New York City has adopted a new rule that bans companies from using deceptive subscriptions to trap customers into paying for gym memberships, streaming services and other recurring charges, the city’s consumer protection office said.
The new rule, which will start on 1 October, promises hefty fines and aggressive enforcement for violators. Companies that do not provide a simple way to cancel could pay $525 per user subscription, back fees and additional fines.
The city is also targeting so-called “junk fees” that raise the final price of everything from apartments to sporting events, with a proposed rule that requires sellers to “advertise the total price for any good or service, including all mandatory additional charges and fees, up front”, according to a release shared with the Guardian.
New York would be the first US city to implement such a ban.
This city is singularly populous among others in the US. I mean we’re packed in here pretty tight.
On top of that, the city’s mayoral office wields quite a bit more implicit power than the runners up.
Which is why historically NYC mayors have so often been bought to mostly sit on their hands. Because one activist mayor in NYC can do more for more people than most governors.