Adobe Hit with Class Action Lawsuit—What It Means for Creatives

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Start your creative journey today with AI Design Proposal! We turn messy tech headlines into clear, designer-friendly advice. Today’s issue: Adobe has been served a fresh class-action over “unlawful and deceptive” subscription practices. Here’s what it means—and what to do now to protect your budget and files.

  • Adobe Hit with Class Action Lawsuit—What It Means for Creatives

  • How to Enhance, Restore, and Transform Photos with AI

  • Quick Tips

  • 5 AI design tools

Read time: 4 minutes

Today’s AI Design Breakthrough

Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images

TL;DR

Adobe is now the defendant in a class action lawsuit alleging deceptive subscription tactics—hidden annual commitments, confusing cancellation flows, and hefty early termination fees are at the heart of the complaint.

Short Paragraphs

A new class action lawsuit filed in California federal court accuses Adobe of crafting its subscription model to mislead consumers. Plaintiffs Stephanie Wohlfiel and Vianca Marquez claim that Adobe’s sign-up process disguises the true nature of its “Annual Billed Monthly” (ABM) plan, making it seem like a flexible monthly subscription rather than a year-long commitment with steep early cancellation penalties.
According to the filing, Adobe’s “lure of a free trial” pulls in consumer payment details, while “intentionally burdensome” cancellation steps and hidden early termination fees leave people trapped in expensive contracts. The plaintiffs say this has allowed Adobe to “enrich itself” at the expense of consumers. They’re seeking damages, restitution, injunctive relief, and a jury trial. Adobe declined to comment.

Highlights

  • Deceptive ABM plans: The “Annual, Billed Monthly” plan is allegedly misrepresented at sign-up, downplaying the commitment and associated cancellation fees.

  • Opaque cancellation process: Customers encounter confusing navigation and hidden fees when trying to cancel, leading many to abandon the effort.

  • Internal language reveals intent: A leaked executive quote likened the early termination fee to “heroin for Adobe,” suggesting deliberate design rather than oversight.

Why It Matters

  • Subscription fatigue meets legal reckoning: As SaaS growth accelerates, ill-defined terms are triggering a backlash, legally and ethically.

  • Greater scrutiny ahead: With the FTC already challenging Adobe’s practices, this lawsuit adds another layer of pressure on how subscription businesses disclose and deliver value.

  • Brand trust is fragile: Designers and users sensitive to fairness and transparency may now question Adobe’s credibility.

Actionable Insight

  • Audit your sign-up flows: If you're an agency or product designer, double-check how subscription terms are presented—clarity builds trust.

  • Simplify cancellation paths: Make it intuitive for users to cancel if they choose—fairness fosters long-term loyalty.

  • Be transparent about commitment terms: Highlight key subscription details openly, including duration and fees, to avoid legal and reputational risk.

Tool Spotlight

Tool of the Day: Pica AI

Scenario: Ideal for enhancing, restoring, and transforming photos with AI, perfect for professional profiles, personal projects, or creative fun.

Value:

  • Photo enhancement: Improve image quality with one click, perfect for low-resolution or poorly lit photos.

  • AI headshots: Generate professional-grade headshots from selfies for resumes or LinkedIn profiles.

  • Face swap: Create fun or creative images by swapping faces seamlessly.

How it works:

  1. Upload your image to Pica AI.

  2. Choose a tool, such as Enhance, Restore, or Face Swap, and let the AI process your photo.

  3. Download high-quality results in seconds, ready for personal or professional use.

Prompt of the Day

Today's Style: Vintage Comic Fantasy

Example:

/imagine prompt: Vintage comic fantasy illustration, hand-drawn textures, muted warm colors, humorous and surreal elements, blending nature and mechanical designs, narrative-driven and whimsical --ar 1:1 --v 6.1 --sref 2793282368

Quick Tips

Title: Custom Palettes with Colormind’s Color Constraints

Tip: Use Colormind’s constraints to generate color palettes that match your design needs.

How to:

  1. Visit Colormind.io and input your preferred colors in the palette.

  2. Lock specific colors as constraints (e.g., your brand color or background).

  3. Hit "Generate" to let Colormind fill in the remaining colors with harmonious options.

  4. Adjust until the palette feels just right!

AI Image Upscaling: Free tool for enhancing image resolution up to 20k using AI.

Simplicity AI: Instantly create stunning product images using AI technology.

AI Comic FactoryOnline platform to create unique comics using AI.

LogoGen: AI logo generator that leverages proprietary, Stable Diffusion, and Flux models to create custom logos in seconds.

OpenDreamCreate stunning AI-generated artwork in seconds with OpenDream and unleash your creativity.

Wrap-Up

AI Design Proposal is a premier AI Newsletter with over 50000 AI enthusiasts globally, including professionals from top-tier companies like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Microsoft.

What We Can Offer:

  • Stay Ahead of Trend

  • Boost Creativity

  • Master AI Tools

  • Daily Inspiration

Thanks for staying savvy with AI Design Proposal! Want crisp breakdowns of design/AI news with practical steps you can use immediately? Subscribe to our newsletter—we’ll help you protect your time, files, and budget while you create your best work.

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