Shutterstock to pay $35M over hard-to-cancel subscriptions
Shutterstock is reportedly paying a $35 million settlement to the FTC over allegations of "hard-to-cancel" subscription practices, a common complaint against many online services. This news highlights the increasing regulatory focus on dark patterns and consumer protection in the digital subscription economy. Unfortunately, the original FTC press release detailing this significant fine is currently unavailable, returning an error message upon access.
The Lowdown
A recent Hacker News story indicates that Shutterstock, the stock photography and video provider, is facing a substantial financial penalty from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) related to its subscription cancellation policies.
- The headline reports a $35 million payment by Shutterstock as part of a settlement.
- This settlement addresses allegations that Shutterstock made it difficult for users to cancel their subscriptions.
- The details of this regulatory action were expected to be found on an official FTC press release.
- However, attempts to access the linked FTC page result in an error message, preventing further information about the case from being retrieved.
While the full specifics are currently inaccessible, the news suggests a significant enforcement action against a major online platform for practices that often frustrate consumers, underscoring regulatory efforts to curb misleading subscription models.