Federal court blocks ‘click-to-cancel’ rule. What does this mean for subscribers?

Published July 10, 2025 2:51pm ET



A federal appeals court dealt a blow to consumer protection efforts on Tuesday, ruling that subscription services will not be required to make it easier for consumers to cancel their plans.

This “click-to-cancel” policy, a Federal Trade Commission rule, was set to take effect next Monday. This regulation would require every subscription service, from Spotify to gym memberships, to allow subscribers to cancel recurring payments as easily as they signed up.

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