Comcast, like someone on house arrest who can’t stop talking about how much he loves just staying at home, can’t shut up about its alleged “support” of net neutrality — a support that was forced upon it as a condition of its 2010 acquisition of NBC. Now the nation’s largest Internet service provider is publicly stating that it “agrees” with President Obama’s feelings on neutrality, just not the ones that actually matter. [More]
Government Policy
Calling BS On ISPs’ Claims That Reclassifying Broadband Will Hurt Investment
By 11.11.14
Yesterday, President Obama came out in favor of reclassifying broadband as a telecommunications infrastructure, meaning that the FCC could regulate it in the same ways it regulates landline telephone service. Immediately, cable companies began shouting that such regulation would cripple investment in broadband. Alas, this is just pure nonsense intended to instill fear and raise the hackles of those who bristle at any form of government regulation. [More]
GM Knew 2003 Death Was Tied To Ignition Problem, Didn’t Tell Family
By 11.11.14
Back in 2003, a woman died in a car crash after the airbag in her Saturn Ion failed to deploy. In 2004, GM denied an insurance claim related to the incident. That was the last the woman’s family would hear from the carmaker for 10 years, even though its own lawyers had included her in the 13 deaths it initially acknowledged were tied to a faulty ignition switch. [More]
ISPs to FCC: No, Seriously, We Will Sue If You Use Title II Like The White House Just Asked
By 11.10.14
Earlier today, the battle over new net neutrality regulations took a surprising shift as the White House very publicly recommended the FCC take the Title II reclassification approach. And while consumer advocates are thrilled, the businesses that make their money charging you for internet access are about as pleased as you’d expect. Which is to say: even if the FCC somehow jumped on Title II tomorrow, there’s a long, ugly legal fight brewing. [More]
White House Calls On FCC To Reclassify Broadband Under Title II, Protect Net Neutrality
By 11.10.14
Consumer advocates urging the FCC to protect net neutrality by reclassifying broadband as a Title II “common carrier” service have picked up a surprising new ally this morning: the President of the United States. [More]
Treasury Dept. Urges Student Loan Servicers To Do A Better Job, Try Incentives
By 11.7.14
Hot of the heels of a report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau detailing how loan servicers trick consumers into paying more, top officials with the Department of Treasury implored the industry to fix their often nefarious ways. [More]
Takata Allegedly Knew About Airbag Defect 10 Years Ago, Senators Urge Criminal Investigation
By 11.7.14
With 16 million vehicles recalled, a number of lawsuits and several investigations already underway related to defective Takata-produced airbags, lawmakers are urging the Department of Justice to open a criminal investigation into the Japanese auto parts maker following revelations that the company knew off issues four years prior to the first recall. [More]
For-Profit College Group Sues, Doesn’t Want To Be Responsible For Graduates’ Success
By 11.6.14
Last week, the U.S. Dept. of Education finally passed a somewhat compromised rule aimed at reining in for-profit colleges by penalizing them if too many of their graduates failed to succeed. But even that flawed rule is too much for a group representing for-profit colleges, which labeled it “arbitrary and irrational” in a lawsuit seeking to block it. [More]
NHTSA Gives Honda Until December 15 To Turn Over All Communications About Takata Airbag Defect, Recalls
By 11.6.14
Federal regulators have increased their scrutiny over Honda’s actions related to the millions of vehicles recalled because of Takata airbag defects. Two days after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it would look into Honda’s reporting process, the regulators have asked the car maker to submit even more documentation including all communications the company had with the airbag supplier. [More]
FTC Takes First Action Against Patent Trolls For Deceptive Sales, Phony Legal Threats
By 11.6.14
For the first time in its history, the Federal Trade Commission has brought action against a patent assertion company that allegedly used nefarious tactics in trying to pry money from other companies accused of violating patents it owned. [More]
CFPB Finds Older Consumers Face Illegal, Harassing Tactics From Debt Collectors
By 11.5.14
As if we hadn’t said it enough, but debt collectors are the worst, especially when they use illegal tactics to pry money from older American’s living on fixed incomes. A new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau shines light on the issues older consumers face when it comes to their financial well-being. [More]
Verizon: We Will Sue FCC Again If “Hybrid” Net Neutrality Happens
By 11.5.14
Verizon really does not care for net neutrality rules. They successfully sued to get net neutrality overturned, but it just won’t stay dead enough for them. They’ve tried firmly insisting that everything is fine as is, and yet the FCC keeps actually moving toward enacting some new regulation in the few remaining weeks of the year. So now Verizon is making it very clear: if the FCC tries to make any part of the internet a common carrier, Verizon will drag them through court. Again. [More]
Nissan Recalls Nearly 16,000 Infiniti Hybrid Sedans For Transmission, Software Issues
By 11.4.14
A mere four days have gone by since Nissan last issued a recall of Infiniti vehicles. Now the car manufacturer is upping its game by making two recalls at the same time affecting nearly 16,000 vehicles with possible software and transmission issues. [More]
Ford Begins Its Own Recallapalooza With Five Recalls Totaling More Than 202,000 Cars
By 11.4.14
If at first you don’t succeed – or the car isn’t actually fixed – then re-recall the vehicles. That’s Ford’s stance in one of the five recalls, totaling more than 202,000 vehicles, the company issued Tuesday. [More]
Regulators Investigating Honda Over Inaccuracies In Reporting Injury And Death Claims
By 11.4.14
Less than two weeks after Honda announced it would begin a third-party audit of potential inaccuracies in providing valuable information regarding death and injury claims to U.S. regulators, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened its own investigation into the car company’s reporting procedures. [More]
Hyundai And Kia To Pay $100M For Misleading MPG, Gas Emission Figures
By 11.3.14
In vehicle manufacturer news that doesn’t have to do with recalls, Hyundai and Kia will pay a record $100 million penalty to the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board for not being completely truthful about their vehicles’ fuel economy estimates. [More]
The Important Legal Difference Between Being A Celebrity Endorser & Just A Famous Face In An Ad
By 11.3.14
Turn on your TV today and maybe you’ll see an iPhone ad with Jimmy Fallon followed by 30 seconds of Matthew McConaughey giving his personal philosophy on Lincoln automobiles. To many of us, it’s all part of the endless parade of familiar faces and voices being paid to sell us something, but there’s an important legal distinction between a celebrity who endorses a product they claim to believe in and one who is just picking up a paycheck to appear in an ad. [More]
Ferrari To Pay $3.5M Penalty For Failure To Submit Fatality Reports To NHTSA For Three Years
By 10.31.14
As we’ve reported previously, car manufacturers are required to report death and injury claims to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration so that the agency can identify potentially fatal and dangerous defects. Failing to submit those reports not only endangers drivers, it can cost a pretty penny for auto makers. Just ask Ferrari, the high-end carmaker must pay a $3.5 million penalty for its inaction. [More]
