DAZN faces lawsuit for charging renewal fees without consent

The streaming service DAZN, home to numerous boxing events and promoters, is facing a proposed class action lawsuit in California.

The 32-page suit claims that the streamer has charged renewal fees without viewers consenting to the charges, according to an article from ClassAction.org (a hat tip to Matthew Brown of Brunch Boxing, whose report brought this story into greater awareness).

If the lawsuit’s allegations are proven, the fees would be in violation of California’s Automatic Renewal Law.

In the filing, it is alleged that DAZN uses “consumer confusion and inertia” as ways of maintaining subscription levels and increasing revenues.

The suit adds that “online retailers” in the state must highlight extension terms in “a clear and conspicuous manner,” as well as obtain permission from customers before their accounts are charged with subscription renewal fees.

It also states that terms surrounding automatic renewals must include an easy option for account cancellations.

The suit claims DAZN “systemically violates” the California Automatic Renewal Law and that the streamer “makes it exceedingly difficult and unnecessarily confusing” for those wishing to cancel their subscription.

The confusion, alleges the suit, has also resulted in “accidental or unintentional sign-ups” courtesy of apparent dark patterns on the site.

The case added that the Defendant’s conduct had “drawn the attention and ire of customers across the country, with countless angry customers taking to the Internet to voice their discontent over [the] Defendant’s deceitful tactics.”