Adobe's latest legal clash doesn’t come as a surprise

Adobe's confusing subscription service has been a detriment to countless creatives, leaving many feeling 'trapped' by its convoluted fine print. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that the company has been hit with a new class action lawsuit, with strong allegations that it 'misleads' its customers.

While Adobe has consistently been considered one of the best graphic design software options among seasoned creatives, its recent price hike controversy and AI integrations have seen the company fall out of favour. With backlash against Adobe increasingly brewing in the creative community, it marks unsteady waters for the once most prevalent creative software company.

Adobe's most recent lawsuit comes from plaintiffs Stephanie Wohlfiel and Vianca Marquez, who highlight that the company's "unlawful and deceptive practices" are "designed" to "hide and limit the accessibility of information". The official filing alleges that Adobe's subscription policy is intentionally crafted "to induce consumers to unwittingly enrol in costly subscriptions" with many users "routinely misled about key terms of subscriptions, including the duration of subscriptions, renewal conditions, and cancellation policies."

The lawsuit continues by highlighting that Adobe's "lure of a free trial" entices users to give over their payment details, while "intentionally burdensome" cancellation procedures result in "trapping consumers into unwanted subscriptions." Paired with unclear additional early cancellation fees, the filing claims that "Adobe’s unlawful practices have harmed and continue to harm consumers while allowing Adobe to enrich itself."

Wohlfiel and Marquez aim to represent all consumers who faced early cancellation fees or paid the full annual contract for an Adobe subscription within the past four years. The pair seek a jury trial to settle damages, restitution, disgorgement, injunctive relief and costs.

Creative Bloq reached out to Adobe. The company has chosen not to comment.

For more Adobe news, check out whether the company's claims that its AI tools are 'commercially safe' really stack up or take a look at why its shock pricing move was so controversial.