The new bill will prohibit online services from automatically charging for subscriptions if the user has deleted their card details. This will save customers from complicated procedures for canceling paid services.
Russian authorities are preparing important changes to the rules for paid online subscriptions. According to the new bill, which has already been approved by the government commission, online services will no longer be able to automatically debit money from users' bank cards if they have deleted their payment details from their personal accounts.
This solution is designed to solve two main problems: firstly, users will have an easy way to stop unwanted debits by simply deleting the card from the system. Secondly, the law clearly regulates the procedure for canceling a subscription, freeing consumers from the deliberately complex cancellation schemes that many services currently practice. This is especially relevant for online cinemas, music platforms and loyalty programs, writes ria.ru.
Experts note that the innovation will significantly strengthen the protection of consumer rights in the digital environment. Now companies will have to either obtain the client's explicit consent for each debit, or lose the ability to automatically renew subscriptions. This is especially important against the backdrop of a growing number of complaints about "hidden" payments and the difficulty of canceling unnecessary services. The bill has already passed the first stage of approval and will be submitted to the State Duma in the near future.