Sometimes I feel like Michael Douglas in Falling Down, aghast at the world to which I’m bearing witness. The inhumanity, the injustice, the brazen profiteering, the callous disregard for everyday consumers (otherwise known as people).

My anti-virus software is advertising to me.

Every couple of days it interrupts my daily desktop computing activity to display a pop-up. The content contained within the pop-up varies: some days it informs me that my privacy is being compromised, or that rogues and ruffians can see what I’m doing online; on others, it advises me that I ought to be using a VPN, or that there are three (undisclosed) security issues on my computer right now that need addressing. 

In each instance, the call to action is the same: click through to purchase an additional software tool and save myself from cyber crime.

As it happens, I already pay for my anti-virus software, not to mention a system optimisation program authored by the same company. I renew my subscription to both each year. Yet the company in question is not content to enjoy (and profit from) my custom, year-in year-out, in sickness and in health, ‘til death do us part. No, these cyber security scoundrels apparently think that its appropriate to use scaremongering tactics to try and sell me even more. 

I can’t find a way to switch off these pop-ups. Hence, every time one of them flashes up on my screen, my satisfaction level lowers a notch. They are systematically eroding my brand loyalty, either through ineptitude (i.e. they have no way of discerning who pays for their products and who doesn’t) or through sheer greed. 

When it comes to the next renewal date, I will cancel both of my subscriptions with this cretinous organisation and take my business elsewhere. That is, if I’m afforded the opportunity to do so. I’ve found of late that many of these subscription-model tech firms deliberately refrain from telling you when your subscription is up for renewal. Sometimes the first and only alert I receive is an email receipt telling me that the money has left my account – all because I didn’t notice the auto-renew tick-box hidden within a subpage of my user profile. 

Another tech-based subscription service recently offered me a month-long free trial with the reassurance that, “Don’t worry, we’ll tell you before taking any money out of your account.” I took them at their word and took up the offer. As it turns out, they did not tell me before taking my money. I had to find that out for myself.

We live in a world in which some companies think it’s okay to relentlessly advertise to their existing customers, irrespective of how much these customers are already paying, while scamming them into subscribing for longer by consistently under-advertising any details of how to exit the fucking service. 

These companies should not be allowed to succeed. It’s obscene. So from now on, every company that pisses me off will see their subscription cancelled with immediate effect. It will make no difference to their bottom line, but at least it might stop me turning into Michael Douglas. Because that really won’t end well for anyone.