Category Archives: Latest In Consumer News
California: Weighing a Response on Internet Privacy
by Mike McPhate, New York Times
President Trump this month signed a resolution to undo internet privacy rules that would have kept companies like AT&T and Comcast from selling users’ browsing histories and other personal data. Almost immediately, a number of states moved to pass new rules that would in effect replicate those nullified by Congress. But California, a pioneer of privacy protections, has so far been silent. Read More ›
A short history of Uber’s recent struggles
Uber has not had a great start to the year. The ride-hailing company has been reeling from a public battering over claims of willful discrimination, allegations of intellectual-property theft and the departure of several executives. The controversies have resurfaced a debate over Uber’s hard-charging internal culture and the consequences of its win-at-any-cost attitude to business and regulation. Read More ›
‘Nobody’s got to use the Internet’: A GOP lawmaker’s response to concerns about Web privacy
by Kristine Phillips, Washington Post
A Wisconsin congressman told a town hall attendee who was concerned about the elimination of online privacy protections that using the Internet is a choice — a statement that has since drawn criticism on social media. Read More ›
‘Default’ choices have big impact, but how to make sure they’re used ethically?
by Mary Steffel, Elanor Williams, Ruth Pogacar, The Conversation
The power of defaults to guide people’s choices has made them an extremely popular way for policymakers and marketers alike to nudge people toward a particular decision. But it has also raised questions about how to ensure that defaults are used ethically and responsibly. Read More ›
Free trial offers
by Steve Baker, Baker Fraud Report
We are deluged with ads for various pills and potions to lose weight, improve memory, help with arthritis or back pain, eliminate wrinkles, or improve sex. What do far too many of these have in common? They advertise free trial offers with “no risk.” Read More ›
Trump’s rollback of the investment conflict-of-interest rule is a direct attack on middle-class savings
by Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times
The [rollback] ostensibly is to give policymakers time to review the rule and revise it if necessary. If you think the result of this process will be to make the rule more worker-friendly and less forgiving for banks, insurance companies and stockbrokers, then you don’t know your Trump. Read More ›
Student loan servicer hit with three government lawsuits in one day
by Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, The Washington Post
A multiyear investigation into the business practices of Navient and its subsidiaries found widespread breakdowns in servicing, according to the CFPB and two state attorneys general who also filed suit. Read More ›
GOP tells FCC to just stop what it’s doing until inauguration
by Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica
Republicans in Congress have urged the Federal Communications Commission to avoid passing any controversial regulations between now and Donald Trump’s inauguration as president. Read More ›
FCC Adopts New Privacy Rule, Limits What ISPs Can Do With Your Data
by Kate Cox, The Consumerist
“Consumers should not have to be network engineers to understand who is collecting their data, and they should not have to be lawyers to understand if their information is protected. So it is incumbent upon every policy-maker with privacy authority to think about how to make our policies more simple and more consistent,” wrote Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. Read More ›
DeVry University Must Stop Claiming That 90% Of Grads Get Jobs
by Ashlee Kieler, The Consumerist
The settlement stems from a Department of Education request that the school provide data and other information to substantiate the 90% claim. After reviewing the information that DeVry provided, the Federal Student Aid office found that the school could not provide evidence to support the claims. Read More ›
These Are The Privacy Rules Your ISP Might Soon Have to Live By
by Brian Fung, Washington Post
Should the government impose new rules on Internet providers to protect your privacy online? That will be the subject of an Oct. 27 vote by the Federal Communications Commission, the nation’s top broadband regulator. Read More ›
CFC Applauds FCC Chairman Wheeler’s Broadband Privacy Proposal
The FCC Chairman’s proposal would prohibit Broadband Internet Access Service (BIAS) providers from sharing sensitive information without a consumer’s consent. The proposal also requires BIAS providers to inform consumers about what information they collect and with whom that information is shared. Read More ›
AT&T Stops Charging Broadband Users Extra For Privacy
by Karl Bode, TechDirt
While AT&T claims it’s just concerned about “simplicity,” the real reason is because the FCC is considering some basic privacy protections for broadband users, who often can’t vote against bad behavior with their wallet thanks to the lack of competition in the broadband space. Read More ›