MUBI $1.6 Million Settlement for California Auto-Renewal Without Notice

This class action settlement involves MUBI, a curated streaming service that markets films and series with a boutique, “quality-over-quantity” lineup, often priced around $10 to $15 per month. The lawsuit—Cesar Cejudo v. MUBI, Inc. (No. 5:25-CV-03652-BLF) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California—alleges that MUBI renewed certain California subscriptions automatically without giving “clear and conspicuous” notice and without obtaining the affirmative consent California law requires before charging consumers for renewal periods. For qualifying California subscribers, the proposed $1.6 million settlement (with claims due by June 9, 2026) is meant to compensate people who were auto-renewed at least once between April 1, 2021 and May 31, 2025 and did not receive a full refund of those renewal charges; proof isn’t required at the initial claim stage because eligibility is based on a sworn attestation. MUBI denies wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid the expense and uncertainty of trial, making the agreement significant for consumers who may not have realized their subscription would continue billing. The broader implication is that subscription “auto-renewal” practices—common in streaming, software, and membership businesses—are tightly scrutinized in California and can trigger liability when disclosures are buried, unclear, or fail to secure proper consent. This case fits into a wider pattern of class actions targeting alleged violations of California’s consumer protection framework, including the state’s Automatic Renewal Law as enforced through the False Advertising Law and Unfair Competition Law; similar lawsuits have argued that companies must clearly explain renewal terms before charging and must get affirmative permission rather than relying on implied authorization. Industry-wide, these requirements push businesses to tighten checkout and renewal messaging, improve user controls over billing, and document consent flows; in this settlement, notice and administration costs will be deducted from the fund, and payments are available only to eligible claimants who submit by the deadline.