Transcript (en)

Now in Adam Sandler's criminally underrated 2006 film, Click, Christopher Walken in his role as Morty, the angel of death, begs us to quote, consider the leprechaun. He's always chasing the pot of gold, Walken says, but when he gets there at the end of the day it's just corn flakes. Whether it's an internet provider or a commercial gym, too many in our city have made and developed the bad habit of disguising corn flakes as gold. New Yorkers reckon with it as almost every part of the customer experience. When they are not told how much something truly costs, and when they get a mess of hidden fees that they never signed up for, cannot cancel, and cannot afford. Life in our city is already hard enough. New Yorkers already feel a pit in their stomach as they check out at the grocery store. They scrimp and save to make rent. They sit at kitchen tables with piles of bills, wondering how they'll ever be able to afford all of them. The last thing that New Yorkers need on top of all of that Or airlines or credit card companies making life even harder by trapping them in a web of hidden costs. Those traps are concealed when you book a hotel, when you buy concert tickets, or when you finally cave and get that free trial to watch the World Cup. It might be a $5 surcharge, or it might be an added $20 at the end of every month. Either way, it adds up fast. It is estimated that the average family of four loses more than $3,200 per year on junk fees and hidden costs. New Yorkers already struggling to afford the basics simply do not have that kind of money to lose. And it's not just working people who suffer as a result of these costs. It also businesses that operate with integrity and play by the rules City Hall will not sit idly by while some exploit those same working businesses and people to pad bottom lines Four days after I took office in January, I signed two executive orders to hold these kinds of abuses accountable and to crack down on junk fees, on subscription traps, and deceptive practices in New York City. Then we were also in State Senator Kristen Gonzales' district. Today I am proud to announce that we are taking this work a step further with two new rules that we are enacting under the authority of our consumer protection law. First, we will be launching the nation's first ever click to cancel rule. Because if you can sign up with one click, you should be able to cancel with one click. Second, we are enacting a new junk fees rule that will require fully transparent all in pricing. That means no additional costs, fees, or charges after you've already made that purchase. Together, these laws are estimated to save New Yorkers more than $162 million per year. And for any who have built a business model on hidden fees and exploitation, consider this to be an official notice. If you violate either of these rules, you will be held accountable to the tune of $525 per violation. And just like those junk fees, I promise it does add up, and it does so quickly. New Yorkers have enough to worry about without these kinds of hidden costs weighing on their minds. No longer will our city be a playground for those who think they can make a quick buck on the backs of hiding this kind of information from New Yorkers. City government will instead be standing alongside New Yorkers who deserve to know what they are paying for, businesses that operate ethically and transparently like so many across our city do, and against those that harm millions of working people. Thank you so much.