Federal Trade Commission Announces Final “Click-to-Cancel” Rule - GoFuckYourself.com

cerulean · 10-16-2024, 11:32 AM

Here's the press release:

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news...-end-recurring

And the fact sheet:

https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc...Oct2024-v2.pdf

Quote:

The Federal Trade Commission today announced a final “click-to-cancel” rule that will require sellers to make it as easy for consumers to cancel their enrollment as it was to sign up. Most of the final rule’s provisions will go into effect 180 days after it is published in the Federal Register.

The Commission’s updated rule will apply to almost all negative option programs in any media. The rule also will prohibit sellers from misrepresenting any material facts while using negative option marketing; require sellers to provide important information before obtaining consumers’ billing information and charging them; and require sellers to get consumers’ informed consent to the negative option features before charging them.

I saw this coming a mile away, but I'm not surprised it took this long.

I'm not a lawyer, so I'm not sure how this will impact the adult industry, but from a user experience and development perspective, difficult cancellations are a plague. I have convinced all of my ongoing clients to implement some form of a "one click" cancel solution over the past ten years.

Some of my clients were concerned that easy cancellations would negatively impact the business too much, but in practice this was rarely seen. The reduction in chargebacks was big, and so was the willingness of users to return or provide feedback before cancelling. I even think just seeing the cancellation button prevented some people from cancelling immediately upon signing up. No concrete evidence of that, though.

I would like to see better language about what is required, but maybe we'll get an actual framework beyond the fact sheet when the rule is published.

fris · 10-16-2024, 11:33 AM

sirius xm radio makes it really hard to cancel, you have to end up chatting with a rep via chat, they try and offer you lower plans, and pretty much keep trying to get you not to cancel.

cerulean · 10-16-2024, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fris

sirius xm radio makes it really hard to cancel, you have to end up chatting with a rep via chat, they try and offer you lower plans, and pretty much keep trying to get you not to cancel.

Adobe is like this. I've heard so many horror stories about Adobe, that I went with the prepaid cards because it just wasn't worth the headache.

WiredGuy · 10-16-2024, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fris

sirius xm radio makes it really hard to cancel, you have to end up chatting with a rep via chat, they try and offer you lower plans, and pretty much keep trying to get you not to cancel.

They do 3 attempts, I usually renew my membership on the last attempt knowing this.
WG

10-16-2024, 11:33 AM	#2
fris Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 54,958	sirius xm radio makes it really hard to cancel, you have to end up chatting with a rep via chat, they try and offer you lower plans, and pretty much keep trying to get you not to cancel. __________________ Since 1999: 69 Adult Industry awards for Best Hosting Company and professional excellence. WP Stuff