Bill · H.R. 7048· House(119-HR-7048)
Unsubscribe Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 1/13/2026
- Last activity
- 1/13/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Sponsored by
- Mark Takano
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 2
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Unsubscribe Act of 2025" aims to increase consumer protections regarding negative options across all media, including the internet. It requires merchants to clearly disclose all material terms and obtain express informed consent before charging consumers through negative options. The bill mandates simple cancellation mechanisms for both online and non-electronic transactions. It also sets specific notification requirements for free-to-pay conversion contracts and regular contract updates. Enforcement is handled by the Federal Trade Commission and State attorneys general.
Yes· 3 of 6
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?+7
The bill mandates clear disclosure of terms, express informed consent, and simple cancellation processes for negative option contracts.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+4
The bill requires merchants to provide regular notifications of contract terms and cancellation access to consumers.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+3
The bill prevents unexpected charges from automatic renewals and free-to-pay conversions through mandatory consent.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-4
The bill imposes new disclosure, consent, and cancellation requirements on merchants of record.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Clearer Information: Merchants must clearly and conspicuously disclose all material terms of a contract before receiving payment via a negative option (Section 2(a)).
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Consumer Control via Consent: Merchants are required to obtain express informed consent from a consumer before charging them through a negative option (Section 2(b)(1)).
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Proof of Agreement: Merchants must keep verification of the express informed consent for at least 3 years (Section 2(b)(2)).
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Prevention of Unwanted Renewals: After an initial period, a merchant cannot automatically renew a contract unless they obtain express informed consent to continue (Section 2(c)).
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Easier Cancellations: Online merchants must provide a simple mechanism, such as a direct link to an electronic form, to cancel contracts without extra steps (Section 2(d)(1)). For other merchants, the cancellation must be just as simple as the original purchase method (Section 2(d)(2)).
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Protection During Trial Periods: For free-to-pay conversion contracts, merchants must provide specific notifications regarding introductory costs and the total cost of the contract (Section 2(e)(1)).
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Regular Updates: Merchants must provide notifications of contract terms and cancellation access at regular intervals, at least annually (Section 2(f)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Specific Time Constraints for Cancellation: In certain contracts, a consumer may have a specific window to cancel without incurring extra charges, and the merchant must provide notification within a specific window of 2 to 7 days before that deadline (Section 2(f)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Consumer Protection+7
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+3Good For Middle Class Households+3Good For High Income Households+2Good For Urban Residents+2Good For Business Owners-4
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+4
- 1/14/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 1/13/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Mark AmodeiRepublican · Nevada
Seth MagazinerDemocrat · Rhode Island
Troy NehlsRepublican · Texas