Contracts are agreements, generally speaking most people and companies do not want to drag people in them, telcos excluded. All the termination clauses are put there, again in general, to provide some security to either party, not to entrap the other, again telcos mostly excluded.
If you don't want to be in a contract especially one just signed, typically most people will typically understand and let you of the hook, as long as entrapment is not their business model like telcos. This is mostly reflected in common cool-off period provisions, i.e provisions in the contract to terminate within a week or two.
More than once, I've been asked to work on websites that had nothing for unsubscribe options except, "Call us." The excuses vary from, "That's a low priority feature" to "F** them!"
I figure that if it was a legal requirement, most would comply but quite a few would still think it was an imposition. So if there was a law mandating an online unsubscribe option, it would need teeth. $10,000 fine per user per day that you don't have it might work.
It could be him under duress.
Much of the time contract termination can be reasonable as long as you make a solid effort.
Once I signed a lease and got fired before my actual move in. I was honest and got a full refund on my deposit.
The landlord could said “Well you owe us the full amount , lol”, but no reasonable court would enforce that.
Even if, good luck collecting I have no income!