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Australia court finds dating site eHarmony misled users over subscription terms
The court said eHarmony hid auto-renewal terms and pricing details, and the ACCC said about 1.3 million Australians were affected.
- On Tuesday, Australia's Federal Court ruled that the dating platform eHarmony engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by misrepresenting subscription services and failing to prominently disclose automatic renewal terms in small font.
- The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission initiated proceedings in September 2023, alleging the platform misled about 1.3 million Australians by misrepresenting free basic memberships and concealing mandatory subscription renewal fees.
- Justice Christopher Horan confirmed the deceptive conduct, citing evidence where a user paying a $155.64 discounted fee was automatically billed $478.80 for a six-month renewal despite deleting her profile two months earlier.
- ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward stated, "The ACCC is concerned about subscription traps in digital services, and this decision highlights the need for clarity in ongoing consumer subscriptions," following hundreds of complaints.
- The Federal Court will determine penalties and consumer redress at a later date, while eHarmony said it was "carefully reviewing the Federal Court's judgment" and considering its next legal steps.
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Australia court finds dating site eHarmony misled users over subscription terms
Australia's Federal Court has found online dating platform eHarmony engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct by misrepresenting aspects of its subscription services, the country's consumer watchdog said on Tuesday.
·London, United Kingdom
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ACCC wins ‘subscription trap’ suit against eHarmony
Save (0) Please login to bookmarkClose Username or Email Address Password Remember Me The consumer regulator has won its case against eHarmony, with a judge finding the US-based online dating site misled consumers about automatic subscription renewals, fees and its free plan. Subscribe to Lawyerly to access this article.Already a subscriber? Username or Email Address Password Remember Me Lost your password? …
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