- One of Zohran Mamdani’s first acts as mayor is to tackle junk and hidden subscription fees.
- He signed executive orders combating “tricks and traps that drain money from New Yorkers.”
- Mamdani was sworn in as the city’s mayor on January 1.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hit the ground running, signing two executive orders in his first week that combat hidden junk fees.
The avowed democratic socialist signed orders targeting business practices that “drain money from New Yorkers and make essential goods and services less affordable,” per a release from his office on Monday.
In a Monday speech announcing the orders, Mamdani said, “We reckon with it when we try to buy concert tickets, when we book a flight, when we settle our credit card bill, or even when we pay rent. A $5 fee here, a $10 fee there — what seems small adds up quickly.”
His first order targeted fees that “do not meaningfully contribute to the service” and are hidden until after the purchase has been made, the release said.
The second order focused on what Mamdani called “subscription traps and tricks,” including free trials that automatically convert into paid plans, and subscriptions disguised as one-time purchases. The order also talked about subscriptions that make cancellations “intentionally difficult.”