FTC and 22 States Sue Amazon Over Alleged Hidden Ad Charges
The Federal Trade Commission and 22 states have filed a civil lawsuit against Amazon, alleging the company added undisclosed charges to its advertising system.
2 reports on this incident · first at Sep 7, 2026, 2:17 p.m. ET
Earlier reports
Sep 7, 2026, 2:17 p.m. ETFirst report
FTC and 22 States Sue Amazon Over Alleged Hidden Ad Charges
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 22 states have filed a civil lawsuit against Amazon, accusing the company of raising advertising costs through hidden charges, according to a report by jdjournal.com.
The FTC alleges that in 2019, the company added an undisclosed charge called a 'soft reserve price,' which made advertisers pay more than expected while the system was still described as a second-price auction. The lawsuit seeks monetary relief for more than $20 billion in harm, as reported by jdjournal.com.
The case is a civil matter in district court, and the allegations are as stated in the litigation release. The case is ongoing, and no court decision has been made.
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Sources
- FTC Lawsuit Accuses Amazon of Hidden Ad Chargesjdjournal.com
Revision history
- Version 17 Sept 2026, 18:17current
First published.
- Version 17 Sept 2026, 18:21current
First published.
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