Some Californians were unexpectedly charged fees through their YouTube accounts, but they may be eligible for a refund.
Google’s San Bruno-based company has agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle a lawsuit. The suit claimed the company broke California law by automatically renewing YouTube TV subscriptions without proper consent.
The lawsuit claims the company didn’t fully inform users about important details before automatically charging them for subscription renewals.
To get a payment, customers needed to have signed up for and paid at least one renewal period of their YouTube TV subscription between February 1, 2017, and October 29, 2021, while living in California.
To be eligible, customers must have purchased their subscription directly from YouTube, and not through the Apple App Store.
Those eligible are estimated to receive a $92.26 payout.
To file a claim, you’ll need either the email address or phone number associated with your YouTube TV account, plus the username (login ID) and PIN found on the settlement notice you were sent.
The deadline for claims is Aug. 30.
New rules about automatic subscription renewals became law in California last July. These rules are designed to offer consumers more protection and control over ongoing charges.
The “Click-to-Cancel” law requires companies to get clear permission from customers before automatically renewing subscriptions. They must also clearly state the renewal terms, let customers cancel easily – using the same method they used to subscribe – and send reminders before the renewal happens.
Attorney General Rob Bonta stated last year that as more companies offer subscriptions online, it’s crucial they are upfront with customers and make it simple for people to manage or cancel those subscriptions.
2026-07-22 13:36