Consumers Union is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves.
Almost every web site out there tracks user information to some degree. Some forms of tracking can make your online experience more convenient and efficient. For example, certain cookies save your usernames and passwords, so you don’t have to log in every time, while others keep track of items you’ve placed in your shopping cart. Continue Reading
Jan
17
Do Not Track: The option to refuse tracking by third-party websites
Posted by Meredith Whipple in Internet
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Jan
17
Google Chrome Gets “Do Not Track” Tool
Google Chrome now has Do Not Track! This tool, developed by privacy expert Jonathan Mayer from Stanford University, allows Chrome users to tell websites that they do not wish to be tracked as they surf the net. Major browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari have already implemented some version of the Do Not Track tool Continue Reading
Posted by Meredith Whipple in Internet
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No Comments »
Dec
19
How Creepy is Face Scanning Software?
Imagine passing a digital ad board that silently and instantly determines your gender and age, possibly even your current emotional state, and targets you with personalized ads. Or what if you walked into a clothing store and immediately received gender and age-based suggestions, size availability, and instant coupons on a digital display inside the store? Continue Reading
Posted by Ioana Rusu in Internet
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Dec
19
How to Opt Out of Tag Suggestions on Facebook
Facebook recently got in some trouble when it automatically began analyzing users’ photos and suggesting photo “tags” to friends. The company claims this technology was implemented to allow us to quickly identify and tag our friends in our photos all at the same time. But some worry that, in light of Facebook’s 800 million active Continue Reading
Posted by Ioana Rusu in Internet
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2 Comments »
Oct
20
Wireless Agreement Could Make Bills Less Shocking
“Bill Shock”—those unexpected and often-quite-large charges that suddenly pop up on cell phone bills – are consistently one of the top complaints from consumers about their wireless carrier. That’s changing, however. Spurred by aggressive lobbying from Consumers Union and other public interest groups – including petitions signed more than 62,000 CU activists – wireless companies Continue Reading
Posted by Bob Williams in Internet, Phone
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6 Comments »
Sep
22
DOJ Lawsuit to Block ATT-T-Mobile Deal is Great, But the Fight is Far from Over
In a major win for consumers, the Department of Justice recently filed an antitrust lawsuit aiming to block the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile. The complaint points to substantial concerns regarding marketplace competition and the elimination of T-Mobile as a low-cost option. For those reasons and others, Consumers Union strongly opposes AT&T’s $39 billion Continue Reading
Posted by Bob Williams in Internet, Phone
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22 Comments »
Aug
18
Center for Media Justice: AT&T-T-Mobile Deal Not Good for Communities of Color and Poor
The Center for Media Justice has just issued a new report that says AT&T’s proposed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile will not be good for communities of color or the poor. You can read the report here.
Posted by Bob Williams in Uncategorized
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1 Comment »
Aug
17
AT&T Letter About T-Mobile Purchase Posted on FCC Website Causes Stir
The blogoshere has been buzzing about AT&T and its recent letter to the FCC regarding its merger with T-Mobile. The letter offers details about a meeting between company executives and lawyers and FCC officials. The letter was posted on the FCC’s web site for a few hours before being pulled and replaced by a different Continue Reading
Posted by Bob Williams in Uncategorized
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2 Comments »
Jun
23
A Bad Deal: What Consumers are Saying about the Proposed AT&T/T Mobile Merger
Consumers Union has received thousands of comments from consumers like you who are concerned about the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile merger currently under consideration by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) and want to have their voices heard. Take a look at what current customers have to say, and share your comment about the AT&T and T-Mobile merger. Continue Reading
Posted by Bob Williams in Internet, Phone
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3 Comments »
Jun
22
Legislation Would Allow Consumers to Know Actual Speed of 4G Service Before They Buy
Do you understand what all those ads about “4G” wireless service actually mean in terms of how quickly you can actually download a video or cruise around the Internet? Of course you don’t. Neither do we. But under newly-proposed legislation in Congress, retailers and wireless providers would be required by law to provide consumers more complete Continue Reading
Posted by Bob Williams in Internet
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1 Comment »
