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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Large companies like Disney and Uber have arbitration clauses in their Terms of Use.</li><li>Arbitration is when a neutral third party settles a dispute instead of a jury trial.</li></ul>Companies are using a simple strategy to avoid courtroom litigation when disaster strikes: the fine print.Terms and conditions have become a ubiquitous part of life for many people, from purchasing concert tickets to applying for a credit card. The legal agreement between businesses and their customers spells out both parties' responsibilities under a contractual relationship.That legal agreement can include an <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-plaintiffs-law-firms-bring-mass-arbitration-cases-class-actions-2021-11">arbitration clause</a> that removes a customer's right to sue a company when things go wrong — whether the customer knows it or not. Instead, they can be forced to use a neutral third party to settle a dispute instead of a jury at trial.In some cases, companies are using infinite arbitration clauses, which can extend to individuals beyond the original contractual parties, requiring all disputes to be settled out of the courtroom, and can be enforceable even after terminating a service."Infinite clauses stretch to the horizon and last forever. They are less a contractual provision and more a kind of arbitration servitude," David Horton, a professor at the University of California, Davis, School of Law, wrote in the University of Pennsylvania Law Review.It's a near-century-old practice that some legal experts say should be modernized for the digital age.<h2 id="27cb7a2c-c011-4afd-9917-00dc1588da6c">The Disney case</h2>In the case of large companies, arbitration clauses included in one service can often apply to any service the company offers.This scenario gained attention earlier this year after a New York State man filed a <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-wrongful-death-lawsuit-theme-park-2024-8">wrongful-death lawsuit against Disney</a> and a restaurant operator who runs a pub at Disney Springs. Disney does not own the restaurant.Jeffrey Piccolo's lawsuit said his wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan, died in October 2023 from a "severe acute allergic reaction" after dining at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant, where they asked a staff member on "numerous occasions" if allergen-free options were available. The staff member assured them the restaurant did, but Tangsuan collapsed inside Planet Hollywood later that night and was transported to a local hospital, according to the complaint.A medical examiner's investigation determined she died due to "anaphylaxis due to elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system."<div type="image" title="A photo of a sign on a water tower with the Disney Springs logo" height="1704" width="2560" msid="115384767" hostid="261" sizebytes="276990"></div>In response, Disney filed a motion to compel arbitration, arguing that Piccolo could not sue the company because he had agreed to its Terms of Use when signing up for a free Disney+ trial years earlier and again when purchasing tickets to its theme park. Disney quickly found itself in a <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-wrongful-death-lawsuit-legal-argument-pr-nightmare-2024-8">PR nightmare</a> as people online called the move "very dystopian" and urged users to cancel their Disney+ subscriptions in retaliation.After the criticism, Disney reversed course and dropped its motion to compel arbitration. The case is pending in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Orange County, Florida."At Disney, we strive to put humanity above all other considerations. With such unique circumstances as the ones in this case, we believe this situation warrants a sensitive approach to expedite a resolution for the family who have experienced such a painful loss," Josh D'Amaro, the chairman of Disney Experiences, said in a statement.Although Disney relented, Piccolo isn't the only one to get caught up in the fine print, and he likely won't be the last.Lawyers and legal experts who spoke to Business Insider said there is little consumers can do to avoid arbitration clauses in an era when signing contracts often happens with the tap of a finger."I think the only thing we can do is opt out of the internet," Joseph Cammarata, a partner at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata &amp; Siegel, P.C. in Washington DC, told Business Insider.<h2 id="7db68ead-3086-4a47-adf0-1c0cf75edcf6">Large companies use arbitration to avoid damaging their reputations in a public trial</h2><div type="image" title="Preview of John and Georgia McGinty alongside the crashed Uber vehicle." height="3264" width="2962" msid="115384769" hostid="261" sizebytes="435138"></div>Like Disney, Uber made headlines this year for a 2023 lawsuit filed by Georgia and John McGinty in the Superior Court of New Jersey.In a September court filing, the couple said they were riding in an Uber in March 2022 when the driver ran a red light and crashed into another vehicle. The court filing said Georgia sustained multiple injuries, including rib, cervical, and lumbar spine fractures. She also experienced damage to her abdominal wall, pelvic floor, and a protruding hernia.John sustained "severe" fractures to his left arm and wrist and a fractured sternum, according to the lawsuit.Uber responded by filing a motion to compel arbitration, which that court denied. However, Uber appealed, and New Jersey's appellate division sided with the company, which said the McGinty's could not have a courtroom trial because Georgia agreed to its Terms of Use in 2022 for an unrelated Uber Eats order. The couple pushed back, saying their underage daughter made that order and have filed an appeal."While the plaintiffs continue to tell the press that it was their daughter who ordered Uber Eats and accepted the Terms of Use, it's worth noting that in court they could only 'surmise' that that was the case but could not recall whether their daughter ordered food independently or if Georgia assisted," an Uber spokesperson said in a statement.<div type="image" title="Georgia McGinty, who was involved in an Uber car crash." height="3024" width="4032" msid="115384772" hostid="261" sizebytes="674730"></div>Stacey Lee, a professor of law and ethics at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, told BI that consumers are increasingly running into arbitration clauses, but how businesses use them isn't necessarily new."It has always been the default for businesses to want to go to arbitration for a number of reasons," Lee said."You're not going to have a class action lawsuit, you're not going to have it plastered on top of the front page, there's limited discovery, and businesses have a little more control over who the arbitrators are," she said.Arbitration usually has three arbitrators selected from the Arbitration Association of America. They're often business professionals with experience in a specific field."Their knowledge of the customs and norms of the industry is very different than a judge's, and because they're on the business side, they have a tendency to agree more with the business interpretations of how things work," Lee said.Cammarata said companies know juries might be less sympathetic to their arguments."They want to limit public accountability and responsibility," he said. "A jury may listen and say, 'Uber, are you kidding me?'"However, arbitration isn't inherently anti-consumer or unfair to the average person. Compared to courtroom litigation, arbitration can cost less money and be a quicker process. People also can request an appeal in arbitration, but it's not the same as a courtroom trial, where they would have the right to do so.This private form of settling legal disputes arose with the Federal Arbitration Act in 1925, making it nearly 100 years old. John Carpenter, a partner at the California-based law firm Carpenter &amp; Zuckerman, said the arbitration clause is due for an update."The problem is we're applying a statute that goes back to 1925 to 2024," Carpenter said, "It's an entirely different world. The world we live in now wasn't even conceivable in 1925."Carpenter said that arbitration was generally used to determine one-on-one agreements, but now "it's being used digitally in terms of use agreements and essentially contracting away an entire branch of government with a click."<h2 id="dcbb6564-3ff6-4ae5-98ab-600c97fc4c6e">How consumers protect themselves from arbitration clauses</h2>Cammarata said one way consumers can navigate arbitration is to check if a company's terms of use has an opt-out clause. That, however, relies on consumers reading through the businesses' Terms of Use, which are often lengthy and written in legal jargon."First of all, they haven't read it, so they don't even know that they agreed to arbitration, let alone to opt out," he said.Lee said that while courts tend to be critical of arbitration clauses in employment agreements, they're less so regarding things like streaming services or rideshare apps."Increasingly, courts are like, 'You can read. You scroll through and click yes. It is now your responsibility," Lee said. "You can walk away from the service, and it doesn't affect your life, liberty, or pursuit of happiness."John said he believes courts need to reexamine the Federal Arbitration Act."It's going to require legislative action to take a look at this," he said.

How century-old arbitration laws are failing consumers in the digital age

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Gen Zers lost more money to online scams than baby boomers last year, according to a survey.</li><li>But they may still feel immune to romance scams.</li></ul>Gen Zers may think they are digitally savvy and immune to online scams, but that very thought may leave them vulnerable to being lured into <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scammed-out-of-family-savings-in-three-months-painful-2024-8">nefarious schemes</a>."Many Gen Zers are confident in their ability to spot scams, but scammers are evolving just as quickly," Bryn Thompson, the marketing director of Phonely, a scam-protection telephone service provider, told Business Insider."With romance scams in particular, scammers exploit emotional connections and rapidly build trust, which can lead to financial exploitation before the victim even realizes what's happening."It's long been a cliché that those who get wrapped up in romance scams are older because they have a smaller social circle, are divorced or separated, and are simply more lonely.But many Gen Zers went to college or started their careers during the COVID pandemic, meaning several of their formative years were interrupted, leaving them longing for connections too.Catfishing is rife on dating apps, as are the filters and subtle image and video enhancers that have become so ingrained in social media posts that they are almost undetectable. All of which forms a gray area where scammers can thrive.<h2 id="ddd9e651-9ca9-400e-928f-a154f7fee890">Trust in the internet</h2>A Better Business Bureau survey of 1,027 respondents in the US and Canada, released in April, found that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-loses-more-money-to-online-scams-than-boomers-2024-8">Gen Zers lose more money to internet scams</a> than baby boomers in 2023.The Annual Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://20740408.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20740408/CYBSAFE-Oh%20behave%20report%202022-220927%20MS%20-%20V1.pdf">released by the National Cybersecurity Alliance in 2022</a>, surveyed over 3,000 people from the US, UK, and Canada and found that Gen Zers noted a higher rate of falling for romance scams (15%) than Gen Xers (8%) and baby boomers (4%).Scams are always evolving, and the tricks Gen Zers believe they are wise to may be replaced by increasingly technologically advanced schemes they don't see coming.Lauren Hendry Parsons, the head of communications at ExpressVPN, told BI that Gen Zers are more acquainted with meeting people online and having entire relationships through social media."Your willingness to talk to someone you don't know online goes exponentially up depending on how young you are," Hendry Parsons said. "Which opens that extra channel for potential exposure."<h2 id="be523e56-6dc4-4327-9abd-28a955ee181c">Overconfident about AI</h2>According to Kevin Lee, the trust and safety architect at the fraud prevention platform Sift, the assumption that Gen Zers are too savvy to fall for a romance scam may leave them vulnerable.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://sift.com/index-reports-ai-fraud-q2-2024?aliId=">A Sift survey</a> of 1,066 US adults earlier this year found that 81% of Gen Z believe they can spot AI-generated fraud, though they were successfully phished this way at a higher rate (31%) than Gen Xers (18%), millennials (25%), and baby boomers (11%).<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/romance-scams-ai-deepfakes-yahoo-boys-nigeria-fraud-2024-4">Deepfakes and other AI tools</a> are developing all the time, Lee said, with scammers now able to create entirely fake identities on dating profiles, images, and videos."This technology allows criminals to seem real during phone calls or text messages," he said. "Making it challenging to distinguish between real and fake interactions."Hendry Parsons said the ubiquitousness of tools like Facetune and Photoshop is making it challenging for people to determine whether someone is really who they say they are.An <a target="_blank" class="" href=" https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/dark-side-of-online-dating-uk/">ExpressVPN survey</a> of 2,000 UK adults aged 18-50 last year found that 34% of respondents had created a fake dating profile, and 27% used AI to improve the look of their photos."It's not just scammers using these things; it's not just people with nefarious purposes, but it could be," Hendry Parsons said. "Which is fundamentally that gray space where scammers proliferate and succeed in encouraging people to hand over their data or hand over money."Those aged 18 to 24 were also more likely than average to have been catfished out of any age group, with 34% believing they had been the victim of it, according to the ExpressVPN survey.<h2 id="b9ca31d9-b1fb-4bc4-8c41-58a34e399da0">Increased isolation</h2>The COVID-19 pandemic isolated people and may have left many young people with their guards down.Perpetua Neo, a psychologist and leadership coach with expertise in toxic relationships, told BI that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktokers-are-documenting-the-epidemic-of-loneliness-2023-4">if you are lonely</a>, "then the way your brain sees the world is very different.""When you are in a state of anguish or anxiety, then you're likely to latch onto somebody else without really thinking too much because it's like any port in the storm," she said.Many zoomers missed out on several years of dating during global lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and scammers can exploit that desire for connection."The regular journey an adolescent is meant to take was disrupted," Neo said. "At the same time, it was a pandemic where we were electronically connected — which can give the impression that we have social rituals and bonds, but which may be superficial."People are still processing the years lost to the pandemic, particularly Gen Zers, whose brains were still developing, Neo added.Unresolved trauma and mental health challenges put us in a state of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn, with our amygdala — the fear center of the brain — firing up regularly."This can make us more impulsive, less thoughtful of our choices, and can be a risk factor for romance scams," Neo said.Neo said scammers are highly sophisticated at creating profiles they think their marks will like. For some, this may involve a life of luxury, which may include travel, fancy meals, and expensive clothes.They're also well-versed in manipulation, she added, knowing that with the right push and pull of attention, they can hook their victims in with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-love-bombing-2017-7">love-bombing</a> and playing on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/mental-health/anxious-attachment-style">fears of abandonment</a>."You are trained to answer them, and you're trained to give them information," Neo said. "You're trained to trust them, and then they start to build this idea of the future together really, really fast."<h2 id="a06a6c0a-ba0d-49c2-9fc8-f39c568393ca">A shared struggle</h2>Once the bond is formed, scammers will get to work. Gen Zers understand what it's like to struggle, with many facing economic instability and having difficulty with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-need-financial-support-parents-family-study-2024-7">bills</a>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-millennials-housing-costs-insurance-debt-election-trump-biden-2024-6">rent</a>, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-millennial-neets-happy-idle-until-finding-right-job-2024-6">finding jobs</a>.This shared vulnerability, accelerated by the isolation of the pandemic, is something scammers can exploit, Hendry Parsons warned.For example, a new friend or romantic connection made on social media may say they don't have enough money for a plane ticket for a visit and ask to borrow money. They might say they can't afford a Netflix subscription, but they want to watch the same show together and ask to share your account.Many couples do this simple act to show trust. But when combined with the chance that your Netflix password may be similar to your online banking ones, this innocuous sharing of one service becomes "an entire threat vector," Hendry Parsons said, with the danger of identity theft and further fraud."You're actually opening up a Pandora's box of your entire online identity," she said. "Something that's small with the wrong person can become a lot bigger."

Digitally-native Gen Zers aren't immune to romance scams

<ul><li><keyword id="19940563" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JioCinema" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="JioCinema" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="JioCinema">JioCinema</keyword> has announced a new annual ad-free premium plan for individuals.</li><li>The premium subscription plan has been priced at ₹299 per year.</li><li>Here’s everything you need to know about JioCinema’s new <keyword id="21835315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="annual-subscription-plan" source="keywords">annual subscription plan</keyword>.</li></ul> Mukesh Ambani-owned streaming platform JioCinema has announced a new annual subscription plan, soon after announcing two <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/jiocinema-introduces-new-ad-free-premium-plans-starting-at-29/articleshow/109581033.cms">monthly premium plans</a>. The new annual premium subscription from the digital arm of <keyword id="19976121" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Viacom18" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Viacom18">Viacom18</keyword> offers ad-free content in 4K. After announcing two monthly plans, JioCinema has now announced an annual plan for individual users. The company is yet to announce an annual plan for family users. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="JioCinema annual plan price" comment="subhead" text="JioCinema annual plan price"><keyword id="17566564" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="JioCinema-annual-plan" source="Orion">JioCinema annual plan</keyword> price</cmsannotation> The JioCinema annual plan is priced at ₹299 per year, which is significantly cheaper than the monthly plan which costs ₹678 per year. While it is priced at ₹29 for the first month, the renewal costs ₹59 per month. The ₹299 annual plan is currently available at a discounted price. After the first year, the plan will cost ₹599. It is currently being offered at a 50% discount as part of an introductory offer. On the other hand, the family plan costs ₹89 per month and there is no annual plan available yet for families. Do note that sports content, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), will continue to be free with Jio’s ad-supported tier. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="JioCinema premium plan features" comment="subhead" text="JioCinema premium plan features"><keyword id="17402458" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JioCinema-premium-plan" source="Orion">JioCinema premium plan</keyword> features</cmsannotation> The JioCinema <keyword id="21803687" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="premium-plan" source="keywords">premium plan</keyword> offers access to all premium content on the platform without any ads, except sports and live content, which will continue to show ads. JioCinema has announced several partnerships over the last few months, including with HBO and Paramount. The company has said that in addition to English, content from international studios will be available in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and Bengali. Users who subscribe to either of the premium plans will also be able to download the content and watch it offline on their device. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Plans from rivals" comment="subhead" text="Plans from rivals">Plans from rivals</cmsannotation> JioCinema’s offerings are considerably cheaper when compared to plans offered by its rivals. Netflix offers a mobile-only subscription at ₹149 a month, while Prime Video has a subscription fee of ₹299 per month of ₹1,499 per year. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/awfis-space-solutions-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/110467409.cms">Awfis Space Solutions IPO allotment – How to check allotment, GMP, listing date and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-f55-with-leather-back-launched-in-india-starting-at-26999/articleshow/110462026.cms">Samsung Galaxy F55 with leather back launched in India starting at ₹26,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/lenovo-loq-15-review/articleshow/110456546.cms">Lenovo LOQ 15 review – gaming laptop with a sturdy design</a>

JioCinema launches new annual ad-free subscription plan at a discount

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Four years ago, the people who ran Deadspin quit the sports site and launched their own.</li><li>Defector, which relies on subscription revenue, was a hit out of the gate.</li></ul>Four years ago, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://defector.com/">Defector</a> Media launched with a great story: It was a punchy, eclectic sports website run — and, crucially, owned — by former employees of sports website Deadspin, who had <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2019/11/01/775548069/after-days-of-resignations-the-last-of-the-deadspin-staff-have-quit">quit en masse after fighting with their owner</a>.Defector founders tried selling subscriptions to launch the site, and that worked fabulously well: By the end of the site's first year, it had 36,000 subscribers (I was — and am still — one of them), $3.2 million in revenue, and $200,000 in operating profit."This rules — so far," <a target="_blank" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/tw/podcast/defector-media-life-after-deadspin-is-good-and-profitable/id1080467174?i=1000534063269">Defector Editor in Chief Tom Ley told me in 2021</a>.How's it going now?On the one hand, pretty darn well. Defector's revenue is now up to $4.6 million a year, and it's still profitable.But on the other hand, it's getting harder. Growth is plateauing, and making a living in digital media isn't getting any easier — whether you're a big, publicly traded publisher like <a target="_blank" href="https://ir.iac.com/static-files/c4f0ab4d-7404-4e83-9842-a90cdd0820b9">Meredith DotDash</a> or a tiny startup like Defector.You can see for yourself by looking at <a target="_blank" href="https://defector.com/defector-annual-report-year-four?utm_campaign=defector&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter">Defector's annual report</a>, which gets pretty granular about what's working, what isn't, and what the company might do next.I highly recommend that you do, since it's a resource most publishers don't provide. But I can also sum it up for you: After signing up tens of thousands of subscribers in their first year, Defector is finding it increasingly hard to sign up new subscribers, and to keep the ones they have."We get smarter all the time," says Jasper Wang, who runs Defector's business operations. "But each incremental 1,000 subscribers are way harder to get than the last 1,000."Over the last year, Defector's subscriber count peaked at 42,500 — just a hair above the previous peak from the year earlier, when it topped out at 42,100.There are two ways for Defector to try to increase that number: It can work on getting the site and its offerings to more people, in hopes of getting more sign-ups. And it can work on keeping more of the subscribers it does have — to cut down on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-wins-streaming-wars-this-chart-shows-why-2024-1">churn, the bane of any subscription business</a>.Neither path is easy.Digital distribution is getting more difficult for every kind of publisher, as everyone from Twitter to Google to Facebook seems more interested in keeping users on their own properties than referring them to other sites. Defector thinks it can combat this with gift links that paying subscribers can pass along to their friends. That's supposed to create what the company calls "high-quality referrals."Meanwhile, the company is trying to cut down on churn by getting readers to spend more time on the site since the biggest predictor of renewals is the number of articles a subscriber reads. Defector says "onboarding" emails to new subscribers, pointing out articles and coverage they may not know about, has helped reduce churn by up to 10 percentage points.But no single thing is going to solve any of Defector's issues, which is why it's trying a lot of things. Next up: ads.Defector has always been just about ad-free, with an occasional ad or sponsorship here and there. In their words: "There are generally two ways to make money publishing words on the internet, and we've largely ignored one of them so far."But now the site thinks it's ready to try advertising for real and will start showing a regular diet of ads to non-subscribers later this year. It will hopefully be a twofer for the company: more revenue, derived primarily from readers who aren't likely to ever become subscribers, plus a gentle nudge that might prompt some non-subscribers to pay up to have a (mostly) ad-free experience.In any case: I don't often recommend annual financial reports as pleasure reading. But if you work in media, or are slightly curious about how the stuff on your screen gets to you, <a target="_blank" href="https://defector.com/defector-annual-report-year-four?utm_campaign=defector&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter">I can't recommend it enough</a>.

Defector Media started with a bang. It's an uphill climb to keep growing — just like in most of digital media.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A proposed bill would add an extra $4 to $10 a month to streaming music fees.</li><li>Making streaming music work better for artists — especially non-famous ones — is a real problem.</li></ul>Lots of consumers like streaming music. Lots of musicians complain about streaming — they say it doesn't generate nearly as much revenue for them as they deserve and need.So here's a proposal to help fix that: a tax that would increase American consumers' music streaming bills by 50% — meaning you'd pay an extra $4 to $10 a month for services like Spotify or Apple Music.[Record scratch.] What?That proposal comes from the <a target="_blank" href="https://d12t4t5x3vyizu.cloudfront.net/tlaib.house.gov/uploads/2024/03/Living-Wage-for-Musicians-Act_Final-Text.pdf">Living Wage for Musicians Act</a>, sponsored by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-New York).And this one is obviously not going anywhere. I don't believe there was ever a time that Americans supported a 50% tax hike on anything, for any reason. But it's clearly not going to happen when lots of them are still trying to figure out how to afford houses or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/consumer-confidence-economy-stock-market-gas-prices-eggs-vibes-recession-2024-1">eggs</a> after a big inflation spike.You can also tell Tlaib and the bill's supporters don't really think this tax is going anywhere, either.That's presumably why Tlaib's office doesn't spell out the cost of the tax in the <a target="_blank" href="https://tlaib.house.gov/posts/tlaib-introduces-living-wage-for-musicians-act">announcement</a> promoting the bill — it refers to it only as a "small fee."The same goes for the <a target="_blank" href="https://weareumaw.org/make-streaming-pay">United Musicians and Allied Workers</a>, the group that helped create the bill. And the same goes for this <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/28/new-law-how-musicians-make-money-streaming">op-ed from Damon Krukowski</a>, a musician and UMAW member. None of them spell out what would happen to consumers' monthly bills if this went through.Which, frankly, made me think that Krukowski and his colleagues are trying to accomplish something else with this proposal. Though I'm not sure what that would be.But when we got on the phone to discuss the bill this month, he said it's supposed to be taken literally and seriously."This is meant to be a workable solution," he told me.Leaving aside the non-starter of a tax, Krukowski has plenty of good points to make about how difficult it is for most musicians to make any kind of money from streaming. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/music-royalties-artist-revenue-compared-spotify-apple-music-pandora-2019-12">Many of which you've heard before</a>.One good bit of nuance Krukowski adds that you likely haven't heard: In some cases, the US government already has a role in distributing revenue to musicians (or, at least, people who own the rights to songs musicians write and perform). But that doesn't apply to much of the revenue on-demand music streamers collect.And while lots of musicians take issue with deals big music labels strike with the likes of Spotify and how little of that comes back to artists, Krukowski says the bill is explicitly not trying to meddle with those deals. This is just supposed to add an additional revenue source, which would be distributed directly to artists.But back to that fee, which the bill spells out as "an additional fee in an amount equal to 50 percent of the subscription fee charged by the service provider, except that such additional fee shall not be an amount less than $4 or more than $10."So for a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spotify.com/us/premium/">Spotify premium subscriber, paying a list price of $11 a month</a>, that would be an additional $5.50 a month. (That theoretical money would get collected and distributed by a nonprofit fund; the money would be divvied up based on usage, which would also be capped so that mega-popular artists like Taylor Swift wouldn't soak up all the new revenue.)Again: Who's going to go for that?And here, I'll note that anyone who spends any time looking at their bill for things like cell service, cable TV, a meal out, or a hotel stay is likely to find all kinds of extra taxes and surcharges on top of the original fee, you thought you were paying. And those fees can be both meaningful — the average "resort fee" at a hotel now reportedly averages $30 a night — and immovable: If you don't want to pay that fee, <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=fb8474cea643c492f233c89e8702ae336d7381c32641c4246e883ba25544cc99&amp;postID=6605bd139c303b96ab8219d4&amp;postSlug=spotify-cost-increase-bill-adds-tax-apple-music-streaming-2024-3&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kayak.com%2Fnews%2Fwhat-is-a-resort-fee%2F%23avoid-resort-fees">your options are pretty darn limited</a>.While I'm at it, I can also note I often voluntarily — or at least somewhat voluntarily — will throw an extra dollar in a real or digital tip jar when I buy a cup of coffee.And that, if I think about it, I'm probably spending north of $4 a month for extra fees on coffee purchases alone. And that while I wish the people making my coffee or delivering my food or cleaning my hotel room got paid more by their employers or gig arrangers, I'm willing to accept that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/money/23978458/tipping-culture-tablet-tipflation-doordash-square-toast-tips">it's kind of on me to help people make a living</a>. So I [usually/sometimes] do it.And, maybe, if my Spotify family subscription offered a digital tip jar — and I truly thought that money would go directly to musicians — I might be tempted to throw in a few bucks here and there, too.But that's a whole lot different than a government-imposed levy, no matter how well-intentioned it is. Even if I was OK with it, it's hard to imagine a less popular proposal.Anyone got a better idea?

Anyone want to pay an extra 50% for their Spotify subscription? This bill would make it mandatory.

<ul><li><keyword id="19940563" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JioCinema" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="JioCinema" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="JioCinema">JioCinema</keyword> has announced new ad-free premium plans for individuals and families.</li><li>The premium subscription plans have been priced starting at ₹29 per month.</li><li>Here’s everything you need to know about JioCinema’s new subscription plans.</li></ul> Mukesh Ambani-owned streaming platform JioCinema on Thursday announced its new premium plans after teasing them for a few days. The new premium subscription plans from the digital arm of Viacom18 offer ad-free content. JioCinema has an extensive catalogue, including the ongoing <keyword id="19966825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Premier-League" source="keywords">Indian Premier League</keyword> (IPL) and content from HBO, Warner Bros., and Paramount, among others. The new content plans are cheaper than its current plans and are aimed at offering an ad-free experience like <keyword id="21423024" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix-and-Prime-Video" source="keywords">Netflix and Prime Video</keyword>. Do note that sports content, including the IPL, will continue to be free with Jio’s ad-supported tier. Existing <keyword id="20426557" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JioCinema-Premium" source="keywords">JioCinema Premium</keyword> users will be upgraded to Jio’s new plans for free. “The introduction of JioCinema Premium breaks the numerous cost and quality barriers that exist in accessing premium entertainment. With 4K streaming, best-in-class audio, offline viewing and no device restriction all at a customer-centric pricing is sure to democratise access to quality entertainment for all of India,” Kiran Mani, chief executive officer, <keyword id="21420202" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18-Digital" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Viacom18 Digital" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Viacom18 Digital">Viacom18 Digital</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="JioCinema Premium plans pricing" comment="subhead" text="JioCinema Premium plans pricing"><keyword id="21423025" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jiocinema-premium-plans" source="Orion">JioCinema Premium plans</keyword> pricing</cmsannotation> The new JioCinema Premium plan is priced at ₹29 per month for the individual plan, offering online and offline access to 4K content on one device. It includes access to all premium content on the platform without any ads, except sports and live content, which will continue to show ads. For families, JioCinema has introduced the new Family plan, which offers all the same benefits as the Premium plan and allows streaming on four devices at once. It is priced at ₹89 per month. Do note that the company has not announced long-term plans and you only have the option to select from the monthly plans. JioCinema has said that these are introductory prices. The actual prices of the plans are ₹59 and ₹149 respectively. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="International content in regional languages" comment="subhead" text="International content in regional languages">International content in regional languages</cmsannotation> JioCinema has announced several partnerships over the last few months, including with HBO and Paramount. The company has said that in addition to English, content from international studios will be available in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and Bengali. “On an average, pricing for broadcaster-based OTT’s in India is ₹103 per month (Zee5, Sony Liv, Disney plus premium plan), whereas global giant OTT’s average pricing is ₹358 (Netflix premium plan, Amazon video), which implies that Jio Cinema Premium pricing is at a steep discount of 86% vs average price of peers; however, Jio Cinema’s depth of offerings in originals/global content remains much lower compared to global peers,” said Karan Thorani, Elara Securities. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/gigabyte-aorus-co49dq-49-inch-qd-oled-144hz-curved-gaming-monitor-launched-in-india/articleshow/109563798.cms">GIGABYTE AORUS CO49DQ 49-inch QD-OLED 144Hz curved gaming monitor launched in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-narzo-70-narzo-70x-5g-smartphones-launched-in-india-starting-at-11999/articleshow/109557895.cms">Realme Narzo 70, Narzo 70X 5G smartphones launched in India starting at ₹11,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-let-loose-event-scheduled-for-may-7-ipads-expected-to-be-launched/articleshow/109553148.cms">Apple Let Loose event scheduled for May 7 – New iPad models expected to be launched</a>

An Ambani disruption in OTT: At just ₹1 per day, you can now enjoy ad-free content on JioCinema

New Delhi, The <keyword id="19899402" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital" source="keywords">digital</keyword> media will potentially overtake television as the leading segment in the <keyword id="20331450" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="media-entertainment" source="keywords">media &amp; entertainment</keyword> sector in 2024 with an estimated size of Rs 75,100 crore, said a joint report from industry body FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and EY on Tuesday. While the Indian Media &amp; Entertainment (M&amp;E) sector grew by 8.1 per cent in 2023, reaching Rs 2.32 lakh crore and is expected to touch Rs 2.55 lakh crore and cross Rs 3 lakh crore mark by 2026, it added. "We expect the M&amp;E sector to grow 10.2 per cent to reach Rs 2.55 trillion by 2024, then grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 10 per cent to reach Rs 3.08 trillion by 2026," the report said. Though in 2023 television remained the largest segment with Rs 69,600 crore, however, it had a degrowth of 1.83 per cent as against Rs 70,900 crore in 2022, it said. While, the digital media in 2023 crossed Rs 65,400 crore and is expected to be around Rs 75,100 crore in 2024, which is ahead of Rs 71,800 crore figure of the television media. The report estimates digital media would be around Rs 95,500 crore in 2026, with a CAGR growth of 13.5 per cent between 2023-26. While TV media would be Rs 76,600 crore, which would be around 20 per cent less than digital media. "In 2024, digital media is poised for explosive growth, potentially overtaking television to become the leading segment of the M&amp;E sector. This surge in digital media is forecasted to propel the M&amp;E sector's growth to a 10 per cent annual rate, crossing Rs 3 trillion (USD 37.1 billion) by 2026," said <keyword id="20331445" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kevin-vaz" source="keywords">Kevin Vaz</keyword> Chairman, <keyword id="20835181" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ficci-media-and-entertainment-committee" source="keywords">FICCI Media and Entertainment Committee</keyword>. This growth is buoyed by a robust digital infrastructure, widespread adoption of OTT platforms, significant growth in the gaming segment, and the availability of cost-effective options for consumers. The report expects digital advertising to grow at a 13.5 per cent CAGR to reach Rs 84,200 crore, on the back of improved governance. According to the report, the connected TV (smart TV) saw a 50 per cent growth as internet penetration continues to rise. "The broadband market is growing with subscription numbers recording 904 million. It is inevitable that smartphone users have grown and consequently, the average usage time continues to rise," it said. However, it also added despite high app downloads of 26.4 billion, India was behind in monetising this potential, with users spending half their time on social media apps. "The year also saw the growth of digital ad spending by 15 per cent, predominantly in search and social media. By 2026, the digital segment is expected to grow to Rs 95,000 crore with an increased focus on governance," it said. The Media &amp; Entertainment sector (M&amp;E) sector, which was around Rs 2.14 lakh crore has grown around Rs 17,300 crore in 2023, led by growth from Digital media, <keyword id="20004573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="print" source="keywords">Print</keyword>, Online gaming, and Animation and VFX, the report said. "While the sector was 21 per cent above its pre-pandemic levels, television, print, and radio still lagged their 2019 levels," it said. The share of traditional media, which includes television, print, filmed entertainment, live events, OOH (Out-of-home), music, and radio stood at 57 per cent of M&amp;E sector revenues in 2023, down from 76 per cent in 2019, it added. In 2023, TV advertising fell 6.5 per cent due to a slowdown in spending by gaming and D2C brands, which impacted revenues for premium properties. On the print media, the report said it has buckled the global trend and continued to thrive in India. "Advertising revenues grew 4 per cent in 2023, with a notable growth in premium ad formats, as print remained a "go-to" medium for more affluent and nonmetro audiences. Subscription revenues grew 3 per cent on the back of rising cover prices. Digital revenues were insignificant for most print companies," it said.

You Searched For "digital subscriptions" and got 7 results

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Anyone want to pay an extra 50% for their Spotify subscription? This bill would make it mandatory.

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