Publishers, Amazon move to dismiss bookstores’ class action
In the US, the big six publishers and Amazon have filed separate motions to dismiss the class action lawsuit filed by three bookstores earlier this year, reports Publishers Weekly. In a joint filing, the publisher defendants said that the bookstores’ claims are unfounded and are designed ‘to draw the publishers into their dispute with Amazon’s unilateral design of the Kindle ecosystem’. The publishers stated that there is no ‘agreement between Amazon and any of the publishers—let along each of them’ where a requirement for ‘device-specific digital rights management [DRM] can be plausibly inferred’. Similarly, Amazon argued that the bookstores’ claim that the retailer has conspired with the publishers to lock consumers into reading ebooks on the Amazon Kindle is ‘devoid of even the most basic allegations of such a conspiracy’. Instead, Amazon said that the ‘plaintiffs’ true grievance is that Amazon is attracting consumers with low prices and popular products’ and that the bookstores’ complaint in fact demonstrates ‘that Amazon’s innovations have both revolutionised the book industry and resulted in undeniable consumer benefits’. ‘In short, Amazon has not hindered competition, it has promoted it,’ said the retailer. The parties now have until 18 April to reply to the motions, with oral arguments on the motions due on 25 April.
Category: International news
