Jason Boyce, Founder and CEO of Avenue7Media, and co-author of The Amazon Jungle explains INFORM legislation, and the implication if it passes legislation in Virginia.
The goal of INFORM legislation is simple. It would require online marketplaces to verify high-volume, third-party sellers to remove the veil of anonymity that allows bad actors to peddle fake and potentially dangerous products that inundate platforms like Amazon. But throughout 2021, Amazon worked tirelessly to oppose INFORM bills nationwide — from Iowa to Nevada. Meanwhile, the company’s federal lobbyists are reportedly attempting to water down the INFORM bill in Congress, even as it publicly supports the proposal.
At the same time, Amazon has increased spending on its Virginia lobbying operations, racking up a $441,000 tab from May 2018 to April 2021 to influence state policies.
