House Democrat and Republican to reintroduce ‘click-to-cancel’ bill
The Guardian • • business
Key Points:
- The average American loses hundreds of dollars annually on unused or forgotten subscriptions, with estimates ranging from $127 to $276 per household, particularly affecting Gen Z consumers navigating multiple digital services.
- Bipartisan legislation called the Unsubscribe Act, reintroduced by Democrat Mark Takano and Republican Mark Amodei, aims to simplify subscription cancellations by requiring explicit consent for charges after trials and mandating cancellation processes be as easy as sign-ups.
- The bill also seeks to ban automatic contract enrollments and compel companies to regularly notify customers about charges and cancellation options, addressing deliberate complexity in cancellation procedures that companies use to profit.
- The proposed legislation has garnered support from consumer advocacy groups but faces opposition from industry coalitions including cable providers and telecom trade groups
