The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed a new regulation that will make it easier for customers to cancel subscription services online. The regulation, called the “click to cancel” provision, will require companies to offer a similarly easy way to cancel a subscription as it is to sign up for it in the first place. The proposal is part of a range of proposed changes to the Negative Option rule enacted by the agency in 1973. The FTC voted to pass the regulation and will make it available for public comment before making a final decision about the rule’s fate.
In other news, the European Union (EU) is proposing legislation that would require electronics manufacturers to make repairs available for their products for up to 10 years after sale. This move aims to reduce waste and disincentivise planned obsolescence. If the legislation is enacted, companies would be required to repair products for free if doing so would be less expensive than replacing the broken or defective product with a new one. The law would apply to consumer devices like TVs, dishwashers, and vacuum cleaners, as well as rules being drafted for phones and tablets.
Additionally, Framework has announced a new line of laptops intended to be upgradable and easily fixable if anything goes wrong. The computers are built with a modular system that lets users swap in different types of ports, plugs, or components. The new line features two 13-inch laptops fitted with Intel and AMD’s Ryzen systems, respectively, and a beefier gaming model with a 16-inch screen and the ability to mix and match keyboards and dedicated graphics cards that can work with Framework’s expansion system.
