Image source, Getty Images

James Clayton & Tom Espiner

BBC News

US regulators have sued Amazon, alleging that the internet giant is illegally maintaining monopoly power.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said Amazon uses "a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies" to push up prices and stifle competition.

Amazon said the lawsuit was "wrong on the facts and law, and we look forward to making that case in court".

It is the latest technology giant to be sued by US regulators.

The FTC's boss, Lina Khan, has had Amazon in her crosshairs for years.

In 2017, Ms Khan, then only 29, published a major academic article arguing the online retailer had escaped anti-competition scrutiny.

"With its missionary zeal for consumers, Amazon has marched toward monopoly," she said at the time.

Since her surprise appointment as FTC Chair in 2021, this case has been widely expected - and viewed as a crucial test of her leadership.

The dominance of a handful of powerful tech firms has led some US politicians to call for action that would promote more competition in online search, retail and social media.