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European regulators have demanded that Apple stop geo-blocking practices on its media services, including the App Store, Apple Music, and TV+, within a month. The European Commission argues that these restrictions discriminate against European customers based on their place of residence, violating EU laws. Apple must make changes to allow consumers to access its media services from any country interface, use any means of payment, and download apps from other EU/EEA countries. The Commission will assess Apple's response and may take enforcement measures if the concerns are not addressed. [Extracted from the article]

The FTC has introduced a new "click-to-cancel" rule to simplify the process of ending recurring subscriptions and memberships, making it easier for consumers to cancel services they no longer want. This regulation will impact not only individual subscribers but also businesses that rely on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models, such as Google One and Microsoft 365. While some business organizations oppose the rule, consumer advocates and the general public seem to support it, as it addresses the frustration of perpetual subscriptions and tight budgets. [Extracted from the article]

The TWICE Extended Warranty Executive Roundtable discusses insights from industry leaders on the growing extended warranty and product protection industry. Consumer behaviors are shifting towards purchasing extended warranties, especially among younger tech-savvy generations like Gen Z and Millennials. Extended warranties are seen as a valuable service offering for retailers, driving engagement, loyalty, and revenue. Challenges include overcoming industry reputation issues and educating consumers on the value of extended warranties. Strategies to educate retailers focus on maximizing profit, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. Extended warranties contribute to customer loyalty and satisfaction by providing comprehensive coverage, balancing competitive pricing, and fostering deeper relationships beyond the sale. Emerging trends in the consumer electronics industry include expanding device protection to include data, identity, and tech support, as well as the integration of AI and IoT features. [Extracted from the article]

"The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed to Work, and Why It Goes Wrong" by Rebecca Haw Allensworth explores America's professional licensing system, arguing that it drives up prices, lowers employment, and fails to protect consumers. Allensworth suggests that while licensing is necessary for dangerous jobs like law or medicine, requiring licenses for professions like auctioneers and florists may be excessive. The author proposes abolishing licensing for many trades and regulating remaining professions with state agencies to avoid conflicts of interest. This debut study provides a critical analysis of the regulatory challenges posed by professional licensing in the United States. [Extracted from the article]

The article from TWICE: This Week in Consumer Electronics discusses the increasing trend of Americans spending the most on mobile POS payments, projected to reach nearly $15,000 by 2028. This growth is attributed to the shift towards modern payment methods like mobile wallets, offering speed, convenience, and security for both consumers and businesses. Additionally, Buy Safe America urges the FTC to enforce the INFORM Act to protect consumers from counterfeit and stolen goods sold through online marketplaces, emphasizing the need for stronger measures to safeguard consumers and legitimate businesses. [Extracted from the article]

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a probe into Google's purchase of a $2 billion stake in Anthropic, following the approval of Amazon's investment in the AI firm. Analysts suggest that the investigation may be a precautionary measure due to concerns about potential anti-competitive practices. The CMA's review aligns with the UK government's goal of supporting open and competitive markets in the evolving AI sector. [Extracted from the article]

Former President Donald Trump believes that the proposed split of Google by the US Department of Justice could weaken the company and the US in its tech war with China. The DOJ's proposal aims to prevent Google from using products like Chrome, Play, and Android to favor its search engine over competitors. Experts suggest that splitting Google could offer consumers more choice and promote fair competition, although opinions differ on whether regulation or breaking up the company is the best solution for maintaining a balanced market. [Extracted from the article]

Unilever Pakistan has been fined Rs60m by the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) for engaging in deceptive marketing practices. The CCP received a complaint from Reckitt Benckiser regarding Unilever's claims about its Lifebuoy soap and hand wash products. The CCP found that Unilever's claims, such as "100pc guaranteed protection from germs" and "World's No. 1 germ protection soap," were misleading and not adequately disclosed. Unilever has been directed to submit a compliance report within 30 days. [Extracted from the article]

The European Court of Justice has ruled that harmonized technical standards (HTN), including DIN standards, are part of EU law and must therefore be freely and freely accessible. This is intended to make citizens aware of their rights and obligations and to ensure consumer protection. Until now, Beuth Verlag had a monopoly on the publication and sale of DIN standards, but according to this ruling, every citizen should have free access to them. However, this could raise questions about the financing and independence of the standardization organization. On the positive side, free access to standards could promote knowledge transfer and innovation. [Extracted from the article]

The European Court of Justice has ruled that harmonized technical standards (HTN), including DIN standards, are part of EU law and must therefore be freely and freely accessible. This is intended to make citizens aware of their rights and obligations and to ensure consumer protection. Until now, Beuth Verlag had a monopoly on the publication and sale of DIN standards, but according to this ruling, every citizen should have free access to them. However, this could raise questions about the financing and independence of the standardization organization. On the positive side, free access to standards could promote knowledge transfer and innovation. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the rise of home cyber liability, which poses a significant threat to consumers and small businesses. While large corporations have robust cybersecurity measures in place, hackers have shifted their focus to easier targets such as households and small-scale businesses. Computers, referred to as "endpoints," are particularly vulnerable to ransom attacks, putting valuable data and personal information at risk. Standard antivirus programs and identity theft protection packages often fall short in addressing this new risk. The article highlights the need for comprehensive cybersecurity solutions like eSure.AI, which utilizes cutting-edge AI technology and offers $1,000,000 liability protection for consumers and small businesses. [Extracted from the article]

The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is planning to subject big tech firms with digital payment platforms, including Apple Pay, to stricter scrutiny. This move comes as banks have been losing ground to technology firms in the financial industry. The CFPB aims to ensure that tech firms meet the same regulatory requirements as banks, as they have been taking advantage of the profitable aspects of the banking industry. While tech firms argue that their services offer convenience and better user experiences, the CFPB is concerned about the lack of consumer protection in some tech payment services. This increased regulation may lead to more competition and innovation in the industry, favoring tech firms over traditional banks. [Extracted from the article]

The article highlights development in messaging apps for customer support in the digital era. Topics discussed include popularity of WeChat that provide multipurpose messaging, social media, and mobile payment app developed by Tencent; benefits of messing for customer support like convenience, ease of use, and preserve conversations; and evaluation of the combinations of devices and channels that customers are using and then adopt the most common ones to communicate.

A recent federal court decision has allowed expert testimony regarding an attorney's ethics violations to be used as evidence in a nonclient's claim of unfair or deceptive trade practices against the attorney. The case involved a group of timeshare developers suing a law firm and its contract attorney for tortious interference with contracts and violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The court ruled that the attorney's ethical violations could serve as evidence in support of the plaintiffs' claim. While this decision may not lead to an increase in unfair practices claims against attorneys by clients, it does provide an avenue for relief for third parties who have been harmed by attorney misconduct. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses that the specialty chemicals company LANXESS has delivered good results for the third quarter of 2022 in a challenging environment with a continued rise in energy and raw material costs. Along with Additives businesses, the development in the Consumer Protection segment was particularly positive. The Microbial Control business acquired from the US corporation International Flavors and Fragrances has made a significant contribution to the segment's good earnings.

News OpenAI is reportedly under additional legal scrutiny, asthe US Federal Trade Commission asks the company to givedetailed explanations of its business practices The US Federal Trade Commission is reportedly investigatingChatGPT maker OpenAI for potential violations of consumerprotection regulations involving data privacy and falsestatements about third parties. [Prepare for generative AI with experimentation and clearguidelines] While the FTC declined to comnent, OPenAI CEO Sam Altman issued aresponse to the reports on Twitter. [Extracted from the article]

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened an initial review into the market for artificial intelligence systems, looking at the underlying foundational large language models that power chatbots such as ChatGPT alongside the opportunities and risks that AI could present. The CMA added that the review is in line with the UK government's aim to support "open, competitive markets", as outlined in a white paper published in March. [Extracted from the article]

The OEKO-TEX® Foundation celebrates its 30th anniversary since its founding in 1992. This organization, in partnership with the Hohenstein Research Institute and the Austrian Textile Research Institute (OETI), is dedicated to ensuring proper risk management in the production of textiles and leather, protecting consumers and the environment. OEKO-TEX® offers standardized solutions to optimize manufacturing processes and ensure that products are tested to identify harmful substances. Additionally, the organization promotes sustainability and social responsibility in the textile and leather industry. [Extracted from the article]

Strict and steady food control protects consumers against undesired contaminations and guarantees a high level of quality. This protection can be achieved by enforcing the maximum allowable concentrations of hazardous substances. For simultaneous quantitative determination of the inorganic elements in wine, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is the preferred quality control tool. ICP-MS offers high sensitivity (trace detection), a wide dynamic range, and a high sample throughput. In this study, red and white wines were investigated and 14 different elements were quantified simultaneously: arsenic, cadmium, cesium, copper, chromium, vanadium, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, selenium, tin, thallium, and zinc. The developed ICP-MS method has a high accuracy, regardless of element concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on data security and protection of customers' personal and financial information. Topics include the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS) which are a set of security protocols that include guidelines for maintaining secure data networks, controlling access to the data, and protecting cardholder data, the contact center which is one the first entry points for many hackers, and the security threat from contact center agents themselves.

The jeweler further pointed out that Costco's additional efforts to promote Tiffany-style diamonds to more upscale customers mimicked some of Tiffany's marketing and displayed Tiffany's website near the rings. A federal court of appeals threw out a $21 million judgment and remanded the case to determine whether a retailer infringed a trademark by marketing generic diamond rings with the term "Tiffany." Tiffany moved for summary judgment based in part on its internet customer survey of Costco customers who said that they would "consider buying a diamond engagement ring at Costco that cost at least $2,500.". [Extracted from the article]

The article reports on the earnings growth posted by German specialty chemicals company LANXESS in the second quarter of 2022 despite a challenging environment. Data shows the company's increased earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), group sales growth and net income for the quarter. Factors to earnings growth include higher selling prices, change in exchange rates and strategic development in the Specialty Additives and Consumer protection segments.

The article offers information on dairy industry which is a key value creator for rural territories and an ally of sustainable development, in line with the European Green Deal objectives. Topics include considered that consumers pick up their products and it becomes crucial that information is conveyed in the clearest way possible to assure that their daily dietary choices are made accurately.

In the age of global manufacturing, reporting a safety problem in one country could be the first falling domino that leads to playing the incident reporting game across a whole host of countries and continents. Knowing the regulations and the penalties and establishing a team to deal with incident reporting beforehand could keep this game of dominoes from costing manufacturers big money. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El artículo analiza varios equipos para la inspección de alimentos que pueden estar contaminados, antes de llegar a la planta y al salir de ésta, para protección de procesadores y consumidores. Se analizan detectores de males, rayos X. Se mencionan los productos Thermo Scientific PASS (Product Assurance Services and Solutions), Fortess Phantom y CEIA THS-MS21.

The article presents the methods to prevent the adulteration of food protein in the U.S. One is the chemical-analytical verification of identity and quality is the important method because it verifies the integrity of food ingredients. Another is the compendial strategy because it compares authenticity, identity and purity of test ingredients and it can detect known and unknown adulterants to influence the identity and purity of food ingredient.

The article discusses the significance of proper electrical safety testing in the U.S. It reveals that electrical safety testing protects consumers and operators from shock hazards which vary from a tingling sensation to a lethal jolt. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emphasizes when a shock hazard is considered in existence. The article also discusses the impact of electric shock on the human body.

The article focuses on the establishment of food safety systems within the global market. It states that food safety systems are formed to secure a product from safety problems and safeguard customers. It says that in setting up food safety systems, companies must know their food products by conducting risk assessment of products and build strong relationship with suppliers. It also discusses the importance of international regulatory compliance and steps to respond quickly to emergencies.

The article focuses on the importance of nutrigenomic researches on the improvement of food products to meet the health needs of the public. It states that the genetic information being released by the nutrigenomic researches are essential to the reduce disease susceptibility because it explores how diseases are being affected by genes. It further mentions that genetic regulation will benefit the consumers, however, it needs to have legal guidelines for consumer protection.

The article investigates the metal detectability of the metal detectable plastic brush used in food processing. Topics discussed include the factors that influence the detectability of the metal detectable plastic bristles, the importance of detecting foreign bodies in food processing and the break strength and elasticity of metal detectable and plastic bristles. Also discussed is the conclusion that the plastic brushes and their bristles are difficult to detect even when using metal detectors.

The article reports on the adverse impact of food fraud on consumer confidence. Topics discussed include increase in the awareness amongst public by the media and non-governmental organizations (NGO), support of modern analytics to consumer protection, and generation of new demands through changes in consumer's preferences.

The article reports on the problems of counterfeit electronic components that increase the complexity of prices in electronic industry. The author notes that patronage of counterfeit components jeopardizes product performance, safety and reliability. He mentions that the problem in counterfeit components needs industry-wide coordination and solution to surcease the operation.

The article reports that U.S. President Joe Biden has issued an executive order outlining a host of new potential regulatory policies for cryptocurrency and digital goods. It mentions that the order urges a centralization of regulatory enforcement, in an attempt to move away from the current patchwork approach, and lays out twin goals of protecting consumers and mitigating the fiscal and human costs of crypto misuse.

The article focuses on the country-of-origin labeling regulation (COOL) in the U.S. It presents a brief history of the U.S. product labeling starting from the Tariff Act of 1930 to the 2008 Farm Bill, whereby U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that COOL would become effective on March 16, 2009. It discusses the insights of consumer groups and trade associations that represent retailers and processors, highlighting the significant impacts of COOL on consumer protection.

Recently our society has witnessed an alarming increase in the number and magnitude of recalled products. Manufacturers are becoming increasingly exposed to handling a recall and the resultant mass tort litigation. The case of Merck and its product, Vioxx, represents an interesting perspective on handling such a product withdrawal. On September 30, 2004, pharmaceutical giant Merck voluntarily withdrew its prescription drug Vioxx on a worldwide basis. This withdrawal set in motion the lengthy process of lawsuits against the company alleging that Vioxx caused heart attacks and other ailments in patients. The resultant litigation exposed Merck to more than 26,000 lawsuits, with an estimated $500 million in annual defense expenditures. This article describes the issues surrounding a massive product recall outlining Merck's Vioxx recall, the resultant litigation, and eventual $4.5 billion settlement agreement. Under the settlement agreement, Merck does not admit causation or fault with respect to these claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the reasons of manufacturers for voluntarily recalling products even if no serious injuries occurred. Brand assurance or brand protection are the factors that drive manufacturers to conduct mock recalls. It cites the benefits of using data capture technology to gather data relevant for recalls. It details the challenges to be faced by firms when a recall is put into place.

The article discusses the population concerns in Australia. One big concern of the people in Australia is terrorism which is really detrimental to the community and the economy. The 2006 Grey Worldwide Eye on Australia study found out that the satisfaction of life is high however, uncertainties over the future are still there. Paul Gardner, chairman of Grey Worldwide Australia states that people's level of satisfaction seem to a combination of factors related to personal and public concerns.

This article examines how manufacturers in the U.S. managed product obsolescence. Most semiconductor companies notify their customers immediately when a part is about to disappear from their catalog. National Semiconductor Corp. does so on a quarterly basis. American Electronic Resource provides a search service for obsolete parts and technical support, while 4-Star Electronics stocks mostly obsolete parts from more than 400 manufacturers, updating its database daily. In addition, Micro Circuit Engineering maintains obsolete data-reading equipment, enabling it to replicate components for existing long-lifetime systems that need to be maintained and supported.

This article deals with source code escrow agreements. Source code escrow is a system in which source and other crucial documentation are deposited with an independent third party. The software agreement provides for the release of the material to the customer under specified circumstances such as vendor bankruptcy or insolvency. In this article, it is noted that source code escrow provides a method for protecting the investment of software customers. If the escrow agreement is negotiated and drafted properly, it can be effective in granting rights and protection to the software customer.

The article repots on U.S. president Donald Trump's policy to de-emphasize the aircraft consumer protection. Topics discussed include issue of air carrier permit for Norwegian Air International (NAI); information on blocking a joint venture between American Airlines and Qantas; and argues on the rediscovery of consumer advocacy role of the U.S. Transportation Department to continue under the Trump administration.

The article discusses LANXESS Raises Guidance for Fiscal 2021 Again, which includes LANXESS significantly increased EBITDA pre exceptional in the second quarter compared with the prior-year period, which was dominated by the pandemic: earnings were up by 23.7 percent from EUR 224 million to EUR 277 million. This positive development was driven by increasingly strong demand from the automotive industry, with the Engineering Materials segment benefiting in particular.

Deals with the consumer profiling practice of Internet companies in the United States. Reaction of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioner Sheila Anthony when she learned of the offline profile marketers had on her; Uses of cookies or stored text files that allow e-marketers to view a history of a user's online behavior, and cookie-based strategies employed by the companies; Stand of Engage Technologies on the issue; Privacy policy on the NetDeals site.

Focuses on the role of the Federal government in product safety and consumer protection in the U.S. Reference to the Federal consumer protection laws; Increase in the number of product safety regulations; Concerns on the costs of added regulation and protection.