Kennedy, Schatz champion Unsubscribe Act to make canceling unwanted subscriptions easier

WASHINGTON - Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) today introduced the bipartisan Unsubscribe Act of 2025, which would require a simple cancellation process for all subscriptions.

"The average American is all too familiar with the headache of running around in circles to cancel a subscription before their free trial expires. Our common-sense Unsubscribe Act would make sure companies are upfront about automatic charges and make it easier to cancel subscriptions without the convoluted song-and-dance routine," said Kennedy.

"The subscription-based business model is exploding, and it's largely because of the deceptive practices that some companies use to lure and trap in customers. When people sign up for a free trial, they shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to cancel their subscription before being charged. Our bill will require companies to be more transparent about their business model and make it easier for consumers to avoid costly, automatic monthly charges they never intended to make," said Schatz.

The Unsubscribe Act would:

• Require sellers to clearly explain the terms of a contract to customers and obtain their express and informed consent.

• Require sellers to provide a simple way to cancel the subscription, which the customer can complete in the same way in which they entered the original contract.

• Require sellers to clearly notify consumers when their free or reduced-cost trial is complete and before charging for the full-cost subscription.

• Disallow automatic transfer to a contract beyond the preliminary period.

• Require sellers to periodically notify the customer of the terms of the contract and the cancelation mechanism.

Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) will introduce the companion bill in the House of Representatives.

"Too many consumers are lured in by free trials, only to get trapped in confusing billing cycles and cancellation mazes. The Unsubscribe Act is about fairness-it puts the burden back on companies to be honest, clear, and accountable. If a business has to trick people into staying, it does not deserve their money," said Takano.

The full text of the Unsubscribe Act is available here.