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

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541–550 of 793 posts

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

#541

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…

And can I point out how unreasonably difficult it is to prevent physical/paper spam? It blows my mind that our email laws are more restrictive than physical mail.

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

#542

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've started receiving emails that say 'reply "unsubscribe" to stop receiving emails' rather than have an unsubscribe link. This just started happening a few months ago, so I think this is a workaround that someone figured out.

I've started blocking all of them and sending straight to spam.

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

#543

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should email them and tell them they're not in compliance with that regulation. IBM will have lawyers who care, so you might be able to stop that spam not just for yourself but for everyone.

Even better, just report them to he FTC; they could (but probably won't) be liable for up to $50,000 per email.

It would be nicer if individuals had a cheap and accessible way to initiate civil action against spammers with "broken" unsubscribe flows, or those who work around the law. I'd love a service where I could forward them all my spam and then a few days or weeks later receive $100 from each spammer for each unwanted E-mail. Obviously it wouldn't work for spam that crossed borders, but it would at least help stop domestic spam.

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

#544
post #443

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is insane and wrong. The Supreme Court is explicitly not supposed to represent the will of the people. You’re advocating nothing less than a type of coup. And against my best judgement, I’ll add that in it was roe v wade itself that was essentially judges creating law (shoehorning abortion rights into a right to privacy is a stretch).

I'm advocating for a balance of powers. Which is why I'm quoting a precedented action by a president. Right now the SCOTUS is grabbing a lot of power for itself that has been delegated to the executive branch by congress in accordance with Chevron deference. You call out yourself that the judges are essentially creating law. (presidential immunity and abortion both are just bonkers decisions based on thoughts and fee…

Chevron deference wasn't created by Congress, it was created by SCOTUS to begin with. It was an interpretive rule that essentially said the courts should favor the interpretation of the executive branch over that of members of the public wanting to challenge it. Under both the previous and current rule, if Congress doesn't like the resulting interpretation they can pass a new bill.

The main difference is that now unelected judges decide how to interpret the law instead of unelected administrative officials. But that's what judges do.

What this is really about is that nobody wants to get blamed for what happens. So Congress passes purposely ambiguous laws and then deflects blame onto the courts for interpreting them one way or the other. The courts didn't like that so they said they'd defer to administrative agencies. It turns out the administrative agencies did like that, because they have almost no direct accountability and the only elected ticket in the executive branch has a term limit and frequently switches parties, so it was easy for them to participate in the revolving door and line their pockets.

Now the courts are going to go back to doing their job, so naturally now they get the blame for Congress passing ambiguous laws again, and the people profiting from the status quo are railing against it as if the courts are doing something wrong instead of doing what they ought to have been doing the whole time.

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

#545

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately political parties have more of a free pass on this as Republicans sued providers for their emails getting caught up in spam filters around 2022 (Who would've thought continuosly emailing people who click unsubscribe on your emails who then start reporting as spam would get you put on spam lists). Now political parties (and some bulk providers) have special tools to bypass rejection with some providers a…

I'm actually amazed at this because it seems to be the first time he Democrats are actually taking advantage of all the loopholes the Republicans made, rather than trying to take the high road.

I received well over 1000 SMS messages in 2020 from the Biden campaign. Replying 'STOP' worked... for that one number but since they were using a huge army of volunteers to SMS out messages, asking them to stop was pointless as there was a seemingly endless number of others sending out messages. Legal or not, it wasn't ethical. It only started after I updated my voter registration because I moved between counties. The online form had telephone number as a mandatory field but I didn't realize that would be released to political campaigns.

Trump and Biden both spammed my physical mailbox with the usual slick mailers, though the Biden campaign had an interesting twist in that I kept getting what appeared to be hand written postcards from people in metro Atlanta where I lived but every single one of those post cards was postmarked San Francisco. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and think maybe the postcards were written in bulk by the actual people in the Atlanta area and then sent to some Biden associated organization in SF, who then paid the postage for all the individual postcards to go out.

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

#546
post #452

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Everyone should be educated to never give their number or email to a political campaign of any sort.

How do you propose political engagement could work if nobody were willing to provide contact details?

I'm quite capable of seeking out information from political candidates instead of them spamming me.

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

#547

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm actually amazed at this because it seems to be the first time he Democrats are actually taking advantage of all the loopholes the Republicans made, rather than trying to take the high road.

It's not the first time, you're just patronizing the news outlets that tell you when the Republicans do something untoward but not when the Democrats do instead of the ones that do the opposite. Also, as a general rule politicians will carve themselves an exemption to any rules they put on everyone else. For example, CAN SPAM applies to commercial email.

No, from Super PACS (they were the Citizens United in _Citizens United_) to gerrymandering the Republicans do it first and worst. It's not even close. It's nice to think "both sides" but it's misinformed.

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

#548

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…

Why do unsubscribe-regulations work so well? What is the punishment for not complying and is enforcement particularly swift?

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

#549

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://imgur.com/a/ldhiEtf There is no fine print. It is extremely clear and obvious. If you see a term called "Annual paid monthly", 33% less expensive than a monthly option right above, what possible other interpretation can someone have?

I'm glad you're bringing screenshots to the conversation because so often people just talk about what they feel without grounding it in anything. What the screenshot makes clear is that you'd have to be a single-celled organism to not understand what you're signing up for... The screen is extremely clear, upfront and even the supposed "fine print" is in huge font with any easy link to learn more.

[deleted]

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

#550

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you propose political engagement could work if nobody were willing to provide contact details?

I'm quite capable of seeking out information from political candidates instead of them spamming me.

But you might not be angry enough!
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