Consumer protection agencies have launched legal actions against Amazon, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, and Meta over unlawful pricing and data breaches. Amazon faces scrutiny for raising Prime subscription fees without customer consent, while Sony’s PlayStation Plus requires explicit approval for price increases. Additionally, Meta is being sued for a data breach affecting six million German users, potentially allowing them to seek compensation. Legal proceedings are ongoing, with class action lawsuits in preparation for affected consumers.
Legal Action Against Major Companies
Consumer protection agencies have initiated legal proceedings against tech giants Amazon, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe, and Meta. These lawsuits address issues including unlawful price hikes and significant data breaches, providing users with a comprehensive update on the current legal landscape.
Unlawful Price Rise of Amazon Prime
In September 2022, Amazon implemented a price increase for its Prime and Prime Video services, raising the annual fee from 69 euros to 89.90 euros and the monthly fee from 7.99 euros to 8.99 euros. Wolfgang Schuldzinski, a board member of the Consumer Center NRW, stated in a press release that the District Court of Düsseldorf ruled the price adjustment clause invalid, emphasizing that such increases cannot occur without explicit customer consent. Although this decision is not yet final, Amazon has the option to appeal. A spokesperson for Amazon mentioned, “We will thoroughly review the ruling and possibly take further legal steps,” as reported by the IT portal Golem.de.
The Consumer Center estimates that members may have overpaid up to 28 euros under the monthly plan and as much as 62.70 euros for the annual subscription. Should the ruling hold, Amazon could face potential refunds totaling in the ‘three-digit million range.’ Plans for a class action lawsuit are underway if refunds are not issued.
In the event of a successful lawsuit, consumers who participate will be reimbursed. As detailed on the Consumer Center’s website, once the lawsuit is filed, the Federal Office of Justice will open a lawsuit register, allowing affected individuals to join the case.
Additionally, the lawsuit register for a class action initiated by the Consumer Center Saxony against Amazon has been open since last May, focusing on a monthly refund of 2.99 euros for subscribers opting out of additional advertising.
Price Increase Consent Required for PlayStation Plus
Recent rulings have also emerged regarding the PlayStation Plus subscription from Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe. It has been established that explicit consent from subscribers is necessary if the company intends to raise prices during an active contract. Jana Brockfeld from the Federal Association of Consumer Centers (vzbv) stated, “The previous price adjustment clause is invalid.” Moreover, the company cannot arbitrarily limit the number or availability of games included in the subscription.
The vzbv’s statement highlighted that Sony had previously claimed the right to change subscription prices unilaterally in its terms of use. The Berlin Court of Appeals ruled that this clause unfairly disadvantages consumers and allows for unpredictable price increases.
Since customers cannot anticipate potential service changes upon entering a contract, having broad authority to alter agreed services is deemed unreasonable. Sony had previously maintained the right to modify the number and availability of games and online features without prior notification. Like the Amazon case, this ruling is also subject to appeal, with Sony challenging the decision at the Federal Court of Justice.
Class Action Lawsuit for Facebook Data Breach
In November 2024, the Federal Court of Justice determined that a loss of control over personal data constitutes damage. In response, the vzbv has filed a class action against Meta due to a significant data breach at Facebook that affected approximately six million users in Germany, as revealed in 2021.
This legal action opens the door for millions of individuals in Germany to seek compensation related to the data breach. Jutta Gurkmann from the vzbv noted in December that affected users are likely entitled to at least 100 euros in compensation. Currently, users cannot join the class action lawsuit as it is still a model declaratory action. The Federal Office of Justice is anticipated to open the lawsuit register early this year, allowing affected individuals to participate.