Jeff Bezos Faces Intense Questioning by FTC Over Alleged Use of Signal App

The founder of Amazon.com Inc., Jeff Bezos, is facing intense questioning by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over his alleged use of the encrypted messaging app Signal and its auto-delete feature. Last week, the FTC accused Bezos and other top Amazon executives of intentionally deleting Signal messages that could be relevant to an ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the company.

In newly reported transcripts from the complaint, Bezos mostly denied or refused to answer the agency’s questions. However, he indicated that he may have continued to use Signal and the auto-delete function until 2022 for sensitive company issues unrelated to the lawsuit.

Bezos admitted to receiving a document-preservation notice regarding the FTC’s investigation but refrained from confirming whether Signal messages were included in the notice. He stated that he couldn’t recall the precise timing of receiving the notice or the legal advice from Amazon’s lawyers regarding Signal.

Despite receiving legal advice on document preservation in both 2020 and 2021, Bezos continued to use Signal’s disappearing messaging feature until 2022. In response, Bezos stated that he wouldn’t have taken such action, emphasizing his adherence to the guidance of legal counsel.

The FTC probe comes at a time when Amazon had a strong first quarter in 2024, with net sales of $143.3 billion, marking a 13% increase compared to the previous year. The potential impact of the FTC investigation on Amazon’s various businesses is being questioned, with some perceiving it as an attempt by the federal government to “make a lot of noise” by singling out companies like Amazon.

It remains to be seen how this investigation will unfold and what implications it may have for Amazon and its founder, Jeff Bezos. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.