How many times have you been asked “May I have your ZIP code?” when paying with a credit card? Many people just assume it’s for security purposes, but in reality it’s more likely that you may have just given marketers access to a wealth of knowledge about you and your shopping habits. [More]
Data & Privacy
Facebook Home Earning Oodles Of Negative Feedback From Google Play Reviewers
By 4.15.13
Earlier this month, Facebook announced Facebook Home, the massive upgrade of its Android smartphone app that basically puts the social networking site front-and-center on your device. The app began rolling out to customers late last week, and some of the responses may have you waiting to press “update.” [More]
Insulting A Customer On Facebook Won’t Reopen Those Restaurants You Had To Close
By 4.4.13
When you’re a chain restaurant that recently shuttered all but one location in a town, one might think you’d be a bit grumpy. Crankiness aside, firing a parting shot at a customer on Facebook, like one Houston Tex-Mex chain did, isn’t going to bring back those closed locations. Nope. All it’s going to do is anger and alienate your remaining customers. [More]
Facebook “Home” Makes Facebook The Center Of Your Android Phone’s Universe
By 4.4.13
As promised, Facebook has announced a big new update to its Android mobile platform that integrates the social network deeply into the phone’s operating system, making it the foundation of the smartphone interface. [More]
California Bill Seeks To Give Consumers Access To All That Personal Data Companies Are Mining
By 4.3.13
We all know (or should know) by now that there’s a whole lot of information about us floating out there on the Internet. Companies like Facebook, Twitter, Google and others are busy collecting that info from data brokers and using it in ways seen and unseen. But it’s hard to put a finger on just what about you these companies have, something a new bill called the Right to Know Act is seeking to change in California. [More]
Worst Company In America Round 2: EA Vs. Facebook
April 1, 2013
Having each thoroughly thrashed their competitors in the opening round, it’s time for the reigning Golden Poo holder and the current king of social media to pick on someone their own size. [More]
FireMe Helps The World Discover How You Really Feel About Your Job
By 3.29.13
Do you hate your job? Do you love social media? Do you make the mistake of combining the two? If so, you may find yourself featured on FireMe, a research project that highlights public tweets from people talking $@#% about their boss and/or employment situation. [More]
Is The ‘Facebook Phone’ Really Just A Better Facebook App For Android?
By 3.29.13
There have been rumors for a while that Facebook, like Google, would be getting into the hardware business and last night’s press invite from Facebook for some big Android-related announcement spurred all sorts of talk about an actual “Facebook Phone,” but some says it’s likely just Facebook finally getting around to releasing an Android app that functions properly. [More]
Meet Your Worst Company In America Not-So-Sweet 16!
March 27, 2013
Last week, 32 terrible titans of industry stepped on to the blood-stained mat of WCIA Death-and-Dismemberment Arena, but only 16 remain in this bestial battle royale to take home the treasured Golden Poo. [More]
Worst Company In America Round 1: Google Vs. Facebook
March 20, 2013
Two of the Internet’s coolest kids take a break from collecting every possible bit of data about consumers in order to beat each other into submission in a much-anticipated WCIA cage match. [More]
Wait, Did Logitech Just Commandeer My Mouse And ‘Like’ Itself On Facebook?
By 3.19.13 — Updated: 3.20.13
Kathryn bought and installed her new mouse, and she noticed something weird. Really weird. She saw a flurry of windows opening when she plugged it in, and assumed that it was some kind of installation function. Then she visited Facebook and noticed that she had “Liked” Logitech. She likes Logitech products, don’t get her wrong, but she doesn’t Facebook “like” them. Except she did. Or someone did. [More]
Hacker Gets 41 Months In Prison For iPad Data Breach
By 3.18.13 — Updated: 3.19.13
Remember back in 2010, when some hackers discovered an exploit with AT&T’s system that allowed them to access and publish account information for around 114,000 iPad users? One of the fellas behind that breach was sentenced earlier today to 41 months behind bars. [More]
Facebook Android App Wants To Bypass Google Play Store For Updates
By 3.15.13
As most Android users know, one of the nice things about the operating system is that you don’t always have to get your apps through the official Google Play app store. But usually, any future updates to an app come through whichever store you downloaded the app from. Except now Facebook is asking some Android users to accept an update in the app itself that would allow future updates to be pushed through without notice. [More]
Facebook Might Introduce Hashtags & Twitter Is Like, “Welcome To Five Years Ago”
By 3.15.13
If the rumors are true and Facebook starts using hashtags, Twitter might get a bit peeved. On one hand, it’s just another symbol sitting there on the keyboard, but on the other, it’s been pretty widely known as strictly Twitter territory. A new report says Facebook wants to get in on the hashtag action, which could elevate the already frosty relationship between the two social networks to ice cold. [More]
FTC Says Social Media Ads Have To Be Held To Same Rules As Traditional Ads
By 3.13.13
One of the important duties held by the Federal Trade Commission is making sure ads don’t mislead consumers. Yesterday the FTC set out clear rules for short-form ads on social media like Twitter and Facebook as well. Namely, they have to be held to the same basic requirement as other advertising — be upfront about what’s going on. [More]
Netflix Users Can Now Hook Up Accounts To Facebook, Gab About Finally Watching ‘Dr. Who’
By 3.13.13
I can post all day long on Facebook that I’m seriously addicted to The Walking Dead but wouldn’t it just be great if my Netflix account was connected to Facebook? That way when I finally join the cult of Doctor Who* like everyone is telling me to do, my pals will just know. Netflix will be able to do just that after a long battle with U.S. regulators. [More]
Facebook’s Newsfeed Redesign Seeks To De-Clutter, Makes Everything Bigger
By 3.7.13
Listen. You’re probably going to freak out about Facebook redesigning its newsfeed yet again, so let’s get that out of the way [cue freakout]. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to what Mark Zuckerberg and company announced today at the unveiling. Basically everything is getting a lot bigger and less cluttered. [More]
Help Us Help You: One Company’s Social Media Rep Explains How To Get Complaints Resolved
By 3.5.13
A common refrain here at Consumerist that we try to promote is “kill’em with kindness.” Shouting, writing angry emails in all caps and generally freaking out at customer service representatives are all tactics guaranteed to make your quest for a positive resolution a lot harder. And as one company’s social media rep writes in to explain to Consumerist, often complaining customers aren’t doing anything to help her help them. [More]
