California's 'click to cancel' subscription bill is signed into law
California's 'click to cancel' subscription bill is signed into law
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed California's "click to cancel" Assembly Bill 286 into law to make it easier for consumers to opt out of subscriptions.
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed California's "click to cancel" Assembly Bill 286 into law to make it easier for consumers to opt out of subscriptions. The bill, introduced in April 2024, forces companies that permit online or in-app sign-ups to allow for online or in-app unsubscribing as well.
"AB 2863 is the most comprehensive ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation in the nation, ensuring Californians can cancel unwanted automatic subscription renewals just as easily as they signed up — with just a click or two,” said California Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo.
Time to set my VPN to California
Will this actually work or will companies go off your billing address? I guess you could probably technically get a proxy address in California for billing. Regardless, this should just be a national law.
Doubt they'll go by IP location, but there may be a workaround depending on the service.
For example, California already has a similar law around cancelling gym memberships initiated online. Planet Fitness customers can just set their "home gym" to one in California to get access to one-click cancellation, even if their billing address is in another state.
I'd like to say that companies will just make this the standard for everyone, like they did with California emissions standards for cars, but the reality is that it will be very difficult to take action against a company that doesn't have their headquarters in California. This isn't like GDPR where a large federal government will fine you into oblivion if you fail to comply while doing business in their jurisdiction. A lot of companies will probably just ignore this.
Well shit… that’s an amazing idea.
Would a company only show the button when they have to? Or would they be a nice company, and just add the button for everybody? :D
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha
Neither. They'll ignore the law completely because the $3.50 fine they'll have to pay (in the extremely rare chance anyone powerful enough notices in the first place) will be worth it to them and the ones that aren't based in California will never see real consequences for ignoring the law.
Yaaaaaaaayyyy!!!!
i wish the phrase "maybe later" would be forced to be changed to "no". The word no has disappeared!
F&$)@+ everything about "maybe later". It was the last nail in the coffin for me, any company giving me that bullshit is immediately on my shit list and will be cut out, I'll never do business with you ever again. Every new service I have is open source and self hosted, the only ones left that are not are Netflix, Spotify and (unfortunately for reasons) YouTube. Netflix will be put soon because arr matey, and Spotify will follow soon as well.
I'm done with services and media from companies
You can use pinchflat or tube archivist to "self-host" youtube as well. It still obviously gets the content from Google's servers but lets you manage the videos locally (and even apply Sponsorblock if you like)
Hot damn, that's EU-level based. Nicely done!
I expect a ruling from SCOTUS that this somehow breaxhes corporation's 1st amendment rights
It's arguably unconstitutional even before that. Article 1 section 10, first line, the states may not make laws impairing contracts.
Admittedly it's thinbut the supreme court has acted on thinner pretext.
As good as this is, it's just another example of Republicans shrinking the federal government to unsustainable levels. Click-to-cancel will be implemented in California while showing your ID to access porn sites is happening in Texas, but have fun canceling any subscriptions.
yes. You should have to do something to opt in to anything and it should be just as easy or easier to leave or opt out. while we are at it can be take financial fees to close accounts out.
The question, as always, is enforcement. It's a great idea, and good for them for making it happen, and then we'll find out if they were serious.