Amazon has been accused of ‘bricking’ older Fire TV Stick devices to get users to upgrade — and it’s sparked a class action lawsuit
A class action lawsuit accuses Amazon of intentionally slowing down older Fire TV Sticks via software restrictions to push users towards upgrades.Summary
Amazon is facing a class action lawsuit alleging the company deliberately slowed down older Fire TV Stick devices to encourage users to purchase newer models. The lawsuit, filed by Bill Merewhuader, claims Amazon restricted software support for first and second-generation Fire TV Sticks, leading to performance issues and eventual unusability. Merewhuader alleges he was forced to upgrade in 2024 after experiencing problems with devices purchased in 2018, attributing this to Amazon’s practice of “software tethering” – prematurely ending support to force upgrades. The suit further contends that Amazon failed to disclose the limited lifespan of software support when marketing the devices, which were advertised as providing ‘instant’ entertainment. The plaintiff seeks nationwide compensation for affected users and aims to prevent future instances of software tethering, arguing it jeopardizes consumer trust. As of now, Amazon has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
(Source：TechRadar)