U.S. regulators and 17 states are suing Amazon over allegations the e-commerce behemoth abuses its position in the marketplace to inflate prices on and off its platform, overcharge sellers and stifle competition.
Click here to read the story at apnews.com.
Discussion Questions:
- Who is responsible for protecting consumers in the United States from deceptive advertising and marketing and front unfair methods of competition?
- Why is it important that an organization oversee issues that impact consumers?
- What is a monopoly?
- Are monopolies legal in the United States?
- Do you think Amazon is a monopoly? Why or why not?
- Why are U.S. regulators suing Amazon?
- Why do you think it took years of investigating before filing a lawsuit?
- This news story suggests this is one of the most “significant legal challenges brought against it in its nearly 30-year history.” Why is this so significant?
- Based on what you learned in this news story, how has Amazon publicly responded to the lawsuit?
- The lawsuit alleges Amazon has engaged in anti-competitive practices. How has Amazon allegedly engaged in anti-competive practices?
- How do you think those practices could have impacted consumers?
- If Amazon loses the lawsuit, how might that impact consumers?