Summary

Adobe's recent deceptive subscription practices resulted in a lawsuit by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Breakdown

• Adobe's subscription model imposes hidden early termination fees.
• The lawsuit alleges Adobe forced companies to pay for unused subscriptions.
• The lawsuit alleges Adobe pushed subscribers into annual plans without disclosure.
• The lawsuit targets specific Adobe executives for deceptive practices.
• Adobe's Creative Cloud subscription model is criticized for its complexity.
• The Restore Online Shoppers Confidence Act is cited in the lawsuit.
• The FTC has been cracking down on deceptive practices under Lina Khan.
• Adobe’s dark patterns in the signup process are highlighted.

Quotes

• "Adobe had completely jumped the shark."
• "You can't remove a seat when you're an organization that has a bunch of seats."
• "The whole seat system is just crazy to me in general."
• "The fact that adding seats was like permanent blew my mind."

Recommendations for Businesses

• Try alternatives to Adobe Creative Suite. For a comprehensive list with links, see: https://github.com/KenneyNL/Adobe-Alternatives
• Infographic for Adobe alternatives: