Federal Consumer Protection and Dark Patterns

The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit on Jan. 13, 2026 accusing JustAnswer — which markets its AI‑assisted Q&A service and chatbot 'Pearl' through sites like JustAnswer.com, Pearl.com and niche domains such as AskALawyer.com — of using deceptive "dark pattern" tactics to lock hundreds of thousands of users into unwanted monthly subscriptions. Investigators say consumers are lured by ads and a $1–$5 'join' offer for AI‑generated answers and expert follow‑ups, only to be immediately hit with recurring charges as high as $79 a month disclosed only in fine print above a prominent "Confirm now" button. The complaint alleges JustAnswer has been doing this since at least 2022, that CEO Andy Kurtzig knew about widespread billing complaints and declined to change practices, and that cancellation is harder than the company claims. JustAnswer denies the allegations, saying it clearly publishes pricing and offers easy cancellation by phone, chat, email and online self‑service. The case extends the FTC’s broader crackdown on digital dark patterns — previously including Amazon’s Prime auto‑renew practices — into the fast‑growing AI search and advice market, where opaque sign‑ups and recurring billing are becoming widespread consumer flashpoints.