A study panel under Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency has released a draft interim report calling for comprehensive regulation of “dark patterns” — tactics like disguising subscription sign-ups as “trials” and obstructing cancellations. On the forum, posters called for mandatory cancel buttons and browser-only cancellation, pointed to Amazon and California’s regulations as examples, while others voiced skepticism about how slow the response has been.
Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency to regulate “dark patterns,” making cancellation obstruction illegal — panel releases draft interim report
On August 24, Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency presented a draft interim report to its “Study Group on Digital Transactions and the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions.”
The draft states that comprehensive rules should be established against displays and UI (user interfaces) that distort consumer decision-making — so-called “dark patterns” — such as advertising something as a “trial” while actually steering users into a subscription.
Source: japan.cnet.com / Original article here
So even Amazon Prime contracts are going to get scrutinized now?
Just hurry up and do it already.
That's because DAZN screwed the pooch.
I want it made mandatory to put a big, obvious 'Cancel' button right on the user account page.
>>6
California has a similar law — cancelling has to be at least as easy as signing up.
California has a similar law — cancelling has to be at least as easy as signing up.
>>7
That's great lol
That's great lol
If you can sign up through the browser, you should be able to cancel through the browser too.
They absolutely need to include this.
Otherwise, companies pull sneaky moves like a certain company we know — easy to sign up, but the moment things get tough for them, suddenly cancellation is email or phone only.
They absolutely need to include this.
Otherwise, companies pull sneaky moves like a certain company we know — easy to sign up, but the moment things get tough for them, suddenly cancellation is email or phone only.
>>9
Not sure how it is now, but a few years back Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and some brokerages were like that.
Not sure how it is now, but a few years back Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and some brokerages were like that.
Back when I cancelled FOD [Fuji TV's streaming service], it was so convoluted I had to follow a walkthrough site step by step.
This kind of regulation should've happened over a decade ago, back when mobile phones were becoming basic infrastructure — makes you wonder why only now.
Cracking down on pressure against independent entertainers was decades late too. Really shows you the caliber of our politicians and bureaucrats.
This kind of regulation should've happened over a decade ago, back when mobile phones were becoming basic infrastructure — makes you wonder why only now.
Cracking down on pressure against independent entertainers was decades late too. Really shows you the caliber of our politicians and bureaucrats.
Way too slow. Do you have any idea how many elderly victims got left behind because they couldn't keep up?
The Consumer Affairs Agency should seriously pay compensation out of their own pockets for a decade's worth of victims.
Too slow! Move fast, now!
Otherwise those scammers will already have their next workaround ready.
The Consumer Affairs Agency should seriously pay compensation out of their own pockets for a decade's worth of victims.
Too slow! Move fast, now!
Otherwise those scammers will already have their next workaround ready.
Unforgivable, Amazon Prime!
Forget that, just ban paid gacha in mobile games entirely already.
>> In Japan too, tactics that use labels like "trial" to create the impression of a one-time purchase, while actually locking users into a subscription, are on the rise, especially in online transactions. Dark patterns can be deployed online at low cost and tend to affect far more consumers than similar offline tactics. The proposal warns this could lead to large-scale harm. At the same time, current law isn't clear enough to adequately cover today's online transactions, and aggressive displays that intimidate or confuse consumers aren't even covered by regulation.
>> 'Comprehensive regulation' proposed for fast-changing tactics; illegal examples to be blacklisted
>> In designing the regulation, the proposal notes that because problematic tactics are diverse and change quickly, making it impossible to list them all in advance, a 'reasonably comprehensive set of rules' with flexibility should be considered. At the same time, to avoid discouraging legitimate displays and UI design, it also calls for clear criteria — such as laying out illegal patterns as a 'blacklist' in subordinate regulations or guidelines. As for violations, the basic approach would be correction through administrative measures.
>> In designing the regulation, the proposal notes that because problematic tactics are diverse and change quickly, making it impossible to list them all in advance, a 'reasonably comprehensive set of rules' with flexibility should be considered. At the same time, to avoid discouraging legitimate displays and UI design, it also calls for clear criteria — such as laying out illegal patterns as a 'blacklist' in subordinate regulations or guidelines. As for violations, the basic approach would be correction through administrative measures.
>> Mandatory disclosure of total payment amount; cancellation obstruction to be made illegal
>> The proposal also addresses the contract stage. Even after a 2021 revision to the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions required a final confirmation screen, consumer complaints about subscriptions have stayed at high levels. In response, the proposal calls for mandatory display of the total payment amount on the final confirmation screen, and a ban on splitting transaction terms across separate displays. For 'upselling' — presenting seemingly better terms after an order is finalized to push users toward pricier plans — it would require clearly marking what changed, so users can compare before and after.
>> The proposal also addresses the contract stage. Even after a 2021 revision to the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions required a final confirmation screen, consumer complaints about subscriptions have stayed at high levels. In response, the proposal calls for mandatory display of the total payment amount on the final confirmation screen, and a ban on splitting transaction terms across separate displays. For 'upselling' — presenting seemingly better terms after an order is finalized to push users toward pricier plans — it would require clearly marking what changed, so users can compare before and after.
>> Measures were also called for around cancellation. Citing cases like phone lines that never connect or procedures made needlessly complicated for no good reason, the proposal says unduly delaying cancellation should be classified as illegal and subject to regulation.
>> The panel also flagged that further study is needed on new sales methods combining AI, such as transactions handled through AI agents and AI-powered targeted advertising or dark patterns.
>> The panel also flagged that further study is needed on new sales methods combining AI, such as transactions handled through AI agents and AI-powered targeted advertising or dark patterns.
>> Dark patterns are techniques that use displays and user-flow designs built on insights into psychological manipulation to steer consumers into contracts without letting them fully grasp what's happening. In a 2022 document, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) defined them as practices that 'nudge, deceive, coerce, or manipulate consumers into choices that are often not in their best interest' — and they're viewed as a problem internationally.
>> In Japan too, tactics that use labels like "trial" to create the impression of a one-time purchase, while actually locking users into a subscription, are on the rise, especially in online transactions. Dark patterns can be deployed online at low cost and tend to affect far more consumers than similar offline tactics. The proposal warns this could lead to large-scale harm. At the same time, current law isn't clear enough to adequately cover today's online transactions, and aggressive displays that intimidate or confuse consumers aren't even covered by regulation.
>> In Japan too, tactics that use labels like "trial" to create the impression of a one-time purchase, while actually locking users into a subscription, are on the rise, especially in online transactions. Dark patterns can be deployed online at low cost and tend to affect far more consumers than similar offline tactics. The proposal warns this could lead to large-scale harm. At the same time, current law isn't clear enough to adequately cover today's online transactions, and aggressive displays that intimidate or confuse consumers aren't even covered by regulation.
>>1
Like how Rakuten has the 'receive store emails' box checked by default, or how signing up for Yahoo's flea market app comes with terms sharing your info with PayPay, or how everything seems to have terms trying to share your data with LINE.
Like how Rakuten has the 'receive store emails' box checked by default, or how signing up for Yahoo's flea market app comes with terms sharing your info with PayPay, or how everything seems to have terms trying to share your data with LINE.
It's not enough to just make cancellation obstruction illegal — they need to go as far as institutionalizing hefty damages so that victims of cancellation obstruction actually profit from it.
Basically, a form of punitive damages system.
Basically, a form of punitive damages system.
First, I want them to go after NHK.
Could they also ban making people register a credit card for a 1-month free trial?
NTT, this means you.
>>1
Toyoko Inn too.
Thought it looked cheap, looked into it, and it was a student discount rate (lol)
Toyoko Inn too.
Thought it looked cheap, looked into it, and it was a student discount rate (lol)
First, just make it categorically illegal for customer service lines to use Navi Dial [Japan's premium-rate phone number service].
The lines are already full, but instead of a busy signal you just get connected and left on hold forever — and you're the one paying for the call the whole time. That's beyond unacceptable.
The lines are already full, but instead of a busy signal you just get connected and left on hold forever — and you're the one paying for the call the whole time. That's beyond unacceptable.
This is probably aimed at so-called subscription services, but couldn't they set it up like a long-term contract — similar to a car loan or lease — with a third party inserted in the middle?
I mean, if it's not direct profit for the company itself, it'd be a lot harder for them to drag their feet on cancellations, right?
I think the Apple Store works kind of like that —
the subscription is tied to your store account rather than to you individually, so you can cancel just by going through the store.
I mean, if it's not direct profit for the company itself, it'd be a lot harder for them to drag their feet on cancellations, right?
I think the Apple Store works kind of like that —
the subscription is tied to your store account rather than to you individually, so you can cancel just by going through the store.
It's probably like this for anyone collecting subscribers:
they can count on some percentage being people who won't cancel, or can't figure out how,
plus a few percent more who just keep paying forever,
even after they've literally died.
People who never use the service but keep paying forever —
that's probably where the profit comes from.
they can count on some percentage being people who won't cancel, or can't figure out how,
plus a few percent more who just keep paying forever,
even after they've literally died.
People who never use the service but keep paying forever —
that's probably where the profit comes from.
At the very least, subscriptions shouldn't be allowed to auto-renew without consent —
auto-cancellation by default should be mandatory.
auto-cancellation by default should be mandatory.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Science News+) thread “[Society] Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency to regulate ‘dark patterns,’ making cancellation obstruction illegal — panel releases draft interim report.”
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