Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- allege / əˈlɛdʒ / (v.) – to say that someone did something wrong or illegal, even if there is no clear proof yet
Example:The victim’s lawyer is alleging that the company misled people into paying for something they didn’t want.
- consent / kənˈsɛnt / (n.) – agreement or permission for something to happen or be done
Example:The photographer gave his full consent for the magazine to use and publish his photos.
- billing / ˈbɪl ɪŋ / (n.) – the act of sending bills to people requesting payment for the money owed for products and services
Example:The electricity billing for last month’s services was higher than expected.
- navigate / ˈnæv ɪˌgeɪt / (v.) – to move through different pages or steps on a website, application, or computer screen to complete a task or find information
Example:Many people find it hard to navigate the website because the design is confusing.
- in-app / ˌɪn ˈæp / (adv.) – relating to actions or features available from within a mobile or web application
Example:Clients can update their personal information in-app instead of calling customer service.
Article
Read the text below.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against Uber, alleging that it enrolled consumers in its Uber One subscription program without their consent and made it too difficult for them to cancel the service.
Uber One members pay $9.99 per month or $96 per year for a range of services, including fee-free Uber Eats food deliveries and cash back when they take Uber rides.
In its lawsuit, the FTC said multiple customers complained that Uber signed them up for Uber One without their permission or charged them for the service before a free trial period was over. In at least one case, a person was charged $9.99 per month even though they didn’t have an Uber account, the lawsuit said.
The FTC said Uber also made it extremely difficult for subscribers to cancel Uber One. The agency said Uber requires customers to take at least 12 different actions on at least seven screens to cancel the service. Cancellation gets even harder for consumers within 48 hours of their billing date, the FTC said, requiring them to navigate as many as 23 screens and still contact customer service.
“Americans are tired of getting signed up for unwanted subscriptions that seem impossible to cancel,” said FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson, who has led the FTC since January after he was tapped as chairman by President Donald Trump.
In a statement, Uber said it was disappointed that the FTC chose to move forward with the lawsuit. Uber said its sign-up and cancellation process is clear, simple and lawful.
“Uber does not sign up or charge consumers without their consent, and cancellations can now be done anytime in-app and take most people 20 seconds or less,” Uber said.
Uber said at one point it did require customers to contact a service representative if they wanted to cancel within 48 hours of a billing period, but that is no longer the case.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- How familiar are you with the subscription terms and cancellation processes of the services you use? Do you typically read the terms and conditions before subscribing? Why or why not? Discuss.
- Some subscribers say it takes many steps to cancel a subscription. What do you think happens when a company makes canceling a subscription too difficult? How can it affect the way customers trust or support that company in the future? Discuss.
Discussion B
- Uber offers a free trial period for its Uber One subscription program. Have you ever signed up for a free trial? What made you try it, and how did it go? Do you think free trials are a good way to discover new services? Why or why not? Discuss.
- What kind of services would you like to see offer free trials? After hearing about people being charged without permission, would you still feel confident trying one? Why or why not? Discuss.
