Publishers grapple with increasingly complex subscription renewal laws

Operating subscription products legally in the U.S. is becoming more challenging as states across the country pass new laws and amend existing ones to regulate subscription businesses more closely. The growing patchwork of laws and regulations is proving increasingly complicated for publishers and other companies to navigate, and some are finding themselves potentially exposed to legal action as a result. States have stepped up their scrutiny of subscription models in recent years, specifically around automatic renewal charges and the provision of free trials. At least 20 states now have laws in place regulating subscription models, but local legislatures continue to pass new laws and revise existing ones.  Legal experts say compliance is becoming more complex as new requir