Amazon Faces Consumer Antitrust Suit Over eBook Pricing (1)

Amazon was hit with an antitrust lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan Thursday claiming the online retail giant enforces a web of “most favored nation” agreements with the publishing industry’s “big five” that drive up the cost of eBooks across the internet.

“In a competitive market, the big five could sell eBooks at a lower price on their own websites or through” competing websites with “lower commissions and fees,” but they have agreed not to accept less for eBooks anywhere than they get on Amazon, the lawsuit says.

“Because of Amazon’s market power in the retail eBook market, these contractual ...