Amazon's 'dark patterns' could cost it $50 million
Amazon is in hot water after being sued for allegedly using "dark patterns"—design tricks that nudge people into signing up for Prime without really meaning to.
The lawsuit says Amazon makes it super easy to join Prime but hides the cancelation option deep in confusing menus, which the lawsuit claims has led to user frustration and confusion over unwanted memberships.
Internal docs show employees called it an 'unspoken cancer'
Internal documents reveal some Amazon employees actually called these tricky processes an "unspoken cancer," but the company didn't make changes, apparently to keep subscription numbers up.
Now, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating.
If the court rules against Amazon in Seattle, it could force not just them—but other companies too—to make their subscription sign-ups and cancelations way more straightforward.