Google needs to offer a cancel button on Google One

Google needs to offer a cancel button on Google One

The Internet giant Google was successfully sued by the Bavarian Consumer Center for providing a cancellation button on its Google One platform. The Munich I Regional Court made this decision after the Bavarian Consumer Center filed the lawsuit and a court spokeswoman confirmed this. The Bavarian Consumer Center welcomed the ruling, which had already been issued in March. Google One acts as a payment service for additional cloud storage space. Google offers users 15GB of storage for free and charges monthly fees for additional storage that range from about $2 to $20.

Although Google has now added an easily accessible cancel button, the consumer advice center's lawsuit sought to have Google issue a cease-and-desist declaration and undertake to keep the button on the website. Tatjana Halm, lawyer at the Bavarian Consumer Center, emphasized the importance of large companies also having to comply with the applicable laws. This is a further step towards consumer protection, as a cancellation button has been mandatory for contracts concluded online since July 2022, making cancellation as easy as online purchases.

According to a study by the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations, around one in five providers who are required to do so have not yet integrated a cancellation button. This court decision against Google shows the need for companies, regardless of their size, to respect the rights of consumers. It is expected that Google will implement the ruling's requirements to prevent further legal consequences. The demand for transparency and usability in online services is becoming increasingly crucial to ensure a fair and trustworthy online environment for consumers.