FTC SUES ADOBE
THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION has its eyes on Adobe for breaches of ROSCA (the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act). This was enacted in 2010 to protect consumers from online fees that weren’t made clear beforehand. Adobe has been pushing people toward an annual subscription billed monthly, at $59.99 a month for the Creative Cloud All Apps package. What isn’t clear is what happens if you cancel the account, because that information is buried in tiny text that mentions a “early termination fee”. You only get full details when you try to cancel, and that fee is half of any remaining months. Also, the FTC alleges that Adobe makes subscription cancellation difficult, incorporating “resistance and delay” tactics. Some customers are left thinking they’ve canceled their package, only to be billed. This is exactly what ROSCA was designed to stop. Subscription services are everywhere, and companies have no incentive to make cancellation easy. Allegedly, Adobe is aware of this, and chose to wait for legal action before sorting it. Not cool, guys.