Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of our benevolent benefactors at Consumer Reports, is urging the Department of Health and Human Services not to delay a consumer-friendly health insurance provision in Wisconsin. The delay could result in a loss of over $13 million rebates or lower insurance premiums to residents. [More]
Government Policy
SOPA Also Shelved Indefinitely
By 1.20.12
The same day that the Senate decided to postpone its voting on the Protect IP Act, the House Judiciary Committee has decided it’s probably time to give more than cursory thought to the Stop Online Piracy Act and has postponed the piece of legislation for the time being. [More]
Arrested Traveler Says She Shouldn't Be Held Responsible Because TSA Didn't Spot Her Handgun
By 1.20.12
Over the years, a number of people have been stopped at airport security checkpoints for carrying weapons — guns, knives, box cutters, the occasional M-622 Avalanche — that the passenger claimed they had accidentally stowed in their carry-on bag. But who is responsible once that traveler gets through the checkpoint? [More]
Man Attempts To Occupy House He Doesn't Own, Uses Claim-Jumper's Defense
By 1.20.12
When living in a home that doesn’t happen to be yours, you should have an excuse. And one man in Niceville, Fla. (how nice!) says he was just squatting there by way of the a law that makes it okay for what the pioneers used to call “claim jumpers” to hang on to property they don’t own. [More]
Megaupload Says They're Back And Almost Ready To Run Again Sans Domain Name
By 1.20.12
UPDATE 1:51 p.m. Due to concerns that the reappearance of Megaupload.com with an IP address might not actually be that company, we have taken out any links directed there in the earlier version of this story. [More]
Senate Postpones Vote On PIPA
By 1.20.12
As you may have heard the other day, the Senate was set to vote next Tuesday on the controversial anti-online-piracy Protect IP Act, but after the entire Internet seemed to raise its voice in opposition to the bill — and a number of Senators quickly changed their opinions — that vote has been put aside for the time being. [More]
File Sharing Site Megupload Is Shut Down By The U.S. Government
By 1.20.12
The U.S. government didn’t even need SOPA or PIPA on Thursday, as it shut down Megaupload.com, a file-sharing site wiith 150 million registered users and about 50 million hits daily. So now where will celebrities go to download their own movies, music and TV shows? [More]
IRS Says It's Ready To Field Your E-Filings
By 1.20.12
If you’re organized enough to have all your tax documents in order, you can go ahead and get a jump on the tax season by e-filing. The Internal Revenue Service says it’s ready to process tax returns filed online. [More]
SOPA Protest: Wikipedia Traffic Up, Congressional Support Down
By 1.19.12
Yesterday’s mass protests about the SOPA and PIPA anti-piracy bills have yielded some positive results: At least 18 members of Congress — including several PIPA co-sponsors — have withdrawn their support for the legislation. And Wikipedia, which went dark for the day, saw its traffic go up, as visitors used the site’s SOPA page as a resource for information about the issue. [More]
Let's Meet Two SOPA & PIPA Protestors We Talked To On The Street Today
By 1.18.12
While Consumerist was outside in the chilly, sunshiney streets of NYC with anti-SOPA/PIPA protestors gathered outside the offices of Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, we made some friends! David Moore had one of our favorite signs, and a lot to say, while Emily is an English teacher who wants kids to be able to use the Internet. Then there was a guy with a beard hat. Let’s meet them! [More]
Anti-SOPA Movement Unites Trent Reznor, Opera Singers
By 1.18.12
While SOPA and PIPA have the support of every major record label, the unions representing performing artists, and the organizations that manage licensing for musicians, some performers, writers and artists have stood up against the bills, including MGMT, OK Go, Trent Reznor and the members of OPERA America. (And Neil Gaiman, too!) [More]
NYC's Tech Industry Protests SOPA & PIPA Outside Offices Of Senators Schumer And Gillibrand
By 1.18.12
This afternoon, Consumerist headed over to check out an emergency NYC Tech Meetup protest outside the offices of Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, both co-sponsors of anti-piracy legislation. Crowds gathered to hear speakers from the tech industry raise the cry against SOPA and PIPA. [More]
Mark Zuckerberg: We Need Political Leaders Who Are Pro-Internet
By 1.18.12
The folks at Facebook have made no secret of their objection to the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Protect IP Act. And while it would have been a huge statement for Facebook to shut down, even for a few hours, you can’t fault the company for not wanting to turn off the money machine. Regardless, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg just took to his personal page to quickly voice his opinion on these pieces of legislation. [More]
Regretsy Founder: SOPA Focuses On Things It Shouldn't
By 1.18.12
Like a number of people we’ve spoken to today about the impact of the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act, Regretsy.com’s Helen Killer (not her real name, in case you hadn’t guessed) tells Consumerist that she doesn’t oppose the idea of fighting online piracy. It’s just that SOPA goes too far and focuses on things it shouldn’t. [More]
Two Senators Change Tune On Online Piracy Legislation
By 1.18.12
As you may have noticed, the Internet isn’t happy with proposed anti-piracy legislation before Congress and the Senate that could have a huge impact on everything from e-commerce to your 13-year-old niece’s Glee fan blog. And as the voices continue to grow louder in opposition to the SOPA and PIPA bills, some law makers are already switching sides. [More]
Micah Sifry: SOPA Part Of "Larger Struggle Over How Expression And Creation Will Be Supported"
By 1.18.12
Micah Sifry, head of Personal Democracy Media and an expert on the intersection of technology and politics, sees the battle over SOPA and PIPA as part of the ongoing changes affecting the content and entertainment industries in the Internet era: “They’re trying to use the law to artificially protect business models and slow down new ways of doing things that are disrupting that business model,” he told The Consumerist. [More]
Mozilla Blacks Out Against SOPA & PIPA Without Leaving Firefox Users In The Lurch
By 1.18.12
Mozilla is making its stance against SOPA and PIPA clear today, by joining the list of sites featuring a blackout page and a call to action to protest the anti-piracy acts. But while they take a stand, users seeking technical support for Mozilla products like Firefox will still be able to access that site and get security updates. [More]
SOPA Sponsor Accuses Wikipedia Of Spreading Misinformation
By 1.18.12
Texas Congressman Lamar Smith, sponsor of the Stop Online Piracy Act that has moved a number of sites, including Craigslist and Reddit to shut down for the day, accuses the biggest name involved in the blackouts, Wikipedia, of doing a disservice to its users by inciting outrage over the piece of legislation. [More]
