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This article examines the legal case for banning 'no cash' policies at retailers in Australia, with a focus on fostering inclusivity for unbanked individuals and empowering consumers. The analysis explores three potential options for implementing such a prohibition: leveraging anti-discrimination laws, utilizing consumer protection laws or enacting new legislation. From a legal standpoint, the article argues that retailers should be mandated to accept cash when consumers seek to purchase essential goods and services. Drawing upon relevant legal frameworks, the article highlights the importance of protecting the rights of unbanked individuals and ensuring consumer choice. It explores the potential impacts on financial inclusion and consumer empowerment while considering the risks of financial crime. By delving into these considerations, this article aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding 'no cash' policies, offering insights and recommendations for policymakers and legal practitioners alike in their pursuit of a fair and inclusive society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer and producer protection, rural development, preservation of rural culture, uniqueness, and product traceability are some of the characteristics that define quality schemes. Apart from the quality schemes of the European Union, there are national schemes, voluntary certifications at both national and international levels, offering consumers additional information on the quality characteristics of products. The study aimed to understand the level of knowledge of quality schemes, the buying intentions, and the willingness to pay for Telemea Cheese with quality certification label in Romania. Data collected via a questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. A moderate level of knowledge regarding the quality schemes was found among consumers of Telemea Cheese, with a higher percentage in the case of national quality labels. The presence of the quality certification label on the package of Telemea Cheese was more important as age increased (OR=1.135, p<0.01), for female respondents (OR=0.7038, p<0.01), and for people living in a household with children (OR=1.2787, p<0.05). Initiatives to highlight the advantages of food products with quality schemes are required to raise consumer awareness. The findings provide valuable information to develop marketing strategies to increase the value of locally produced agricultural and food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Collected Papers of Zagreb Law Faculty / Zbornik Pravnog Fakulteta u Zagrebu is the property of Sveuciliste u Zagrebu, Pravni Fakultet and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The dynamics of the processes that take place in every area of modern human life, speaking in the present case about Intellectual property, also determine the new trends in it. These new trends impose changes in the current legislation, which settle the legal framework of each Intellectual property object. It is required for these changes to occur and subsequently be adapted in law enforcement to effectively protect businesses and consumers. Often the owners of Intellectual property are challenged to prevent its theft, its illegal and uncontrolled commercial use by third parties or to organize its adequate protection in case of already established violations. In a summarized and synthesized way, this article aims to introduce an analysis of important and essential information about some of the types of Intellectual property violations, including countermeasures. A systematic analysis of the types of infringements will help to identify some of the new trends emerging in the field of Intellectual property related to infringements and what measures are needed to ensure adequate protection of businesses and consumers in the European Union (EU). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the digital age, the internet plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer perceptions, with vast amounts of data, particularly images and videos, being utilized by organizations for beneficial and deceptive purposes. In the facial health sector, forged facial images are increasingly used in advertising, misleading consumers into purchasing ineffective beauty products. To address this issue, we propose an automated system for the credibility diagnosis of facial images in online advertisements. Our approach employs an ensemble of state-of-the-art deep learning models--ResNet50V2, MobileNetV2, and InceptionV3--which achieved an ensemble score of 79%, outperforming individual model accuracies of 80% (ResNet50V2), 76% (MobileNetV2), and 75% (InceptionV3). Furthermore, stacked ensembling yielded 79% accuracy, showing a marked improvement over individual models. We also integrate Explainable AI techniques, where Score-CAM demonstrated the best performance with a 32.9% average drop and a 31.4% increase in confidence, providing interpretable visual explanations for the detected forgeries, thereby enhancing transparency and trustworthiness. By training our models on a curated dataset of real and fake facial images, we achieve robust detection and provide users with an interpretable analysis of non-credible images. This novel system not only advances the field of automated image credibility assessment but also contributes to the development of responsible AI systems that protect consumers from deceptive practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study primarily examines the influence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on Digital Financial Consumer Protection (DFCP), utilizing a dataset spanning 88 countries globally from 2014 to 2018, within the context of consumer welfare under diverse socioeconomic conditions. The research confirms a positive relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) evolution and digital finance consumer protection (DFCP) in OECD countries with inclusive institutions, competitive markets, and solid educational foundations. Conversely, a negative correlation is observed between ICT growth and DFCP in countries with moderate gender inequality. The study further confirms that ICT development positively influences DFCP due to contextual conditions (i.e. cybersecurity index, political stability, higher educational level, and market quality). Policy implications emphasize the need to address information inequality and protect consumer rights in the digital era. Measures to curb market monopolies of major tech companies and combat unauthorized data usage are recommended. Additionally, enhancing digital literacy is crucial for harnessing the benefits of ICT and promoting financial consumer welfare. Establishing a practical code of conduct aligned with market needs is also essential for ensuring consumer protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global crypto industry is a natively consumer-driven space. Even with the increasing inflow of institutional interest, the industry retains its retail investor ethos. In contrast to the traditional finance space, consumers in the crypto-asset space have greater access to a variety of crypto-asset services, predominantly due to the vertically integrated business models of Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs) which engage in multiple functions and activities through one entity or a group of entities. The consumer protection framework in Ireland comprises a range of EU and domestic legislation, together with Central Bank of Ireland codes and regulations which are supplemented by guidance and supervisory expectations. Ireland 's domestic legislation aligns with and supplements the broader EUframework. CASPs, as regulated financial service providers, will be subject to awide range of consumer protection measures and will fall within the Central Bank of Ireland supervisory remit. This article examines the consumer protection measures and sources of liability applicable to CASPs in Ireland by taking the reader through various consumer protection measures contained in EU legislation. namely the Markets in Crypto -Assets Regulation (MiCA), and domestic legislation, codes and guidance. Furthermore, this article examines domestic legislation and case law regarding the enforcement of consumer protection measures against CASPs, and discusses issues which will arise when a consumer or other customer seeks to litigate crypto disputes in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ankara Review of European Studies (ARES) / Ankara Avrupa Çalışmaları Dergisi (AAÇD) is the property of Ankara University European Union Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The phenomenon of 'signature pharmacists' in South Asia has allowed allopathic prescription medication to be dispensed without the necessary medical knowledge, specifically of drug interactions, dosages and side effects. This practice, in which qualified pharmacists delegate their professional inputs to often unqualified and unsupervised sales staff, persists due to complicity among pharmacists, other healthcare professionals and regulatory officials. The article discusses the extent of this significant risk to public health in South Asia and argues that pharmacy enforcement and education standards should be reformed to address these huge challenges to ensure consumer protection and the general public's welfare. While the advice is that regulatory authorities should intensify their supervision and inspection efforts to ensure registered pharmacists actively participate in regular pharmacy operations, the article also identifies predicaments related to corruption that are difficult to tackle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and proliferation of the Internet, GPS, cell phones, social media, and the associated data that support these now ubiquitous technologies have created a new ecosystem of information making up a person's digital identity. Our digital footprints have traditionally been subject to different levels of privacy protection depending upon the kind of data at issue. Over time, court decisions have revealed tensions and a lack of consistency on the question of how the protections guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment apply to an individual's digital footprint and their reasonable expectations of privacy over it. This Comment will examine the gaps in the current landscape of U.S. privacy protections in the absence of federally explicit legislative protections. First, it will examine current federal statutory privacy law and the piecemeal approach through which certain areas of information or categories of individuals are protected. Next, it will examine the development of the Supreme Court's Fourth Amendment jurisprudence as applied to individual privacy rights. It will then analyze the gaps in privacy protection in both statutory and case law and recommend a unified federal statutory approach to ensure that currently legal uses of data do not, when aggregated, yield an impermissibly intrusive infringement of the privacy rights of U.S. citizens in violation of the spirit of the Fourth Amendment's protections. It will recommend a legislative solution to fill those gaps, provide a clear expression of how certain kinds of data can and cannot be used, and ensure these critical protections are applied equally to all, regardless of the state in which any individual lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To decrease privacy risks, consumers may choose to misrepresent themselves when they are asked to offer personal information. Using a game theoretic model, this study examines the impact of consumer misrepresentation on both a monopolistic firm and consumers. The results show that consumer misrepresentation may benefit the firm, but hurt consumers under certain conditions. In addition, we find that when the unit cost of personalized service is low, consumer misrepresentation may encourage the firm to provide a higher personalized service level. Moreover, when consumers misrepresent themselves and the firm only covers part of the market, a greater unit value of consumer private information will reduce the firm's profit, while a greater unit cost of personalized service will increase the firm's profit. The analysis reported here provides important insights regarding the application of consumer information in online personalized marketing and consumer privacy protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing transformation of the fashion industry is driven by an increasing focus on sustainability, ethical practices, and responsible consumer behavior. Simultaneously, social media platforms have emerged as influential forces in this field, shaping fashion trends and consumer preferences. Despite a substantial body of literature investigating consumer preferences between fast and sustainable fashion, a gap in understanding the intricate relationship between fashion preferences, socio-economic profiling, and social media engagement is evident. Thus, this research was aimed at comparatively decoding EU consumers' preferences for fast fashion against sustainable fashion by exploring the interplay of demographic factors ‒ age, gender, and geographical location ‒ on fashion preferences, as expressed through the digital engagement with fashion-related content on the Meta social platforms. The research methodology implied resorting to logistic regression analysis, aiming to uncover the underlying patterns that fundamentally characterize consumers' preferences for fashion in the EU. The results provide novel insights into how digital engagement with fashion-related content can act as a barometer for regional fashion identities and preferences, useful for the identification of both convergence and inflection points. Moreover, findings offer a robust foundation for crafting strategies that promote sustainable fashion practices, tailored to specific EU age, gender, and location demographics, by leveraging the insights gained about EU consumer preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of artificial intelligence on the business environment is vast and continues to develop. Ethics and artificial intelligence (AI) in business intersect in many areas, from data protection and transparency of decisions, to fairness and social impact. To use AI responsibly, companies need to adopt sound ethical principles, implement transparency measures, and be prepared to manage the long-term effects on society and the economy. Firms tha adopt integrate AI strategically have a significant competitive advantage, both in terms of efficiency and innovation. However, it is essential that these technologies are implemented responsibly, given the effects on the workforce and the ethics of their use. Companies that integrate ethics into the development and use of AI not only reduce risks, but also protect their reputation and consumer trust, becoming leaders in the sustainable and responsible development of technology. The marketing of the future will be defined by the ability to adapt to rapid changes in the environment. Technology, sustainability, transparency, and ethics, along with a focus on personalized and responsible experiences, will shape marketing strategies. Success in this context will depend on how brands manage to embrace these changes and create lasting relationships with consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging technologies can have an impact on legal frameworks that protect consumers. This article investigates the impact of smart contract technology on the European rules regarding unfair commercial practices. It analyses the manner in which legislatures can respond to such new technologies and the impact these technologies can have on the principles of functional equivalency and technological neutrality that underpin legislative efforts. This article suggests that the potential effects of smart contract technology is such that their distinct nature must be taken into account when devising a legislative strategy aimed at modernising the law in order to ensure that the interests of consumers remain protected. It provides recommendations with regard to the manner in which the law can be designed in light of this goal and ensure that, firstly, the law is created in such a way that it can operate more consistently with governance through software and code whilst at the same time ensuring that legal enforcement is admissible in an environment governed by this technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of seq-determination, which is at the core of European data protection legislations, is undergoing a significant transformation in the realm of digital finance. This article presents a comprehensive examination of digital jinancial consumers' control Oue'r their data, critically assesses the concept of self-determination and proposes a Famework for establishing multi-party financial data trust mechanisms. In questioning the adequacy and effectiveness of the traditional informed consent rule, tue employ a cost-benefit analysis methodology to examine how different degrees of willingness to share data among digital fnancial consumers correlate to varying profit margins for financial service providers. The andlysis reveals that the profit for jinancial service providers peaks at the boundag of consumers' willingness to share data. Therefore, financial service providers should establish consumer trust as the cornerstone of dam utilisation. This leads to the introduction of a "tiered consent" legal famework, which aligns the level of consent required with the degree of trust consumers place in financial service providers. The role of technology in shaping these trust boundaries is emphasised, and we recommend that regulaton bodies should foster a balance between consumer protection and the advancement of digital financial services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the problem of how the risk perception among retail customers is affected by the consumer protection regulation on the financial market. Through a questionnaire survey, we have measured the effect of selected consumer protection measures on banking or investment decisions taken by a young (student) population. These measures included the most common elements of financial regulation, such as bank deposit insurance, corporate bond prospectus, licenced fund management and securities broker indemnity insurance. Our results show that protective state intervention represents strong stimuli for customer decision-making with a widely misleading effect. It overshadows other factors, including individual qualification, risk-reward preference and demographic attributes, all of which were found to be insignificant. Since the surveyed measures reached a similar level of effect yet they offer different substance, this outcome has important policymaking implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Frónesis is the property of Universidad del Zulia (Fronesis) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article explores the challenges faced by plaintiffs seeking to enforce their rights under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). It discusses issues such as Article III standing requirements, personal jurisdiction, and the impact of recent Supreme Court decisions on TCPA litigation. The article also examines the differences between federal and state standing requirements, the complexities of personal jurisdiction in class actions, and the implications of these issues for TCPA claims and class actions. The author argues that resolving these challenges is crucial to ensure access to justice and protect consumers' rights. [Extracted from the article]

Data privacy and data security have become key issues for legislators, regulators, and individual citizens. Roughly two-thirds of Americans believe their data is being regularly tracked, monitored, and collected by companies and the government. A majority of U.S. adults also believe their data is less secure today than five years ago, expressing concerns that they have little control over how their personal information is being used and that the entities who control their data are not responsible stewards. In the absence of comprehensive federal regulation, a continuous stream of privacy statutes have been proposed at the state level. Beginning with California in 2018, a handful of states enacted major comprehensive data privacy legislation. The number of states adopting consumer privacy laws has more than doubled in 2023 alone, and 2024 is on pace to exceed the prior year’s adoption rate. Data privacy legislation obligates businesses operating in those states to comply with additional regulations regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information and provides “consumers” with new rights over their personal data. Broad in scope, these state privacy statutes apply to not only traditional consumers, but also shareholders and-in some states-employees, officers, and directors of a corporation. This article discusses the growing tensions between compliance with privacy statutes and corporate disclosure activities. In light of impending conflicts between these two areas of the law, this article proposes legislative and judicial paths for navigating and reconciling the competing legal obligations. As more and more states, as well as the federal government, are contemplating adopting consumer privacy statutes, consideration of the interplay and impact of privacy statutes on corporate actions is crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the evolution of the streaming industry towards an oligopolistic structure driven by consumer data, leading to anticompetitive practices that disadvantage independent creators. Topics include the historical context of antitrust in the entertainment sector, the modern dominance of streaming giants, and proposals for updating antitrust laws to foster competition and protect both consumers and smaller content creators in the digital entertainment market.

This study aimed to identify consumers knowledge about the quality and safety of food products. The quality and safety of food are the main concern of consumers, so it is very important to know about the safety of food and the quality of food products to avoid serious problems that we can encounter from food products because the consequences of unsafe food bring great consequences and can be serious. Food safety is important as it helps protect the consumer from the risk of foodborne illness. One of the factors that influence the choice of a food product is the price as an element or determinant of a quality product. Knowing the importance of food safety and food product quality, such a study should be done first. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to identify consumers' knowledge about the quality and safety of food products. The methodology of this study is the quantitative method. The sample of the selection of participants was random, where the data of this paper were collected through direct interviewing by means of a structured (printed) questionnaire. The sample size consisted of 100 citizens of the Republic of Kosovo in 3 different cities (Prizren, Pristina, Ferizaj). The questionnaire consisted of two sections. The first section contained questions aimed at basic data on the respondents (age, gender, place of residence). The second section focused on citizens' perception of food quality and safety. These data were then analyzed and interpreted through the analysis method and the SPSS program. The results of this study show that a significant part of the respondents 35% think they have knowledge regarding the topic of food safety and 60% of the respondents think that the price plays a role in determining a quality product and being for sure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic contracts are witnessing rapid growth, becoming a significant portion of both international and domestic trade. This is attributed to the ease and speed of their formation and execution, allowing individuals to access a wide range of options by simply pressing the keyboard of their internet-connected devices. This eliminates the need for physical movement and facilitates constant communication and interaction between the contract parties. Such digital transactions ensure complete freedom for negotiation and discussion of contract terms, akin to traditional face-to-face negotiations conducted in a physical contract assembly. This has led to an increased demand for products and services online, consequently expanding the consumer base in the realm of electronic commerce (Al Marzouki, 2019). The buyer holds a central role in the business process but is in a relatively weaker position compared to the merchant, who is considered the stronger party. Merchants can master the mechanisms of managing electronic business practices professionally on websites, while consumers may approach contracts with only basic familiarity, limited by the technologies available to them. Hence, there arises a need for consumer protection laws designed to shield individuals from deceptive and misleading policies and practices in unfair business transactions (Almehiri, 2015). Therefore, it is imperative to provide special protection for the buyer in electronic contracts. The idea of buyer protection has garnered significant interest in most civilizations worldwide, as it constitutes a right enjoyed by the consumer. This protection shields the consumer from fraud and deception that may be perpetrated by the seller. Consumer protection witnessed a substantial breakthrough in the twentieth century with the enactment of numerous laws supporting consumer rights. Additionally, both local and international entities have shown interest in educating consumers across various fields to ensure they are aware of their rights and responsibilities, preserving them within the appropriate legal framework (Abdul Samad, 2016). It is now evident that buyer protection is crucial in electronic contracting. This protection extends beyond the time of contract formation and execution; it is equally essential to safeguard the buyer from the moment they enter the online sphere to search for an e-commerce store to contract with until the contract's execution. The aspects of this protection manifest in the stage of electronic advertising on the store's website on one hand, on the other hand, ensuring consumer protection during the negotiation phase of the contract is a matter that must be carefully considered by the e-commerce store. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the challenge of counterfeit goods in sustainable supply chains and its impact on achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal of "ensuring sustainable consumption and production." By utilizing a combined methodology of qualitative data from in-depth interviews with industry experts, supply chain professionals, and technology specialists, along with quantitative data from literature and case studies, the research explores the applicability of blockchain technology in countering counterfeiting within supply chains. An implementation framework is developed, considering industry-specific barriers and mitigation measures. It investigates enablers, barriers, implementation strategies, and monitoring plans, focusing on stakeholder incentives. Additionally, a framework for blockchain-based traceability is presented, promoting visibility, authentication, and accountability to combat counterfeit goods in sustainable supply chains. The study provides valuable insights for securing supply chains, protecting consumers, and advancing industry sustainability within the manufacturing context. The recommended framework leverages blockchain's potential to revolutionize supply chain integrity and address the issue of counterfeit products effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People's data is scattered around the Internet. From the meals we eat to the people we meet, we leave detailed data traces online that are then aggregated, modeled, brokered, and sold. Some data types, like medical records or religious beliefs, are legally protected, restricting how they can be collected and used. However, most data has little regulatory protection. Regardless of whether data is protected, most inferences--predictions about people's identities, attitudes, or interests using machine learning--have even fewer protections. This is a concern for our privacy, dignity, and wellbeing, especially when inferences are sensitive, personal, or intimate in nature. This article examines people's comfort with sensitive inferences in the context of the most sophisticated inference ecosystem on the Internet today--targeted advertising. Targeted advertising has received increased scrutiny from the European Data Protection Board, the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC"), the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and other regulatory bodies. In response to regulatory and market pressures, the dominant technology companies have introduced sweeping changes, including the deprecation of third-party cookies and allowing consumers to choose what ad topics they want to see or not. This articlecontends that these shifts may be necessary, but are insufficient for protecting consumer wellbeing. In a series of empirical studies, we asked more than 1,000 U.S. adults about their comfort level with twenty-eight ad topics (e.g., eating disorder treatment, gambling websites, sexual enhancement products, bicycles). Results show that participants' comfort with ad topics exists on a spectrum rather than a binary; ad topics cannot be universally classified as sensitive or not sensitive. A shift from targeted advertising to contextual advertising improves comfort levels on average; however, for a subset of particularly sensitive topics, that improvement is washed out. Ad topic relevance, a prominent metric in machine learning, is sometimes correlated with increases in comfort but is also correlated with decreases. Finally, comfort with targeted advertising in digital out-of-home contexts (e.g., grocery stores, gyms, bathrooms) is consistently low. This article provides empirical support illustrating the large gap between the law's privacy protections and people's expressed preferences. If applied to inferences, the law's approach to data, sensitive or not, will fail to align with consumer preferences. Those most at risk, who are experiencing health, financial, relational, or behavioral challenges, may be in need of more stringent protections. Deprecating third-party cookies preserves privacy in some ways but it does not prevent topic-based targeting. Instead, it entrenches inferential power into a few companies' hands--those that control the majority of the data ecosystem. Any reforms to excessive data collection and inference should consider the risks to individuals and groups being targeted, and the legitimacy of the institutions doing the targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographical indications are part of intellectual property system, and their importance was proven over time both from consumer protection point of view, but also from business point of view. Since almost the end of 2023 we have a new EU Regulation which regulates the GIs for craft and industrial products at EU level and this paper is proposing to present the final legal framework and the provisions implemented regarding the products that will be object of the protection, the registration, opposition and cancellation procedures, the actions against which the registered GIs are protected, the new role of the EUIPO and other novelty aspects in comparison with (1) the legal provisions under the proposal of the EU Regulation, (2) the existing GIs for other types of products and with (3) the new proposal for GIs for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, consumers and third-party technicians have struggled in securing their right to repair products including vehicles. Manufacturers continue to, among other things, condition warranty coverage upon the use of authorized repair facilities and limit access to parts and vehicle schematics to consumers and independent shops. Tesla is one such manufacturer that has hindered independent repair for years yet escaped liability. Consumers finally had enough and filed class action suits against the manufacturer in March 2023. The causes of action in these private suits fall short in protecting consumers, and Congress has failed to pass legislation to remedy the problem. In February 2022, a congressional bill was proposed to federalize an automotive right to repair. The bill empowers the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) to enforce its provisions as an FTC Act section 5 violation. Despite the FTC’s successful efforts in consumer protection, the FTC is ill-equipped to properly enforce a federal right to repair by itself. To adequately protect consumers, Congress must balance enforcement between the FTC and private individuals harmed by repair restrictions. This Article proposes that Congress should amend the FTC Act and give the FTC a statutory deadline to investigate and take action against violators of section 5. If the FTC fails to do so by the required time, the FTC should promptly serve a “right-to-sue” letter on aggrieved individuals notifying them of their rights to sue under section 5 of the FTC Act. Only then will consumers and independent repair shops finally have the protection they deserve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term ‘dark patterns’ is commonly used to describe manipulative or exploitative techniques implemented into the user interface of websites and apps that lead users to make choices or decisions that would not have otherwise been taken. Legal academic and policy work has focused on establishing classifications, definitions, constitutive elements, and typologies of dark patterns across different fields. Regulators have responded to these dark patterns with several enforcement decisions related to data protection, privacy violations, and rulings protecting consumers. By analysing such enforcement decisions, we conclude that this deceptive design is inappropriately attributed to the user interface when some patterns are embedded in the system architecture. With this in mind, the article also analyses the emerging digital design acquis of the European Union. The Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, the proposals for a new Data Act, and the AI Act are critiqued for their suitability to regulate deceptive design over the entirety of the deceptive design visibility spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart contracts are designed to be self-executing and self-enforcing. They are written as computer code that can automatically monitor, execute and enforce the performance of the agreed terms. The code of smart contracts exists across a distributed, decentralised blockchain network, controlling the execution and making transactions trackable and irreversible. This article examines the extent to which the Australian Consumer Law unfair contract term provisions can respond to the use of smart contracts. The article finds that the Australian Consumer Law unfair contract term provisions work relatively well to protect smart contract consumers. While some challenges exist and should be properly considered, there seems to be no need to either create entirely new law, modify the existing regime or totally ban smart contracts to protect consumers against unfair contract terms in smart consumer contracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the standing of past purchasers to pursue injunctive relief under Rule 23(b)(2) in class action lawsuits involving false labeling, examining the conflicting views on the purpose of class actions and the regulatory role they play in consumer protection.

Copyright of Ankara Barosu Dergileri is the property of Ankara Bar Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

If you are injured in an aviation disaster or lose a loved one in a plane crash, may you seek recovery under state law? Do federal regulations provide adequate opportunities to compensate aviation crash victims? These are questions few people think to ask themselves. A more common query is what entity regulates the more than 16 million flights that occur yearly in the U.S., and how do you know whether the aircraft you fly on are safe? The tragic Boeing 737 MAX crashes initiated a federal oversight investigation into the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Industry whistleblowers revealed severe lapses in the FAA's aircraft certification regime and a culture that promoted unsafe practices in aircraft design and manufacturing. Despite crucial reforms, the ability of uniform federal standards to protect aviation consumers is under fire. In a majority of U.S. jurisdictions, the Federal Aviation Act and associated federal regulations preempt all state law claims in aviation safety cases. The effect of this approach--few plaintiffs recover in aviation product liability suits, and the families of aviation crash victims go uncompensated. However, in Sikkelee v. Precision Airmotive Corp., the Third Circuit offered a new approach that advocates for field preemption for in-air operations claims but allows recovery under state law for aviation product liability cases. This approach adequately compensates aviation crash victims without undermining the FAA's extensive and effective in-air regulatory scheme. This Comment addresses recent reforms to the FAA's aircraft certification program and the ongoing circuit split regarding federal preemption of aviation safety claims. Further, this Comment seeks to analyze the fundamental differences between in air operations regulations and rules governing aircraft design and manufacture to explain why different treatment of these claims is warranted. Ultimately, this Comment advocates for the Sikkelee methodology to provide ample opportunity for plaintiff recovery without unnecessarily undermining FAA regulatory authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kosovo, as a part of global market, in the last decade has become part of the quality management systems of food for the local market, as well as for international market. Wine in Kosovo under the Law on Wines No. 02/L08 and the Law with changes and prior completion of the previous Law, No. 04/L-019, article 2, paragraph 1, is qualified as agricultural and food product, which means that the industry of wine is oriented not only for economic positive financial effects upon the placement of their products but also is oriented in the quality of wines, which is achieved through complete food chains from production of raw materials (grape), from the vineyards to the tables of consumers who consume wine. Quality management of wine in Kosovo is realized through consumer protection policies under Article 1 of the Law on Consumer Protection (Official Gazette of the Republic of Kosovo) No.32. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Estudios Socio-Jurídicos is the property of Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Estudios Socio-Jurídicos is the property of Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Estudios Socio-Jurídicos is the property of Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Estudios Socio-Jurídicos is the property of Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this paper is to explore the short-term economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the insurance market with particular emphasis on the Western Balkan countries. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus). This is a rare event, one we have not seen in 100 years, with major consequences for public health, economics and politics. The decline in purchasing power, the economic downturn, the decline in consumption, the rise in inflation will have a major impact on the development of the insurance market. Demand for insurance products worldwide has declined: whether health, life or non-life. The paper will trace the ability of insurance companies to manage the risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Consumer protection, protection of insurance contracts, investment risk management, solvency risk management and inflationary risk. The complete sample of the work will have the insurance market in the Western Balkans. The paper will be drafted based on statistical, analytical and comparative methods. The insurance market in these countries is small, but enables a study on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on insurance activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article deals with the responsibilityfor the provision of, financial services, particularly imestment services, from the perspective ofEuropean regulatory private law blurring the conventional dichotomy between public and private law. The contract between the provider and the customer is analysed. Finally, the article examines the remedies for breaches ofcontractual obligations, taking Spanish law as the main reference, to conclude thal the predictability of the consequences of breaches in the provision of investment services is an essential element of legal certainty and that it is the. judge who determines due diligence, in accordance with contract law, using the conduct of business rules as a guideline criterion. Case law is contributing to the creation ofajinancial services contract law that complements the generalframeworkof obligations and contracts with financial market conduct rules. The complementary model of European regulatory private law that preserves the autonomy of contract law in the judicial enforcement of conduct of business rules applies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two recent papers by prominent antitrust scholars argue that a revived antitrust movement can help reverse the dramatic rise in economic inequality and the erosion of political democracy in the United States. Both papers rely on the legislative history of the key antitrust statutes to support their case. Not surprisingly, their recommendations have been met with alarm in some quarters, and with skepticism in others. Such proposals by antitrust reformers are often contrasted with the Consumer Welfare Standard that pervades antitrust policy today. The Consumer Welfare Standard suffers from several defects: (1) it employs a narrow, unworkable measure of welfare; (2) it excludes important sources of welfare based on the assumption that antitrust seeks only to maximize wealth; (3) it assumes a constant and equal individual marginal utility of money; and (4) it is often combined with extraneous ideological goals. Even with these defects, however, if applied consistent with its theoretical underpinnings, the consideration of the transfer of labor rents resulting from a merger or dominant firm conduct is supported by the Consumer Welfare Standard. Moreover, even when only consumers ( and not producers) are deemed relevant, the welfare oflabor still should consistently be considered part of consumer welfare. In contrast, fostering political democracy-a prominent traditional antitrust goal that was jettisoned by the Chicago School-falls outside the Consumer Welfare Standard in any of its constructs. To undergird such important broader goals requires that the Consumer Welfare Standard be replaced with the General Welfare Standard. The General Welfare Standard consists of modem welfare economics modified to accommodate objective analyses of human welfare and purged of inconsistencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant delays and cancellation of airline tickets without proper refunds to consumers by U.S. airlines. In response to an unprecedented number of consumer complaints, in August 2022, the Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) proposed new rules regarding airline ticket refunds and consumer protections. 1 Does this rule go far enough? This article provides a summary of the events and policy changes leading up to the Airline Deregulation Act (ADA) of 1978 and challenges the scope of federal preemption over the field of airline regulation that has created a boon to air carriers while essentially eliminating consumers as a market influencer. A review of court opinions since the enactment of the ADA shows an ongoing struggle with the scope of preemption and tenuous carve-outs for private rights of action. The role and effectiveness of DOT is evaluated in light of airlines refusal to comply with DOT requirements to provide ticket refunds for cancelled flights during COVID. This article also suggests ways to increase airline accountability for compliance with airline refund policies and increase protection of consumer rights by empowering consumers to bring private actions against airlines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intersection between privacy law and the big business of consumer data has become a major focus of policymakers, scholars, the business community, and consumer advocates, yet the legal regime governing the commercial use of data remains contested and often unclear. The difficulty becomes particularly acute when a company is financially distressed. A healthy firm might hesitate to exploit private data out of concern that doing so would cause reputational harm or liability, but these scruples matter less to financially distressed firms. Bankruptcy law provides for the appointment of a "consumer privacy ombudsman" to make a recommendation on whether debtors in bankruptcy should be allowed to sell consumers' private information. But the law applies only to a subset of bankruptcy cases, and while the work of the ombuds may affect the sale of consumer data in those cases, legal protection is less than most would assume. This Article presents the only comprehensive empirical study of the consumer privacy ombudsman's role in the bankruptcy system, and of ombuds' qualifications, activities, and fees. Ultimately, the regime is best understood as a form of "privacy theater," intended to reassure the public that consumer data is protected in bankruptcy proceedings. By mobilizing the public's trust in expertise, coupled with an ignorance of the nuances of bankruptcy, the consumer privacy ombudsman regime projects what scholars have called "a myth of oversight." While there are good rationales for heightening consumer protections when companies are in financial stress, the current system does not fulfill its promise of protecting consumer data from misuse by distressed businesses. This Article presents a series of proposals for reforming the law and for institutions governing commerce in consumers' private data by entities both in and out of bankruptcy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Note contributes to the growing literature that attempts to grasp the current landscape of international trade and investment norms and policies in the data age. Focusing on the disputes between the United States and China surrounding Chinese investment in American businesses that gather private user data, this Note adds to the argument that new challenges posed by the internet age and the use of private data have transformed current international trade policy and the national security exception regime. The U.S. government in the recent years has demonstrated little self-restraint in employing national security grounds to justify its interference with Chinese investment in American companies possessing significant private user data. There is also arguably a lack of remedies from international organizations like the World Trade Organization (WTO) due to the controversy surrounding the use of the national security exception clause. The Commission on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the central mechanism that the U.S. government relies on to regulate foreign investment on American businesses that possess significant private user data, may hinder cross-border transactions due to its expansive authority, coupled with a lack of transparency and accountability. The United States should provide greater transparency and accountability to CFIUS and consider data-localization law as a solution to facilitate foreign investment in American businesses of special concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrobium officinale Kimura & Migo (D. officinale) is a valuable medicinal and food plant, and accurate certification of its origin is a prerequisite to protect consumer interests and maintain the market. In order to realize the fast and effective authentication of D. officinale origin, a discrimination model based on attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) was constructed and combined with individual spectra and data fusion strategies. The results showed that the PLS-DA and SVM models built by the fusion of FT-NIR and ATR-FTIR data processed in second-order derivatives all reach 100% in terms of test set and accuracy, respectively. The residual convolutional neural network (ResNet) model based on Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy(2DCOS) constructed using FT-NIR spectra and spectral fusion of raw data achieves 100% accuracy on the training set, test set, and external test set. Due to the generalization ability of the ResNet model and the simplicity and efficiency of the subsequent validation, it is a powerful, non-destructive, fast, and feasible preferred tool for D. officinale geographic origin classification and brand protection. This work is expected to be a potential methodology for origin identification analysis and quality monitoring in the food and pharmaceutical industries. [Display omitted] • Primary data fusion strategies based on FT-NIR and ATR-FTIR improve the model performance. • The 2DCOS-ResNet model is the preferred choice for the identification of the geographical origin of D. officinale. • Machine learning combined with infrared spectroscopy provide a new approach for D. officinale origin traceability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]