Amazon reinstates binding arbitration

On August 14, 2026, Amazon reinstated binding arbitration for its U.S. customers, barring them from pursuing class-action lawsuits. The new terms took effect immediately, with continued use of services constituting agreement. Amazon had revoked arbitration five years earlier after facing tens of thousands of costly individual claims, including about 75,000 in 2021 related to Alexa Avilés recordings. The new terms classify 25 or more related arbitration cases within six months as 'mass arbitration', to be resolved in batches of at least 25. Existing disputes and class actions are unaffected. The change makes it harder for customers to address grievances in court, as arbitration is private and typically not public.