Deceptive Subscription & 'Dark Pattern' Auto-Renewal Consumer Class Action (Adobe Inc.)
Case Overview
Adobe's Creative Cloud subscription service is used by millions of designers, photographers, and professionals worldwide. Plaintiffs allege that when consumers signed up for Adobe's discounted 'annual plan, paid monthly' option, the company deliberately obscured a key term: canceling the plan within the first year triggers an early termination fee equal to 50% of the remaining contract value — often $100 to $300 or more. Class action complaints allege that this fee was buried in fine print during signup using so-called 'dark patterns,' deceptive UI design choices that make it difficult for consumers to understand the true terms of their agreement. The Federal Trade Commission launched a parallel investigation, filing its own suit against Adobe in June 2024 alleging violations of the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA).
The FTC's complaint, filed in the Northern District of California, alleged that Adobe failed to clearly disclose the early termination fee before enrollment and made cancellation unreasonably difficult through a labyrinthine online process. The private class action lawsuits, consolidated alongside the regulatory action, seek restitution of early termination fees paid by affected subscribers, statutory damages, and injunctive relief requiring clearer subscription disclosures. Adobe has denied wrongdoing and has made some modifications to its cancellation flow. The case is being closely watched as a bellwether for federal enforcement of dark-pattern consumer fraud in the subscription economy.
Who May Qualify
U.S. consumers who subscribed to an Adobe Creative Cloud 'annual plan, paid monthly' or similar subscription and were charged an early termination fee upon cancellation — particularly those who allege the fee was not clearly disclosed at the time of signup — may be eligible to join the class action and seek reimbursement of those fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund for Adobe's early cancellation fee?
Potentially. If you were charged an early termination fee when canceling your Adobe Creative Cloud annual subscription and feel the fee was not clearly disclosed when you signed up, you may be eligible to participate in the ongoing class action lawsuit or FTC enforcement action seeking fee refunds.
What is a 'dark pattern' and how does it relate to the Adobe lawsuit?
A dark pattern is a deceptive user interface design that tricks consumers into actions they didn't intend — like hiding key fees in fine print or making cancellation deliberately complicated. The Adobe lawsuit alleges the company used dark patterns to conceal a 50%-of-remaining-contract early termination fee from subscribers choosing its discounted annual plan.
Did the FTC sue Adobe?
Yes. The Federal Trade Commission filed suit against Adobe Inc. in June 2024 in the Northern District of California, alleging that Adobe violated federal consumer protection laws by failing to clearly disclose its early termination fees and by making cancellation unreasonably difficult. The FTC action runs parallel to the private class action litigation.