Things are going from bad to worse for General Motors. First, it recalled nearly 800,000 vehicles because the ignition switches could turn off for no reason. Then it was revealed that the company was alerted to this problem by a NHTSA investigator back in 2007, and then the recall was expanded to 1.37 million cars, with GM saying that the defect may be tied to 13 deaths. New revelations show that GM had received dozens of complaints from vehicle owners about the faulty ignition switches, but still chose to not issue a recall until 2014. [More]
Government Policy
How Giving Your Contact Info To “Yellow Page USA” Turns Into Legal Threats And An Invoice For $1,200
By 3.10.14
What do you do when your company receives a free solicitation for a business listing and Facebook page? You might be tempted to snatch up a good deal, but there’s a good chance that deal will land you in the middle of a widespread scam. That seems to be the case for a New Jersey business owner as he faces threats of lawsuits and other action that could damage his credit. [More]
Facebook, WhatsApp Acquisition Face Privacy Hurdle After EPIC Files FTC Complaint
By 3.7.14
Mergers and acquisitions routinely face opposition and complaints. Facebook’s $19 billion deal to buy messaging system WhatsApp has been able to stay rather unopposed, until now. [More]
If You’re Into Rashes, Recalled Fitbit Force Goes For About $200 On eBay
By 3.7.14
Since we broke the story of the Fitbit Force personal motion tracker causing contact dermatitis in some users, the company has begun its own recall of the devices and told authorized retailers to stop selling them. The problem is that hot gadgets are always available through unofficial channels as well. Like eBay, where you can still buy the Force, and it’s selling for a premium. [More]
Pfizer Recalls Antidepressant Effexor Because It Is Not A Heart Medicine
By 3.7.14
Two lots of Pfizer’s Effexor antidepressant and one lot of its generic form, Venlafaxine, have been recalled by Pfizer after a pharmacist discovered a different medicine inside one large bottle of the drug. [More]
Got An Old Cedar Chest? Make Sure No One Can Get Locked Inside
By 3.6.14
Cedar chests are a common heirloom furniture item – maybe you inherited one from a relative, received one as a gift, or picked up one at a thrift store or estate sale. They might be the perfect place to store your winter clothes during the off-season, but chests from Lane or Virginia Maid before 1987 have a flaw: they latch automatically when the lid is closed. [More]
Colleges Tight-Lipped On Revealing How They Divvy Out Financial Aid
By 3.6.14
When choosing a college to attend most teens and their families shop around a little. With tuition skyrocketing, many consumers look at financial aid offered by universities as a top priority when considering which institution to attend. Even with regulations on the books requiring schools to outline how financial aid is distributed, families are finding it nearly impossible to estimate their child’s worth to a school. [More]
Man Arrested At Airport Security: Wait, You Can’t Bring Guns In Your Carry-On?
By 3.6.14
There are some things you can see often without really seeing it, ya know? Like the plethora of signs at any airport anywhere telling you not to bring weapons like guns, knives or throwing stars on the plane. Maybe one guy just saw those too often — or not enough — as he reportedly didn’t know you can’t bring a handgun through airport security in your carry-on. [More]
Feds: ADT Paid “Independent” Experts To Shill For Pulse Security System
By 3.6.14
When you see a so-called expert on the Today Show talking up a product, you might reasonably assume that this expert is giving you an honest opinion that hasn’t been tainted by cash or gifts. Alas, not every company is up front about the fact that they paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to get their product mentioned on TV by not-exactly-independent experts. [More]
Scammy Precious Metal Marketers Banned From Selling Investments, Ordered To Repay Millions
By 3.5.14
Precious metals can be a great investment when handled properly by a respected and truthful organization, but that’s not always the case. On Tuesday, the Federal Trade Commission put the brakes on three precious metal marketers in Florida after they allegedly scammed nearly $9 million from consumers. [More]
CPSC Working With Fitbit On Mysterious Force Rash Issues
By 3.4.14
Some users of the new Fitbit Force activity tracker really liked the product. They thought it was just great… right up until ugly patches of contact dermatitis broke out on their wrists. The company announced its own recall, but is simply accepting wristbands back from users who don’t want them enough? [More]
FCC To TV Companies: You Can’t Broadcast Emergency Alert Tones If It’s Not An Emergency
By 3.3.14
The thing about the Emergency Alert System is that it’s only supposed to be used to alert people when there’s an actual emergency. So anyone viewing the trailer for 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen might’ve been alarmed to hear those telltale tones along with “This is not a test” — at least until Gerard Butler’s face hits the screen. [More]
Franken: Comcast’s Previous Behavior Doesn’t Bode Well For Time Warner Cable Deal
By 3.3.14
When Comcast finally goes before lawmakers and regulators to make its case for a merger with Time Warner Cable, it will likely promise a pile of concessions and policy changes in order to paint a rosier picture of the future. But Senator Al Franken of Minnesota is looking to the past, pointing out concerns with the cable company’s spotty track record. [More]
AT&T Announces First Two Locations For Tests Of Internet-Based Landlines
By 2.28.14
In January, the FCC gave landline telecom providers the go-ahead to begin tests of Internet-based phone service intended to replace existing copper-line phone networks. Today, AT&T finally revealed the two locations in which it would like to kick off its testing. [More]
Everyone At The FCC & DOJ Should Be Forced To Watch This “Comcast Doesn’t Give A F#!k” Video
By 2.28.14
In the debate over whether or not to approve the merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable, there has been a lot of in-depth discussion of market share, divestments, fiber competition, and all sorts of other things the average cable subscriber doesn’t concern herself with because she has better things to do. What’s at risk of being overlooked is that Comcast is just a horrible company that really doesn’t care about its many millions of customers who have no other choice. [More]
CFPB To Credit Card Companies: Put Free Credit Scores On Monthly Statements
By 2.27.14
Is a free credit score coming to a credit card statement near you? It is if major companies listen to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s call to ensure all Americans have free and easily accessible access to their credit scores. [More]
9 Federal Laws That Companies Can Skirt By Using Forced Arbitration
By 2.27.14
There are numerous federal laws that explicitly give wronged consumers the right to file a lawsuit against the company that harmed them, but all those statutory rights are being taken away by companies that insert arbitration clauses into their terms of service. [More]
UK Spy Agency Snooped On Yahoo Cam Chats, Including The Nude Ones
By 2.27.14
With help from their pals at the National Security Agency the British intelligence agents at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) spent two years swiping still frames from millions of Yahoo webcam chats between people who weren’t suspects in any crimes or terrorist activities, according to leaked government documents. [More]
