Live data from Hacker News

The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

theverge.com

81–90 of 225 posts

Re: The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

#81

That symmetrical registration/cancellation is being slow-walked like this is absurd (but under this admin, certainly not surprising).

> but under this admin, certainly not surprising

Services have been making it hard to cancel subscriptions for many years, under many parties and administrations. Many things are Trump's fault, this is not one of them.

Re: The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

#82
post #35

Visa/Mastercard have enough power to enforce this on their own. Although obviously regulation would've been better. If a bunch of elected officials wrote letters to execs and a couple of NYT articles were written about the issue, Visa/Mastercard might be motivated to help.

They absolutely don't have the power to excuse debt. Just because a company can't charge your credit card, doesn't mean you don't still owe them money on paper.

Visa/Mastercard can demand merchants meet certain standards of consumer care in order to participate in their networks.

No consumer business can operate without access to those card networks.

Re: The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

#83

That symmetrical registration/cancellation is being slow-walked like this is absurd (but under this admin, certainly not surprising).

> but under this admin, certainly not surprising Services have been making it hard to cancel subscriptions for many years, under many parties and administrations. Many things are Trump's fault, this is not one of them.

Choosing not to enforce the click to cancel rule is not Trump's fault? How so?

Re: The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

#84
post #72

I wish businesses would realize this actually hurts their sales. I’ve put off joining a gym for years because I don’t want the hassle of I want to cancel. Also I never do free trials assuming they’ll be hard to cancel.

It doesn’t though. They’ve done the math and the profit gained by adding friction to cancel outweighs the loss of business

Re: The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

#85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s almost as if the previous administration was focussed more on the former, and the current administration more on the latter. I guess you get the government you vote for.

[flagged]

I think your comment is pedantic; while I appreciate pedantry, it's a bit absurd. It's a democracy; 'we' get what 'we' voted to have.

Re: The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

#87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's absurd if you believe the point of government is to be by, for, and of the people. If you see government as a way to enhance the ability of the owner class to enrich themselves, it makes perfect sense.

It’s almost as if the previous administration was focussed more on the former, and the current administration more on the latter. I guess you get the government you vote for.

Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what to have for lunch.

Re: The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

#88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you actually want there to be a big "Cancel" button in the top right corner of every subscribed service? I personally don't want that. Click to cancel? Sure. But perfectly symmetrical is not something I need and in many cases not something I want.

I want the big cancel button

I think realistically three clicks would be fine.

Click to settings Click to cancel Click to confirm cancel

Usually signing up takes more effort than that! I didn't even have to type anything.

Re: The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

#89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

I think your comment is pedantic; while I appreciate pedantry, it's a bit absurd. It's a democracy; 'we' get what 'we' voted to have.

As an appreciator of pedantry, what do you say to those who claim it's more of an "oligarchy" than a "democracy" in the United States these days?

Re: The FTC puts off enforcing its 'click-to-cancel' rule

#90
It seems like delaying enforcement of anti-scam(ish) behaviors like this increases the average profitability of scam(ish) behaviors, and therefore creates an incentive to engage in scam(ish) behaviors in the first place.

It seems (to me) as if such behaviors were stamped out more rapidly not only would fewer customers be affected, there would be less incentive to try the scam(ish) behaviors in the first place.

Post reply on HN