Fitness and sports: the numbers, the rules, the AI picture.

• Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA, 15 U.S.C. 8403) and the status of the FTC "click-to-cancel" rule

  ROSCA bars charging for a negative option sold online, such as an auto-renewing membership, without three things. The seller must clearly disclose all material terms before taking billing details, get express informed consent, and provide simple mechanisms to stop recurring charges. The FTC's 2024 click-to-cancel amendments were vacated by the Eighth Circuit in Custom Communications v. FTC. The FTC restored the earlier rule text effective February 12, 2026, and in March 2026 asked for public comment on whether new amendments are needed.

  What it means: Click-to-cancel is not a federal rule today, but ROSCA still applies to memberships sold online. The FTC relied on it when it sued the operators of LA Fitness in August 2025 over alleged cancellation barriers. Show price, billing frequency, term, renewal and how to cancel next to the join button. Use an unticked consent box. Offer a cancellation path as simple as joining, and watch for a new FTC proposal.

  [7] law.cornell.edu

• California Automatic Renewal Law (Business and Professions Code 17600 and following, section 17602)

  The current text applies to contracts entered into, amended or extended on or after July 1, 2025. A business must present auto-renewal terms clearly, get express affirmative consent and keep proof for three years. A consumer who signs up online must be able to cancel online at will through a prominent link or button. Cancellation must also be available in the medium used to sign up. Save offers are allowed only alongside a click-to-cancel option, annual renewals need a yearly reminder, and price increases need 7 to 30 days of notice.

  What it means: If you sell memberships to California residents, build an online cancel button for online joiners and test it. Keep consent records. Send a renewal reminder for annual plans and notice before any price rise. A retention offer is fine if the cancel button sits right next to it. Other states have their own automatic renewal laws, so check each state where you sell memberships online.

  [8] codes.findlaw.com

• State health club and health studio laws (examples: California Civil Code 1812.80 and following; New York General Business Law Article 30)

  California caps health studio contracts at three years and requires the initial length in 14-point type above the signature. Buyers may cancel before midnight of the fifth business day, with a refund within 10 days. New York caps contracts at 36 months and gives three business days to cancel. Members may also cancel for significant disability over three months, death, or a move more than 25 miles from any of the seller's clubs. Many New York clubs must also post a bond, letter of credit or certificate of deposit with the Secretary of State.

  What it means: Your contract wording, type size, cancellation notice and refund timing are set by state law, not by your template. New York clubs must accept a valid cancellation sent online, by email, phone, mail or in person, and a New York contract that breaks Article 30 is void. Have counsel in each state review your membership agreement and join page together, because the website and the paper contract must say the same thing.

  [9] nysenate.gov

• FTC Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (16 CFR Part 465)

  The rule took effect on October 21, 2024. It bans fake reviews and testimonials, incentives that require a positive or negative review, and undisclosed reviews from insiders. It also bans review suppression by threats, fake independent review sites run by the company, and buying fake followers. Courts can impose civil penalties for knowing violations.

  What it means: Do not offer a free week or merchandise for a five-star review, and do not have coaches or front-desk staff review the gym. Never threaten a member over a bad review. Google's review policy is stricter. It removes reviews posted because of any incentive, bans selectively asking happy customers, and says businesses should not pressure people to review on the premises. Ask every member the same way, at the same point, with no reward.

  [10] ftc.gov

• FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255): influencers, ambassadors and typical results

  A consumer endorsement implies that the endorser's result is what people generally achieve. If you cannot substantiate that, the ad must clearly disclose the generally expected performance, and the disclosure must change the overall impression. The FTC says 'results not typical' style statements do not fix a misleading testimonial. Any material connection, such as a free membership, payment or employment, must be disclosed clearly in the endorsement itself.

  What it means: A member ambassador with a free membership must say so in the post, ideally at the start with '#ad' or 'Ad:', not in a comment or a bio. Coaches posting about their own gym must disclose that they work there. A transformation story needs a clear, honest statement of typical results, or a different story. The FTC also says asking only members you expect to be happy for reviews is misleading.

  [11] ftc.gov

• FTC Act Section 5 and the FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance (health and weight-loss claims)

  Health claims must be backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence, which for health benefits generally means randomized, controlled human clinical testing. The guidance covers health equipment and health-related apps as well as supplements, and says honest testimonials do not replace that evidence. The FTC's Gut Check guide (2014) lists weight-loss claims that cannot be true. One is losing two pounds or more a week for a month without diet or exercise.

  What it means: Avoid specific weight-loss, fat-burn, calorie or medical claims you cannot prove, such as 'lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks' or 'fixes back pain'. Describe the program, the coaching and the effort instead. If you sell supplements, nutrition plans or an app, the same standard applies to those claims. Keep the evidence file for any number you publish.

  [12] ftc.gov

• Meta advertising standards for health and wellness, and personal attributes

  Meta's ad standards require ads for weight loss or weight gain products and services to target people aged 18 or older. General wellbeing services, such as fitness services and health clubs, are exempt from that age rule. Weight-loss ads may not show close-ups pinching fat, and ads may not contain statements of inferiority about appearance. A separate policy bans ads that assert or imply personal attributes, including physical or mental health.

  What it means: Write ads about the class and the result of showing up, not about the viewer's body. 'Are you overweight?' or 'Hate your belly?' style copy breaks the rules and gets ads rejected. If the offer is a weight-loss program, set the audience to 18 and over. Google Ads treats health as a sensitive interest category, so advertiser-curated audiences cannot be used for health-related ads there.

  [13] transparency.meta.com

• Children's Online Privacy Protection Act and the COPPA Rule (16 CFR Part 312) for youth programs online

  COPPA applies to operators of websites and online services directed to children under 13, or with actual knowledge that they collect personal information from them. Personal information includes photos, video or audio with a child's image or voice, geolocation and persistent identifiers. The FTC amended the rule in a notice published April 22, 2025, requiring separate parental consent before disclosing children's data to third parties for targeted advertising. The COPPA FAQ page of the FTC, as read in 2026, lists civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation.

  What it means: A youth academy or martial arts school that runs a kids' app, a login portal, a leaderboard or a video upload tool for under-13s needs verifiable parental consent first. The FTC says COPPA does not cover information collected from adults that may pertain to children. A parent-completed registration form is outside it, though state privacy laws may apply. Get written parental permission before posting photos of minors, as policy.

  [14] ftc.gov

This is general information, not legal advice. Federal rules on recurring billing are in flux, and state health club and automatic renewal laws differ in wording, type size, cancellation periods and bonding. Check the current text with your state attorney general or consumer protection office and a qualified lawyer before you change a membership contract, a join page or a promotion. Liability waivers and youth safety rules are set by state law and are not covered here.