Mamdani Makes It Easier For New Yorkers To Cancel Subscriptions

Positive takes

Real Money Back in Pockets. Hidden fees cost the average family of four roughly $3,200 a year. Rules that require upfront pricing and easy cancellation directly put that money back into the budgets of working New Yorkers, not corporate accounts.

Picking Up Where the Feds Left Off. When the Trump administration let the federal click-to-cancel rule die, Mamdani moved quickly to fill the gap at the city level — bringing in former FTC Chair Lina Khan as an advisor to help get it done.

Part of a Bigger Affordability Push. This is not a standalone move. It fits into a broader Mamdani agenda that includes rent freezes, universal childcare, and free buses — a track record supporters say shows he is actually delivering on campaign promises after just six months in office.

Negative takes

Enforcement Is the Real Question. Rules only work if they are enforced. Critics note the city has yet to explain how DCWP will monitor thousands of businesses for subscription and fee violations, or how much that enforcement effort will cost taxpayers.

Business Community Concerns. Industry groups have historically fought junk fee and subscription rules at the federal level, arguing they micromanage pricing. Similar objections are likely to arise during the public comment period for the junk fee proposal, and legal challenges could follow.

Still a Proposal for Junk Fees. While the click-to-cancel rule is finalized and takes effect in October, the broader junk fee ban is still only a proposal. It faces a public hearing in August and may be watered down — as happened at the federal level after real-estate lobbyists successfully pushed apartment fees out of Biden's version.