Amazon Prime faces class action lawsuit over additional fee for ad-free streaming

WASHINGTON (TND) — An Amazon Prime subscriber filed a lawsuit against the streaming giant claiming it is misleading them by charging an additional fee to stream movies and TV shows without ads.

A proposed class action lawsuit filed in California federal court states it is a breach of contract, violates state consumer protection laws and acts as false advertising.

In an email to U.S. members in December, the company saidmembers who wanted to keep their movies and TV shows ad-free would have to pay an additional $2.99.

The ads, the company said, "will allow us to continue investing in compelling content and keep increasing that investment over a long period of time."

"For years, people purchased and renewed their Amazon Prime subscriptions believing that they would include ad-free streaming," the lawsuit states. "But last month, Amazon changed the deal. To stream movies and TV shows without ads, Amazon customers must now pay an additional $2.99 per month This is not fair, because these subscribers already paid for the ad-free version; these subscribers should not have to pay an additional $2.99/month for something that they already paid for."

Wilbert Napolean, who is a resident of California, filed the lawsuit that "brings this case for himself and for other Amazon Prime customers," according to the suit.

The lawsuit also calls Amazon's conduct, "immoral, unethical, oppressive, unscrupulous and substantially injurious to consumers."

The full lawsuit can be read below: