Computer power cords are meant to provide juice to your device; they aren’t meant to melt or catch fire. So when that happens, it’s time for a recall. Such is the case for Hewlett-Packard. [More]
Government Policy
Hewlett-Packard Recalls Nearly 6 Million Power Cords Because Melting Doesn’t Charge The Computer
By 8.26.14
August Recall Roundup – Beware Of Toppling Bar Stools
By 8.26.14
In the Recall Roundup for August, dangerous beanbag chairs and overheating heaters could lurk around every corner, and there could be a defective car in your garage right now. Don’t be scared, though. The CPSC is here to protect us all from toppling bar stools and overheating night lights. [More]
CFPB: Company Should Pay $7M For Processing Illegal Fees For Debt-Relief Services
By 8.25.14
Charging up front for debt-relief services without any actual results for the customer is illegal. But despite that, says the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a payment processing company processed millions of dollars worth of illegal fees from consumers. [More]
Initial Questions Offer Hope That FCC Isn’t Going Easy On Comcast/TWC Merger
By 8.22.14
While the FCC’s public comment period for the Comcast/Time Warner Cable merger remain open through Monday, the commission has already sent off its first round of questions to the companies involved. And judging by both the quantity and quality of the things being asked, it looks like the FCC isn’t ready to rubber-stamp the deal. [More]
Creator Of “Your Baby Can Read” Program Settles False Advertising Charges
By 8.22.14
Almost exactly two years after the Federal Trade Commission accused the people behind the popular “Your Baby Can Read” training program of making deceptive advertising claims, the product’s creator has finally reached a deal to settle charges that he and his company made baseless pronouncements about the effectiveness of the program and that they misrepresented scientific studies to prove these bogus statements. [More]
DEA To Change Classification of Some Frequently-Abused Painkillers Like Vicodin
By 8.22.14
As a country, we sure do like our prescription painkillers. In fact, we like them a bit too much: Americans consume 99% of all hydrocodone drugs manufactured in the world. Prescription drug abuse — and deaths from overdose — are rampant. The DEA is hoping to stem the tide of abuse and overdose with a new rule that changes the way some painkillers are classified, and will make them harder for individuals to get. [More]
90,000 Pounds Of Caesar Salad Kits Sold At Sam’s Club Recalled Because Listeria Isn’t A Tasty Ingredient
By 8.22.14
When you’re in a rush and don’t have time to gather all the ingredients to a salad, grabbing a pre-made kit might seem like a convenient and healthy idea. That is unless that salad kit comes with a little something extra – let’s say, maybe, listeria. Doesn’t sound so appetizing, now does it? [More]
4 Reasons Consumers Union Has Asked The FCC To Block The Comcast/TWC Merger
By 8.21.14
The full regulatory approval process for the Comcast/TWC merger has months left to go, but we’re getting down to the wire on one part of it: the deadline for public comments is Monday. Our colleagues down the hall at Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, have now officially asked the FCC to block this thing, and with good reason. [More]
Brita Recalls Hello Kitty, SpongeBob, Dora, Ninja Turtles Water Bottles Because Kids Don’t Like Lacerated Lips
By 8.21.14
Taking a drink of water should be a pain-free experience – I mean it’s just water, right? That might not be the case when it comes to a set of Brita’s children-friendly water bottles that have the potential to create a painful situation by cutting drinkers. [More]
Honda Recalls 2015 Fit Because Failing Crash Tests Isn’t Exactly A Selling Point
By 8.21.14
It’s difficult for me to see a subcompact vehicle and not automatically think that it would turn into an accordion-like piece of metal in the event of a crash. I’m sure that’s a pretty unreasonable connection to make, but one car manufacturer is now recalling its latest subcompact in order to boost the car’s crash resistance. [More]
Now’s Your Chance: FCC Public Comment Period For Comcast/TWC Merger Ends Monday
By 8.21.14
Comcast and Time Warner Cable announced their intention to merge into wedded corporate bliss back in the middle of February. Now, six months later, the process is still rolling along. Monday — August 25 — is the deadline for members of the public to leave comments with the FCC about the merger. Got thoughts? You have three days left to make them heard. [More]
Subprime Auto Lender Fined $2.75M For Providing Inaccurate Information To Credit Agencies
By 8.20.14
Even the slightest bad rating on a credit report can have long-lasting negative affects on consumers’ lives – from getting jobs to renting or buying a home. And while most bad credit behavior detailed on credit reports are of the consumers’ own doing, sometimes it’s the result of inaccurately furnished information from financial institutions. That appears to be the case for a Houston-based financial group that now faces a hefty fine from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. [More]
Lawmakers Wade Into Fight Over FCC Chair’s Potential Plan To Overturn Bans On Municipal Broadband
By 8.20.14
Not very much happens in Washington, D.C. in August. But even as the city slows down, FCC chair Tom Wheeler continues to make strong noises about using the FCC’s authority to preempt state laws that prohibit the expansion or creation of municipal broadband utilities. And now, some members of Congress are joining him. [More]
Corona Extra Beer Recalled Because Glass Particles Don’t Go Down So Smoothly
By 8.20.14
That’s not an extra unripe lime interrupting a smooth pull of the beer — the makers of Corona Extra say some 12-ounce bottles of the brew have been recalled for having small glass particles in them. [More]
NHTSA Launches Online Search Tool So Consumers Can Find Out For Themselves If A Vehicle Has Been Recalled
By 8.20.14
With more than 46 million vehicles having been recalled so far this year, the thought of accidentally purchasing a used car with safety defects might be a bit nerve-wracking for consumers. A new online search tool from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration aims to take the worry and guess-work out of whether or not a used car has been recalled and fixed. [More]
Netflix Is Also Paying A Toll To Time Warner Cable To Improve Speeds To Users
By 8.19.14
Months after Comcast and Verizon allowed Netflix data to bottleneck so badly that the streaming video company had no other option but to pay for a more direct connection to end-users, Time Warner Cable has confirmed that it too is now collecting a toll from Netflix. [More]
Organic Peanut And Almond Butters Recalled For Possible Salmonella
By 8.19.14
It’s time to head to the pantry and check your jars of almond and peanut butters. Products sold under the brands of Arrowhead Farms and Maranatha, and private-label products sold in Kroger, Safeway, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods stores may be contaminated with salmonella, and consumers should dispose of them and seek a refund or replacement. [More]
Here’s What Netflix, Dish & Others Said To The FCC About The Comcast/TWC Merger
The period for leaving a comment about the Comcast/TWC merger with the FCC closed on Monday. Roughly a zillion members of the public — individuals, nonprofits, state and federal politicians, telecom companies, tech trade groups, and consumer advocates — have weighed in, including several big names in pay TV who are staunchly against the deal. [More]