FTC probes Amazon, Google over ad pricing transparency
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating Amazon and Google for possibly misleading advertisers about how their search ads are priced and shown.
The main questions: Did Amazon clearly share how its ad auctions work? And did Google quietly hike ad prices without telling advertisers?
This probe is part of a bigger push to keep tech giants honest about their digital advertising practices.
Why this matters: Online ads and our choices
Online ads are everywhere, shaping what we see—and what brands pay to reach us.
With Google leading the pack and Amazon is the third-largest online advertising company, transparency matters for fair competition and trust.
If big players bend the rules or hide costs, it can drive up prices for businesses and mess with what shows up in your search results.
The FTC's move signals that even tech giants have to play by the rules—good news if you care about fairness online.