We have all been there. If we check our credit card statements, we are amazed to see, when we finally notice, recurrent charges for something we thought we were ordering once. We go back and review prior credit card statements and realize we have been paying monthly—for several months—for a service we thought was “one and done.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wants to stop automatic renewals of subscriptions. The FTC is focusing on proposed amendments to the “Negative Option Rules.” This refers to marketing and Internet strategies that enroll people in subscriptions and then, without notice, automatically renew. According to the proposed new rule changes, silence would not be interpreted as consent unless the consumer is aware of the terms. Positive responses will be the requirement; renewals would not be based on non-action and would require notice to the consumer. Recurring subscriptions would be easy to cancel.