GoKawiilNYC's click-to-cancel rule takes effect, requiring easy subscription cancellations
New York City's click-to-cancel rule went into effect October 1, requiring businesses to let consumers cancel subscriptions as easily as they sign up. The city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection will enforce the rule, with violations carrying civil penalties starting at $525 and potential refunds for consumers. The city also launched a new online portal, built with NYC Office of Technology, for residents to file complaints about subscription services.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
This marks the first municipal law of its kind in the US, filling a gap left after a similar federal FTC rule proposed under Lina Khan was blocked by the Trump administration's FTC and a federal appeals court. Khan's current unpaid advisory role in the Mamdani administration may explain the policy similarities, though the article does not state she directly authored the rule. The move could pressure other cities or states to adopt comparable consumer protections against subscription traps.
- NYC's click-to-cancel rule took effect October 1, enforced by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
- Violations carry civil penalties starting at $525, and consumers may be eligible for refunds.
- The rule echoes a federal FTC proposal from Lina Khan's tenure that was blocked under Trump; Khan now holds an unpaid city economic development role.
Source: engadget.com — Lawrence Bonk, 2026-10-01
Published there as: “NYC's click-to-cancel rule is now in effect to save consumers from subscription hell”
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