FTC finds 'dark patterns' used by a majority of subscription apps and websites
techcrunch.com
techcrunch.com
I see it all the time with my app. It's stated several times on the sign up screen that it's auto-renewing. Yet, somehow, people are mad when the renewal happens, or the overdraft occurs, for a $0.99 purchase.
Doesn't matter if you don't read the paper that's delivered to your house every morning, the service is still provided. Same thing with app services.
If you signed up for it, you signed up for it. Not my fault if you fail to cancel it if you're not using/reading it.
Well, that's the problem. Why should the subscription to the app be auto-renewing? It is really for the business's convenience and bottom-line rather than the customer's.
Auto-renewing or not, I always get mad when money goes out of my bank account unexpectedly as I won't always remember when the auto-renewal is due.
> Not my fault if you fail to cancel.
This sums up nicely the attitude of predatory businesses. Why don't we remove auto-renewal and say, instead, "it is not my fault if you fail to send me a reminder to renew my service", if I still want to do so.
The article specifically calls out that the issue investigated are applications that make it hard, and/or use otherwise bad UX patterns to discourage users from cancelling.
> Doesn't matter if you don't read the paper that's delivered to your house every morning, the service is still provided. Same thing with app services.
Newspapers are another area, like recurring apps, and gym memberships, where they are so hostile towards users unsubscribing that they have invited investigation and regulation in many jurisdictions.
> If you signed up for it, you signed up for it. Not my fault if you fail to cancel it if you're not using/reading it.
You want regulations? Because that's how you get regulations - which is likely the outcome given the number of countries investigating these practices individually, and through organizations like ICPEN.