Isn’t having to have an online chat an unnecessary artificial barrier? Why not a button like most other sites.

They have that too: https://www.nytimes.com/data-subject-request

This is only for deleting your entire account. It says right there at the top of the form

"To change or cancel your subscription, please contact Customer Care."

As a free user, you still need an account to read certain free articles. So it's not really the same as canceling your subscription.

I also wouldn't be surprised if they deleted your account but kept billing you.

I've tried using this form several times. They send me an email afterward telling me they won't delete my account. (This is despite me living in a jurisdiction where deleting my account is legally non-optional.)

NY Times needs to get their shit together.

On that page I see this:

> To change or cancel your subscription, please contact Customer Care.

You're right, you have to do that: https://myaccount.nytimes.com/seg/cancel

That is pretty anti-user. Comcast does this too.

Not a meme, I had the experience first hand. It's very much real.

I think the problem is that it requires chatting live with someone who's job it is to prevent you from cancelling in the first place. If you can sign up in two clicks you should be able to cancel in two clicks.

I canceled by clicking a button. NYT very much knows I'm in Texas, not California. It was so easy I almost signed back up...

Are you in California?

No, in Canada