Insights < BACK TO ALL INSIGHTS
Cancelling Subscriptions Could be Easier, or Maybe Signing Up Will Get Harder
FEATURED
January 15, 2025
Cancelling Subscriptions Could be Easier, or Maybe Signing Up Will Get Harder
By: Jordan Briggs
Drawn in by the appeal of steady revenue, nearly three-quarters of direct-to-consumer companies now include a subscription model.[1] Everything has a subscription these days: video games, groceries, dating apps—you can even subscribe to a service to cancel your other subscriptions.[2] These subscriptions were not deterred from joining their most prominent predecessor (the gym membership) as an age-old punchline about how hard they are to cancel. However, cancelling subscriptions started to look less like a joke and more like a “trick” or even a “trap,”[3] so the FTC stepped in with the “click-to-cancel” rule to provide clarity to both companies and consumers on what the subscription cancellation process should look like. The click-to-cancel rule is the headliner for a few new…
What are you looking for?
Temporary relief from compliance obligations under the Corporate Transparency Act
December 5, 2024
Temporary relief from compliance obligations under the Corporate Transparency Act
By: Steven Eichorn
On December 3, 2024, a U.S. District Court[1] issued a nationwide preliminary injunction that enjoins the federal government from enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act (the CTA)[2]. The CTA requires “reporting companies” in the United States to disclose basic identifying information about their beneficial owners — the individuals who ultimately own or control a company — to the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The…
Will Free Speech Become Expensive for Big Tech?
December 2, 2024
Will Free Speech Become Expensive for Big Tech?
By: James Trusty
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act[1] is the federal law that allows internet platforms to host online content without fear of lawsuits based on third party content. In other words, for hosting free speech, internet providers are given immunity from liability if the speech somehow crosses the line from protected free speech into unprotected territory (defamatory, criminal solicitation, etc.). With the recent presidential and…
Good Lord, & Taylor! Of Course You Need to Disclose Native Ads
March 16, 2016
Good Lord, & Taylor! Of Course You Need to Disclose Native Ads
By: Ifrah Law
On March 15, 2016, national retailer Lord & Taylor agreed to settle FTC charges that it “deceived consumers by paying for native advertisements.” The settlement is the first of its kind following the December 2015 guidance memorandum, Native Advertising: A Guide for Businesses, issued by the FTC. Under the terms of the settlement, Lord & Taylor is prohibited from “misrepresenting that paid ads are from…
Latest German Sausage? Privacy-Wurst by Facebook
March 10, 2016
Latest German Sausage? Privacy-Wurst by Facebook
By: Ifrah Law
Despite not being explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, the Supreme Court has firmly held that a right to privacy for all Americans is found in several amendments to the Constitution, with almost 100 years of case law providing precedent for many personal privacy rights that have become a cornerstone of American culture. However, in this new digital age of rapid technology change, with real-time access…
CFPB No-Action Letters Are No Help
March 1, 2016
CFPB No-Action Letters Are No Help
By: George Calhoun
In the age of handheld banking apps, private funds transfer systems, and digital currencies, ensuring that new products are fair to consumers and compliant with existing – and sometime archaic – regulations are difficult tasks. The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (“CFPB”) recently finalized a new policy for providing “no-action letters” (“NALs”) to companies seeking to introduce new consumer finance products and technologies. Although the…
Halting Business And Seizing A Domain Without A Moment’s Notice
January 15, 2016
Halting Business And Seizing A Domain Without A Moment’s Notice
By: Nicole Kardell
Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons- Uploaded by NativeForeigner Every year, the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas proves to be one of the more interesting conventions to attend. 2016 did not disappoint: companies showed off cool innovations in displays, robotics, and integrated smart technology across the consumer products platform. Adding to the excitement at this year’s CES was the dramatic appearance of uniformed officers. We don’t…
Amazon Pursued Fake Reviews In 2015, What Will It Pursue In 2016?
December 28, 2015
Amazon Pursued Fake Reviews In 2015, What Will It Pursue In 2016?
By: Steven Eichorn
In 2015, Amazon filed suit against over 1,000 unnamed individuals for allegedly offering to sell fake online reviews (positive or negative) on Fiverr.com (“Fiverr”). The unnamed defendants offer to provide 5-star reviews and some defendants even encourage sellers to provide their own text to use in the review. In order to avoid detection, defendants offer to submit reviews from multiple IP addresses, utilize multiple…
