Kids say a lot of random, unsolicited, or just plain personal things to their toys while playing. When that toy is stuffed with just fluff and beans, it doesn’t matter what the kid says: their toy is a safe sounding board. When their playtime companion is an internet-connected recording device that ships off audio files to a remote server without even notifying parents — that’s a whole other kind of problem. [More]
EPIC
These Toys Don’t Just Listen To Your Kid; They Send What They Hear To A Defense Contractor
By 12.6.16
Consumer Privacy Groups File FTC Complaint Over Facebook, WhatsApp Data Sharing
By 8.30.16
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]
Privacy Group’s FTC Complaint: Uber Shouldn’t Track Users When They’re Not Using The App
By 6.22.15
A digital-privacy group has filed a complaint against Uber, saying the company’s new privacy policy says it could use a rider’s location information to track where they are even when the app is running in the background, and also takes issue with the company’s policy regarding collecting address book information. The Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, D.C wants the FTC to investigate. [More]
Privacy Advocates Call For Investigation Into Samsung Smart TVs
By 2.26.15
Samsung’s Smart TVs have come under scrutiny recently after people learned the company’s privacy policy hinted that things we say within earshot of our televisions may be recorded and uploaded to third-party transcription services. While executives for the company have worked to calm people’s fears, a privacy group is now asked federal regulators to take a look into the matter. [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]
Internet Privacy Advocates To FTC: Maybe Check Into This Whole Facebook & Datalogix Thing
By 9.27.12
After the world caught wind of Facebook’s sassy new partnership with data mining company Datalogix, we figured it would only be a matter of time before the public protestations started. The advocates over at the Electronic Privacy Information Center have teamed up with the Center for Digital Democracy are coming out with guns blazing against the pairing in a letter to the Federal Trade Commission. [More]
Appeals Court: Feds Rushed To Roll Out Controversial TSA Scanners
By 7.15.11
An appeals court panel in Washington, D.C., ruled today that the government jumped the gun by not seeking public feedback before rolling out airport scanners that see through travelers’ clothes. Unfortunately for those opposed to these devices, the scanners are not going anywhere. [More]
Eugene Mirman Reads His Letter To Time Warner Cable
By 6.1.11
This is a video of comedian Eugene Mirman doing a dramatic reading of his complaint letter to Time Warner Cable that he paid for to have published as a full-page ad in a couple of local papers in Brooklyn. In the preamble, he helps to explain why, as several of you pointed out, the letter came off as rambling and discursive, as opposed to the more straight-shooting approach we usually advocate here. “I could write them an angry letter and someone would get it and think I was crazy,” he tells the audience. “I didn’t want that. I wanted them to know I was crazy.” [More]
TWC Responds To Comedian Eugene Mirman's Complaint Letter
By 5.27.11
Time Warner Cable has responded to the complaint letter published by their customer, comedian Eugene Mirman, as a full page ad in several papers. [More]
Customer Takes Out Ad In Papers To Publish Complaint Letter To His Cable Company
By 5.27.11
A Time Warner Cable customer decided to express his frustration with the cable company in a unique way, by running his complaint letter as an ad in several papers. That man was Brooklyn comedian Eugene Mirman, who is also the voice of Gene Belcher on FOX’s Bob’s Burgers. Here is that letter: [More]
Sprint's Premium Data Plan For Samsung Epic Has Slower Upload Speeds Than Regular 3G Phones
By 9.20.10
Yesterday, the blog Explain the Fee noted that Sprint customers with the new Samsung Epic 4G, who have to pay an extra $10 a month for a premium data plan, are reporting upload speeds slower than phones they had 3 or 4 years ago–with upload limits seemingly capped at 150kps. [More]
Costco Really Loves Your Mom, Buys Her A Coffee Machine For Mother's Day
By 5.12.10
Joshua received such stunningly good customer service while shopping for a Mother’s Day gift at Costco that he had to share his story with Consumerist. He writes that he located a store that had the specific coffee machine that he wanted in stock, called the store to verify, and drove some distance to the store to pick it up. When he arrived, he learned that the store didn’t have the machine in stock after all…but it’s what happened next that makes this a true “Above and Beyond” story. [More]
Ever Wish Beef Jerky Had Caffeine? Wish No More
By 8.28.09
Beef jerky had always been fine, but it always lacked a certain something, that certain something was caffeine.
KFC Has A Bacon Sandwich That Uses Fried Chicken As "Bread"
By 8.21.09
This is perhaps man’s greatest achievement or evidence of our civilization’s impending doom. Maybe it’s both.
Reckon Offers 12 Months of Excuses, Still No T-Shirt
By 5.5.09
Reckon is a company that sells silkscreened designs of celebrities on various articles of clothing. Seriously, where else can you get a Morrissey onesie? Dan ordered a custom t-shirt with a design of Larry David on it in April of 2008. He’d like to report on the fit and quality of the shirt, but he can’t, because he hasn’t received it yet.
