Live data from Hacker News

FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

ftc.gov

131–140 of 793 posts

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#131
post #74

Nice. I canceled a service recently and I had to "continue to cancel" and click on other such "confirmations" such that I think I proceeded through 7-8 pages before my subscription was actually canceled. Truly manipulative and obtuse. That was Spotify btw. I should have recorded the process, as it was nearly comedic (if it weren't so hostile).

Amazon is the worst in this regard.

What about Adobe?

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/06/...

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#132

I wonder how this would work for gyms? They should clean up their act anyway. If other customers are like me I’ve been putting off joining for over a year because they’re so scammy and I don’t want to get locked in. I even went to sign up and walked out because the price ended up being double what they advertised with weird fees and the base plan not being useable once they explain it.

If you can sign up for the gym online, then you need to be able to cancel online. That's how this rule is meant to work for all kinds of merchants. Gyms would still be free to pull their usual car-salesman shenanigans on cancellation if they're willing to only take new subscriptions on location and not online, too.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#133
post #56

> will require sellers to make it as easy for consumers to cancel their enrollment as it was to sign up. I am very curious what exactly this means? Is it the number of pages or forms you had to fill out? People you had to talk too? So if for my internet I had to have someone come out to install it before service would start could they argue that they require someone to physically come out to turn off service? Or a ca…

> I really wish they just required what Apple requires on the App Store. It requires 2 clicks, clicking cancel and then confirm. No upselling since it all happens within Apple's Settings.

It's complicated.

If all anti-piracy measures were enforced successfully, such as they are on Apple platforms; if there were insurmountable paywalls everywhere; but, subscriptions were cheaper, would you be better off? What about the average person? What is the right policy?

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This feels like one of those things that could be solved on the payment end with something like a unique payment ID for each subscription, rather than giving a CC number. Then you just enable or disable payment IDs (perhaps for a limited time, e.g., "create a payment ID that works for Netflix for the next three months but not after that"), rather than relying on vendors to decide whether they feel like charging you o…

The problem, is that not paying does not get you out of the legal obligation to pay. Most companies won't follow up because the cost isn't worth it, but there are definitely organizations that will go after you or sell your debts to collection agencies... The marginal cost to a gym/ISP of the remaining duration of your contract is basically zero, especially if you're not going to use it, and they can get a few more d…

Yes. The problem is the current law. Which needs to be changed. Make these predatory contracts illegal.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#136
post #28

There are so many things like this that have needed fixing for such a long time. The fact that something is happening, even slowly, is so heartening. If your reaction is wondering if this is legal then you should be interested in the passing of new laws that make it unequivocally legal. Society should be able to govern itself.

This feels like one of those things that could be solved on the payment end with something like a unique payment ID for each subscription, rather than giving a CC number. Then you just enable or disable payment IDs (perhaps for a limited time, e.g., "create a payment ID that works for Netflix for the next three months but not after that"), rather than relying on vendors to decide whether they feel like charging you o…

you're describing virtual credit cards with controls, like amount, vendor, time of month, etc. it's an awesome service that limits your widespread exposure to one company vs. everyone you've every bought anything from.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#137

I wonder how this would work for gyms? They should clean up their act anyway. If other customers are like me I’ve been putting off joining for over a year because they’re so scammy and I don’t want to get locked in. I even went to sign up and walked out because the price ended up being double what they advertised with weird fees and the base plan not being useable once they explain it.

That's why the only gyms I've signed up for have been YMCAs, because I know I can cancel my membership there without hassle.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#138
post #74

Nice. I canceled a service recently and I had to "continue to cancel" and click on other such "confirmations" such that I think I proceeded through 7-8 pages before my subscription was actually canceled. Truly manipulative and obtuse. That was Spotify btw. I should have recorded the process, as it was nearly comedic (if it weren't so hostile).

Amazon is the worst in this regard.

every single time you buy something it's a minefield to avoid subscribing to prime.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#139

I wonder how this would work for gyms? They should clean up their act anyway. If other customers are like me I’ve been putting off joining for over a year because they’re so scammy and I don’t want to get locked in. I even went to sign up and walked out because the price ended up being double what they advertised with weird fees and the base plan not being useable once they explain it.

[flagged]

Where did you get this notion from? The FTC was founded in 1914 and has broad authority over trade and consumer services of all kinds.

Re: FTC announces "click-to-cancel" rule making it easier to cancel subscriptions

#140
post #5

Does the FTC actually have the power to set rules like this effectively now that Chevron deference isn't a thing? I'd imagine e.g. the New York Times, among others, will quickly sue to stop this, no?

How exactly do you think the lack of the Chevron deference impacts the FTC here? It's like asking whether Congress has the power to enact laws now that judicial review is a thing

Since Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (2024), the judiciary does not need to defer to federal agencies when the statute is ambiguous. In fact, the judiciary can completely ignore the expertise of the federal agency and substitute their own. The overturning of Chevron deference enables the judiciary to first find that the FTC's authority for this rule is grounded in an ambiguous statute and then decide the FTC went beyond their authority.

While I wouldn't be totally surprised to see this argument, Commissioner Holyoak's dissenting statement doesn't raise it. Instead she purports 1) the FTC didn't properly follow the rule making requirements and 2) the rule is overbroad.

Post reply on HN