On July 8, 2025—just days before it was set to take effect—the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the FTC’s widely watched “Click-to-Cancel” Rule, formally known as the Negative Option Rule. The decision stopped the rule’s implementation across the country, following a consolidated legal challenge from multiple circuits.
The Click-to-Cancel Rule was aimed at businesses that offer subscription-based services with automatic renewals—think gym memberships, streaming platforms, fitness apps, and meal delivery services. The core idea was simple: if a customer could sign up online with just a few clicks, they should be able to cancel just as easily. The rule would have required companies to provide a straightforward, online cancellation mechanism that matched the simplicity of the original sign-up process.
But the court found that the FTC skipped a key procedural requirement in the rulemaking process. Specifically, the agency failed to issue a preliminary regulatory analysis after determining that the rule’s compliance costs would exceed $100 million. That preliminary step, required by federal law, is meant to give the public a chance to weigh in on the rule’s projected economic impact and any reasonable alternatives. Instead, the FTC waited until the final rule was published to provide that analysis—too late for meaningful public input. As a result, the court vacated the rule in full.
What Happens Next?
With the rule now vacated, the FTC has a few potential paths forward:
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Appeal to the Supreme Court – The FTC could seek review from the U.S. Supreme Court. The agency has 90 days to file a petition for certiorari, with the possibility of an additional 60-day extension.
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Start Over – Alternatively, the FTC could restart the rulemaking process, this time including a proper preliminary analysis and public comment period. That would delay any new rule’s implementation for many months.
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Abandon the Rule – The Commission might choose to walk away from the effort entirely, particularly since two current Commissioners had previously opposed it.
What Does This Mean for Businesses?
While the Click-to-Cancel Rule is off the table for now, businesses offering subscription services—especially those with automatic renewals—shouldn’t breathe too easily. The FTC and state regulators still have tools to go after companies that make it too hard for consumers to cancel.
For instance, earlier this year, the FTC sued Uber, alleging that its cancellation process was unfair and confusing. That case was brought under the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA), a federal law that applies to online sales involving automatic renewals or “negative option” features. ROSCA requires companies to:
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Clearly disclose key terms before charging a customer,
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Get the customer’s express consent, and
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Offer a straightforward way to cancel.
Violations of ROSCA can carry civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation—so the risks are real.
In addition to federal rules, several states—most notably California—have their own laws requiring companies to make it easy for consumers to cancel subscription services. These laws often apply more broadly than ROSCA and can carry additional penalties.
Conclusion
While the FTC’s Click-to-Cancel Rule has been shelved for now, the underlying focus on consumer-friendly cancellation practices isn’t going away. With federal and state laws like ROSCA and California’s automatic renewal statutes still in play—and active enforcement efforts already underway—subscription-based businesses, especially those in industries like fitness, streaming, and e-commerce, should take a hard look at their cancellation policies.
Understanding Traditional and Nontraditional Tip Pooling
Michael Boxerman has been selected to the 2025 Illinois Super Lawyers list for Franchise & Dealership Lawyers. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country.
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