US Department of Justice fines Adobe $75 million for hidden cancellation fees
Change
The US Department of Justice required Adobe to pay a $75 million civil penalty and to provide $75 million in free services to customers who were charged undisclosed subscription cancellation fees.
Why it matters
The settlement creates a clear enforcement risk for companies that conceal termination charges or make cancellations difficult. Vendors offering recurring software subscriptions must now ensure fees are disclosed at purchase and that cancellation processes are straightforward or face civil penalties and restitution obligations.
Implications
- — Compliance teams at subscription software companies must audit sales, marketing and terms-of-service flows to remove buried cancellation charges and update disclosures — failure will expose their firms to civil enforcement and fines.
- — Customer support and billing teams at subscription software companies must simplify and document cancellation channels and interactions to demonstrate compliance — failure will increase exposure to restitution and regulatory action.
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Source
View on Ars Technica