Will Prime Video Remove Ads After Legal Hiccup?

In 2024, Amazon introduced advertising on its paid Prime Video service, ending its long-standing ad-free model and prompting users to pay an additional fee. They rolled it out in multiple countries, but there has been a legal issue in Germany. The platform charged an extra €2.99 per month to avoid ads.

The Munich Regional Court in Germany has ruled the move unlawful, finding that Amazon failed to obtain proper user consent before changing existing contracts.

The court held that adding ads amounted to a “significant deterioration” of the Prime subscription, as ad-free viewing was considered a core feature of the service, even if not explicitly advertised.

Judges also criticised Amazon’s email to customers, calling it misleading because it suggested no action was required despite the contractual change. As a result, Amazon was found to have violated Germany’s Unfair Competition Act.

While Amazon is not required to issue refunds or remove ads immediately, it must stop using misleading communication and send corrective notices. Amazon has disagreed with the ruling and is considering an appeal.

In such a scenario, we have to see if the legal issue creates furthermore troubles for the platform in India. We have to see if the platform decides to remove the apps.