public company

Adobe

A public creative-software company selling subscriptions and cloud tools, with cancellation enforcement, lock-in, and shareholder extraction concerns. Adobe remains weak because of subscription capture, ideological disavowal, and material opacity, even where the product or service has practical value.

Why this matters: Creative-tool dependence becomes extraction when cancellation and switching costs are high.

Letter grade D Extractive High confidence (AI) Rubric gcd-rubric-v1 Last reviewed May 6, 2026

Final Score 7* D - Extractive

DEXTRACTIVE7 pts

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

Base Material20

Bonus+0

Cap35Ownership <= 2 and Governance <= 2

After Cap20

Penalties-13

Private Government badge

Adobe receives the Private Government badge because it combines large-scale private rule-setting over customers, workers, users, members, or counterparties with OpenLobby-documented lobbying of about $1.1M on public policy issues.

Evidence: [14]

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Evaluation Overview

D - Extractive

The score turns mainly on Extraction, with the largest penalty coming from Policy Capture.

Strengths

Extraction4/10
Labor Sovereignty3/7
Product Integrity3/5

Penalties

Policy Capture-5
Subscription Capture-4
Accountability Opacity-2
Ideological Disavowal-2

Evidence state

ConfidenceHigh confidence (AI)
ThoroughnessPartial (AI)
Linked claims14
Direct axis claims13
Coverage13/13

Scoring Axes

Axis	Score	Why this score
Ownership ? Control rights: shareholder-dominated at 0, worker cooperative control at 10.	1 / 10	Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 12 scored entries below, 65 tied, 149 above on Ownership. Linked evidence Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. [1]
Governance ? Binding decision authority: centralized control at 0, democratic stakeholder control at 10.	1 / 10	Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 2 scored entries below, 68 tied, 156 above on Governance. Linked evidence context Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. [1] context The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. [2] Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed software company, so creative-software rule changes, pricing, and product direction are controlled through corporate channels rather than user governance. [3]
Extraction ? Surplus allocation, wage share, CEO pay ratio, margins, and structured extraction judgment.	4 / 10	Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. That places Adobe in the middle of Extraction: the institution creates real value but still leaves room for rent extraction, unequal bargaining, or surplus capture. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 62 scored entries below, 32 tied, 132 above on Extraction. Linked evidence context Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. [1] context The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. [2] The FTC alleged Adobe hid early-termination fees and made subscription cancellation difficult, documenting subscription revenue extraction from customers inside the core Creative Cloud model. [4]
Labor Sovereignty ? Worker power: coercive conditions at 0, co-determination or ownership at 7. Employee dissatisfaction matters only when source-backed evidence shows concrete limits on worker agency, such as coercive scheduling, retaliation, wage theft, harassment, unsafe conditions, suppression of worker voice, or extreme turnover.	3 / 7	Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. That places Adobe in the middle of Labor Sovereignty: workers or participants have some protection or agency, but not enough binding power to control the relationship. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 45 scored entries below, 66 tied, 115 above on Labor Sovereignty. Linked evidence context Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. [1] context The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. [2] Adobe investor materials present employees inside an ordinary public software company, with no public evidence of worker ownership or labor-governance power over core product and pricing decisions. [5]
Solidarity with the Unemployed ? Treatment of exits and nonworkers, including severance, redeployment, and non-competes.	2 / 7	Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 31 scored entries below, 49 tied, 146 above on Solidarity with the Unemployed. Linked evidence context Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. [1] context The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. [2] Adobe controls widely used creative software access through paid subscriptions, leaving students, freelancers, and lower-income creators exposed to pricing and cancellation rules rather than protected access. [6]
Loss-Bearing Fidelity ? Willingness to absorb costs to preserve values, workers, users, and public obligations.	2 / 7	Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 33 scored entries below, 14 tied, 179 above on Loss-Bearing Fidelity. Linked evidence context Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. [1] context The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. [2] The FTC Adobe action alleged hidden fees and cancellation barriers, documenting customer-side switching and exit costs built into the subscription relationship. [7]
Market Conduct ? Pricing fairness, switching costs, lock-in, and rent extraction.	1 / 5	The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. That keeps Adobe low on Market Conduct: market power, lock-in, coercive pricing, or exclusionary conduct is a major part of the institution's position. The value is above zero only where the linked record still shows some real function, constraint, or public value on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 15 scored entries below, 15 tied, 196 above on Market Conduct. Linked evidence The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. [2]
Product Integrity ? Preservation of quality rather than degradation for monetization.	3 / 5	Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. That places Adobe in the middle of Product Integrity: the product has real use value but is compromised by incentives, monetization, lock-in, quality degradation, or risk. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 37 scored entries below, 23 tied, 166 above on Product Integrity. Linked evidence context Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. [1] context The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. [2] Adobe's tools are useful professional creative infrastructure, while FTC allegations about fees and cancellation barriers show product integrity is compromised by subscription capture. [8]
Scale Integrity ? Whether growth improves or degrades fairness and accountability.	3 / 5	Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. That places Adobe in the middle of Scale Integrity: scale brings useful reach but also weakens accountability, transparency, or local constraint. The value stays below the top tier because the linked record does not show full democratic control, non-extractive lock-in, or complete stakeholder protection on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 50 scored entries below, 58 tied, 118 above on Scale Integrity. Linked evidence context Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company. [1] context The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. [2] Adobe's large creative-software scale makes its tools industry infrastructure, while that scale magnifies pricing, subscription, and file/workflow lock-in for creators. [9]

Penalties

Penalty	Applied	Why this penalty
Policy Capture ? Private-interest attempts to bend law, regulation, subsidies, taxes, enforcement, trade, labor, safety, competition, environmental, healthcare, housing, surveillance, civil-liberties, or consumer policy against workers, customers, citizens, affected communities, or ecological life. Public-interest advocacy is not penalized merely because it is lobbying. Range: -15 to 0.	-5	OpenLobby records ADOBE INC. lobbying on education, law enforcement, technology with about $1.1M in spending across 25 filings; the reviewed filings document private institutional lobbying over public rules rather than a public-interest advocacy role. OpenLobby records ADOBE INC. lobbying on education, law enforcement, technology with about $1.1M in spending across 25 filings; the reviewed filings document private institutional lobbying over public rules rather than a public-interest advocacy role. That warrants a limited Policy Capture penalty because private institutional pressure is being applied to public rules while affected people cannot democratically govern that agenda. The value is limited because the linked record shows a real problem but not one that dominates the profile on this axis. Linked evidence OpenLobby records ADOBE INC. lobbying on education, law enforcement, technology with about $1.1M in spending across 25 filings; the reviewed filings document private institutional lobbying over public rules rather than a public-interest advocacy role. [13]
Subscription Capture ? Manipulative recurring-payment, automatic-renewal, cancellation-friction, bundling, trial-conversion, or refund designs that profit from inertia or confusion. Range: -5 to 0.	-4	The FTC alleged that Adobe hid early-termination fees for annual paid-monthly subscriptions and made cancellation difficult, including by obscuring fees and creating cancellation barriers. The FTC alleged that Adobe hid early-termination fees for annual paid-monthly subscriptions and made cancellation difficult, including by obscuring fees and creating cancellation barriers. That warrants a severe Subscription Capture penalty because recurring-payment design profits from inertia, confusion, bundling, renewal friction, or cancellation difficulty. The value is near the floor because the conduct appears central, large-scale, repeated, or institutionally powerful rather than incidental. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Subscription Capture calibration: -4 for hidden termination-fee and cancellation-barrier allegations, below Amazon because the record is narrower than Prime-scale enrollment without consent. Uncertainty Later review should test current Adobe cancellation flows and account for any final case outcome or remedial order. Linked evidence The FTC alleged that Adobe hid early-termination fees for annual paid-monthly subscriptions and made cancellation difficult, including by obscuring fees and creating cancellation barriers. [12]
Accountability Opacity ? Material opacity, reputation laundering, or hidden accountability structures that prevent public accountability. Range: -2 to 0.	-2	The FTC alleged Adobe hid early termination fees and made cancellation difficult, making the case relevant to both market conduct and accountability opacity. The FTC alleged Adobe hid early termination fees and made cancellation difficult, making the case relevant to both market conduct and accountability opacity. That warrants a severe Accountability Opacity penalty because material facts, risks, conflicts, ownership, or accountability information are obscured from the public. The value is near the floor because the conduct appears central, large-scale, repeated, or institutionally powerful rather than incidental. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Column-spectrum position: 0 scored entries below, 52 tied, 174 above on Accountability Opacity. Linked evidence context The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans. [2] The FTC alleged Adobe hid early termination fees and made cancellation difficult, making the case relevant to both market conduct and accountability opacity. [10]
Ideological Disavowal ? Concealed ideology presented as neutrality, expertise, professional necessity, public-service administration, market inevitability, or non-ideological common sense while exercising power. Range: -3 to 0.	-2	Adobe's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Adobe exercises meaningful institutional or cultural power while strongly presenting contested choices as… Adobe's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Adobe exercises meaningful institutional or cultural power while strongly presenting contested choices as neutral expertise, safety, objectivity, professionalism, administrative necessity, or public service. That warrants a substantial Ideological Disavowal penalty because the institution presents situated, contested choices as neutrality, expertise, inevitability, safety, or common sense. The value is substantial but not at the floor because the linked record shows serious conduct without the strongest aggravating factors on this axis. Calibration notes Comparative anchor: Ideological Disavowal 0 to -3 recalibration: 0 for explicit standpoint or no penalty-level neutrality theater; -1 for bounded softening of contested choices; -2 for strong neutrality theater by a powerful institution; -3 for major gatekeeping or coercive power presented as neutral, necessary, objective, or non-ideological. Uncertainty This recalibration uses public self-presentation and profile evidence; later review should add direct language-analysis evidence for high-impact institutions. Linked evidence Adobe's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Adobe exercises meaningful institutional or cultural power while strongly presenting contested choices as neutral expertise, safety, objectivity, professionalism, administrative necessity, or public service. [11]

Bonus Credits

No bonus credits applied in this version.

Confidence Basis

Confidence is computed from the evidence trail and review state, not typed into the profile by hand.

High 86/100

13 verified linked claims 13 direct axis claims 0 disputed claims 13/13 components covered

This confidence label measures the source-backed evidence trail. AI-scaffolded scores remain tentative until human review.

Claim confidence 17/20

13 verified linked claims

Source quality 16/18

Best source per verified claim, weighted by institutional reliability

Direct axis-specific claims 14/18

13 direct claims across 13 active components

Dispute load 12/12

0 disputed claims on this entity

Recency 10/10

Newest accepted timestamp: May 13, 2026

Reviewer status 7/12

Human-reviewed components score higher than AI scaffolding

Component coverage 10/10

13/13 evidence-bearing components have direct support

Evidence State

Profile stateAI draft / human-pending

VerificationUnverified

ConfidenceHigh confidence (AI)

ThoroughnessPartial (AI)

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Claims and Sources

Claims are the evidence record. Each claim needs a source link, axis category, status, confidence level, and timestamp before it can support a score.

* Tentative scaffolding score. Not human-checked or final.

1Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed public company.

Ownership Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 5, 2026

AI scaffold

Adobe investor relationsOfficial self-description · 68%

2The FTC took action against Adobe and executives alleging hidden fees and cancellation barriers in subscription plans.

Market Conduct Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 5, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC Adobe subscription actionPrimary public record · 100%

3Adobe publishes investor-relations materials for a shareholder-governed software company, so creative-software rule changes, pricing, and product direction are controlled through corporate channels rather than user governance.

Governance Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 13, 2026

AI scaffold

Adobe investor relationsOfficial self-description · 68%

4The FTC alleged Adobe hid early-termination fees and made subscription cancellation difficult, documenting subscription revenue extraction from customers inside the core Creative Cloud model.

Extraction Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 13, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC action against AdobePrimary public record · 100%

5Adobe investor materials present employees inside an ordinary public software company, with no public evidence of worker ownership or labor-governance power over core product and pricing decisions.

Labor Sovereignty Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 13, 2026

AI scaffold

Adobe investor relationsOfficial self-description · 68%

6Adobe controls widely used creative software access through paid subscriptions, leaving students, freelancers, and lower-income creators exposed to pricing and cancellation rules rather than protected access.

Solidarity Unemployed Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 13, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC action against AdobePrimary public record · 100%
Adobe investor relationsOfficial self-description · 68%

7The FTC Adobe action alleged hidden fees and cancellation barriers, documenting customer-side switching and exit costs built into the subscription relationship.

Loss Bearing Fidelity Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 13, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC action against AdobePrimary public record · 100%

8Adobe's tools are useful professional creative infrastructure, while FTC allegations about fees and cancellation barriers show product integrity is compromised by subscription capture.

Product Integrity Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 13, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC action against AdobePrimary public record · 100%
Adobe investor relationsOfficial self-description · 68%

9Adobe's large creative-software scale makes its tools industry infrastructure, while that scale magnifies pricing, subscription, and file/workflow lock-in for creators.

Scale Integrity Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 13, 2026

AI scaffold

Adobe investor relationsOfficial self-description · 68%
FTC action against AdobePrimary public record · 100%

10The FTC alleged Adobe hid early termination fees and made cancellation difficult, making the case relevant to both market conduct and accountability opacity.

Accountability Opacity Verified High confidence Human-reviewed May 5, 2026

FTC action against AdobePrimary public record · 100%

11Adobe's public framing is assessed as ideological-disavowal evidence because Adobe exercises meaningful institutional or cultural power while strongly presenting contested choices as neutral expertise, safety, objectivity, professionalism, administrative necessity, or public service.

Ideological Disavowal Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 9, 2026

AI scaffold

Adobe official siteGeneral web source · 58%
Adobe investor relationsOfficial self-description · 68%
FTC Adobe subscription actionPrimary public record · 100%

12The FTC alleged that Adobe hid early-termination fees for annual paid-monthly subscriptions and made cancellation difficult, including by obscuring fees and creating cancellation barriers.

Subscription Capture Verified High confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 9, 2026

AI scaffold

FTC Adobe subscription actionPrimary public record · 100%

13OpenLobby records ADOBE INC. lobbying on education, law enforcement, technology with about $1.1M in spending across 25 filings; the reviewed filings document private institutional lobbying over public rules rather than a public-interest advocacy role.

Policy Capture Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

OpenLobby — ADOBE INC. lobbying profileGeneral web source · 58%

14Adobe receives the Private Government badge because it combines large-scale private rule-setting over customers, workers, users, members, or counterparties with OpenLobby-documented lobbying of about $1.1M on public policy issues.

Private Government Verified Medium confidence AI-generated / human-pending May 11, 2026

AI scaffold

OpenLobby — ADOBE INC. lobbying profileGeneral web source · 58%

Competitors

DEXTRACTIVE22 Basecamp private software company · same market DEXTRACTIVE15 Microsoft public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE10 Nvidia public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE8 Oracle public company · same market DEXTRACTIVE5 OpenAI private company / nonprofit-controlled structure · same market FMALIGNANT-14 RealPage rental pricing software company · same market FMALIGNANT-22 Palantir Technologies government data and surveillance software company · same market

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Audit Log

Recent public changes for this company or group. The full audit log is part of the Transparency record.

May 6, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC ai-scaffolding toxic-products-assessment

Added tentative AI-generated Toxic Products penalty 0 and directory value for current toxic, addictive, pesticide, livestock, chemical, or consumer-safety product exposure.

May 6, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC ai-scaffolding confidence-calibration

Rechecked evidence coverage and source quality during the evaluation-quality pass; confidence now reflects direct source coverage, complexity, and remaining uncertainty rather than score direction.

May 5, 2026 at 12:00 AM UTC ai_scaffolding score

Published tentative AI-generated scaffolding score 15 for initial human review under gcd-rubric-v1.

View Full Audit Log