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“Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

niemanlab.org

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Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

#321

Post by Humdeee »

linspace wrote: post #301
mercy_dude wrote: post #173

Good. The worst experience I ever had was with NY Times when I wanted to unsubscribe I had to go through multiple call/chats with a person and it was almost impossible since it was hard to get in touch with one. I am glad FTC is doing something others are afraid to do.

Ah, lucky you. I read your comment on my phone and came to my desktop to type comfortably my rant. Have you ever tried to cancel a loan? The following story may or not apply to you. It happened in a small country called Spain: Some time ago I bought a car. They offer you a very nice discount if you, instead of paying upfront, finance the purchase. Why? I asked the seller, it makes no sense. He gave me a list of more…

> nice discount if you, instead of paying upfront, finance the purchase

Save $3,000 today so you can spend $12,000 tomorrow!

Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

#322

Post by beckman466 »

wonderwonder wrote: post #264
mercy_dude wrote: post #173

Good. The worst experience I ever had was with NY Times when I wanted to unsubscribe I had to go through multiple call/chats with a person and it was almost impossible since it was hard to get in touch with one. I am glad FTC is doing something others are afraid to do.

Strange that this hit HN today. 2 days ago I wondered what the cancellation policy was for the WSJ and checked. At the time I did not plan on cancelling but after finding out that it was "call to cancel" I called at that moment. I cannot stand the policy where it takes 3 seconds to sign up online but you have to call in to cancel. If I can help it I wont give money to companies that do it. In WSJ defense (barely) it…

> Strange that this hit HN today.

these 'exciting' new dark pattern strategies spread very quickly among firms. many people are suddenly dealing with them. not strange imo

Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

#323

Post by delecti »

Zanfa wrote: post #7

A reasonable legal requirement should be that customers are able to unsubscribe using the same method used to subscribe and the process should not require more time and effort than the initial subscription.

Then you will be happy to learn the content in the article this thread is about.

Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

#324

Post by 0des »

0898 wrote: post #158
kieloo wrote: post #18

Same thing with The Guardian. Subscribed online and was then told I can’t cancel via email and have to endure a pushy sales call if I want to cancel. Similar experience with The Economist except it was via live chat instead. These experiences honestly make me want to never subscribe to a newspaper again.

Fun fact: The Guardian's owner has £1 billion in assets.

That is not relevant. Perhaps on Reddit people are likely to find that to be a persuasive negation of the topic you're not addressing with this remark.

Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

#325

Post by Axien »

aristophenes wrote: post #316

I had to cancel my gym membership because I was moving, and it required me to send a physical letter. I did this, but found out later that somehow I owed like 2 dollars, so they didn’t count my cancellation request because my account wasn’t up to date (should be illegal). They continued to bill me the entire membership fee, but my credit card had changed, so they sent my account to a collections agency. Right when I…

Yup when COVID struck my gym required I cancel in person.

Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

#327

Post by Moeancurly »

aristophenes wrote: post #316

I had to cancel my gym membership because I was moving, and it required me to send a physical letter. I did this, but found out later that somehow I owed like 2 dollars, so they didn’t count my cancellation request because my account wasn’t up to date (should be illegal). They continued to bill me the entire membership fee, but my credit card had changed, so they sent my account to a collections agency. Right when I…

I had this almost exact experience with Philadelphia Rock Gym. They sent a couple emails "threatening" to send my account to collections over $50 I did not authorize them to bill me for (repeatedly said in writing to cancel my account, they kept my membership open anyway). I just ignored them, nothing ever came of it.

Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

#328

Post by user3939382 »

koheripbal wrote: post #293
onionisafruit wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“What’s easier than making a quick phone call? It’s certainly easier than getting internet access, typing a url into a browser address bar, validating a ssl certificate, establishing an http session, authenticating with your credentials then finding and clicking the cancel button.”

Some might try that but one call with the FTC legal team will make any company stop that shit immediately. You don't piss off gov't regulators

> You don't piss off gov't regulators

Yep. If you deal with them you learn quickly that all that “splitting hairs” stuff you see in Hollywood dramas buys you nothing. For a lot of administrative compliance, with the state or Feds, they are judge jury and executioner and the rules are what they say they are. Unless you have a lot of money and influence don’t play games with them.

Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

#329

Post by Axien »

wonderwonder wrote: post #264
mercy_dude wrote: post #173

Good. The worst experience I ever had was with NY Times when I wanted to unsubscribe I had to go through multiple call/chats with a person and it was almost impossible since it was hard to get in touch with one. I am glad FTC is doing something others are afraid to do.

Strange that this hit HN today. 2 days ago I wondered what the cancellation policy was for the WSJ and checked. At the time I did not plan on cancelling but after finding out that it was "call to cancel" I called at that moment. I cannot stand the policy where it takes 3 seconds to sign up online but you have to call in to cancel. If I can help it I wont give money to companies that do it. In WSJ defense (barely) it…

I just canceled the WSJ. It is not terrible. They will try and convince you to cancel but will eventually let you cancel. The worst is SirriusXM Radio.

Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says

#330

Post by wrycoder »

foobarbecue wrote: post #304
wonderwonder wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strange that this hit HN today. 2 days ago I wondered what the cancellation policy was for the WSJ and checked. At the time I did not plan on cancelling but after finding out that it was "call to cancel" I called at that moment. I cannot stand the policy where it takes 3 seconds to sign up online but you have to call in to cancel. If I can help it I wont give money to companies that do it. In WSJ defense (barely) it…

I have wanted to cancel WSJ for over a year now but their process kept me from doing it. I started a few times and then was like I really don't have time for this nonsense right now. I wonder if I do it now if I can get my subscription fees refunded.

You have to be firm and terse. They try to drag you into a sales dialog and offer a much lower rate. Tell them, “I don’t want to discuss why I’m canceling, and I’m not interested in continuing, regardless of your rate.” Just keep repeating that.
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