It’s been less than a week since WhatsApp announced it would start sharing some user data with parent company Facebook, but in that short time, app users and privacy advocates alike have raised a ruckus over what they see as a broken promise. Now, some consumer privacy watchdog groups have filed a formal complaint with the FTC, asking them to look into it. [More]
Government Policy
Court Throws Out Federal Government’s Lawsuit Over AT&T “Unlimited” Data Plans
By 8.30.16
Nearly two years ago, the Federal Trade Commission sued AT&T for allegedly misleading wireless customers by charging them for “unlimited” data plans while simultaneously throttling their cellular connection speeds when they passed certain monthly thresholds. AT&T failed in 2015 to get the case dismissed in District Court, but yesterday succeeded in convincing a federal appeals court to throw out the government’s complaint. [More]
Whirlpool Recalls 15K Microwaves After Reports Of Three Fires
By 8.30.16
Microwaves are supposed to heat up your leftovers or make popcorn, not catch fire. So after learning about a handful of Whirlpool microwaves going up in smoke and/or flames, the company says it will recall more than 15,000 of the kitchen appliances. [More]
Four Airlines Fined For Misinforming Passengers About Compensation For Lost Bags & Being Bumped
By 8.29.16
If you’re involuntarily bumped from an overbooked flight, or if your bags are lost, the airline owes you some form of compensation. It turns out that four carriers — American, United, Alaska, and Southwest Airlines — haven’t exactly been forthright with all their passengers when it comes to getting what they are owed. [More]
AT&T: FCC Has “No Legal Or Factual Basis” To Issue Us Fine For Overcharging Schools
By 8.29.16
Back in July, the FCC accused AT&T of badly overcharging some Florida schools for their telecom service. AT&T fired back that the FCC’s claims were meritless and that it looked forward to fighting. AT&T is in this at least as good as its word, and has filed its reply. [More]
Pre-Cut Veggies Sold In Walmart, Publix, 6 Other Stores, Recalled Over Listeria Concerns
By 8.29.16
Picking up a package of pre-cut, pre-washed fresh vegetables at the grocery store can make preparing dinner (lunch or breakfast) a bit easier. Unless, of course, you could get sick from those convenient vegetables. Walmart, Publix, and six other retailers have recalled packages of pre-cut veggies over listeria contamination concerns. [More]
6 Things You Should Know About What Led Up To Takata’s Massive Airbag Disaster
By 8.26.16
Over the past two years, 16 carmakers have recalled millions upon millions of vehicles equipped with Takata-produced, shrapnel-shooting airbags linked to 14 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Investigations have revealed the cause of the ruptures, but a new report sheds light on how the defective safety devices ended up in so many vehicles. Like many shortsighted bad decisions, it came down to money. [More]
Mazda Recalls 190K SUVs Over Loss Of Steering
By 8.26.16
Being able to steer your vehicle in the direction that you want it to go is paramount to, you know, driving. So when that doesn’t work properly, it’s time for a recall. That’s why Mazda is calling back more than 190,000 SUVs to replace potentially defective parts. [More]
Regardless Of Price, Don’t Buy Your EpiPen On eBay
By 8.26.16
With the price of emergency allergy treatment EpiPen jumping nearly 600% in less than a decade, bringing the out-of-pocket cost for some patients to $600 for a two-pack, it’s perhaps not surprising that sketchy eBay sellers are claiming to offer the prescription medication at a discount, even though it’s against eBay policy, illegal, and just a really, really, really awful idea. [More]
ITT Tech Banned From Enrolling New Students Using Federal Financial Aid
By 8.25.16
And just like that the foundation of ITT Education Services is beginning to crumble. Today, the Department of Education took a series of actions that bans the company behind the for-profit chain of ITT Technical Institutes from enrolling new students using federal financial aid funds. [More]
Nation’s Largest Privately-Owned Bank Must Return $28M To Credit Card Customers
By 8.25.16
The nation’s largest privately held bank sold its credit card customers on add-on programs intended to help cover their accounts when they faced unexpected hardships. However, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says the bank deceived customers about the reality of these and other programs and has ordered it to provide nearly $28 million in relief to hundreds of thousands of affected cardholders. [More]
When It Comes To Food, “Generally Recognized As Safe” May Not Mean What It Sounds Like
By 8.24.16
Here in the U.S., we have food safety regulations — a lot of them. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for making sure foods (and a bunch of other stuff) adhere to some basic health and safety rules to reduce the likelihood these products will hit store shelves and make a million people sick. So far, so good… but there’s a major food safety system that the FDA uses that, it turns out, is neither standard nor safe — despite its name. [More]
USDA Buying 11 Million Pounds Of Surplus Cheese For Food Pantries
By 8.23.16
Earlier this year, we shared the news that there’s too much cheese in this country: enough that every person in the United States would have to eat three pounds to get rid of it all. Instead of distributing it that way, the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to distribute it to people in need of nutritious food through pantries and through its own programs. [More]
Mitsubishi Recalls 80K Vehicles Over Acceleration Issues
By 8.23.16
Last week, Mitsubishi recalled some 45,000 Outlander Sport crossover SUVs after determining that an issue during assembly may lead to a leak in the vehicles’ transmission. Now, the carmaker is back, recalling about 82,000 Outlander and Lancer vehicles, because stepping on the gas pedal should make the car, you know, move. [More]
McDonald’s Officially Recalls 29 Million Happy Meal Fitness Trackers Over Concerns About Rashes, Burns
By 8.23.16
Nearly a week after pulling them from Happy Meal packages — and subsequently erasing all trace of their existence from stores — McDonald’s has issued a formal recall of all 29 million Step-It fitness trackers over reports of skin irritation and burns. [More]
Wells Fargo Must Pay $4M Over Allegedly Illegal Student Loan Servicing
By 8.22.16
For the last 10 months, it’s been one of the banking industry’s worst-kept secrets that Wells Fargo’s student loan servicing business was being investigated by federal regulators. Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau confirmed these rumors and ordered Wells to pay more than $4 million in refunds and penalties over allegedly illegal loan servicing practices that increased costs and unfairly penalized certain borrowers. [More]
FDA Confirms Multi-State Recall Of Scallops Linked To Hepatitis A Outbreak In Hawaii
By 8.22.16
Problem scallops linked to a Hepatitis A outbreak in Hawaii that’s prompted the shutdown of several sushi restaurants might not be limited just to that state, as federal officials have confirmed they’re recalling the products in two other states as well. [More]
