The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly preparing an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, the latest in regulators’ efforts to reign in Big Tech.
Big Tech has been coming under increased scrutiny in recent years, with critics accusing companies of dominating their respective markets and unfairly using their size and influence to do so. FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan has been a vocal critic of Big Tech, and Amazon in particular, making a possible lawsuit against the company unsurprising.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the FTC is looking at whether Amazon unfairly favors its own products and services, and whether it deals unfairly with third-party sellers. Regulators are also scrutinizing whether Amazon Prime unfairly bundles services to Amazon’s benefit.
The Journal’s sources say it’s unclear whether the FTC will file a suit, and Amazon’s executives have not yet met with individual FTC commissioners to make their case. At this point, the FTC could decide either way on whether to pursue action.