The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 17 states filed a complaint against Amazon on Tuesday, accusing it of “anti-competitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly” in online commerce, according to a press release from the federal agency. reports AFP and Reuters.

The Federal Trade Commission, which is also responsible for consumer protection, already has several ongoing investigations and complaints against the platform on topics ranging from data privacy to business practices.

“The FTC and its government partners allege that Amazon’s actions allow it to prevent competitors and sellers from undercutting prices, reduce quality for buyers, raise prices for sellers, stifle innovation, and prevent competitors from competing fairly with Amazon,” the agency said in a statement. .

The FTC said it has asked the court for a permanent injunction to stop Amazon.com from doing illegal activities.

The FTC said Amazon, founded in 1994, penalized sellers who tried to offer prices lower than Amazon’s, making it harder for consumers to find a seller on Amazon’s platform.

Other allegations include that Amazon favored its own products on its platforms over competitors’ products that were also on the platform.