The FCC has said it, studies have shown it, even our own bill guides have proven it: you’re paying tons of money every month, on top of your regular bill, to rent your cable box. And you know who thinks that sucks? President Obama and his top advisors, that’s who. [More]
Government Policy
Indoor Tanning Company Issuing Refunds After Claiming Tanning Won’t Increase Cancer Risk
By 4.14.16
Because there is no magical indoor tanning system that uses UV lamps and comes with a 100% guarantee you will not get cancer from using it, a company that marketed indoor tanning systems will have to pay out refunds to consumers under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. [More]
American Airlines Calls Out TSA For “Unacceptable” Lines At Airport Checkpoints
By 4.14.16
Not a fan of lengthy lines at airport security checkpoints? You aren’t alone: American Airlines is putting the Transportation Security Administration on blast for the kind of “unacceptable” long wait times that caused 6,800 customers to miss their flights during spring break week this year. [More]
Senators Call On FTC To Do Something About Misleading Fashion Sites
By 4.13.16
It seems that someone in the offices of Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) or Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), or perhaps both senators, has either ordered clothing from a misleading China-based site or read Buzzfeed recently. Both senators announced today that they’ve sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission chair Edith Ramirez, urging the FTC to take action against sites that advertise great deals and don’t deliver what customers expected. [More]
Feds Will Notify Disabled Borrowers Eligible For Student Loan Discharge
By 4.13.16
Under the law, borrowers who are permanently disabled are eligible to have their federal student loans discharged. While the government has taken steps in the past to make the process more streamlined for consumers, the Department of Education will now proactively seek out eligible borrowers. [More]
“ROBOCOP Act” Would Force Phone Companies To Do Something About Robocalls
By 4.13.16
As we’ve shown before, wireless and landline phone companies can do something to provide customers with free and easy-to-use tools to block unwanted automated calls — they just aren’t doing it, even when hundreds of thousands of consumers explicitly ask them to. A new piece of legislation introduced today hopes to compel the telecom providers to finally make it easier for customers to just say no to robocalls. [More]
White House Promises To Veto Yet Another FCC-Limiting Bill If It Passes
By 4.13.16
It may seem like Congress never gets anything done, but sometimes they really do! Case in point: a bill, sponsored by lawmakers who are still angry about the FCC’s net neutrality ruling last year, has managed to come out of committee and is scheduled for a House vote. And should the House and Senate both vote on that bill, it will go to the White House… where the president’s top advisors recommend it promptly be vetoed. [More]
Companies Agree To Stop Promoting Beauty Products With Synthetic Ingredients As “All Natural”
By 4.12.16
One would assume when buying a product marketed as “all-natural” or “100% natural” that said product wouldn’t contain synthetic ingredients like phenoxyethanol or polyethylene, right? Wrong. At least, that’s the cases for five companies facing action by federal regulators for allegedly making false claims about their products’ ingredients.
“Tax Day” Is Monday, April 18 This Year, No Matter What Your iPhone Tells You
By 4.12.16
Back in January, the Internal Revenue Service made it clear that taxpayers had until April 18 to file their federal income taxes. Apparently, Apple’s calendar didn’t get the message. [More]
Honda Recalls 11K Sedans Because They Contain The Wrong Airbag
By 4.11.16
Over the past several years, Honda has recalled nearly eight million vehicles equipped with Takata airbags that can shoot shrapnel at drivers and passengers upon deployment. While replacing those safety devices, the carmaker discovered that some vehicles were fitted with the incorrect front passenger airbags. [More]
RIAA Head: We’ll Never Have A Fair Deal With YouTube Under Current Copyright Law
By 4.11.16
Streaming video is the best medium for the delivery of music videos, but it’s also a great medium for posting pirated music videos and entire albums. That’s why the Recording Industry Association of America, record labels’ trade group, wants more money from YouTube for music videos that users watch. The problem, the group’s head explains, is that rampant piracy makes it impossible to negotiate with YouTube’s owner, Google. [More]
Reser’s Recalls Salads For Possible Listeria, Also Sold Under Walmart And Safeway Brands
By 4.11.16
Reser’s Fine Foods may not be a food brand name that you immediately recognize, but their products are popular across the country, and are also sold under store brand names. From a 3-ounce container of Reser’s brand potato salad to an 8-pound tub of Sysco-brand macaroni salad meant for restaurants and cafeterias, cold salads containing onions from Reser’s have been recalled. [More]
Carrier Must Pay $51M For Allegedly Defrauding Lifeline Program
By 4.8.16
The Federal Communications Commission plans to fine Total Call Mobile $51.1 million after alleging the carrier fraudulently collected payments from a program that subsidizes wireless service for low-income consumers. [More]
That Overpriced Telecom Market You Never Heard Of? The FCC’s Taking It On This Month.
By 4.8.16
You know how literally just yesterday we shared a report about the mostly-hidden, crazy-monopolistic, vastly important special access market, and all the money it costs everyone? Well, the FCC is really truly on it, the commission announced today. [More]
IRS Now Accepting Cash Tax Payments At Your Local 7-Eleven
By 4.8.16
Jonesing for a Slurpee and still need to pay your taxes? You can kill two birds with one stone with the Internal Revenue Service’s new payment option: taxpayers can fork over what they owe in cash at one of the participating 7,000 7-Eleven locations in the country. [More]
Hyundai Recalls 173K Sedans Because Power Steering Shouldn’t Just Stop Working
By 4.8.16
Power steering helps drivers maneuver their vehicles by taking away some of the steering effort. When the system unexpectedly fails it can take drivers by surprise and increase the risk of a crash. For that reason Hyundai is recalling thousands of sedans. [More]
Remember: Your Eye Doctor Should Give You Your Prescriptions After Your Exam
By 4.7.16
Generally, you don’t visit your doctor and then buy the medicine that she prescribes right from her office. Contact lenses are different: you generally order those directly from your doctor’s office, and you often order glasses from the same place too. Yet you don’t actually have to: you have the right to actually buy your glasses or contacts anywhere that you want, whether it’s for a better price or because you really like Warby Parker frames. [More]
Recall Roundup, Flammability Edition: Ivanka Trump-Brand Scarves, Givenchy Silk Shirts
By 4.7.16
Things are heating up over at the Consumer Product Safety Commission recently, with a slew of products that are being recalled for being literally hot fashions, due to the unfortunate possibility that they may burst into flames. [More]
