John Oliver takes aim at subscription overload — even washing machines are watching you

On his HBO show's Sunday night episode, host John Oliver examined how subscription-based pricing has spread far beyond its traditional roots in publishing into streaming, beauty products, food delivery, cleaning services and beyond. He cited a recent report showing that Americans actually spend roughly double what they believe they do on monthly subscriptions, with about half of those surveyed still paying for services they've forgotten about or no longer use.

Oliver noted that while newspapers and magazines pioneered subscription pricing, the internet has made it simple for companies to attach a recurring fee to almost anything, pointing to niche examples like survival-gear boxes and novelty skull deliveries.

Smart devices and cars

The episode highlighted how everyday products — from baby monitors to cat litter boxes — increasingly require ongoing subscription payments to keep working fully. Car manufacturers have embraced the model aggressively, charging as much as $75 a month for features like remote unlocking or advanced cruise control; one major automaker is projected to earn $25bn annually from subscriptions by 2030.

Oliver also pointed to a printer manufacturer that disables ink cartridges when customers fall behind on subscription payments, and to smart washing machines and dishwashers that let manufacturers track household habits, such as detecting increased laundry loads after the birth of a child.

The trouble with cancelling

The host explained that companies frequently rely on so-called dark patterns — deceptive design choices — to get customers to sign up for subscriptions without realizing it, while making cancellation deliberately cumbersome. He referenced regulatory scrutiny some companies have faced over these practices. Oliver urged viewers to review their bank statements and phone subscription settings regularly to catch unwanted recurring charges, while noting that a proposed rule meant to simplify cancellations was recently blocked in court.