regulation in the U.S.