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New York City to ban deceptive subscription practices

theguardian.com

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Re: New York City to ban deceptive subscription practices

#71

Post by kulahan »

CSMastermind wrote: post #67

Is this something that cities can really enforce? Like I get that NYC is a bit of an exception but let's say a 5 person town in Wyoming decides that they want to make this practice illegal and they all vote to do so. It's not clear to me that would mean anything at all.

Your question answers exactly how enforceable it is. It’s directly linked to your population size and how much it can hurt the wallet of the company.

Edit: but also, who cares? Literally no solution to anything on earth works for EVERYONE

Re: New York City to ban deceptive subscription practices

#72

Post by pkaye »

Rebelgecko wrote: post #19
teaearlgraycold wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least in CA they need to disclose them now. Previously some restaurants would just hit you with a surprise mandatory tip.

Usually by the time people are seated and you read the fine print on the back of the menu, inertia has taken over.

Some people say they use the fine print as a reminder to cut back on the tips proportionally.

Re: New York City to ban deceptive subscription practices

#73

Post by criddell »

xp84 wrote: post #45

I wonder if the bit about 'junk fees' will include undisclosed hotel fees. I just stayed there last week in a no-frills "hotel" which doesn't include daily room cleaning, has no staff at night, and has no amenities whatsoever, and they charged me a surprise-at-check-in $35 a night resort fee. This fee was not described in the booking.

That hotel may have broken an FTC rule that's been in effect for about a year now.

> Effective May 12, 2025, the FTC’s Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, 16 C.F.R. Part 464, prohibits bait-and-switch pricing and other tactics used to obscure and misrepresent total prices and fees for live-event tickets and short-term lodging.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/rule-unfair-...

Re: New York City to ban deceptive subscription practices

#76

Post by browski »

gumby wrote: post #16

These rules are great but “landmark” seems like puffery, as California has had such rules for quite a while. Ironically that has meant it’s hard to unsubscribe from the New York Times except in California.

Outsiders need to append a "for NYC".

They didn't here because for them as representatives of NYC that's all they are speaking to.

Technical pedantry like this just displays poor language and social skills.

Re: New York City to ban deceptive subscription practices

#77

Post by puchatek »

summarybot wrote: post #59
bkeyes wrote: post #57

Funny this should come up today. I just got a notice from my credit card company that Evernote just charged my credit card after 2 'successful' cancellations of my subscription each of the last 2 years, and the complete deletion of my account several months ago. Hopefully these will become more widespread - I'm not in NY or CA.

Sharks will keep eating easy prey until they hit an iron bar. I also hate this fact about the world by the way :) Just a [hardwon] observation.

People who forget to cancel are easy prey.

Cancelling then being charged anyway is something else. Something akin to being robbed IMHO.

Re: New York City to ban deceptive subscription practices

#79

Post by seattle_spring »

tamimio wrote: post #78

Should ban the tips if it’s not included in “hidden fees”, and force restaurants to pay proper wages like other workers.

The "and" is very important here. Places like Seattle now mandate servers get a real wage. It inexplicably hasn't changed tip culture at all, so now they get regular wages and still complain when someone doesn't tip 20%+ for a takeout order.

Re: New York City to ban deceptive subscription practices

#80

Post by Apocryphon »

drcongo wrote: post #6

Any chance you could lend Mamdani to the UK? We have a vacancy.

Hasn’t Sadiq Khan been a similar story, from a Muslim immigrant family turned popular mayor of the nation’s largest city? Though from what I understand he’s from the more business-oriented center-left, in contrast with Mamdani.
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