A federal appeals court blocked the Federal Trade Commission's efforts to make cancelling memberships easier. Adam J. Levitin, a Georgetown Law professor, joins CBS News with more.

Washington

A federal appeals court has halted the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) 'click-to-cancel' rule, which was intended to simplify the process for consumers to cancel auto-renewing subscriptions. The court determined that the FTC had not conducted the required cost-benefit analysis before implementing the rule.

Currently, there is a patchwork of state regulations regarding subscription cancellations, with some states having specific rules and others relying on broader laws against unfair or deceptive business practices. The FTC is also pursuing legal action against LA Fitness, alleging the company created unnecessary obstacles for customers attempting to cancel their memberships. The outcome of the lawsuit may influence future changes to cancellation procedures.

Appeals court blocks FTC "click to cancel" rule

All right, have you ever had trouble canceling a subscription or gym membership? Well, the Federal Trade Commission is suing LA Fitness, accusing the company of making it nearly impossible to cancel those memberships. The agency further alleges that LA Fitness put roadblocks in place to prevent people from canceling. So I wanna bring in Adam J. Levitin, a professor of consumer law at Georgetown Law School. All right, so this is a really interesting case, Adam. A federal appeals court just blocked the FTC's click-to-cancel rule. Can you explain what that is and why it was blocked? So the FTC put out a rule that would have made it easier for consumers to cancel auto-renew subscriptions. The idea was that if you have a subscription to a website or a gym, that you should be able to just easily cancel it with maybe a little more than one click, but without going through a lot of effort. And a federal appeals court blocked it because they said that the FTC had not undertaken the necessary cost-benefit analysis when promulgating the rule. Really interesting. So what are the rules that are in place to stop companies from making it so difficult to cancel subscriptions or memberships? Well, right now, we have a patchwork of rules that some states, but not most of them, have specific rules about auto-renewals. In addition to that, though, every state and the federal level have laws that prohibit unfair and deceptive acts and practices in trade. And that is what the FTC is using to sue LA Fitness. They say that by making it difficult to cancel renewals, LA Fitness was engaged in an unfair, deceptive act in practice. Specifically, some of the things that the FTC alleges with LA Fitness is that if you wanted to cancel, you'd have to print out a form from a website, and in order to print out that form, you had to log into the website. Most people have no idea what their login is for a gym. And if once they were actually able to print out the form, then they would have to submit the form in person during very limited hours to a specific person. And this is kind of ironic because one of the reasons that people cancel gym memberships is that they're not going to the gym, yet they're being forced here to go to the gym to actually cancel the membership. Wow, all right. So what can people do to get out of them? With LA Fitness, you can go through, currently you can go through one of their, they have a few different possibilities for how you can cancel. You can print out that form that you have to find somewhere on their website and do it by mail. You can go in in person, but it's not easy to cancel your subscription right now. We will see what changes with the FTC lawsuit. Yeah, this is a, it's really kind of a sticky situation there because I know everybody's dealt with it. Everybody has felt the inability to cancel something that you want to cancel or you all of a sudden look at your credit card and you're like, wait, I'm still getting charged? I thought I canceled this subscription or I thought I canceled this membership. Really fascinating. Adam Levitin, thank you very much, sir. Appreciate it.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland construction worker deported to El Salvador and then returned to the U.S. on smuggling charges, has been released from prison in Tennessee, his attorneys say.

Nashville

Kilmar Abrego Garcia released from jail in Tennessee

A bus with more than 50 people on board rolled over in New York and several deaths are being reported, officials confirm. CBS News' Jericka Duncan reports.

Pembroke

Tour bus crash in New York causes 'several fatalities'

The FBI raided former Trump national security adviser John Bolton's house in Bethesda, Maryland, CBS News has confirmed. Jake Rosen has more.

Bethesda

FBI raids John Bolton's home, office

Attorneys general in 14 states and Washington, D.C., accuse TikTok of designing its app to keep users hooked. Court-released edited video shows some company staff discussing the toll it can take on children and teens.

TikTok faces lawsuits over mental health risks

A parole board rejected Erik Menendez's request for release, saying he has not shown proper remorse for killing his parents 36 years ago. His brother, Lyle Menendez, faces his own hearing today (August 22).

Los Angeles

Erik Menendez denied parole after California hearing

Russia carried out one of its largest aerial attacks of the year on Ukraine. The strikes killed at least one person and injured 15, marking Russia’s third-largest drone attack and eighth-largest missile assault this year.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russia launches largest strike in weeks on Ukraine

The U.S. is sending three warships to the waters of Venezuela as part of a major counter-narcotics operation, a White House official confirms. CBS News senior national security correspondent Charlie D'Agata reports.

U.S. warships head to Venezuela to combat drug cartel threats

An eyewitness says American subcontractors at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites shot at Palestinians, a claim GHF denies.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

Eyewitness claims U.S. subcontractors fired at Palestinians in Gaza

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that will allow voters to decide on new congressional maps in November.

California

Newsom signs bill putting new California congressional maps on ballot

A New York appellate court threw out a $527 million penalty in the civil fraud case against President Trump and several others. CBS News' Aaron Navarro reports.

New York

Trump civil fraud case $527 million penalty thrown out

The U.S. and the European Union have locked in a framework trade deal that includes a 15% U.S. tariff on most EU imports, including autos, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber.

Global Tariffs

U.S. and EU lock in trade deal

Israel says it began its military operation to take control of Gaza City. This comes after an apparent Hamas attack in Khan Younis targeting Israeli soldiers.

Jerusalem

Israel says it began Gaza City expansion

After weeks of pushback from Democrats, House Republicans in Texas have passed controversial legislation to redraw the state's congressional map, giving the GOP an advantage in multiple seats.

Austin

Texas House passes controversial GOP redistricting map

U.S. President Donald Trump’s top-down diplomacy has experts in Ukraine skeptical about whether there has been enough preparation for proposed talks to actually end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Moscow

Russia signals more talks needed before Zelenskyy-Putin meeting

The Texas House on Wednesday night passed a controversial, Republican-backed proposal to redraw the state's congressional maps. The bill now moves onto the Texas Senate. CBS News reporter Erica Brown has more.

Texas

Texas House approves GOP congressional redistricting map

Israel's military has called up tens of thousands of reservists in preparation for an expected assault on Gaza City, as the Israeli government considered a new proposal for a ceasefire after nearly two years of war.

Israel calls up 60,000 reservists ahead of Gaza City operation

The Trump administration says it is adding 407 items to the list of "derivative" steel and aluminum products subject to higher tariffs. The list includes products like car parts, household appliances, baby strollers, fire extinguishers and spray deodorants.

Trump expanding steel and aluminum tariffs

NATO military chiefs met virtually Wednesday for what was described as a candid discussion about security guarantees the alliance would be willing to provide to Ukraine in an effort to end Russia's war in the region.

Brussels

NATO chiefs meet virtually about potential Ukraine security guarantees

Israel's military leaders approved the next phase of their ongoing offensive in the territory. The operation will shift focus to Gaza City, targeting areas where Hamas is believed to still be active and where Israeli forces have not yet operated.

Israel approves next phase of Gaza offensive, focus on Gaza City

Despite not making landfall, Hurricane Erin is forcing mandatory evacuation orders in parts of North Carolina and is expected to cause rip currents for days along the U.S. East Coast.

North Carolina

Hurricane Erin forces evacuations on U.S. East Coast

The White House says it is working to secure a meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine, which both have agreed to, while plans continue to create security guarantees for Ukraine.

Trump says no U.S. ground troops will be sent to Ukraine

Hamas has agreed to a ceasefire proposal for Gaza, but mediators are still waiting for an official response from Israel. CBS News contributor Robert Berger has the latest from Jerusalem.

Mediators await Israeli response to Gaza ceasefire proposal

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met China’s top diplomat on Tuesday and hailed the “steady progress” made in improving the bilateral relationship after a yearslong standoff between the nuclear-armed Asian powers.

New Delhi

India's Modi meets China's foreign minister to rebuild ties

Texas Democrats who ended a walkout found themselves shadowed by law enforcement officers to keep them from repeating the protest that stalled Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts and fulfill President Donald Trump's desire to reshape U.S. House maps.

Police escort Texas Democrats to prevent new redistricting walkout

Air Canada has reached a tentative agreement with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), ending the strike that began over the weekend involving 10,000 members and disrupted travel for more than 100,000 travelers per day.

Toronto

Air Canada reaches tentative agreement with flight attendant union

Exiled former Hong Kong lawmaker Ted Hui hailed Australia's grant of asylum status as a key acknowledgement of the territory's human rights infringements since its authorities quelled massive pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Hong Kong Island

Ex-Hong Kong lawmaker granted asylum by Australia

Forecasters are giving urgent warnings to millions of people who live along the East Coast as Hurricane Erin churns in the Atlantic. The storm will not make direct landfall but is expected to bring dangerous rip currents.

East Coast of the United States

Hurricane Erin to bring dangerous rip currents to U.S. East Coast

Jasveen Sangha, a Los Angeles woman known as the "Ketamine Queen," has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges in connection with the death of actor Matthew Perry. Sangha could face up to 45 years in prison.

"Ketamine Queen" to plead guilty in Matthew Perry's death

European leaders who converged on the White House for talks on the Russia-Ukraine war demonstrated a united front regarding Ukraine's security on Monday, underscoring the issue as pivotal for the entire continent, not just Ukraine.

EU leaders show cautious optimism following Zelenskyy, Trump talks

As Hamas reportedly agreed to some ceasefire terms that would include the return of more hostages, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered troops to take more of Gaza.

Breakdown