Discord, the popular messaging platform, faces a class-action lawsuit from California users who allege the company deliberately complicates the cancellation process for its Nitro subscription service.
The lawsuit, filed in California, claims Discord violates state business practices law by not providing an easy way to cancel subscriptions. According to California Business and Professions Code 17602, companies must offer straightforward methods for customers to end subscription services.
Users report having to navigate through multiple menus and prompts to find a small "Cancel" button hidden in the settings. The lawsuit states that even after locating the cancellation option, subscribers must click through additional screens seemingly designed to discourage them from canceling.
"The cancellation process lacks a clear, prominently located button or link," the lawsuit alleges. The plaintiffs point to the abundance of YouTube tutorials explaining how to cancel Nitro subscriptions as evidence of the unnecessarily complex cancellation flow.
The legal action draws parallels to a recent case where Adobe faced similar accusations from the US Department of Justice regarding its subscription cancellation practices. The DOJ alleged Adobe made it extremely difficult for users to end their subscriptions while hiding important terms in fine print.
Discord has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit allegations. If the case proceeds, it could potentially expand beyond California state level to federal jurisdiction, similar to the Adobe case.
The outcome may force Discord to revamp its subscription cancellation process, as California's business laws have previously prompted changes in how major tech companies handle digital transactions and user agreements.