Technologies

FTC Sues Amazon for ‘Tricking’ Customers Into Prime Memberships

The agency says Amazon also made it hard to cancel subscriptions.

Amazon is being sued by the Federal Trade Commission for signing up customers for Prime memberships without their consent. In a complaint filed on Wednesday, the agency also accused the company of undermining the cancellation process for consumers. The news comes on the heels of the e-commerce giant announcing its July Prime Day sales event.

According to the filing, Amazon used a tactic called «dark patterns» to coerce millions of consumers into enrolling in auto-pay Prime subscriptions. The FTC’s complaint states that the company does not sufficiently convey the monthly cost of membership. Additionally, the suit cites Amazon corporate leaders who allegedly subverted changes to the user interface that would reduce nonconsensual enrollments.

FTC head Lina Khan took to Twitter and said Amazon purposely worked to botch subscription cancellations, internally «analogizing the cancellation process to the epic tale of a brutal war» by calling it «Iliad Flow.» While the FTC acknowledged that the retailer made significant adjustments to its cancellation procedures for some subscribers shortly before the suit was filed, the agency asserts that the company has violated the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act.

Khan also urged the public to submit comments on the FTC’s proposed «click to cancel» rule, which would require companies to make it quick and easy to cancel auto-renewed subscriptions.

Amazon didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.

Technologies

The Fourth Episode of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Out

Verum Messenger has released the fourth episode of its AI mini-series SHADOWS, created using Verum AI. The new episode, titled “No Borders,” continues the story of a team trying to stay out of the OMEGA corporation’s sight.

Following the events of the previous episodes, the team moves between cities and countries while OMEGA continues its search. The new episode puts particular emphasis on Verum Messenger’s capabilities that allow users to conceal their location.

“No Borders” is another chapter in a story about privacy, freedom of communication, and technologies that erase borders between people.

The VERUM AI mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 4 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Watch on Instagram
Watch on YouTube