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

ftc.gov

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

#201

Post by lanternfish »

Uehreka wrote: post #190

When people try and say that regulating stuff like this is impossible, I often think about how unreasonably great the regulations around “Unsubscribe” links in emails are. There really seems to be no loophole or workaround despite there being huge incentive for there to be one. Every time I click an “Unsubscribe” link in an email (it seems like they’re forced to say “Unsubscribe” and not use weasel words to hide the…

I think a huge part of this is that email providers use the functional existence of that link to screen spam.

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

#202

Post by coldpie »

NotPractical wrote: post #153
coldpie wrote: post #4

Passed 3-2 along party lines. Remember this when you're going to vote. Elections matter.

Not surprised that you're being downvoted despite telling the truth, because "politics is off-topic while technology is on-topic" (even though politics is often deeply intertwined with technology).

I'm not being downvoted, quite the opposite :) HN mods sometimes stick comments towards the bottom of a thread, probably when they feel it will invite flame wars. Not an unfair thing to do, tbh, I don't disagree with the policy. But I still think it's worth making the comment.

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

#203

Post by hangonhn »

bilsbie wrote: post #101

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.

I cancelled my membership at 24 Hours Fitness back in the early 2000s. They informed me that because of how their system works it can take a few weeks to process the cancelation and I will get charged for another month. This is such BS and obviously a scam. When the charge appeared on my credit card, I just disputed it with evidence of cancelation and that was that.

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

#204

Post by dghlsakjg »

macinjosh wrote: post #44
llamaimperative wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Of course Republican commissioners are going to vote "no" if the FTC is handing out popular rulings like candy just before the election. What? Why is that defensible? Make life worse/keep life bad for Americans so we have a better chance in an election? Do you hear yourself?

Why is it defensible for an administration to wait until the last days of their term, right around election time, to do their job?

The FTC under the current administration has been going gangbusters the entire term.

On what basis do you make the accusation that the administration has been sandbagging their own policy changes?

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

#206

Post by pbhjpbhj »

datadrivenangel wrote: post #107
rachofsunshine wrote: post #99

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…

Cancelling of a subscription payment, without simultaneously notifying eg continuation (such as through an alternate payment means), is a clear and unequivocal indication of termination of the agreement for which the payment was being made.

A company has a simple avenue to avoid inadvertent cancellation, they just ask the customer "did you mean to cancel, please contact us by $date to continue your subscription".

But that's preferring the citizen over business interests.

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

#207

Post by dghlsakjg »

namaria wrote: post #100
schmookeeg wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Came to say this too, basically. The FTC is currently a bright candle in the swamp. I think we need a word for this work. Maybe disenshittification? :)

Regulation

Governing is another one!

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

#208

Post by admissionsguy »

llamaimperative wrote: post #124
admissionsguy wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my world, you generate a single purpose card number for each subscription, or block the company at the bank level. My world is all about personal responsibility.

> In my world, you generate a single purpose card number for each subscription, or block the company at the bank level. You know this isn't a legal way to terminate a contractual agreement with a company, right?

You would presumably notify the company about the cancellation, wouldn't you. Unprofessional not to do so. However the ability of a company to not accept cancellation sent by, say, email, is not possible without the government acting to enforce such restrictions.

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

#209

Post by aspenmayer »

nerdjon wrote: 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…

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2024/10/click-can...

> If people originally signed up for your program in person, you can offer them the opportunity to cancel in person if they want to, but you can’t require it. Instead, you need to offer a way for people to cancel online or on the phone.

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