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Home › Agree › "We can change these terms at any time"
Agree: What you sign or click · Tech & software

"We can change these terms at any time": fair or not?

Most apps, subscriptions and accounts include a line saying the company may change its terms at any time. Often the only notice is an email or an updated page, and continuing to use the service counts as saying yes. Companies say they need room to adapt, but many customers feel the deal they chose can be swapped out from under them.

Is it fair for a company to change the deal after you've already signed up?

Be one of the first to vote.

What happens

Terms of service, privacy policies and account agreements often say the company may update them whenever it chooses. A change might raise the price, remove a feature, add ads, change how your data is used, or add a new arbitration clause. The company may send an email, show a pop-up, or simply post the new version with a new date.

Many terms say that if you keep using the service after the change, you've accepted it. If you don't like the new terms, your main choice is often to cancel. That can be hard when you've paid in advance, stored years of photos or files, or built your routines around the service.

Why many people say it’s not fair

  • You agreed to one deal, but the company can switch it to another without your active consent.
  • Notices are easy to miss in a crowded inbox or a quick pop-up.
  • "Keep using it and you've agreed" treats silence as a yes.
  • Leaving can be costly when your files, contacts or prepaid time are tied up in the service.
  • Changes usually favor the company, such as higher prices, fewer features or broader data use.
  • Comparing old and new versions is hard, since companies rarely show what changed.

The other side

Companies say online services change constantly. New features, new laws, security threats and rising costs all require updates, and getting fresh signatures from millions of users for each change isn't practical. Without flexibility, they argue, services would freeze in place or cost more.

Many businesses also point out that they give advance notice of important changes, explain them in plain language, and let customers cancel if they disagree. Some laws already require notice for certain changes, such as credit card rate increases, so customers are not always left without warning.

Options you may not be told about

Credit cards: for many significant changes, such as rate or fee increases, issuers generally must give 45 days' notice, and you can often reject the new terms and pay off the balance under the old ones.
When terms add or change an arbitration clause, look for a new opt-out window. Some terms restart the opt-out period each time you accept an updated version.
In California, auto-renewing subscriptions that change their price must send a notice 7 to 30 days before the change, explaining how to cancel.
If a company quietly expands how it uses data you already gave it, the FTC has warned that retroactive changes like that may be unfair or deceptive. You can report it.
Before the change takes effect, you can usually download your data and cancel, and ask about a refund for unused prepaid time.

What you can do

  1. Don't delete "updated terms" emails unread. Skim for price, features, data use and arbitration.
  2. Save or screenshot the terms you signed up under, with the date.
  3. If you disagree, cancel or reject the change before the effective date, in writing if possible.
  4. Download your files, photos and contacts before you leave a service.
  5. Ask the company for a refund of unused prepaid time if the deal changed.
  6. Report surprise changes to the FTC or your state attorney general.

Rules and your rights

No single federal law bans "we may change these terms" clauses. Some specific rules apply: credit card issuers generally must give 45 days' notice of significant changes, and you can often reject them. The FTC has warned that quietly making retroactive changes to privacy promises may be unfair or deceptive. California's automatic renewal law requires notice 7 to 30 days before a subscription price change, for contracts entered, amended or extended on or after July 1, 2025. Report problems to the FTC or your state attorney general.

Has this happened to you? Share what happened so others know what to expect.

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Related

Common questions

Can a company change its terms of service without telling me?

Many terms allow changes by simply posting an updated version, so it's worth watching for update emails and notices. Some situations require more, such as credit card changes, which generally need 45 days' notice. The FTC has also warned that quietly changing privacy promises after collecting data may be unfair or deceptive.

What can I do if my credit card company changes my terms?

For many significant changes, such as higher rates or fees, you get 45 days' notice and can often reject the new terms. The issuer may close your account, but you can pay off the balance over time. Your minimum payment may rise, within limits, and closing a card can affect your credit score.

Does continuing to use a service mean I accepted new terms?

Many terms say so, and that is often how companies treat it. If you don't want to accept the change, the safest step is to cancel or reject it in writing before it takes effect, and keep a copy. For subscriptions, check whether you're owed a refund for time you've already paid for.

Sources: CFPB: Can my credit card company change the terms of my account? ↗ · FTC: Quietly changing your terms of service could be unfair or deceptive (Feb. 2024) ↗ · California AB 2863 (2024), automatic renewal law amendments ↗ · Wilson Sonsini: California amends automatic renewal law again ↗ · Walgreens Terms and Conditions of Use (arbitration opt-out) ↗

General information, not legal, financial or real estate advice. Whether a practice is fair is a matter of opinion; votes and shared experiences are the views of site visitors, not AblePro, Inc. Rules and company policies change; check current terms and your state’s rules.