Next, I'd like a law that requires every service that serves ad's to also have a paid no-ad option.
“Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
491–500 of 890 posts
Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
#492Earlier quoted context omitted.
This behavior is everywhere in the gym industry. It is so bad that the last time I joined a gym, I paid for a year up front with a physical check. I told them i don’t have credit or debit cards (lie) and can only pay by check. At the end of the year, I walked away and never got any letters about paying a renewal or anything.
This is the only way to do gym memberships with peace of mind right now. Gym membership cancellation practices are in desperate need of regulation.
A lot of people will say "paying by check is such a hassle! I don't even have checks! It's so 1980s!" But you know what? It's a lot less of a hassle than canceling your membership when paying by credit/debit card.
And if you don't have checks for your checking account, you can get order them online from walmart.com for $10 + shipping. Or, if you still use a bank that has a local branch, you can go into the branch and ask for a single printed check. They cost a couple of bucks.
Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
#493Dark patterns aren't just for cancellations. A couple years back, a friend bought me a one year gift subscription for Britbox[0]. When I tried to activate the gift subscription, the site refused to allow me to do so unless I provided them with a credit card number. Which, from a practical standpoint, makes no sense as it was a gift . I wasn't going to provide these wankers with my credit card number[0], so I then had…
This seems to be a common design pattern on iOS App Store as well. Download a 'free' app and don't let the user use the app in trial mode unless they click a button that gets them to sign up, subscribe, or buy some in app purchase.
Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
#494Dark patterns aren't just for cancellations. A couple years back, a friend bought me a one year gift subscription for Britbox[0]. When I tried to activate the gift subscription, the site refused to allow me to do so unless I provided them with a credit card number. Which, from a practical standpoint, makes no sense as it was a gift . I wasn't going to provide these wankers with my credit card number[0], so I then had…
I am sometimes uncomfortable developing features which I feel arent 100% kosher. For most users they understand what they are buying, but there is a certain segment (lets say 1 in 5) who dont. As the company needs to grow at all costs u can imagine they won't be quick to rectify the situation. Kinda sucks that this is prevalent in our industry.
Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
#495Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not GP, but I've seen it in the Boston area.
Not that the .gov won't happily take in money as a result of the dark pattern they've created but the primary cause of the patterns creation is likely the same old poor coordination, inertia and ineptitude that tends to plague government in wealthy areas with lots of stakeholders. The road is signed probably for 30 because that's what is was historically or that's what they got after evaluating what the confusing web…
that is good people finally realize it.
these conspiracies are abundant!
intentionally creating street traffic in this "clever conspiracy way" and no-option to cancel online, both are real, and detected few years ago.
you see, it is green to discourage people from driving, in this way. yet, technically, they merely destabilize optimum good, not actually being evil.
Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
#496Earlier quoted context omitted.
Just out of curiosity: what would have happened if you had just stopped paying them after sending them an email informing them that you wanted to cancel?
Its the online version so they have my cc on record and charge me monthly. I guess I could have changed my cc to an invalid one but not sure if they have some sort of authentication process before accepting a new one, likely. If that was possible likely they would cancel it after a couple declined charges but you always run the admittedly small risk that they will just send you to collections which is no fun at all.…
You could probably also have let them charge you and then disputed the charges with your credit card company with your email as proof you shouldn't have been charged.
Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
#497Earlier quoted context omitted.
Next time pay for the subscription by check (mail it in). They can’t bill you again automatically.
Is this legal? I assume if they wanted to (which admittedly is unlikely) they could send you to collections for not paying for the renewal that you agreed to when you subscribed.
You’re subscribing for a year or whatever is the fixed period. How is it illegal to pay for it with a physical check?
Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
#498Another dark pattern - "share my data with these" list, on by default, 4000 entries, and you have to uncheck them manually one-by-one or accept.
Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
#499Does this apply to ISPs? If so, this headline is much bigger than it appears. In the US, it can often take a full day to cancel Comcast, Verizon, Spectrum...
There are horror stories that require follow up over multiple days.
If only laws could fight the administrative burden of insurance companies, healthcare providers, credit bureaus...
Re: “Click to subscribe, call to cancel” is illegal, FTC says
#500Same 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.
I was kinda shocked by The Guardian to be honest with you - I had a similar experience when I came to cancel my subscription to The Guardian Weekly, which is an excellent magazine. In the end I just told my bank to stop the direct debit - I had a few what seemed like automated payment emails from The Guardian telling me that my payments had failed and to update my payment choices - but other than that I considered my…
Careful; if you don't go through their unsubscribe process, they can consider the contract still valid, and collect on the legally-still-valid subscription through liens and paycheck garnishments.