The Subscription Economy
Dark Patterns and Subscription Traps
Some firms make it easy to sign up but hard to cancel, and regulators have moved against such practices.
When convenience turns into a trap.
Auto-renewal
Free trials that convert to paid plans without a clear reminder.
Hard to cancel
Buried buttons, forced calls or repeated prompts.
Rules
India’s consumer protection authorities have warned against dark patterns, and India issued guidelines to curb them in 2023.
Tip
Set reminders and check your recurring charges regularly.
A forgotten trial
A user is charged for a year after a free trial and cannot find where to cancel.
Assuming firms will remind you before renewing
Check yourself.
Key takeaways
- Auto-renewal can trap users.
- Cancelling can be made hard.
- Guidelines against dark patterns exist.
- Track your subscriptions.
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