Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Greystar

2026-05-10T23:46:46Z

1jeremy: Added logo

'''Greystar Real Estate Partners''' is a global real estate organization based in Charleston, South Carolina that provides property management, investment, and development/construction services. Founded in 1993 by current Chairman and CEO Bob Faith, they were originally based in Houston, Texas before moving to Charleston in 1998. Since their inception they have grown to employ over 28,000 people, operating across 17 countries, managing more than $220 billion in real estate assets. According to the National Multi Family Housing Council (NMHC), in the United States as of January 1, 2026, they are the largest apartment manager, with 1,014,091 units under management, and the largest owner, owning 119,160 units. The NMHC also states they are the largest developer, with 7,188 units that began development in 2025, and the third largest builder, with 6,490 units that began construction in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title=The National Multifamily Housing Council's authoritative rankings of the nation's Top 50 Owners and Top 50 Managers, as well as the Top 25 Developers, Top 25 Builders and Top 10 Syndicators, with this year's lists including Built-to-Rent (BTR) units in its counts for the first time. |url=https://www.nmhc.org/research-insight/the-nmhc-50/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=National Multifamily Housing Council}}</ref>

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1993
|Industry=Real Estate, Real Estate Development, Property Management, Investment
|Type=Private
|Website=https://www.greystar.com/
|Description=Greystar Real Estate Partners is a global real estate organization based in Charleston, South Carolina that provides property management, investment,
|Logo=Greystar Real Estate Partners logo.png}}

==Incidents==

===Algorithmic Pricing===

====U.S. v. Greystar Management Services, LLC (''January 2025''—)====
In January of 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina filed a complaint against Greystar for violation of [https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-2000-title15-section1&num=0&edition=2000 Section 1 of the Sherman Act], 15 U.S.C. § 1<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-08 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA - PROPOSED FINAL JUDGEMENT |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1410741/dl |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=U.S. Department of Justice |pages=2}}</ref>. In this filing the Plaintiffs allege that Greystar, along with five co-defendants, "shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned competitors’ pricing"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-08 |title=Justice Department Reaches Proposed Settlement with Greystar, the Largest U.S. Landlord, to End Its Participation in Algorithmic Pricing Scheme |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-reaches-proposed-settlement-greystar-largest-us-landlord-end-its |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=U.S. Department of Justice - Office of Public Afffairs}}</ref>.
<references />

File:Greystar Real Estate Partners logo.png

2026-05-10T23:46:14Z

1jeremy:

== Licensing ==
{{From Wikimedia}}

Greystar

2026-05-10T23:43:59Z

1jeremy: /* Incidents */

'''Greystar Real Estate Partners''' is a global real estate organization based in Charleston, South Carolina that provides property management, investment, and development/construction services. Founded in 1993 by current Chairman and CEO Bob Faith, they were originally based in Houston, Texas before moving to Charleston in 1998. Since their inception they have grown to employ over 28,000 people, operating across 17 countries, managing more than $220 billion in real estate assets. According to the National Multi Family Housing Council (NMHC), in the United States as of January 1, 2026, they are the largest apartment manager, with 1,014,091 units under management, and the largest owner, owning 119,160 units. The NMHC also states they are the largest developer, with 7,188 units that began development in 2025, and the third largest builder, with 6,490 units that began construction in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title=The National Multifamily Housing Council's authoritative rankings of the nation's Top 50 Owners and Top 50 Managers, as well as the Top 25 Developers, Top 25 Builders and Top 10 Syndicators, with this year's lists including Built-to-Rent (BTR) units in its counts for the first time. |url=https://www.nmhc.org/research-insight/the-nmhc-50/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=National Multifamily Housing Council}}</ref>

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1993
|Industry=Real Estate, Real Estate Development, Property Management, Investment
|Type=Private
|Website=https://www.greystar.com/
|Description=Greystar Real Estate Partners is a global real estate organization based in Charleston, South Carolina that provides property management, investment,
}}

==Incidents==

=== Algorithmic Pricing ===

====U.S. v. Greystar Management Services, LLC (''January 2025''—)====
In January of 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina filed a complaint against Greystar for violation of [https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-2000-title15-section1&num=0&edition=2000 Section 1 of the Sherman Act], 15 U.S.C. § 1<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-08 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA - PROPOSED FINAL JUDGEMENT |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1410741/dl |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=U.S. Department of Justice |pages=2}}</ref>. In this filing the Plaintiffs allege that Greystar, along with five co-defendants, "shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned competitors’ pricing"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-08 |title=Justice Department Reaches Proposed Settlement with Greystar, the Largest U.S. Landlord, to End Its Participation in Algorithmic Pricing Scheme |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-reaches-proposed-settlement-greystar-largest-us-landlord-end-its |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=U.S. Department of Justice - Office of Public Afffairs}}</ref>.
<references />

Miku

2026-05-10T23:19:01Z

1jeremy: /* Consumer-impact summary */ Added citations to their data privacy notice

{{CompanyCargo
|Description=
|Founded=2018
|Industry=Baby, Electronics
|Logo=Miku.jpg
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Private
|Website=https://mikucare.com
}}
'''Miku''' is a private for-profit company that was founded in 2018 by Eric White.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Oct 2019 |title=Our Founder Shares Why He Built the Miku Smart Baby Monitor |url=https://mikucare.com/blogs/blog/founder-eric-white-miku-baby-monitor |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=[[Miku]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251017015658/https://mikucare.com/blogs/blog/founder-eric-white-miku-baby-monitor |archive-date=17 Oct 2025}}</ref> Miku sells smart baby monitors with features such as night vision, sensors for temperature, humidity and ambient light, a 1080p camera, 7-day video storage, and audio/video recording capabilities.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Specs |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/specs |url-status=live |access-date=3 Apr 2025 |website=[[Miku]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260214234820/https://mikucare.com/pages/specs |archive-date=14 Feb 2026}}</ref> Both the Miku Smart Baby Monitor (standard model) and Miku Pro come with a 12-month manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Miku Inc. Limited Warranty |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/warranty |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=[[Miku]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251002015153/https://mikucare.com/pages/warranty |archive-date=2 Oct 2025}}</ref>

==Consumer-impact summary==

*User freedom: Miku has a history of taking previously free cloud features and putting them behind a [[Pay-walling|paywall]], [[Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features]]
*User privacy: Miku can share data of you and your child with third parties and retain it after closing your Miku account<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-10 |title=Miku Consumer Health Data Privacy Notice |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/miku-consumer-health-data-privacy-notice |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=miku}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-10 |title=Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information |url=https://mikucare.com/pages/do-not-sell-or-share-my-personal-information |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=miku}}</ref>.
*Business model: Private, for-profit. Sells smart baby monitor products and services related to them.
==Incidents==

===Miku charges subscription for previously free features (''2023'')===
[[File:Miku website 99.png|alt=Miku's Website Showcasing their Baby Monitor and $9.99 "Care+" Subscription Service|thumb|[https://mikucare.com/ Miku's Website] Showcasing their Baby Monitor and $9.99 "Care+" Subscription Service]]

=====Additional Controversy Details & Main Article:=====
{| class="wikitable"
!Main Article:
![[Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features|'''Miku Charges Subscription for Previously Free Features''']]
|-
|Year:
|<u>10/01/2023</u>
|-
|Aftermath:
|<u>Ongoing</u>
|-
|Related articles:
|'''[https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/16zkzj9/my_400_baby_monitor_has_locked_previously_free/ My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription]<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=4 Oct 2023 |title=My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/16zkzj9/my_400_baby_monitor_has_locked_previously_free/ |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=Old Reddit |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250405042338/https://old.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/16zkzj9/my_400_baby_monitor_has_locked_previously_free/ |archive-date=5 Apr 2025}}</ref>'''
|-
|Related videos:
|[https://youtube.com/watch?v=nigJMu0lUbM '''they made a $400 baby monitor a subscription...''']'''<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=5 Oct 2023 |title=they made a $400 baby monitor a subscription... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nigJMu0lUbM |url-status=live |access-date=4 Apr 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=nigJMu0lUbM |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>'''
|}

=====Summarized description:=====
All Miku users received an email on September 15'th 2023 detailing changes to the access Miku customers would have to features on their Miku devices starting October 1'st 2023. According to Miku, "For customers who did not previously subscribe to Care+, many of the features you have been receiving for free will now require a monthly subscription fee. " <ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=And_You_Like_It_Too |date=Dec 16, 2023 |title=How much licensed content does Netflix display in premium formats (4K, HDR/Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos) in the 4K tier? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/18k554z/how_much_licensed_content_does_netflix_display_in/ |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=Reddit |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250711211159/https://old.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/18k554z/how_much_licensed_content_does_netflix_display_in/ |archive-date=11 Jul 2025}}</ref> Despite many users purchasing their Miku device before these changes were instituted and had no prior knowledge that these changes would be put in place upon purchasing their Miku device, if they did not pay the new ''"care+"'' subscription fee, access to services on their Miku device would be revoked.

==Miku Terms of Service and arbitration clause==
[[File:Miku TOS snippet.png|alt=A Snippet of Miku's Terms of Service page Captured Aug 16, 2025.|thumb|A Snippet of [https://mikucare.com/pages/terms-of-service Miku's Terms of Service page] Captured Aug 16, 2025.]]

=====Additional details & main article:=====
{| class="wikitable"
!Main Article:
!'''[[Miku Terms of Service and Arbitration]]'''
|-
|Effective Date:
|9/22/2023
|-
|Last Updated On:
|6/12/2024
|}

=====Summarized description:=====
This article presents a summarized version of the Miku Terms of Service and Arbitration clause within it. Within the article, important Terms of Service information is provided to help others gain a better understanding of their agreement between themselves and Miku, and the rights and freedoms the have upon agreement to Miku's Terms of Service.

==References:==
<references />
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Greystar

2026-05-10T23:12:36Z

1jeremy: Added about and one incident so far, with relevant citations.

'''Greystar Real Estate Partners''' is a global real estate organization based in Charleston, South Carolina that provides property management, investment, and development/construction services. Founded in 1993 by current Chairman and CEO Bob Faith, they were originally based in Houston, Texas before moving to Charleston in 1998. Since their inception they have grown to employ over 28,000 people, operating across 17 countries, managing more than $220 billion in real estate assets. According to the National Multi Family Housing Council (NMHC), in the United States as of January 1, 2026, they are the largest apartment manager, with 1,014,091 units under management, and the largest owner, owning 119,160 units. The NMHC also states they are the largest developer, with 7,188 units that began development in 2025, and the third largest builder, with 6,490 units that began construction in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-01 |title=The National Multifamily Housing Council's authoritative rankings of the nation's Top 50 Owners and Top 50 Managers, as well as the Top 25 Developers, Top 25 Builders and Top 10 Syndicators, with this year's lists including Built-to-Rent (BTR) units in its counts for the first time. |url=https://www.nmhc.org/research-insight/the-nmhc-50/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=National Multifamily Housing Council}}</ref>

== Consumer-impact summary ==
{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1993
|Industry=Real Estate, Real Estate Development, Property Management, Investment
|Type=Private
|Website=https://www.greystar.com/
|Description=Greystar Real Estate Partners is a global real estate organization based in Charleston, South Carolina that provides property management, investment,
}}

== Incidents ==

==== U.S. v. Greystar Management Services, LLC (''January 2025''—) ====
In January of 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina filed a complaint against Greystar for violation of [https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-2000-title15-section1&num=0&edition=2000 Section 1 of the Sherman Act], 15 U.S.C. § 1<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-08 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA - PROPOSED FINAL JUDGEMENT |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1410741/dl |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=U.S. Department of Justice |pages=2}}</ref>. In this filing the Plaintiffs allege that Greystar, along with five co-defendants, "shared competitively sensitive data to generate pricing recommendations using RealPage’s algorithms, which also included anticompetitive rules that aligned competitors’ pricing"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-08 |title=Justice Department Reaches Proposed Settlement with Greystar, the Largest U.S. Landlord, to End Its Participation in Algorithmic Pricing Scheme |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-reaches-proposed-settlement-greystar-largest-us-landlord-end-its |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-10 |website=U.S. Department of Justice - Office of Public Afffairs}}</ref>.

Greystar

2026-05-10T22:44:52Z

1jeremy: Created Greystar page

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1993
|Industry=Real Estate, Real Estate Development, Property Management, Investment
|Type=Private
|Website=https://www.greystar.com/
|Description=Greystar Real Estate Partners is a global real estate organization based in Charleston, South Carolina that provides property management, investment,
}}

Game-of-telephone privacy policy

2026-05-06T17:23:22Z

1jeremy: /* Transparency */ Added a source.

{{incomplete}}
A ''game-of-telephone'' is a children's game that originates from China; where a starting message is passed through to multiple people. Then once the final message has been passed it's compared against the original one from how much it deviated from the starting message that was given.

==How it works==
When a consumer reviews a privacy policy, this privacy policy is supposed to inform the consumer what data will be collected, and how the data will be used. A '''[[wikipedia:Telephone_game|game-of-telephone]] privacy policy''' constitutes a situation whereby a consumer's agreement with an app developer may be different between the app developer's agreement with a third party. For instance:
#Third party says that data collected using their software development kit (SDK) can be used to determine insurance rates by insurance providers.
#Third party licenses SDK to app developer who agrees to these terms.
#App developer says to app user that application collects location data just to provide me in-app services & that it may be shared with third parties.
#App developer never discloses to app user that collected data will be used to determine app user's insurance rates.
#App developer does not meaningfully disclose relationship with third party in their terms of service.

==Why it is a problem==

===Privacy===
A privacy policy is meant to be transparent and direct; leaving loopholes for misguided interpretation or get out clauses of an otherwise directly stated policy is dangerous and misleading to many consumers that would have likely avoided the service if it was known. Profiling can cause issues of getting a fair rate when applying for certain medical or auto insurance rates based on what that specific firm/company has on the individual applying.

===Transparency===
Services that say they do not sell your data may use third parties that do (indirectly profiting as a result)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ng |first=Alfred |date=2021-09-02 |title=What Does It Actually Mean When a Company Says, “We Do Not Sell Your Data”? |url=https://themarkup.org/the-breakdown/2021/09/02/what-does-it-actually-mean-when-a-company-says-we-do-not-sell-your-data |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=The Markup}}</ref>.

==Examples==
An excellent example of this would be the relationship between Arity (a business that sells data-collection SDKs), the mobile apps that use Arity SDKs, and the user of those mobile apps, mentioned in the [[Allstate Arity driver data theft]] case.{{Citation needed}}

==Further reading==
*[[Terms of service]]
*[[End user license agreement]]

==References==

[[Category:Anti-consumer practices]]
[[Category:Common license terms]]

Dynamic pricing

2026-05-06T17:12:09Z

1jeremy: /* Examples */ Added Delta Air Lines to list of examples, with relevant citation.

{{Stub}}
'''{{Wplink|Dynamic pricing}}''' is an umbrella term, which refers to a pricing strategy of modifying the price of a product or service according to market demands and/or consumer-identifying information. This definition includes '''surge pricing''', '''surveillance pricing''', '''demand pricing''', '''time-based''' '''pricing''' and '''variable pricing'''.

==How it works==
Dynamic pricing involves setting individual-consumer prices and dynamically changing them both over time and personally depending on individual consumer information, all of which is done by algorithms.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Seele |first=Peter |last2=Dierksmeier |first2=Clause |last3=Hofstetter |first3=Reto |last4=Schultz |first4=Mario D. |date=10 December 2019 |title=Mapping the Ethicality of Algorithmic Pricing: A Review of Dynamic and Personalized Pricing |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-019-04371-w |journal=Journal of Business Ethics |volume=170 |via=Springer}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Priester |first=Anna |last2=Robbert |first2=Thomas |last3=Roth |first3=Stefan |date=23 January 2020 |title=A special price just for you: effects of personalized dynamic pricing on consumer fairness perceptions |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41272-019-00224-3 |journal=Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management |volume=19 |via=Springer}}</ref> To make it more effective, the customer is given real-time content recommendation based on their history of personal information. The algorithms can also detect if a customer is disengaging, which then causes dynamic pricing and communications to intervene.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Dakouan |first=Chouaib |last2=Benabdelouahed |first2=Redouane |last3=Lebbar |first3=Oumaima |date=11 March 2026 |title=Theoretical Exploration of the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Optimizing Inbound Marketing Practices |url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-12968-0_1#DOI |journal=Strategic Innovative Marketing and Tourism |pages=4, 5 |via=Springer}}</ref>

==Why it is a problem==

===Price discrimination===
Price discrimination is illegal in the U.S. if it is based on race, gender, religion, or nationality, but doesn't prohibit price discrimination based other personal factors.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=25 Mar 2026 |title=Is Dynamic Pricing Legal? |url=https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/small-business/is-dynamic-pricing-legal/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2026 |website=FindLaw}}</ref> Companies aren't upfront about using other personal factors, because consumers don't like it when they find out they were charged more for the same products than the people around them.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Giansiracusa |first=Noah |date=26 Dec 2025 |title=Algorithmic pricing is scary. It doesn’t have to be. |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/26/opinion/algorithmic-surveillance-pricing-price-discrimination/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251227101111/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/26/opinion/algorithmic-surveillance-pricing-price-discrimination/ |archive-date=27 Dec 2025 |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=The Boston Globe}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Vedantam |first=Shankar |date=17 May 2016 |title=This Is Your Brain On Uber |url=https://www.npr.org/transcripts/478266839 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250908175727/https://www.npr.org/transcripts/478266839 |archive-date=8 Sep 2025 |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=NPR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Chen |first=M. Keith |last2=Sheldon |first2=Michael |date=November 3, 2025 |title=Dynamic Pricing in a Labor Market: Surge Pricing and the Supply of Uber Driver-Partners |url=https://www.aeaweb.org/conference/2016/retrieve.php?pdfid=21740&tk=B3G8HTQB |journal=Labor Studies |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260301024619/https://www.aeaweb.org/conference/2016/retrieve.php?pdfid=21740&tk=B3G8HTQB |archive-date=1 Mar 2026 |via=Google Scholar}}</ref>

====Perceived fairness====
In 2016, a behavioral scientist that works at Uber made clear that the company could prove that people that people are willing to pay more when their phone batteries were low. Uber claimed they “absolutely don’t use that” information, but it's not legally prohibited, so consumers have to take their word for it.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahdawi |first=Arwa |date=13 Apr 2018 |title=Is your friend getting a cheaper Uber fare than you are? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/13/uber-lyft-prices-personalized-data |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260312173357/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/13/uber-lyft-prices-personalized-data |archive-date=12 Mar 2026 |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Price discrimination concerns have also been publicly remediated by claiming the usage of a practice known as "[[steering]]" instead. Steering is dynamically showing more expensive ''options'' based on individual consumer's characteristics, such as being a Mac user.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kingsley-Hughes |first=Adrian |date=27 Jun 2012 |title=Mac Users Have Money to Spare, Says Orbitz |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adriankingsleyhughes/2012/06/26/mac-users-have-money-to-spare-says-orbitz/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250603093545/https://www.forbes.com/sites/adriankingsleyhughes/2012/06/26/mac-users-have-money-to-spare-says-orbitz/ |archive-date=3 Jun 2025 |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=Forbes}}</ref>

Not being able to objectively compare prices restricts a consumer's ability to perceive fair pricing. The ability to plan future purchases is also limited, because prices change constantly. From a consumer perspective, the unfavorable aspects algorithmic pricing can outweigh the ability to search and compare online that enables more choices.<ref name=":0" />

===Privacy concerns in digital marketing===

Dynamic pricing involves highly personal and identifying consumer data for individual price determination, which raises serious concerns about privacy.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> There is a lack of transparency around that data collection, because often the consumer is ''not'' informed that:

*The sites they have previously visited in their browser and their clicks are tracked to finely infer tastes, income and health status.

*Merchants don't have to ask explicit consent to adjust prices based on tracking cookies.

This is an informational advantage that companies leverage, which could limit the consumer's ability to objectively compare products online.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Egan |first=Shannon |date=5 Apr 2021 |title=Mapping the Ethicality of Algorithmic Pricing |url=https://montrealethics.ai/mapping-the-ethicality-of-algorithmic-pricing/}}</ref>

==Examples==
*[[Wendy's]] introducing dynamic pricing in 2025 for "getting more breakfast customers in".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2024/02/28/1234412431/wendys-dynamic-surge-pricing|title=No, Wendy's says it isn't planning to introduce surge pricing|work=NPR|date=2024-02-28|first=Joe|last=Hernandez}}</ref>
*In their Q2 2025 Earnings Calls, [https://www.delta.com/ Delta Air Lines] CEO and Director Edward Herman Bastian is quoted stating the company is "optimizing revenue through our partnership with Fetcherr, leveraging AI-enhanced pricing solutions"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-10 |title=Delta Air Lines, Inc. Q2 2025 Earnings Call |url=https://s2.q4cdn.com/181345880/files/doc_earnings/2025/q2/transcript/CORRECTED-TRANSCRIPT_-Delta-Air-Lines-Inc-DAL-US-Q2-2025-Earnings-Call.pdf |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Delta Air Lines |page=5}}</ref>.

==See also==
*[[Value based pricing]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Common terms]]

Unnecessary retirement of Microsoft Office Lens

2026-05-06T15:29:41Z

1jeremy: Added sources.

{{Incomplete}}
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Microsoft
|StartDate=2025-08-08
|EndDate=2026-03-09
|Status=Resolved
|ProductLine=Microsoft Office 365
|Product=Microsoft Lens
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Digital Ownership, Digital Restriction, Discontinued
|Description=Microsoft disabled Microsoft Lens and forced users to use OneDrive to scan documents which does not support local storage of said documents
}}
[[Microsoft]] starting cutting support for Microsoft Lens in late 2025 and early 2026, suggesting users try OneDrive instead for creating digital scans. Microsoft Lens supported saving scanned documents to local storage, however, OneDrive does not allow this<ref>{{Cite news |last=Okemwa |first=Kevin |date=2026-02-09 |title=Microsoft kills Lens and pushes everyone to OneDrive… which still can’t save scans locally |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/microsoft-lens-is-dead-microsoft-wants-you-on-onedrive-but-it-doesnt-let-you-save-scans-locally |url-status=live |work=Windows Central}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-06 |title=Retirement of Microsoft Lens |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/Lens/retirement-of-microsoft-lens |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Microsoft}}</ref>.

==Background==
Microsoft Lens (formally known as Office Lens) is a piece of software within Microsoft Office 365 which allows users to create digital copies of written documents using the camera on a smart device.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2026-03-12 |title=Microsoft Lens for Android |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/office/microsoft-lens-for-android-ec124207-0049-4201-afaf-b5874a8e6f2b |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-12 |website=Microsoft Support}}</ref> These documents can then be saved to either Microsoft's OneDrive or to the local storage on the users device. It is important to note that users are required to be signed in to a Microsoft Account with a valid Office 365 subscription in order to use Office Lens.<ref name=":0" />

==Retirement of Microsoft Lens==
In August 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=2025-08-08 |title=RIP, Microsoft Lens, a simple little app that's getting replaced by AI |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/08/rip-microsoft-lens-a-simple-little-app-thats-getting-replaced-by-ai/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-12 |website=TechCrunch}}</ref> Microsoft announced that they would be retiring Microsoft Lens on 2025-09-15. This was then moved back to 2026-02-09 when Microsoft Lens was removed from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store and after 2026-03-09, Microsoft Lens was completely disabled on the devices that still had it installed. However, it was still possible to access locally saved documents as long as the user had a Microsoft account with a valid Office 365 subscription.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2026-03-12 |title=Retirement of Microsoft Lens |url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/retirement-of-microsoft-lens-fc965de7-499d-4d38-aeae-f6e48271652d#:~:text=The%20Microsoft%20Lens%20app%20will%20be%20retired%20from,capability%20in%20the%20app%20until%20December%2015%2C%202025 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-12 |website=Microsoft Support}}</ref>

===Microsoft's Solution===
Instead of using Microsoft Lens, Microsoft recommended that users use the built-in scanning feature on OneDrive. However it is important to note that this feature does not support storing the files locally.<ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:2025 incidents]]
[[Category:Microsoft Office]]

Agri Stats

2026-05-06T15:07:19Z

1jeremy: /* U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. (September 2023—) */

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1985
|Industry=Data Collection, Comparative Data
|Logo=Agri-stats-logo-920.png
|ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP
|Type=Inc
|Website=https://www.agristats.com/|Description=Provide comparative agricultural data to organizations in the industry in order to support data driven decision making.}}

'''Agri Stats''' is a company based in Indiana, U.S. which collects and analyzes comparative data to sell to agricultural organizations in support of data driven decision making. They were founded in 1865 by Jim Cox, who was a poultry farmer at the time. The company website states that the business started "as a way to help chicken producers make informed decisions based on flock-level cost and performance data"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Company History |url=https://www.agristats.com/company-history/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Agri Stats}}</ref>. They have since expanded into other agricultural markets including but not limited to swine, feed, livestock, sanitation, and vaccination.

==Consumer-impact summary==

===Business model===
With filings against the company by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice for anti-competitive practices<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/case/us-v-agri-stats-inc |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=U.S. Department of Justice}}</ref>, this shows a possibility for their business model being anti-competitive in nature.

===Market control===
The nature of Agri Stats data means that if the services they are providing aren't sufficiently anonymized, then it can lead to unreasonable market control. Their business model relies on a preservation of "confidentiality among processors by masking the sources of the data it reports"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Douglas |first=Leah |last2=Leonard |first2=Christopher |date=2019-08-02 |title=Is the US chicken industry cheating its farmers? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/03/is-the-us-chicken-industry-cheating-its-farmers#:~:text=Agri%20Stats%20was%20founded%20in,anything%20about%20its%20business%20model. |url-status=live |work=The Guardian}}</ref>, however, de-anonymization, especially of sensitive information, can lead to a restraining of competition<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norris Donahue |first=Lauren |last2=Pereira Duarte |first2=Victoria |date=2024-10-15 |title=DOJ Speaks Again: Information Exchanges Can Constitute Stand-Alone Violation of Antitrust Laws |url=https://www.klgates.com/DOJ-Speaks-Again-Information-Exchanges-Can-Constitute-Stand-Alone-Violation-of-Antitrust-Laws-10-15-2024#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20sensitive%20the%20information,information%20can%20still%20raise%20concerns. |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=K&L Gates}}</ref>.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Anti-competitive practices===

====U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. (''September 2023—'')====
On September 28, 2023 the Department of Justice filed a complaint against Agri Stats on the basis of violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1, which states that any contract "in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1890-07-02 |title=CHAPTER 1-MONOPOLIES AND COMBINATIONS IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-1999-title15-section1&num=0&edition=1999 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Office of the Law Revision Counsel - United States Code}}</ref>. In the filing the DOJ states that the United States brings action to "stop Agri Stats’ anticompetitive scheme and restore competition to heartland U.S. agriculture markets"<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-10/416782.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Department of Justice}}</ref>. The complaint alleges that Agri Stats shared sensitive market information between competitors through subscription and business consultation services, which allowed processors to forecast competitors production and withhold output at beneficial times when it is was deemed profitable, potentially leading to higher than normal price increases. Additionally the DOJ alleges that Agri Stats shared sensitive wage information, farmer pay, and "other compensation metrics"<ref name=":1" />. On May 28, 2024 Agri Stats filed a Motion to Transfer and a Motion to Dismiss with the District of Minnesota, both of which were dismissed<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/media/1359226/dl?inline |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Department of Justice |pages=5, 14}}</ref>.

On Monday May 4, 2026, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche lead a news conference where White House adviser Peter Navarro expressed that the "U.S. Department of Justice plans to settle its case against data company Agri Stats with an agreement officials hope will help drive down food ‌costs"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Godoy |first=Jody |date=2026-05-04 |title=DOJ plans to settle Agri Stats case, White House official says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doj-taking-aim-food-prices-acting-ag-says-2026-05-04/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Reuters}}</ref>.

Agri Stats published a [https://www.agristats.com/doj-lawsuit-against-agri-stats-is-wrong-on-the-law-and-bad-for-consumers/ news article] on September 28, 2023 in response to the DOJ accusations, where they discuss the claim that their business practices assist producers in reducing production cost.

===In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation===
A class action lawsuit was brought against defendants including but not limited to Agri Stats alleging that the defedants and co-conspirators "conspired to fix, raise, maintain, and stabilize the price of Broilers, beginning at least as early as January 1, 2008"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-05 |title=Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation |url=https://www.broilerchickenantitrustlitigation.com/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-27 |title=MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER |url=https://www.broilerchickenantitrustlitigation.com/docs/CertifiedClass/5644-Class%20Certification.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation}}</ref>. On April 14, 2026 a Chicago federal judge granted injunctive-relief settlement with Agri Stats, which procedurally progresses plaintiffs closer to the $203.5 million "consumer settlement fund that has been sitting in administrative limbo since... July 31, 2025"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Levine |first=Steve |date=2026-04-21 |title=Chicken Price-Fixing Settlement Update -- Agri Stats Preliminary Approval Clears Final Hurdle Before $203.35M Consumer Payout |url=https://openclassactions.com/news/chicken-price-fixing-settlement-agri-stats-preliminary-approval-april-2026.php |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Open Class Actions}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-04-21 |title=$203.35M Chicken Price Fixing Class Action Settlement — 2026 {{!}} Closed |url=https://openclassactions.com/settlement_chicken.php |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Open Class Actions}}</ref>.

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}The companies product description can be found [https://www.agristats.com/services/ here].

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Arduino

2026-05-06T05:51:38Z

1jeremy: /* Consumer-impact summary */ Added source

{{Incomplete|Issue 1=needs at least one source from verifiable news source}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2005
|Industry=Electronics
|Logo=Arduino logo.svg
|ParentCompany=Qualcomm|Type=Subsidiary|Website=https://www.arduino.cc/|Description=Arduino is an Italian open-source hardware and software company owned by Qualcomm, project, and user community that designs and manufactures single-board microcontrollers and microcontroller kits for building digital devices.}}

'''{{wplink|Arduino|Arduino}}''', now a subsidiary of [[Qualcomm]], is an Italian open-source hardware and software, project, and user community that designs and manufactures [[wikipedia:Single-board_microcontroller|single-board microcontrollers]] and [[wikipedia:Microcontroller|microcontroller]] kits for building digital devices. Its hardware products are licensed under a [[wikipedia:Creative_Commons_license|CC BY-SA license]], while the software is licensed under the [[wikipedia:GNU_Lesser_General_Public_License|GNU Lesser General Public License]] (LGPL) or the [[wikipedia:GNU_General_Public_License|GNU General Public License]] (GPL),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Getting Started: FOUNDATION > Introduction |url=https://www.arduino.cc/en/guide/introduction |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829015201/https://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/Introduction |archive-date=2017-08-29 |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Arduino}}</ref> permitting the manufacture of Arduino boards and software distribution by anyone. Arduino boards are available commercially from the official website or through authorized distributors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arduino - Home |url=https://www.arduino.cc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260213164019/https://www.arduino.cc/ |archive-date=13 Feb 2026 |access-date=2026-01-13 |website=Arduino}}</ref>

==Consumer-impact summary==

*User Freedom: Before the Qualcomm buyout, Arduino was centered around free and open source software and hardware<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Matthew |date=2025-10-18 |title=Qualcomm Buys Arduino, and the Open-Source Community Is Skeptical |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/qualcomm-arduino-acquisition-open-source |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=IEEE Spectrum}}</ref>, allowing even other companies to manufacture Arduino boards. After Qualcomm acquired the company... [Section to be finished]
*User Privacy: Post-acquisition, the company has claimed Qualcomm holds an irrevocable perpetual license over all projects uploaded to Arduino's servers, as well as retention of user data in a way that violates GDPR and similar legal acts.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-11-21 |title=EEVblog 1721 - RIP Arduino (New T&C Deep Dive) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO7hdxyCNCA |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260204170410/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO7hdxyCNCA |archive-date=4 Feb 2026 |access-date=2025-11-25 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-29 |title=Terms and Conditions |url=https://www.arduino.cc/en/terms-conditions/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222001450/https://www.arduino.cc/en/terms-conditions |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|access-date=2025-11-25 |website=Arduino}}</ref>
*Business Model: The sale of microcontrollers and microprocessors, referred to as Arduinos.
*Market Control: Significantly used within industries, however is competing with other microcontroller/processor manufacturers such as ''Raspberry Pi'', [[Intel]], and [[Panasonic]].

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Terms of Use/Privacy Policy change (Nov 2025)===
In 2025, Qualcomm, an American semiconductor manufacturer, acquired Arduino for an undisclosed amount. Shortly after this acquisition, the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for Arduino was modified in a way that harmed consumers.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

The following is an incomplete list of these changes:

*Introduction of an irrevocable, perpetual license granted to Qualcomm over all user-uploaded content

*Surveillance-style monitoring implemented for AI features

*Patent infringement identification clause preventing users from identifying potential patent violations

*Extended data retention of usernames for years after account deletion

*Global data integration of all user data (including minors' data) into Qualcomm's ecosystem
*User shall not translate, decompile or reverse-engineer the Platform, or engage in any other activity designed to identify the algorithms and logic of the Platform’s operation<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Scharon |date=2025-11-24 |title=Arduino’s new terms of service worries hobbyists ahead of Qualcomm acquisition |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/11/arduinos-new-terms-of-service-worries-hobbyists-ahead-of-qualcomm-acquisition/ |url-status=live |website=[[Ars Technica]]}}</ref>

==Products==

===Boards, SOMS, SBCs===

*Uno
*GIGA
*Nano
*MKR
*Portenta
*Nicla
*Modulino

===Kits===

*Starter Kit
*Plug & Make Kit
*Science Kit
*Sensor Kit
*Student Kit
*PLC Starter Kit
*Portenta Proto Kit

==See also==

===Microprocessor/controller manufacturers===

*[[Intel]]
*[[Panasonic]]
*[[Texas Instruments]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Nissan

2026-05-06T05:47:19Z

1jeremy: /* Invasive data sharing (2023) */ Added citations

{{Incomplete}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Founded = 1933
|Industry = Automotive
|Logo = Nissan logo.svg
|ParentCompany =
|Type = Public
|Website = https://www.nissan-global.com/
|Description = Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., commonly known as Nissan, is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. Founded in 1933, Nissan is one of the largest car manufacturers in the world. The company is part of the Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance, which also is one of the largest automotive groups globally.
}}

'''{{Wplink|Nissan|Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.}}''', commonly known as '''Nissan''', is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. Founded in 1933, Nissan is one of the largest car manufacturers in the world. The company is part of the '''Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance''', which also is one of the largest automotive groups globally.

==Consumer impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}

*'''Arbitration:''' Nissan's [[EULA]] requires disputes to be settled by [[Forced arbitration|arbitration]].{{Cite web |author= |title=Nissan Vehicle Software End User License Agreement |url=https://www.nissan.ca/content/dam/Nissan/Canada/software/Nissan-Vehicle-Software-End-User-License-Agreement.pdf |website=Nissan |date= |access-date=3 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219124518/https://www.nissan.ca/content/dam/Nissan/Canada/software/Nissan-Vehicle-Software-End-User-License-Agreement.pdf |archive-date=19 Feb 2024}}<nowiki></ref></nowiki>
*'''Cost of software updates:''' It is up to Nissan's discretion if certain software updates are offered for free or are withheld until certain fees are paid.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=NissanConnect® {{!}} Vehicle Software |url=https://www.nissan.ca/services/apps/nissan-connect/software.html |website=Nissan |date= |access-date=3 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250920213457/https://www.nissan.ca/services/apps/nissan-connect/software.html |archive-date=20 Sep 2025 |quote=Additionally, updates or modifications to Software may be made available by Nissan for download and installation by owners from time to time, either on a complimentary or for-fee basis, as determined by Nissan in its sole discretion.}}</ref>

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Invasive data sharing (''2023'')===
In 2023, a report by the [[Mozilla|Mozilla Foundation]] found that Nissan, along with other major car manufacturers, were recording a large amount of customer data which were classed as a "privacy nightmare"<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Caltrider |first1=Jen |last2=Rykov |first2=Misha |last3=MacDonald |first3=Zoë |title=It’s Official: Cars Are the Worst Product Category We Have Ever Reviewed for Privacy |url=https://www.mozillafoundation.org/en/privacynotincluded/articles/its-official-cars-are-the-worst-product-category-we-have-ever-reviewed-for-privacy/ |website=Mozilla Foundation |date=6 Sep 2023 |access-date=3 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260127041610/https://www.mozillafoundation.org/en/privacynotincluded/articles/its-official-cars-are-the-worst-product-category-we-have-ever-reviewed-for-privacy/ |archive-date=27 Jan 2026}}</ref> for consumers. This report found that Nissan were collecting a very large amount of personal data with very little security information, and could record information about the customer's "sexual activity", per their terms and conditions, with the possibility of selling the data to third-party advertisers<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zilber |first=Ariel |date=2023-09-06 |title=Nissan, Kia can collect data on drivers’ ‘sexual activity’ and ‘sex lives’: privacy watchdog |url=https://nypost.com/2023/09/06/nissan-kia-collect-data-about-drivers-sexual-activity/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=New York Post}}</ref>. Mozilla found Nissan to be the worst perpetrator in terms of data collection and privacy policies, only behind [[Tesla, Inc.|Tesla]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Price |first=Emily |date=2023-09-06 |title=Your dream car is a privacy nightmare |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90949162/car-privacy-tesla-nissan-honda-mozilla-list |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Fast Company}}</ref> who was using driver data to train their autopilot AI feature. The report found all car companies to be breaching privacy rights of their customers, however Nissan's privacy policy stood out to researchers as one of the worst they investigated<ref name=":0" />.

===Shutdown of 2G app for older electric cars in the UK (''2024'')===
{{Main|Nissan shuts 2G car service in UK}}

The move impacts early LEAF and e-NV200 cars built before 2016, which is around 3,000 vehicles in the UK. Half are active users of the app, who can still use the main features using timers but not remotely.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Flaherty |first=Nick |title=Nissan is shutting down its 2G app for older electric cars in the UK from April 2024. |url=https://www.eenewseurope.com/en/nissan-shuts-2g-car-service-in-uk/ |website=EENews Automotive |date=4 Mar 2024 |access-date=3 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251014010053/https://www.eenewseurope.com/en/nissan-shuts-2g-car-service-in-uk/ |archive-date=14 Oct 2025}}</ref>

===Does not sell parts to repair transmissions (''2024'')===
A Utah-based auto-repair shop was unable to obtain a new seal for a (circa-2018) Nissan Titan's leaky transmission from a Nissan dealership, the latter being informed by Nissan that the manufacturer does not make such a part.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Dave's Auto Center |title=Nissan Titan with a 5.0 L Cummins. Manufacturers are screwing with Customers |url=https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uAjqRMWtfEs |website=[[YouTube]] |date=17 May 2024 |access-date=3 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=uAjqRMWtfEs |archive-date=4 Mar 2026}}</ref> This leaves both the shop and the customer few options besides replacing the entire transmission.

===Safety issues with the NissanConnect EV app (''2025'')===
Researchers at Black Hat Asia 2025 have found issues within the NissanConnectEV app, since it relied upon a Vehicle Identification Number to communicate with the user and to authenticate communications, and this number proved to be easy to reverse-engineer. This allowed hackers to easily access the app.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pokharel |first=Bijay |title=Researchers Hack Nissan Leaf Remotely, Exposing Major Security Flaws in Car App |url=https://www.abijita.com/researchers-hack-nissan-leaf-remotely-exposing-major-security-flaws-in-car-app/ |website=Abijita Foundation |date=8 Apr 2025 |access-date=3 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251018194523/https://www.abijita.com/researchers-hack-nissan-leaf-remotely-exposing-major-security-flaws-in-car-app/ |archive-date=18 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mearian |first=Lucas |title=Hackers can access the Nissan Leaf via insecure APIs |url=https://www.csoonline.com/article/554905/hackers-can-access-the-nissan-leaf-via-insecure-apis.html |website=CSO |date=24 Feb 2016 |access-date=3 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231204030039/https://www.csoonline.com/article/554905/hackers-can-access-the-nissan-leaf-via-insecure-apis.html |archive-date=4 Dec 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Critical Security Vulnerabilities Found in Nissan Leaf: Remote Hacking Demonstrated |url=https://www.security.land/critical-security-vulnerabilities-found-in-nissan-leaf-remote-hacking-demonstrated/ |website=Security Land |date=14 Apr 2025 |access-date=3 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260304055732/https://www.security.land/critical-security-vulnerabilities-found-in-nissan-leaf-remote-hacking-demonstrated/ |archive-date=4 Mar 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kovacs |first=Eduard |title=API Flaw Exposes Nissan LEAF Cars to Remote Attacks |url=https://www.securityweek.com/api-flaw-exposes-nissan-leaf-cars-remote-attacks/ |website=Security Week |date=24 Feb 2016 |access-date=3 Mar 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160227082244/https://www.securityweek.com/api-flaw-exposes-nissan-leaf-cars-remote-attacks/ |archive-date=27 Feb 2016}}</ref>

===NissanConnect EV app discontinuation (2026)===
In early 2026, Nissan informed affected customers that the NissanConnect EV app will cease operating as of March 30th 2026. Owners of Nissan Leaf electric cars produced before May 2019 and the e-NV200 van (produced until 2022) will no longer be able to use the remote features of their vehicles. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Zoe |date=2026-03-14 |title=‘Shockingly bad’: Nissan Leaf drivers voice anger over app shutdown |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/14/nissan-leaf-app-shutdown-nissanconnect-ev-app |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260314104114/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/14/nissan-leaf-app-shutdown-nissanconnect-ev-app |archive-date=2026-03-14 |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=The Guardian}}</ref>

===NissanConnect security vulnerability (2016)===
In February 2016, security researcher Troy Hunt disclosed that the NissanConnect EV API had no authentication. The API identified vehicles using only the last five digits of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and requests were completely anonymous. Anyone with a smartphone could remotely activate climate control, view GPS logs, and monitor battery status on any of the approximately 200,000 affected Leaf and e-NV200 vehicles worldwide.<ref name="threatpost-hunt">{{Cite web |last=Zorz |first=Zeljka |date=2016-02-26 |title=Troy Hunt Explains Nissan Leaf Car Hack |url=https://threatpost.com/total-recall-troy-hunt-breaks-down-his-nissan-hack/116497/ |access-date=2026-03-25 |website=Threatpost}}</ref>

Hunt demonstrated the vulnerability by remotely activating the climate control on a colleague's car in the UK from his location in Australia. He had spent over a month attempting to notify Nissan before going public. Nissan took the app offline and didn't restore it for several months.<ref name="threatpost-hunt" />

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}

==See also==

*[[BMW]]
*[[Tesla]]
*[[Toyota]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Nissan]]
[[Category:Companies]]
[[Category:Companies using forced arbitration clauses]]

Agri Stats

2026-05-06T05:33:45Z

1jeremy: /* Anti-Competitive Practices */ Added In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation with relevant citations.

{{StubNotice}}

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1985
|Industry=Data Collection, Comparative Data
|Logo=Agri-stats-logo-920.png
|ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP
|Type=Inc
|Website=https://www.agristats.com/|Description=Provide comparative agricultural data to organizations in the industry in order to support data driven decision making.}}

'''Agri Stats''' is a company based in Indiana, U.S. which collects and analyzes comparative data to sell to agricultural organizations in support of data driven decision making. They were founded in 1865 by Jim Cox, who was a poultry farmer at the time. The company website states that the business started "as a way to help chicken producers make informed decisions based on flock-level cost and performance data"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Company History |url=https://www.agristats.com/company-history/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Agri Stats}}</ref>. They have since expanded into other agricultural markets including but not limited to swine, feed, livestock, sanitation, and vaccination.

==Consumer-impact summary==

===Business model===
With filings against the company by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice for anti-competitive practices<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/case/us-v-agri-stats-inc |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=U.S. Department of Justice}}</ref>, this shows a possibility for their business model being anti-competitive in nature.

===Market control===
The nature of Agri Stats data means that if the services they are providing aren't sufficiently anonymized, then it can lead to unreasonable market control. Their business model relies on a preservation of "confidentiality among processors by masking the sources of the data it reports"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Douglas |first=Leah |last2=Leonard |first2=Christopher |date=2019-08-02 |title=Is the US chicken industry cheating its farmers? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/03/is-the-us-chicken-industry-cheating-its-farmers#:~:text=Agri%20Stats%20was%20founded%20in,anything%20about%20its%20business%20model. |url-status=live |work=The Guardian}}</ref>, however, de-anonymization, especially of sensitive information, can lead to a restraining of competition<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norris Donahue |first=Lauren |last2=Pereira Duarte |first2=Victoria |date=2024-10-15 |title=DOJ Speaks Again: Information Exchanges Can Constitute Stand-Alone Violation of Antitrust Laws |url=https://www.klgates.com/DOJ-Speaks-Again-Information-Exchanges-Can-Constitute-Stand-Alone-Violation-of-Antitrust-Laws-10-15-2024#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20sensitive%20the%20information,information%20can%20still%20raise%20concerns. |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=K&L Gates}}</ref>.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Anti-competitive practices===

====U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. (''September 2023—'')====
On September 28, 2023 the Department of Justice filed a complaint against Agri Stats on the basis of violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1, which states that any contract "in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1890-07-02 |title=CHAPTER 1-MONOPOLIES AND COMBINATIONS IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-1999-title15-section1&num=0&edition=1999 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Office of the Law Revision Counsel - United States Code}}</ref>. In the filing the DOJ states that the United States brings action to "stop Agri Stats’ anticompetitive scheme and restore competition to heartland U.S. agriculture markets"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-10/416782.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Department of Justice}}</ref>. The complaint alleges that Agri Stats shared sensitive market information between competitors through subscription and business consultation services, which allowed processors to forecast competitors production and withhold output at beneficial times when it is was deemed profitable, potentially leading to higher than normal price increases. Additionally the DOJ states that Agri Stats shared sensitive wage information, farmer pay, and "other compensation metrics"<ref name=":0" />. On May 28, 2024 a Motion to Transfer and a Motion to Dismiss were filed with the District of Minnesota, both of which were dismissed<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/media/1359226/dl?inline |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Department of Justice |pages=5, 14}}</ref>.

On Monday May 4, 2026, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche lead a news conference where White House adviser Peter Navarro expressed that the "U.S. Department of Justice plans to settle its case against data company Agri Stats with an agreement officials hope will help drive down food ‌costs"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Godoy |first=Jody |date=2026-05-04 |title=DOJ plans to settle Agri Stats case, White House official says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doj-taking-aim-food-prices-acting-ag-says-2026-05-04/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Reuters}}</ref>.

Agri Stats published a [https://www.agristats.com/doj-lawsuit-against-agri-stats-is-wrong-on-the-law-and-bad-for-consumers/ news article] on September 28, 2023 in response to the DOJ accusations, where they discuss the claim that their business practices assist producers in reducing production cost.

=== In re Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation ===
A class action lawsuit was brought against defendants including but not limited to Agri Stats alleging that the defedants and co-conspirators "conspired to fix, raise, maintain, and stabilize the price of Broilers, beginning at least as early as January 1, 2008"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-05-05 |title=Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation |url=https://www.broilerchickenantitrustlitigation.com/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-27 |title=MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER |url=https://www.broilerchickenantitrustlitigation.com/docs/CertifiedClass/5644-Class%20Certification.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Broiler Chicken Antitrust Litigation}}</ref>. On April 14, 2026 a Chicago federal judge granted injunctive-relief settlement with Agri Stats, which procedurally progresses plaintiffs closer to the $203.5 million "consumer settlement fund that has been sitting in administrative limbo since... July 31, 2025"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Levine |first=Steve |date=2026-04-21 |title=Chicken Price-Fixing Settlement Update -- Agri Stats Preliminary Approval Clears Final Hurdle Before $203.35M Consumer Payout |url=https://openclassactions.com/news/chicken-price-fixing-settlement-agri-stats-preliminary-approval-april-2026.php |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Open Class Actions}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-04-21 |title=$203.35M Chicken Price Fixing Class Action Settlement — 2026 {{!}} Closed |url=https://openclassactions.com/settlement_chicken.php |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Open Class Actions}}</ref>.

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}The companies product description can be found [https://www.agristats.com/services/ here].

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Cinemark

2026-05-06T05:03:35Z

1jeremy:

{{stub}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Description=
|Founded=1977
|Industry=Entertainment, Movies
|Logo=Cinemark.svg
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Public
|Website=https://cinemark.com
}}
'''Cinemark Theatres''' is a major American and international movie theater chain founded in 1977. As of March 2025, there are 497 Cinemark theaters in the United States and Latin America combined.<ref name="about">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemark.com/about-cinemark/about-us/|title=About Cinemark Holdings, Inc.|access-date=2025-06-13|work=Cinemark|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250514084350/https://www.cinemark.com/about-cinemark/about-us/|archive-date=2025-05-14|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the company's conduct regarding (if applicable):
* User freedom
* User privacy
* Business model
* Market control}}

====Freedom====
To use digital gift cards or mobile ticketing, users must create an account and agree to the Cinemark [[Terms of Service]].

====Market control====
Cinemark operates hundreds of cinemas across 42 states in the U.S. and globally, with them being the third largest cinema circuit in the U.S and having presence in 15 of the top 20 South American cities.<ref name="about" /> Over the years, Cinemark has acquired Century Theatres, Rave Cinemas, and Tinseltown USA, further increasing their presence in the United States.<ref name="about" />

==Incidents==
{{Placeholder box|Add one-paragraph summaries of incidents below in sub-sections, which link to each incident's main article while linking to the main article and including a short summary. It is acceptable to create an incident summary before the main page for an incident has been created. To link to the page use the "Hatnote" or "Main" templates.

If the company has numerous incidents then format them in a table (see [[Amazon]] for an example). }}

This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Liability cap===
Cinemark’s ToS include a broad limitation of liability clause:

:''"IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, OUR LIABILITY IS LIMITED … OR $20, WHICHEVER IS LESS."''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemark.com/terms-conditions-archive/terms-conditions-current/|title=Cinemark Terms of Service|work=Cinemark|access-date=2025-06-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250505055911/https://www.cinemark.com/terms-conditions-archive/terms-conditions-current/|archive-date=2025-05-05|url-status=live}}</ref>

This restricts consumer recoveries to $20 or less, regardless of the magnitude of actual damages, such as duplicate charges or failed redemptions.

===Forced arbitration and opt‑out===
Cinemark requires binding arbitration for any disputes:

:''"Unless you opt‑out … any future disputes … will be resolved by binding arbitration … You are waiving your right … unless you send notice post‑marked no later than thirty (30) days after the date you accept these Terms of Service for the first time."''

Users must send a written opt‑out letter within 30 days of first agreeing to the ToS—or forfeit their right to class-action lawsuits or judicial resolution.

====Why it matters====

*'''Cap on liability''': Consumers may suffer significant losses but only recover a trivial amount.
*'''Arbitration requirement''': Arbitration is often more costly and less transparent, and consumers may lose access to court remedies.
*'''Forced click‑wrap agreement''': Users must accept these terms post-purchase if they want to redeem gift cards or buy tickets online.

====Impact on consumers====
These conditions shift risk and legal protections away from users by embedding restrictive clauses in mandatory account agreements—especially where users are unlikely to read or understand fine-print ToS.

==Anti-consumer legal cases==

===Anti-competitive behavior===

====U.S. and State of Texas v. Cinemark Holdings, Inc., et al. (May 2013—August 2013)====
The U.S. and the State of Texas brought civil antitrust action against Cinemark Holdings, Inc. in an effort to "prevent the proposed acquisition by Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (“Cinemark”) of thirty-two movie theatres owned and operated by Rave Holdings, LLC (“Rave Cinemas”)"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2013-05-20 |title=U.S. and State of Texas v. Cinemark Holdings, Inc., et al. |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/file/491746/dl |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=U.S. Department of Justice}}</ref>. The Cinemark acquisition of Rave Holdings constituted a $220 million dollar deal, where Cinemark was to acquire 35 of Rave Holdings' theaters across 12 states<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2013 |title=United States and Texas v. Cinemark Holdings et al., No. 13-727 (D.D.C. 2013) |url=https://www.naag.org/multistate-case/united-states-and-texas-v-cinemark-holdings-et-al-no-13-727-d-d-c-2013/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=National Association of Attorneys General}}</ref>. Rave Holdings constituted a large majority of the competition facing Cinemark "in and around Voorhees and Somerdale in southern New Jersey, the eastern sector of Louisville, Kentucky, and the area in and around Denton, Texas"<ref name=":0" />. Additionally, Cinemark's founder and Chairman of the Board was noted as owning Movie Tavern, Inc. ("Movie Tavern"), which was a significant competitor to Rave Cinemas in western Forth Worth, Texas.

Thus, the acquisition of Rave Holdings by Cinemark was seen by the Department of Justice as a violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 18, which states that "No person engaged in commerce or in any activity affecting commerce shall acquire, directly or indirectly, the whole or any part of the stock... the effect of such acquisition may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly"<ref>{{Cite web |date=1914-10-15 |title=Acquisition by one corporation of stock of another |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title15-section18&num=0 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Office of the Law Revision Counsel}}</ref>.

Final judgement was passed on August 15, 2013 which ordered Cinemark to divest Movie Tavern, Inc., as well as three Texas based theaters<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-08-15 |title=U.S. and State of Texas v. Cinemark Holdings, Inc., et al. - Final Judgment |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/file/491711/dl |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=U.S. Department of Justice}}</ref>.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Cinemark

2026-05-06T04:54:22Z

1jeremy: /* Incidents */ Added anti-consumer legal cases section, including U.S. and State of Texas v Cinemark Holdings therein, along with relevant citations.

{{stub}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Description=
|Founded=1977
|Industry=Entertainment, Movies
|Logo=Cinemark.svg
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Public
|Website=https://cinemark.com
}}
'''Cinemark Theatres''' is a major American and international movie theater chain founded in 1977. As of March 2025, there are 497 Cinemark theaters in the United States and Latin America combined.<ref name="about">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemark.com/about-cinemark/about-us/|title=About Cinemark Holdings, Inc.|access-date=2025-06-13|work=Cinemark|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250514084350/https://www.cinemark.com/about-cinemark/about-us/|archive-date=2025-05-14|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the company's conduct regarding (if applicable):
* User freedom
* User privacy
* Business model
* Market control}}

====Freedom====
To use digital gift cards or mobile ticketing, users must create an account and agree to the Cinemark [[Terms of Service]].

====Market control====
Cinemark operates hundreds of cinemas across 42 states in the U.S. and globally, with them being the third largest cinema circuit in the U.S and having presence in 15 of the top 20 South American cities.<ref name="about" /> Over the years, Cinemark has acquired Century Theatres, Rave Cinemas, and Tinseltown USA, further increasing their presence in the United States.<ref name="about" />

==Incidents==
{{Placeholder box|Add one-paragraph summaries of incidents below in sub-sections, which link to each incident's main article while linking to the main article and including a short summary. It is acceptable to create an incident summary before the main page for an incident has been created. To link to the page use the "Hatnote" or "Main" templates.

If the company has numerous incidents then format them in a table (see [[Amazon]] for an example). }}

This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Liability cap===
Cinemark’s ToS include a broad limitation of liability clause:

:''"IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, OUR LIABILITY IS LIMITED … OR $20, WHICHEVER IS LESS."''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemark.com/terms-conditions-archive/terms-conditions-current/|title=Cinemark Terms of Service|work=Cinemark|access-date=2025-06-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250505055911/https://www.cinemark.com/terms-conditions-archive/terms-conditions-current/|archive-date=2025-05-05|url-status=live}}</ref>

This restricts consumer recoveries to $20 or less, regardless of the magnitude of actual damages, such as duplicate charges or failed redemptions.

===Forced arbitration and opt‑out===
Cinemark requires binding arbitration for any disputes:

:''"Unless you opt‑out … any future disputes … will be resolved by binding arbitration … You are waiving your right … unless you send notice post‑marked no later than thirty (30) days after the date you accept these Terms of Service for the first time."''

Users must send a written opt‑out letter within 30 days of first agreeing to the ToS—or forfeit their right to class-action lawsuits or judicial resolution.

====Why it matters====

*'''Cap on liability''': Consumers may suffer significant losses but only recover a trivial amount.
*'''Arbitration requirement''': Arbitration is often more costly and less transparent, and consumers may lose access to court remedies.
*'''Forced click‑wrap agreement''': Users must accept these terms post-purchase if they want to redeem gift cards or buy tickets online.

====Impact on consumers====
These conditions shift risk and legal protections away from users by embedding restrictive clauses in mandatory account agreements—especially where users are unlikely to read or understand fine-print ToS.

== Anti-consumer legal cases ==

=== Anti-competitive behavior ===

==== U.S. and State of Texas v. Cinemark Holdings, Inc., et al. (May 2013—August 2013) ====
The U.S. and the State of Texas brought civil antitrust action against Cinemark Holdings, Inc. in an effort to "prevent the proposed acquisition by Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (“Cinemark”) of thirty-two movie theatres owned and operated by Rave Holdings, LLC (“Rave Cinemas”)"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2013-05-20 |title=U.S. and State of Texas v. Cinemark Holdings, Inc., et al. |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/file/491746/dl |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=U.S. Department of Justice}}</ref>. The Cinemark acquisition of Rave Holdings constituted a $220 million dollar deal, where Cinemark was to acquire 35 of Rave Holdings' theaters across 12 states<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013 |title=United States and Texas v. Cinemark Holdings et al., No. 13-727 (D.D.C. 2013) |url=https://www.naag.org/multistate-case/united-states-and-texas-v-cinemark-holdings-et-al-no-13-727-d-d-c-2013/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=National Association of Attorneys General}}</ref>. Rave Holdings constituted a large majority of the competition facing Cinemark "in and around Voorhees and Somerdale in southern New Jersey, the eastern sector of Louisville, Kentucky, and the area in and around Denton, Texas"<ref name=":0" />. so the acquisition of Rave Holdings by Cinemark was seen by the Department of Justice as a violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 18, which states that "No person engaged in commerce or in any activity affecting commerce shall acquire, directly or indirectly, the whole or any part of the stock... the effect of such acquisition may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly"<ref>{{Cite web |date=1914-10-15 |title=Acquisition by one corporation of stock of another |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title15-section18&num=0 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Office of the Law Revision Counsel}}</ref>.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Agri Stats

2026-05-06T03:57:39Z

1jeremy: /* U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. (28 September 2023 - Present) */

{{StubNotice}}

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1985
|Industry=Data Collection, Comparative Data
|Logo=Agri-stats-logo-920.png
|ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP
|Type=Inc
|Website=https://www.agristats.com/|Description=Provide comparative agricultural data to organizations in the industry in order to support data driven decision making.}}

'''Agri Stats''' is a company based in Indiana, U.S. which collects and analyzes comparative data to sell to agricultural organizations in support of data driven decision making. They were founded in 1865 by Jim Cox, who was a poultry farmer at the time. The company website states that the business started "as a way to help chicken producers make informed decisions based on flock-level cost and performance data"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Company History |url=https://www.agristats.com/company-history/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Agri Stats}}</ref>. They have since expanded into other agricultural markets including but not limited to swine, feed, livestock, sanitation, and vaccination.

==Consumer-impact summary==

===Business Model===
With filings against the company by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice for anti-competitive practices<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/case/us-v-agri-stats-inc |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=U.S. Department of Justice}}</ref>, this shows a possibility for their business model being anti-competitive in nature.

===Market Control===
The nature of Agri Stats data means that if the services they are providing aren't sufficiently anonymized, then it can lead to unreasonable market control. Their business model relies on a preservation of "confidentiality among processors by masking the sources of the data it reports"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Douglas |first=Leah |last2=Leonard |first2=Christopher |date=2019-08-02 |title=Is the US chicken industry cheating its farmers? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/03/is-the-us-chicken-industry-cheating-its-farmers#:~:text=Agri%20Stats%20was%20founded%20in,anything%20about%20its%20business%20model. |url-status=live |work=The Guardian}}</ref>, however, de-anonymization, especially of sensitive information, can lead to a restraining of competition<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norris Donahue |first=Lauren |last2=Pereira Duarte |first2=Victoria |date=2024-10-15 |title=DOJ Speaks Again: Information Exchanges Can Constitute Stand-Alone Violation of Antitrust Laws |url=https://www.klgates.com/DOJ-Speaks-Again-Information-Exchanges-Can-Constitute-Stand-Alone-Violation-of-Antitrust-Laws-10-15-2024#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20sensitive%20the%20information,information%20can%20still%20raise%20concerns. |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=K&L Gates}}</ref>.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Anti-Competitive Practices===

==== U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. (September 2023''—'') ====
On September 28, 2023 the Department of Justice filed a complaint against Agri Stats on the basis of violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1, which states that any contract "in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1890-07-02 |title=CHAPTER 1-MONOPOLIES AND COMBINATIONS IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-1999-title15-section1&num=0&edition=1999 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Office of the Law Revision Counsel - United States Code}}</ref>. In the filing the DOJ states that the United States brings action to "stop Agri Stats’ anticompetitive scheme and restore competition to heartland U.S. agriculture markets"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-10/416782.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Department of Justice}}</ref>. The complaint alleges that Agri Stats shared sensitive market information between competitors through subscription and business consultation services, which allowed processors to forecast competitors production and withhold output at beneficial times when it is was deemed profitable, potentially leading to higher than normal price increases. Additionally the DOJ states that Agri Stats shared sensitive wage information, farmer pay, and "other compensation metrics"<ref name=":0" />. On May 28, 2024 a Motion to Transfer and a Motion to Dismiss were filed with the District of Minnesota, both of which were dismissed<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/media/1359226/dl?inline |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Department of Justice |pages=5, 14}}</ref>.

On Monday May 4, 2026, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche lead a news conference where White House adviser Peter Navarro expressed that the "U.S. Department of Justice plans to settle its case against data company Agri Stats with an agreement officials hope will help drive down food ‌costs"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Godoy |first=Jody |date=2026-05-04 |title=DOJ plans to settle Agri Stats case, White House official says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doj-taking-aim-food-prices-acting-ag-says-2026-05-04/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Reuters}}</ref>.

Agri Stats published a [https://www.agristats.com/doj-lawsuit-against-agri-stats-is-wrong-on-the-law-and-bad-for-consumers/ news article] on September 28, 2023 in response to the DOJ accusations, where they discuss the claim that their business practices assist producers in reducing production cost.

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}The companies product description can be found [https://www.agristats.com/services/ here].

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Agri Stats

2026-05-05T23:12:04Z

1jeremy: /* Business Model */

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1985
|Industry=Data Collection, Comparative Data
|Logo=Agri-stats-logo-920.png
|ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP
|Type=Inc
|Website=https://www.agristats.com/|Description=Provide comparative agricultural data to organizations in the industry in order to support data driven decision making.}}

Agri Stats is a company based in Indiana, U.S. which collects and analyzes comparative data to sell to agricultural organizations in support of data driven decision making. They were founded in 1865 by Jim Cox, who was a poultry farmer at the time. The company website states that the business started "as a way to help chicken producers make informed decisions based on flock-level cost and performance data"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Company History |url=https://www.agristats.com/company-history/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Agri Stats}}</ref>. They have since expanded into other agricultural markets including but not limited to swine, feed, livestock, sanitation, and vaccination.

==Consumer-impact summary==

===Business Model===
With filings against the company by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice for anti-competitive practices<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/case/us-v-agri-stats-inc |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=U.S. Department of Justice}}</ref>, this shows a possibility for their business model being anti-competitive in nature.

===Market Control===
The nature of Agri Stats data means that if the services they are providing aren't sufficiently anonymized, then it can lead to unreasonable market control. Their business model relies on a preservation of "confidentiality among processors by masking the sources of the data it reports"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Douglas |first=Leah |last2=Leonard |first2=Christopher |date=2019-08-02 |title=Is the US chicken industry cheating its farmers? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/03/is-the-us-chicken-industry-cheating-its-farmers#:~:text=Agri%20Stats%20was%20founded%20in,anything%20about%20its%20business%20model. |url-status=live |work=The Guardian}}</ref>, however, de-anonymization, especially of sensitive information, can lead to a restraining of competition<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norris Donahue |first=Lauren |last2=Pereira Duarte |first2=Victoria |date=2024-10-15 |title=DOJ Speaks Again: Information Exchanges Can Constitute Stand-Alone Violation of Antitrust Laws |url=https://www.klgates.com/DOJ-Speaks-Again-Information-Exchanges-Can-Constitute-Stand-Alone-Violation-of-Antitrust-Laws-10-15-2024#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20sensitive%20the%20information,information%20can%20still%20raise%20concerns. |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=K&L Gates}}</ref>.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Anti-Competitive Practices===

====U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. (28 September 2023 - Present)====
On September 28, 2023 the Department of Justice filed a complaint against Agri Stats on the basis of violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1, which states that any contract "in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1890-07-02 |title=CHAPTER 1-MONOPOLIES AND COMBINATIONS IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-1999-title15-section1&num=0&edition=1999 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Office of the Law Revision Counsel - United States Code}}</ref>. In the filing the DOJ states that the United States brings action to "stop Agri Stats’ anticompetitive scheme and restore competition to heartland U.S. agriculture markets"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-10/416782.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Department of Justice}}</ref>. The complaint alleges that Agri Stats shared sensitive market information between competitors through subscription and business consultation services, which allowed processors to forecast competitors production and withhold output at beneficial times when it is was deemed profitable, potentially leading to higher than normal price increases. Additionally the DOJ states that Agri Stats shared sensitive wage information, farmer pay, and "other compensation metrics"<ref name=":0" />. On May 28, 2024 a Motion to Transfer and a Motion to Dismiss were filed with the District of Minnesota, both of which were dismissed<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/media/1359226/dl?inline |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Department of Justice |pages=5, 14}}</ref>.

On Monday May 4, 2026, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche lead a news conference where White House adviser Peter Navarro expressed that the "U.S. Department of Justice plans to settle its case against data company Agri Stats with an agreement officials hope will help drive down food ‌costs"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Godoy |first=Jody |date=2026-05-04 |title=DOJ plans to settle Agri Stats case, White House official says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doj-taking-aim-food-prices-acting-ag-says-2026-05-04/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Reuters}}</ref>.

Agri Stats published a [https://www.agristats.com/doj-lawsuit-against-agri-stats-is-wrong-on-the-law-and-bad-for-consumers/ news article] on September 28, 2023 in response to the DOJ accusations, where they discuss the claim that their business practices assist producers in reducing production cost.

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}The companies product description can be found [https://www.agristats.com/services/ here].

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Agri Stats

2026-05-05T23:08:56Z

1jeremy: Added company summary, Consumer Impact section discussing the Business Model and Market Control, and U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc., with relevant citations.

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1985
|Industry=Data Collection, Comparative Data
|Logo=Agri-stats-logo-920.png
|ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP
|Type=Inc
|Website=https://www.agristats.com/|Description=Provide comparative agricultural data to organizations in the industry in order to support data driven decision making.}}

Agri Stats is a company based in Indiana, U.S. which collects and analyzes comparative data to sell to agricultural organizations in support of data driven decision making. They were founded in 1865 by Jim Cox, who was a poultry farmer at the time. The company website states that the business started "as a way to help chicken producers make informed decisions based on flock-level cost and performance data"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Company History |url=https://www.agristats.com/company-history/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Agri Stats}}</ref>. They have since expanded into other agricultural markets including but not limited to swine, feed, livestock, sanitation, and vaccination.

==Consumer-impact summary==

=== Business Model ===
With filings against the company by the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice for anti-competitive practices, this shows a possibility for their business model being anti-competitive in nature.

=== Market Control ===
The nature of Agri Stats data means that if the services they are providing aren't sufficiently anonymized, then it can lead to unreasonable market control. Their business model relies on a preservation of "confidentiality among processors by masking the sources of the data it reports"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Douglas |first=Leah |last2=Leonard |first2=Christopher |date=2019-08-02 |title=Is the US chicken industry cheating its farmers? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/03/is-the-us-chicken-industry-cheating-its-farmers#:~:text=Agri%20Stats%20was%20founded%20in,anything%20about%20its%20business%20model. |url-status=live |work=The Guardian}}</ref>, however, de-anonymization, especially of sensitive information, can lead to a restraining of competition<ref>{{Cite web |last=Norris Donahue |first=Lauren |last2=Pereira Duarte |first2=Victoria |date=2024-10-15 |title=DOJ Speaks Again: Information Exchanges Can Constitute Stand-Alone Violation of Antitrust Laws |url=https://www.klgates.com/DOJ-Speaks-Again-Information-Exchanges-Can-Constitute-Stand-Alone-Violation-of-Antitrust-Laws-10-15-2024#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20sensitive%20the%20information,information%20can%20still%20raise%20concerns. |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=K&L Gates}}</ref>.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

=== Anti-Competitive Practices ===

==== U.S. v. Agri Stats, Inc. (28 September 2023 - Present) ====
On September 28, 2023 the Department of Justice filed a complaint against Agri Stats on the basis of violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1, which states that any contract "in restraint of trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, is declared to be illegal"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1890-07-02 |title=CHAPTER 1-MONOPOLIES AND COMBINATIONS IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE |url=https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-1999-title15-section1&num=0&edition=1999 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Office of the Law Revision Counsel - United States Code}}</ref>. In the filing the DOJ states that the United States brings action to "stop Agri Stats’ anticompetitive scheme and restore competition to heartland U.S. agriculture markets"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-10/416782.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Department of Justice}}</ref>. The complaint alleges that Agri Stats shared sensitive market information between competitors through subscription and business consultation services, which allowed processors to forecast competitors production and withhold output at beneficial times when it is was deemed profitable, potentially leading to higher than normal price increases. Additionally the DOJ states that Agri Stats shared sensitive wage information, farmer pay, and "other compensation metrics"<ref name=":0" />. On May 28, 2024 a Motion to Transfer and a Motion to Dismiss were filed with the District of Minnesota, both of which were dismissed<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-28 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MINNESOTA |url=https://www.justice.gov/atr/media/1359226/dl?inline |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-06 |website=Department of Justice |pages=5, 14}}</ref>.

On Monday May 4, 2026, U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche lead a news conference where White House adviser Peter Navarro expressed that the "U.S. Department of Justice plans to settle its case against data company Agri Stats with an agreement officials hope will help drive down food ‌costs"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Godoy |first=Jody |date=2026-05-04 |title=DOJ plans to settle Agri Stats case, White House official says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/doj-taking-aim-food-prices-acting-ag-says-2026-05-04/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Reuters}}</ref>.

Agri Stats published a [https://www.agristats.com/doj-lawsuit-against-agri-stats-is-wrong-on-the-law-and-bad-for-consumers/ news article] on September 28, 2023 in response to the DOJ accusations, where they discuss the claim that their business practices assist producers in reducing production cost.

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}The companies product description can be found [https://www.agristats.com/services/ here].

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Agri Stats

2026-05-05T20:46:15Z

1jeremy: Created page with "{{CompanyCargo |Founded=1985 |Industry=Data Collection, Comparative Data |Logo=Agri-stats-logo-920.png |ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP |Type=Inc }} {{Ph-C-Int}} ==Consumer-impact summary== {{Ph-C-CIS}} ==Incidents== {{Ph-C-Inc}} This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the {{PAGENAME}} category. ===Example incident one (''date..."

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1985
|Industry=Data Collection, Comparative Data
|Logo=Agri-stats-logo-920.png
|ParentCompany=Agri Stats Omega Holding Co. LP
|Type=Inc
}}
{{Ph-C-Int}}

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}

==Incidents==
{{Ph-C-Inc}}

This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Example incident one (''date'')===
{{Main|link to the main CR Wiki article}}
Short summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).
===Example incident two (''date'')===
...

==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

File:Agri-stats-logo-920.png

2026-05-05T20:40:00Z

1jeremy:

== Licensing ==
{{Fairuse}}

Google

2026-05-05T17:13:32Z

1jeremy: /* Rodriguez v. Google LLC (21 May 2021 - 3 Sep 2025) */ Expanded on the potential payout, Google's appeal to a higher court, and how claim submission will begin after appeals process finishes, with relavent citations. Also added /* Thele v. Google LLC (11 November 2025 - Presnt) */ which discusses the suit alleging that Google secretly allowed Gemini access to private user data, with relevant citations.

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1998
|Industry=Technology
|Logo=Google.webp
|ParentCompany=Alphabet Inc.
|Type=Subsidiary
|Description=Google is one of the most influential technology companies in the world originally known for developing the most widely used search engine.
|Website=https://www.google.com/
}}

'''[[wikipedia:Google|Google LLC]]''', founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, is one of the most influential technology companies in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Largest tech companies by market cap |url=https://companiesmarketcap.com/tech/largest-tech-companies-by-market-cap/ |url-status=live |website=companiesmarketcap.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222070659/https://companiesmarketcap.com/tech/largest-tech-companies-by-market-cap/ |archive-date=22 Feb 2026}}</ref> Originally developed as a search engine to organize and index the growing amount of information on the internet, Google has since expanded into a wide range of services and products, becoming a central player in digital advertising, software, hardware, and cloud computing.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Google Products |url=https://about.google/products/ |access-date=10 Mar 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128182647/https://about.google/products/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref>

Google's search engine remains its most well-known service, but the company has significantly diversified its offerings. Key products include the [[Android]] operating system, the [[Google Chrome]] web browser, [https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Drive Google Drive] for cloud storage, [https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps Google Maps], [[YouTube]], and [[wikipedia:Google_Play|Google Play]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Helpful products, built with you in mind |url=https://about.google/intl/ALL_us/products/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205114442/https://about.google/intl/ALL_us/products/ |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref>{{Citation needed}} Additionally, the company provides digital advertising services through Google Ads, generating the majority of its revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Feb 2025 |title=Alphabet Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Results |url=https://abc.xyz/assets/a3/91/6d1950c148fa84c7d699abe05284/2024q4-alphabet-earnings-release.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251002181452/https://abc.xyz/assets/a3/91/6d1950c148fa84c7d699abe05284/2024q4-alphabet-earnings-release.pdf |archive-date=2 Oct 2025}}</ref> In recent years, Google has also developed hardware products such as the Pixel smartphone and Nest smart home devices.

Google has faced ongoing scrutiny related to data privacy, competition, and its dominant position in the market, such concerns have stretched as far back as 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Adam |date=5 Mar 2012 |title=Will We Ever Get Strong Internet Privacy Rules? |url=https://ideas.time.com/2012/03/05/will-we-ever-get-strong-internet-privacy-rules/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Time |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205121437/https://ideas.time.com/2012/03/05/will-we-ever-get-strong-internet-privacy-rules/ |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 Sep 2023 |title=REPORT: Google at 25: From “Don’t Be Evil” To ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ |url=https://techoversight.org/2023/09/06/google-at-25/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=The Tech Oversight Project |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223929/https://techoversight.org/2023/09/06/google-at-25/ |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref> The company has been the subject of various legal and regulatory challenges, particularly concerning antitrust issues, the use of personal data, and its impact on consumer choice.{{Citation needed}} The US government is currently engaged in an antitrust lawsuit against Google, with a decision expected early 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 Nov 2024 |title=Closing Arguments, November 25: Once, Twice, Three Times a Monopolist |url=https://www.usvgoogleads.com/trial-updates/closing-arguments-november-25-once-twice-three-times-a-monopolist |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=US v Google |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250906103632/https://www.usvgoogleads.com/trial-updates/closing-arguments-november-25-once-twice-three-times-a-monopolist |archive-date=6 Sep 2025}}</ref> {{UpdateNeeded|date={{subst:August}} {{subst:2025}}|reason=We need updates on this situation.}}

In December 2024, Google announced to organisations that use its advertising products, that from 16 February 2025, it will no longer prohibit them from employing [[wikipedia:Fingerprint_(computing)|fingerprinting]] techniques.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Almond |first=Stephen |date=19 Dec 2024 |title=Our response to Google’s policy change on fingerprinting |url=https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2024/12/our-response-to-google-s-policy-change-on-fingerprinting/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=ico. |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128163957/https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2024/12/our-response-to-google-s-policy-change-on-fingerprinting/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref>

==Anti-consumer incidents==

===Service shutdowns===

====Google Play Music shutdown====
[[wikipedia:Google_Play_Music|Google Play Music]] was a service that allowed users to purchase music, listen via streaming, and download to the local device; alternatively users could pay for a subscription to listen to all music available through streaming. It was publicly launched on the 16th November 2011 and later shutdown in December 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Aug 2020 |title=Google Play Music, Music Play Store & Music Manager are going away – everything you need to know |url=https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/thread/62843644/google-play-music-music-play-store-music-manager-are-going-away-%E2%80%93-everything-you-need-to-know?hl=en |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223929/https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/thread/62843644/google-play-music-music-play-store-music-manager-are-going-away-%E2%80%93-everything-you-need-to-know?hl=en |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=28 Oct 2020 |title=RIP Google Play Music, 2011 – 2020 |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/10/rip-google-play-music-2011-2020/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=ArsTechnica |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251214224205/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/10/rip-google-play-music-2011-2020/ |archive-date=14 Dec 2025}}</ref> Google Play Music further allowed users to upload their own songs to listen on all their devices, with a limit of up to 50,000 files.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoffman |first=Chris |date=11 Jan 2017 |title=How to Upload Your Music Library to Google Play Music |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/288231/how-to-upload-your-music-library-to-google-play-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=How-To-Geek |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223929/https://www.howtogeek.com/288231/how-to-upload-your-music-library-to-google-play-music/ |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref> Users were able to purchase songs individually or buy whole albums that they could then download and listen to, or stream through the internet.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 Jan 2020 |title=How To Buy Music From Google Play (Now YouTube Music) |url=https://www.technobezz.com/buy-music-google-play |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Technobezz |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250805235415/https://www.technobezz.com/buy-music-google-play |archive-date=5 Aug 2025}}</ref>

In October 2020, Google announced that they would be shutting down Google Play Music, with it being fully shut down by December.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Abner |date=3 Dec 2020 |title=Google fully shuts down Play Music around the world |url=https://9to5google.com/2020/12/03/google-play-music-dead/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=9To5Google |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708163846/https://9to5google.com/2020/12/03/google-play-music-dead/ |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}</ref> This went ahead with a warning to their users to begin migrating to [[wikipedia:YouTube_Music|YouTube Music]], and that they would be losing access to their purchased songs. Google recommended users should download their purchased songs before the service would shut down.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Aug 2020 |title=YouTube Music will replace Google Play Music by end of 2020 |url=https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-music-will-replace-google-play-music-end-2020/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=YouTube Official Blog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260201140126/https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-music-will-replace-google-play-music-end-2020/ |archive-date=1 Feb 2026}}</ref>

After the shut down, users lost access to the music they paid for, with no way to download them. Google justified this by transferring all playlists and purchase history to YouTube Music, and only refunding songs that were not directly available,<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Oct 2023 |title=What happened to my songs on Google Music? |url=https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Darwin's Data |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223930/https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/ |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaney |first=Sarah |date=5 Feb 2022 |title=What Happened to Google Play Music? |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=MUO |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205111318/https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/ |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref> with no guarantee that the songs will remain available through the new service. Users found that their purchased songs were no longer able to stream at 320kbps on YouTube Music compared to Google Play Music unless they paid for the monthly subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cutlack |first=Gary |date=23 Dec 2012 |title=Google Music UK: everything you need to know |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=TechRadar |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251221115733/https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176 |archive-date=21 Dec 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=L. Hald |first=Nicole |date=24 Mar 2025 |title=How Is YouTube Music Sound Quality in 2025? Is It Any Good? |url=https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=NoteBurner |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260217143252/https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html |archive-date=17 Feb 2026}}</ref> If a user failed to initiate the transfer of their music library or locally download their songs by 24th February 2021, then they lost all access and all data associated with Google Play Music.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sodhi |first=Tanishka |date=8 Feb 2021 |title=Google Play Music Data Will Be Deleted on February 24: Here’s How to Transfer to YouTube Music |url=https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Gadgets 360 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205112610/https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609 |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref> YouTube Music does not provide the option to download songs as MP3s, with local downloads requiring an internet connection every 30 days to continue working offline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download music and podcasts to listen to offline |url=https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223930/https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref>

====Google Stadia shutdown====
In January 2023, Google announced the shutdown of its cloud gaming service, Stadia, which was launched in November 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=RIP Google Stadia: the latest news on the discontinued cloud gaming service |url=https://www.theverge.com/23380140/google-stadia-ending-shutdown-latest-news-gaming-tech |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=The Verge |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260101185119/https://www.theverge.com/23380140/google-stadia-ending-shutdown-latest-news-gaming-tech |archive-date=1 Jan 2026}}</ref> Stadia required users to purchase games individually, unlike other gaming platforms that offer subscription-based access. Upon the service's closure, Google promised to refund consumers for their purchases, including both games and hardware. The refunds for games and software were issued automatically.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravenscraft |first=Erin |date=10 Nov 2022 |title=Stadia Is Dying. Here’s What’s in Your Refund and How to Get It |url=https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-get-your-google-stadia-refund/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Wired |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205115111/https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-get-your-google-stadia-refund/ |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref>

Stadia users were effectively renting access to games, as the platform did not allow for traditional ownership or offline play. With the service discontinued, consumers were left without access to the content they had purchased. Stadia users who had bought controllers and other peripherals for the service were also impacted by the shutdown. While Google offered refunds to customers, many Stadia consumers were left with equipment that no longer performs the advertised functions and limited recourse for repurposing or reselling their devices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ashworth |first=Mack |date=5 Oct 2022 |title=Stadia Shut Down: How To Use Your Hardware Now Google’s Shutting It Down |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/852697-stadia-shut-down-how-to-use-controller-chromecast-without-app |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Game Revolution |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004224131/https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/852697-stadia-shut-down-how-to-use-controller-chromecast-without-app |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref>

Google Stadia controllers were limited to Wi-Fi connectivity, however upon shut down they started offering an update to allow them to connect through Bluetooth, the update service website was scheduled to shut down on the 31st December 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Devine |first=Richard |date=17 Jan 2023 |title=Bluetooth support for Google Stadia Controller arrives — Here's how to enable it and play PC games |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/bluetooth-support-for-google-stadia-controller-arrives-heres-how-to-enable-it-and-play-pc-games |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Windows Central |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251109164004/https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/bluetooth-support-for-google-stadia-controller-arrives-heres-how-to-enable-it-and-play-pc-games |archive-date=9 Nov 2025}}</ref>

====Manifest V2 shutdown====
On July 24, 2025, Google permanently disabled all Manifest V2 extensions for Chrome 138 users as well as making Chromium (a browser that many other browsers use as their base) switch to Manifest V3, and disabled the ability to turn them back on.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-23 |title=Manifest V2 support timeline |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250808191702/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline |archive-date=2025-08-08 |access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref>

Manifest V3 disabled the <code>webRequestBlocking</code> permission in the <code>webRequest</code> API<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Replace blocking web request listeners {{!}} Chrome Extensions {{!}} Chrome for Developers |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614074559/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Chrome for Developers}}</ref>, preventing many ad content blockers (such as uBlock Origin) from working.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-26 |title=Understanding Manifest V3 and the Future of uBlock Origin |url=https://ublockorigin.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812114916/https://ublockorigin.com/ |archive-date=2025-08-12 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=uBlock Origin - Free, open-source ad content blocker}}</ref> Google cites performance reasons <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Replace blocking web request listeners {{!}} Chrome Extensions {{!}} Chrome for Developers |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614074559/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Chrome for Developers |quote="In Manifest V2, blocking web requests could significantly degrade both the performance of extensions and the performance of pages they work with."}}</ref>, but this is dubious; restricting content blockers prevents users from impeding their tracking and surveillance, meaning they can create a larger profit from the data gained. This is likely the ulterior motive, although unproven.

====Google Jamboard shutdown====
{{Main|Google Jamboard}}
In September 2023, Google revealed plans to retire its Jamboard service, as the product would be transitioned to a view-only format by October 1, 2024, and completely shut down by December 31, 2024. As a result, users had little time to transfer their data before the final transition and no refunds were ever issued to hardware buyers.

The Jamboard product was a $5,000 device that Google pitched as a collaborative tool through its Google Workspace service. After the service no longer existed, however, the device became a brick and the users as well as the buyers were left unsupported and uncompensated.

Situations like this highlight the vulnerability of the consumer market since proprietary products are completely at the hands of developers who can cut services on a whim. Thus, consumer protection must be taken to another level to ensure that no matter what companies get rid of, support and compensatory avenues exist.

===Google Assistant 3rd Party List Support===
On June 20th, 2023, Google disabled 3rd party list support for Google Assistant<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=2025-09-16 |title=Where are my old lists? |url=https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/9415862#zippy=%2Cwhere-are-my-old-lists |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250427212604/https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/9415862#zippy=%2Cwhere-are-my-old-lists |archive-date=2025-04-27}}</ref>. This feature allowed lists through 3rd party services such as AnyList or Todoist to be managed via Google Assistant. The only list provider available through Google Assistant after this change was Google Keep<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mathur |first=Chandraveer |website=Android Police |date=2023-05-31 |title=Google Assistant is killing support for notes and lists integration with third-party apps |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/google-assistant-ending-support-third-party-notes-lists/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251218051543/https://www.androidpolice.com/google-assistant-ending-support-third-party-notes-lists/ |archive-date=18 Dec 2025}}</ref>.

===Pixel 4a battery reduction update===
{{Main|Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program}}
On January 6, 2025, Google issued a software update to the Pixel 4a that significantly decreased battery capacity on "Impacted Devices". Not all units were affected. It's speculated that the affected units have defective batteries and may pose a safety risk if the update is not applied, but Google never disclosed the reason(s) that the update was deemed necessary. Google removed all factory images for previous versions of the system software from their website, making it difficult to revert the update.

As compensation, Google offered a free battery replacement only in select countries. In other countries, you could choose between a $50 USD payment or $100 USD worth of Google Store credits. However, some users reported difficulty obtaining their compensation.

===Blocking sideloading of unverified Android apps===
{{Main|Google blocking sideloading of unverified Android apps}}
On 25 August 2025, '''[[Google]]''' announced that starting in 2026 it will block the installation of Android apps from outside the Play Store unless the developer has verified their identity with Google. The policy will first roll out in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand in September 2026, with global enforcement targeted for 2027.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Frey |first=Suzanne |date=25 Aug 2025 |title=A new layer of security for certified Android devices |url=https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-android-security.html |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=Android Developers Blog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128013331/https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-android-security.html |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=25 Aug 2025 |title=Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/25/google-will-require-developer-verification-for-android-apps-outside-the-play-store/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=TechCrunch |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260119211509/https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/25/google-will-require-developer-verification-for-android-apps-outside-the-play-store/ |archive-date=19 Jan 2026}}</ref> This marks a significant change to Android's long-standing support for sideloading apps.

Devices without [[Google Mobile Services]] or running [[wikipedia:List_of_custom_Android_distributions|custom ROMs]] are exempt.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=2025-08-26 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829170329/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=The Register}}</ref> Critics argue this restricts user freedom, impacts independent developers, and may enable Google to block apps it disapproves of, such as ad-blockers, raising concerns about privacy and control over personal devices.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=The Register |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260119211440/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading/ |archive-date=19 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |first= |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=BleepingComputer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250829215120/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year/ |archive-date=29 Aug 2025}}</ref>

===Banning domain-blockers from Play Store===
Since 2013, Google has taken down all apps on G-Play that can block connections to arbitrary [[wikipedia:Domain_Name_System|domain-names]] via [https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/vpn the official VPN API], most of those apps being marketed as ad-blockers.<ref>https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-kicks-ad-blocker-apps-off-play-store/</ref> This forced apps such as AdGuard and NetGuard to distribute their ad-blocking features elsewhere.<ref>https://adguard.com/en/blog/adguard-google-play-removal.html</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L6</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L106</ref>

Google cites their own Developer Distribution Agreement (terms of service for devs), claiming that those apps are "disruptive", as if to imply hacking or cracking. Many people claim that's an invalid excuse, and that the ulterior motive was to increase ad-revenue.

===Pixel devices bricked due to confusing reasons===
Numerous Google Pixel phones have gotten bricked as a result of different use cases, such as accidentally switched slots, flashing custom ROMs, or downgrading the bootloader version of the device after an [[Anti-rollback/ARB for device firmware|Anti-Rollback (ARB)]] increment (accidentally or otherwise), or installing the June 2025 update.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simons |first=Hadlee |date=2025-08-26 |title=Some Pixels are bricked and Google apparently won't help revive them |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-phones-bricked-3591218/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260108045933/https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-phones-bricked-3591218/ |archive-date=8 Jan 2026 |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Android Authority}}</ref> The device enters an emergency download state called Pixel ROM Recovery, which is a Google modification of Samsung's EUB mode on Exynos chipsets. In this mode, it refuses to enter Android recovery or [[wikipedia:Fastboot|Fastboot]], making it near impossible to restore the operating system on the device. The only way to fix it is to use Pixel ROM Recovery to boot a special, Google-signed recovery bootloader into RAM and flash a working version of Android from there.

This recovery bootloader is just a regular bootloader as it appears in Google factory images, but with a special "USB boot" bit flag set to 1. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=Pixel devices getting bricked / stuck in Pixel ROM Recovery after flashing AOSP-based builds with Android 15 QPR2 (BP1A.250305.019) |url=https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/402455330#comment19 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205112358/https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/402455330 |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref>

However, this recovery bootloader is inaccessible to the public, and is not possible to recreate it without Google's private keys. This makes it impossible to repair a device in this state, other than to do a technically challenging repair involving desoldering the UFS chip to repopulate its contents or by replacing the motherboard altogether. Google stores and service centers outside of the US do not offer support for the device if it is out of warranty, even though the issue is completely fixable by software.

Numerous developers have worked on trying to find a solution to this issue, and have succeeded to varying extents. However, devices bricked due to the ARB trigger remain impossible to fix. Google has not provided any recovery images to resolve this issue, despite there being a sizable post on their bug tracker.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-10 |title=Pixel recovery bootloaders lack security reasoning for guarding |url=https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/437705274 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Google IssueTracker |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223929/https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/437705274 |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-12 |title=Pixel devices getting bricked / stuck in Pixel ROM Recovery after flashing AOSP-based builds with Android 15 QPR2 (BP1A.250305.019) |url=https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/402455330 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Google IssueTracker |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205112358/https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/402455330 |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref> despite the fact that Google providing the recovery images for the repair will not compromise security, as explained by one of the developers in their report.<ref name=":4" />

===Phone number requirement for new accounts===
Since 2020, Google has increasingly forced users to verify phone-numbers via SMS during account registration,<ref>https://support.google.com/accounts/thread/34403939/cannot-create-a-new-google-account-it-is-requiring-a-phone-number-forced-phone-verification</ref><ref>https://reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oanh2p/does_google_now_require_a_phone_number_to_make/</ref> in an effort to "mitigate spam, bot activity, and account abuse"<ref>{{Cite web |first=CLRN |date=2025-07-25 |title=How to skip phone verification while creating Gmail account? |url=https://www.clrn.org/how-to-skip-phone-verification-while-creating-gmail-account/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=California Learning Resource Network}}</ref>. They have a system that immediately detects reuse of numbers, so no accounts can have the same associated number.{{Citation needed}} This, paired with [[YouTube#Forced sign-in|YouTube's sign-in requirement]], makes it impossible for users to share a single "guest" account, as is typically the case for families sharing a smart TV.

==Controversies==

===Account lockouts===
Google has been reported to have randomly locked people out of their accounts due to ostensible security reasons, which are not lifted even if the user had provided the correct credentials and/or even if the user have correctly followed all the verification prompts such as SMS verification. These have caused anguishes for many affected users who are unable to access their contents, emails and services as a result. Furthermore, some had reported that they are forced to undergo SMS verification even when recovery email addresses are already configured to their accounts, thereby likely constituting instances of [[Forced identification|forced verification]] in broad senses.<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/n5card/mike_rose_no_more_robots_publisher_locked_out_of/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210505101632/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/n5card/mike_rose_no_more_robots_publisher_locked_out_of/ Archived])</ref><ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oy8qb8/fyi_google_can_lock_you_out_of_your_account_for/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210805030048/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oy8qb8/fyi_google_can_lock_you_out_of_your_account_for/ Archived])</ref><ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/154yht0/dae_noticed_that_google_had_taken_security/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20230720181226/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/154yht0/dae_noticed_that_google_had_taken_security/ Archived])</ref>

===Deletion of inactive accounts===
In May 2023, Google announced that [[Inactive account deletion|deletion of inactive user accounts]] would occur starting in December 2023, citing security reasons, noting that old and unused accounts are more likely to be compromised. Google claimed that "Forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, have not had two factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user," while saying that Google "has no plans to delete [[YouTube]] videos".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lawler |first1=Richard |title=Google might delete your Gmail account if you haven't logged in for two years |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23725438/google-gmail-deleting-inactive-accounts |website=The Verge |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date=16 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205121216/https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23725438/google-gmail-deleting-inactive-accounts |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Jon |title=Reminder: Google is about to start purging inactive accounts |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/28/23979178/google-inactive-accounts-deletion-december-2023-psa-reminder |website=The Verge |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date=28 November 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212230239/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/28/23979178/google-inactive-accounts-deletion-december-2023-psa-reminder |archive-date=12 Dec 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Amadeo |first1=Ron |title=Google's new "inactive account" policy won't delete years of YouTube videos |url=https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/05/googles-new-inactive-account-policy-wont-delete-years-of-youtube-videos/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en-us |date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212092014/https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/05/googles-new-inactive-account-policy-wont-delete-years-of-youtube-videos/ |archive-date=12 Dec 2025}}</ref> The decision to delete inactive accounts has sparked some criticism and backlash. The cited security rationale behind such decision was ridiculed and was compared to a hypothetical scenario where a bank should be burned down if it is not secure against robbers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Novet |first1=Jordan |title=Google's plan to purge inactive accounts isn't sitting well with some users |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |website=CNBC |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date
=19 August 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250831223936/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |archive-date=31 Aug 2025}}</ref> Such policies could adversely affect those who had good reasons to become inactive for a long time, such as hospitalization, prison incarceration, and being in totalitarian countries which have prolonged internet shutdowns. Moreover, the Anonymous hacktivist collective has protested against the decision to delete inactive accounts multiple times, describing them as "harsh" and saying that the decision will "destroy history".<ref>{{cite web |date=18 July 2023 |title=Anonymous puts Taiwan flag, national anthem on 2 UN websites {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2023-07-18 09:56:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4946597 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20231014070719/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4946597 Archived])</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=18 October 2023 |title='Anonymous' hacks Chinese government site to protest Israel–Hamas war {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2023-10-18 19:03:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5022840 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20240221120716/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5022840 Archived])</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=8 December 2023 |title=Anonymous posts Taiwan flag on UN site {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2023-12-08 17:26:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5055454 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20240228035811/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5055454 Archived])</ref>

===Google device repair program restrictions===
{{Main|Google asserts the right to seize your phone during a repair}}
Google's Service & Repair Program terms explicitly state that any device containing non-Google-authorized parts "will not be returned" to the customer.

===Target API level requirements for Google Play apps===
Google's policy of requiring apps for Android to target recent API levels to appear in the Play Store<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 Aug 2024 |title=Policy Center |url=https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/11926878?hl=en |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Play Console Help |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260215054419/https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/11926878?hl=en |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> creates a continuous cycle of maintenance and redevelopment that can be especially burdensome for smaller developers, indie creators, and consumers.

The requirement for apps to target newer APIs each year serves some legitimate security and feature purposes. However, it also effectively functions as a form of forced obsolescence. Even perfectly functional apps that don't need technical updates must be regularly reworked just to remain visible on the Play Store.

This creates several issues:

*Development resources must be allocated to updating apps rather than creating new features
*Smaller teams and individual developers are placed at a disadvantage attempting to keep up with the constant update cycle
*Legacy apps that are no longer actively maintained disappear, even if they're still useful
*The cost of maintaining apps increases, potentially making some projects financially nonviable
*Losing access to previously purchased apps when upgrading devices
*Users being unable to reinstall older apps that worked perfectly well for their needs
*Facing unexpected costs to replace functionality they've already paid for
*Dealing with the frustration of discovering favorite apps have disappeared

While Google argues this approach improves the Android ecosystem's security and functionality, it does place a significant burden on developers and can lead to the premature "death" of otherwise functional applications.

This creates a troubling disconnect in digital ownership. Consumers reasonably expect that when they purchase an app, they should maintain access to it across their devices over time. Instead, they discover their digital purchases can effectively vanish due to policy decisions beyond their control.

===Ban on third-party tech support ads===
Google prohibits tech support ads on their platform if they are not authorised by the manufacturer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Graff |first=David |date=31 Aug 2018 |title=Restricting ads in third-party tech support services |url=https://blog.google/products/ads/restricting-ads-third-party-tech-support-services/ |website=Google |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251112170608/https://blog.google/products/ads/restricting-ads-third-party-tech-support-services/ |archive-date=12 Nov 2025}}</ref>

===The chargeback incident===
In November 2022, a Google customer accidentally purchased two Google Pixel smartphones instead of one, directly from Google (no third-party reseller), and tried to return one package to Google for a refund, but the shipping was unsuccessful.

A Google customer support person suggested the customer to perform a chargeback. The customer acted accordingly without understanding the implications, resulting in the termination of their Google account shortly after. The account was 15 years old at that time.<ref>[https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3393/danger-chargeback-equals-account-permanently-banned DANGER!!!: Chargeback = ACCOUNT PERMANENTLY BANNED. - Virtual curiosities] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260205120523/https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3393/danger-chargeback-equals-account-permanently-banned Archived])</ref><ref>[https://old.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/zndbku/tifu_by_accidentally_buying_two_google_pixels_and/ TIFU by accidentally buying two Google Pixels and ended up getting my 15 year old Google Account permanently banned. - Reddit] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260113140546/https://old.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/zndbku/tifu_by_accidentally_buying_two_google_pixels_and/ Archived])</ref>

==Anti-consumer legal cases==

===Privacy Violations===

====Rodriguez v. Google LLC (21 May 2021 - 3 Sep 2025)====
Google's "Web & App Activity" (WAA) setting had the ability to be paused. Reportedly, despite this setting being paused by consumers, Google would continue to collect consumer data regardless of consent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rodriguez v. Google LLC |url=https://www.googlewebappactivitylawsuit.com/Home/FAQ#faq1 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251011171640/https://googlewebappactivitylawsuit.com/Home/FAQ |archive-date=11 Oct 2025}}</ref> Google collected mobile device data for eight years from users who opted out of tracking under the WAA.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Staab |first=Theresa |date=18 Sep 2025 |title=Someone is Always Watching: Implications of Google's WAA Privacy Case |url=https://lawreview.syr.edu/someone-is-always-watching-implications-of-googles-waa-privacy-case/ |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=Syracuse Law Review}}</ref> The dates of use/activity in question were between July 1, 2016 and September 23, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 Oct 2024 |title=FAQs: Google Web App Activity lawsuit |url=https://help.wfu.edu/support/solutions/articles/13000825158-faqs-google-web-app-activity-lawsuit |url-status=live |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=Wake Forest University}}</ref> On September 3, 2025, the San Francisco Federal Court jury held Google liable two of three claims of privacy invasion. The plaintiffs were awarded $425.7 million in compensatory damages for invasion of privacy, totaling around $4 per person for the approximate 98 million affected users, but since the jury found that Google did not act with malicious intent, no punitive damages were awarded.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Mollman |first=Brittney |last2=Sosnicki |first2=Luke |date=2025-09-05 |title=Federal Jury Awards $425.7 Million in Google Privacy Case: Key Takeaways on Consent Design and Litigation Risk |url=https://www.thompsoncoburn.com/insights/federal-jury-awards-425-7-million-in-google-privacy-case-key-takeaways-on-consent-design-and-litigation-risk/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |work=Thompson Coburn LLP}}</ref> Google filed an appeal to this verdict "on the basis that the jury misunderstood the functionality of its privacy tools and that users were adequately informed through layered disclosures and consent flows"<ref name=":6" />. Claim submission may begin once the appeals process finishes<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-05 |title=$425M Verdict in Google Web & App Activity Privacy Class Action Lawsuit — Do You Qualify? |url=https://openclassactions.com/settlements/google-web-and-app-activity-privacy-class-action-lawsuit.php |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=OpenClassActions}}</ref>.

==== '''Thele v. Google LLC (11 November 2025 - Present)''' ====
On the 11th of November, 2025, Thomas Thele filed a demand for jury trial in a class action complaint against Google LLC. In the filing it states that "on or about October 10, 2025, Google secretly turned on Gemini for all its users’ Gmail, Chat, and Meet accounts, enabling AI to track its users’ private communications contained in those platforms without the users’ knowledge or consent" <ref>{{Cite web |last=Wolfson |first=Tina |last2=Ahdoot |first2=Robert |last3=Maya |first3=Theodore |last4=Brown |first4=Alyssa |date=2025-11-11 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA - CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL |url=https://www.classaction.org/media/thele-v-google-complaint_2.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=ClassAction}}</ref>. The suit "alleges that Google is violating the California Invasion of Privacy Act"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burnson |first=Robert |date=2025-11-12 |title=Google sued for allegedly using Gemini AI to secretly track user data |url=https://www.business-standard.com/technology/tech-news/google-sued-for-allegedly-using-gemini-ai-to-secretly-track-user-data-125111200603_1.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=Business Standard}}</ref>, a law enacted in 1967 which dictates the terms by which advances in technology can be used for the purpose of invading the privacy of citizens<ref>{{Cite web |date=1967 |title=CHAPTER 1.5. Invasion of Privacy |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=PEN&part=1.&title=15.&chapter=1.5 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=California Legislative Information}}</ref>. The defendant, Google LLC, filed a Motion to Dismiss which is scheduled to be heard on May 1, 2026<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-04-27 |title=Thele v. Google LLC |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/61129560/Thele_v_Google_LLC |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=PacerMonitor}}</ref>.

===Anti-competitive Behavior===

====Epic Games, Inc. v. Google Inc. (13 Aug 2020 - 31 May 2025)====
Google takes a 30% share of all revenue made through all sales made on the Play Store, which is a comparable figure to other digital storefronts such as the [[Apple App Store]] and [[Steam]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marks |first=Tom |date=7 Oct 2019 |title=Report: Steam's 30% Cut Is Actually the Industry Standard |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/10/07/report-steams-30-cut-is-actually-the-industry-standard |url-status=live |website=ign.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251211034837/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/10/07/report-steams-30-cut-is-actually-the-industry-standard |archive-date=11 Dec 2025}}</ref> On 13th August 2020, [[Epic Games]] CEO Tim Sweeney updated both iOS and Android versions of ''Fortnite'' to redirect users to Epic Games' storefront to purchase in-game currency ("V-Bucks") alongside the respective first-party storefront, with incentives including cheaper prices if buying from Epic Games directly. This violated the Terms of Service of both Apple and Google's storefronts, and ''Fortnite'' was removed from both app stores the same day.

Epic Games would use this motion to file federal lawsuits against both Google and Apple, citing that these practices meant that the companies were engaging in anti-competitive behavior. Google lost in the lawsuit, but attempted to appeal the decision, in which they lost again.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=31 July 2025 |title=Epic just won its Google lawsuit again, and Android may never be the same |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/716856/epic-v-google-win-in-appeals-court |access-date=21 August 2025 |work=The Verge |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260111151936/https://www.theverge.com/news/716856/epic-v-google-win-in-appeals-court |archive-date=11 Jan 2026}}</ref>

===Social Media Addiction Bellwether Trials===

====Los Angeles Superior Court, JCCP 5255 (2026)====
Starting in January of 2026, [[Meta]] (Facebook and [[Instagram]]) and [[Google]] ([[YouTube]]) faced legal claims of their platforms being intentionally addictive and harmful to children. [[ByteDance]] ([[TikTok]]) and Snap ([[Snapchat]]) were named initially, but settled for undisclosed terms before the trial began. A 19-year-old girl, referred to by the initials "KGM" or Kaley, and two other plaintiffs were selected for bellwether trials—test cases tried as part of an MDL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huamani |first=Kaitlyn |last2=Ortutay |first2=Barbara |date=9 Feb 2026 |title=Landmark trial accusing tech giants of harming children with addictive social media begins |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/landmark-trial-accusing-tech-giants-of-harming-children-with-addictive-social-media-begins |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2026 |website=PBS News}}</ref> On March 25, 2026, the California jury concluded in KGM's case that [[Meta]] and Google were guilty of negligent for their apps—[[Instagram]], Facebook, and [[YouTube]]—being deliberately built to be addictive, which the companies' executives knew this and failed to protect their youngest users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allyn |first=Bobby |date=25 Mar 2026 |title=Jury finds Meta and Google negligent in social media harms trial |url=https://www.npr.org/2026/03/25/nx-s1-5746125/meta-youtube-social-media-trial-verdict |url-status=live |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=npr}}</ref> [[Meta]] was charged to pay $4.2 million for compensatory and punitive damages, and charged Google $1.8 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kang |first=Cecilia |last2=Mac |first2=Ryan |last3=Tan |first3=Eli |date=25 Mar 2026 |title=Meta and YouTube Found Negligent in Landmark Social Media Addiction Case |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/technology/social-media-trial-verdict.html |url-status=live |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

==See also==

===Products and Services===

[[List of Google products]]
===Controversies===

*[[Advertising overload]]
*[[Google asserts the right to seize phones during repairs]]
*[[Google Nest Protect forced to use Google app]]
*[[Google Nest thermostat smart features disabled]]
*[[Google Pixel Watches do not come with repair options]]

==External links==

*"[https://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/google.html XScreenSaver: Google Store Privacy Policy]". Google pretending to care about privacy by forcing a fully-local (no internet) minimal-permission screen-saver app to specify a privacy-policy. That blog-post contains many sources on Google's anti-consumer practices

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Google]]

Google

2026-05-05T15:02:36Z

1jeremy: /* Phone number requirement for new accounts */ Added source to the reasoning why google introduced forced phone number verification

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=1998
|Industry=Technology
|Logo=Google.webp
|ParentCompany=Alphabet Inc.
|Type=Subsidiary
|Description=Google is one of the most influential technology companies in the world originally known for developing the most widely used search engine.
|Website=https://www.google.com/
}}

'''[[wikipedia:Google|Google LLC]]''', founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, is one of the most influential technology companies in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Largest tech companies by market cap |url=https://companiesmarketcap.com/tech/largest-tech-companies-by-market-cap/ |url-status=live |website=companiesmarketcap.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222070659/https://companiesmarketcap.com/tech/largest-tech-companies-by-market-cap/ |archive-date=22 Feb 2026}}</ref> Originally developed as a search engine to organize and index the growing amount of information on the internet, Google has since expanded into a wide range of services and products, becoming a central player in digital advertising, software, hardware, and cloud computing.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=Google Products |url=https://about.google/products/ |access-date=10 Mar 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128182647/https://about.google/products/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref>

Google's search engine remains its most well-known service, but the company has significantly diversified its offerings. Key products include the [[Android]] operating system, the [[Google Chrome]] web browser, [https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Drive Google Drive] for cloud storage, [https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps Google Maps], [[YouTube]], and [[wikipedia:Google_Play|Google Play]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Helpful products, built with you in mind |url=https://about.google/intl/ALL_us/products/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205114442/https://about.google/intl/ALL_us/products/ |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref>{{Citation needed}} Additionally, the company provides digital advertising services through Google Ads, generating the majority of its revenue.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Feb 2025 |title=Alphabet Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Results |url=https://abc.xyz/assets/a3/91/6d1950c148fa84c7d699abe05284/2024q4-alphabet-earnings-release.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251002181452/https://abc.xyz/assets/a3/91/6d1950c148fa84c7d699abe05284/2024q4-alphabet-earnings-release.pdf |archive-date=2 Oct 2025}}</ref> In recent years, Google has also developed hardware products such as the Pixel smartphone and Nest smart home devices.

Google has faced ongoing scrutiny related to data privacy, competition, and its dominant position in the market, such concerns have stretched as far back as 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Adam |date=5 Mar 2012 |title=Will We Ever Get Strong Internet Privacy Rules? |url=https://ideas.time.com/2012/03/05/will-we-ever-get-strong-internet-privacy-rules/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Time |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205121437/https://ideas.time.com/2012/03/05/will-we-ever-get-strong-internet-privacy-rules/ |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=6 Sep 2023 |title=REPORT: Google at 25: From “Don’t Be Evil” To ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ |url=https://techoversight.org/2023/09/06/google-at-25/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=The Tech Oversight Project |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223929/https://techoversight.org/2023/09/06/google-at-25/ |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref> The company has been the subject of various legal and regulatory challenges, particularly concerning antitrust issues, the use of personal data, and its impact on consumer choice.{{Citation needed}} The US government is currently engaged in an antitrust lawsuit against Google, with a decision expected early 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 Nov 2024 |title=Closing Arguments, November 25: Once, Twice, Three Times a Monopolist |url=https://www.usvgoogleads.com/trial-updates/closing-arguments-november-25-once-twice-three-times-a-monopolist |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=US v Google |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250906103632/https://www.usvgoogleads.com/trial-updates/closing-arguments-november-25-once-twice-three-times-a-monopolist |archive-date=6 Sep 2025}}</ref> {{UpdateNeeded|date={{subst:August}} {{subst:2025}}|reason=We need updates on this situation.}}

In December 2024, Google announced to organisations that use its advertising products, that from 16 February 2025, it will no longer prohibit them from employing [[wikipedia:Fingerprint_(computing)|fingerprinting]] techniques.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Almond |first=Stephen |date=19 Dec 2024 |title=Our response to Google’s policy change on fingerprinting |url=https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2024/12/our-response-to-google-s-policy-change-on-fingerprinting/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=ico. |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128163957/https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2024/12/our-response-to-google-s-policy-change-on-fingerprinting/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref>

==Anti-consumer incidents==

===Service shutdowns===

====Google Play Music shutdown====
[[wikipedia:Google_Play_Music|Google Play Music]] was a service that allowed users to purchase music, listen via streaming, and download to the local device; alternatively users could pay for a subscription to listen to all music available through streaming. It was publicly launched on the 16th November 2011 and later shutdown in December 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Aug 2020 |title=Google Play Music, Music Play Store & Music Manager are going away – everything you need to know |url=https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/thread/62843644/google-play-music-music-play-store-music-manager-are-going-away-%E2%80%93-everything-you-need-to-know?hl=en |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223929/https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/thread/62843644/google-play-music-music-play-store-music-manager-are-going-away-%E2%80%93-everything-you-need-to-know?hl=en |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Amadeo |first=Ron |date=28 Oct 2020 |title=RIP Google Play Music, 2011 – 2020 |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/10/rip-google-play-music-2011-2020/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=ArsTechnica |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251214224205/https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/10/rip-google-play-music-2011-2020/ |archive-date=14 Dec 2025}}</ref> Google Play Music further allowed users to upload their own songs to listen on all their devices, with a limit of up to 50,000 files.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoffman |first=Chris |date=11 Jan 2017 |title=How to Upload Your Music Library to Google Play Music |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/288231/how-to-upload-your-music-library-to-google-play-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=How-To-Geek |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223929/https://www.howtogeek.com/288231/how-to-upload-your-music-library-to-google-play-music/ |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref> Users were able to purchase songs individually or buy whole albums that they could then download and listen to, or stream through the internet.<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 Jan 2020 |title=How To Buy Music From Google Play (Now YouTube Music) |url=https://www.technobezz.com/buy-music-google-play |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Technobezz |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250805235415/https://www.technobezz.com/buy-music-google-play |archive-date=5 Aug 2025}}</ref>

In October 2020, Google announced that they would be shutting down Google Play Music, with it being fully shut down by December.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Abner |date=3 Dec 2020 |title=Google fully shuts down Play Music around the world |url=https://9to5google.com/2020/12/03/google-play-music-dead/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=9To5Google |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708163846/https://9to5google.com/2020/12/03/google-play-music-dead/ |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}</ref> This went ahead with a warning to their users to begin migrating to [[wikipedia:YouTube_Music|YouTube Music]], and that they would be losing access to their purchased songs. Google recommended users should download their purchased songs before the service would shut down.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 Aug 2020 |title=YouTube Music will replace Google Play Music by end of 2020 |url=https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-music-will-replace-google-play-music-end-2020/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=YouTube Official Blog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260201140126/https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-music-will-replace-google-play-music-end-2020/ |archive-date=1 Feb 2026}}</ref>

After the shut down, users lost access to the music they paid for, with no way to download them. Google justified this by transferring all playlists and purchase history to YouTube Music, and only refunding songs that were not directly available,<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 Oct 2023 |title=What happened to my songs on Google Music? |url=https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Darwin's Data |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223930/https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/ |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chaney |first=Sarah |date=5 Feb 2022 |title=What Happened to Google Play Music? |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=MUO |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205111318/https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/ |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref> with no guarantee that the songs will remain available through the new service. Users found that their purchased songs were no longer able to stream at 320kbps on YouTube Music compared to Google Play Music unless they paid for the monthly subscription.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cutlack |first=Gary |date=23 Dec 2012 |title=Google Music UK: everything you need to know |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=TechRadar |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251221115733/https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176 |archive-date=21 Dec 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=L. Hald |first=Nicole |date=24 Mar 2025 |title=How Is YouTube Music Sound Quality in 2025? Is It Any Good? |url=https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=NoteBurner |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260217143252/https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html |archive-date=17 Feb 2026}}</ref> If a user failed to initiate the transfer of their music library or locally download their songs by 24th February 2021, then they lost all access and all data associated with Google Play Music.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sodhi |first=Tanishka |date=8 Feb 2021 |title=Google Play Music Data Will Be Deleted on February 24: Here’s How to Transfer to YouTube Music |url=https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Gadgets 360 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205112610/https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609 |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref> YouTube Music does not provide the option to download songs as MP3s, with local downloads requiring an internet connection every 30 days to continue working offline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download music and podcasts to listen to offline |url=https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=[[Google]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223930/https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref>

====Google Stadia shutdown====
In January 2023, Google announced the shutdown of its cloud gaming service, Stadia, which was launched in November 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=RIP Google Stadia: the latest news on the discontinued cloud gaming service |url=https://www.theverge.com/23380140/google-stadia-ending-shutdown-latest-news-gaming-tech |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=The Verge |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260101185119/https://www.theverge.com/23380140/google-stadia-ending-shutdown-latest-news-gaming-tech |archive-date=1 Jan 2026}}</ref> Stadia required users to purchase games individually, unlike other gaming platforms that offer subscription-based access. Upon the service's closure, Google promised to refund consumers for their purchases, including both games and hardware. The refunds for games and software were issued automatically.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ravenscraft |first=Erin |date=10 Nov 2022 |title=Stadia Is Dying. Here’s What’s in Your Refund and How to Get It |url=https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-get-your-google-stadia-refund/ |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Wired |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205115111/https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-get-your-google-stadia-refund/ |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref>

Stadia users were effectively renting access to games, as the platform did not allow for traditional ownership or offline play. With the service discontinued, consumers were left without access to the content they had purchased. Stadia users who had bought controllers and other peripherals for the service were also impacted by the shutdown. While Google offered refunds to customers, many Stadia consumers were left with equipment that no longer performs the advertised functions and limited recourse for repurposing or reselling their devices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ashworth |first=Mack |date=5 Oct 2022 |title=Stadia Shut Down: How To Use Your Hardware Now Google’s Shutting It Down |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/852697-stadia-shut-down-how-to-use-controller-chromecast-without-app |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Game Revolution |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004224131/https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/852697-stadia-shut-down-how-to-use-controller-chromecast-without-app |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref>

Google Stadia controllers were limited to Wi-Fi connectivity, however upon shut down they started offering an update to allow them to connect through Bluetooth, the update service website was scheduled to shut down on the 31st December 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Devine |first=Richard |date=17 Jan 2023 |title=Bluetooth support for Google Stadia Controller arrives — Here's how to enable it and play PC games |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/bluetooth-support-for-google-stadia-controller-arrives-heres-how-to-enable-it-and-play-pc-games |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |website=Windows Central |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251109164004/https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/bluetooth-support-for-google-stadia-controller-arrives-heres-how-to-enable-it-and-play-pc-games |archive-date=9 Nov 2025}}</ref>

====Manifest V2 shutdown====
On July 24, 2025, Google permanently disabled all Manifest V2 extensions for Chrome 138 users as well as making Chromium (a browser that many other browsers use as their base) switch to Manifest V3, and disabled the ability to turn them back on.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-23 |title=Manifest V2 support timeline |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250808191702/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/mv2-deprecation-timeline |archive-date=2025-08-08 |access-date=2025-08-12}}</ref>

Manifest V3 disabled the <code>webRequestBlocking</code> permission in the <code>webRequest</code> API<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Replace blocking web request listeners {{!}} Chrome Extensions {{!}} Chrome for Developers |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614074559/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Chrome for Developers}}</ref>, preventing many ad content blockers (such as uBlock Origin) from working.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-26 |title=Understanding Manifest V3 and the Future of uBlock Origin |url=https://ublockorigin.com/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812114916/https://ublockorigin.com/ |archive-date=2025-08-12 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=uBlock Origin - Free, open-source ad content blocker}}</ref> Google cites performance reasons <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Replace blocking web request listeners {{!}} Chrome Extensions {{!}} Chrome for Developers |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614074559/https://developer.chrome.com/docs/extensions/develop/migrate/blocking-web-requests |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Chrome for Developers |quote="In Manifest V2, blocking web requests could significantly degrade both the performance of extensions and the performance of pages they work with."}}</ref>, but this is dubious; restricting content blockers prevents users from impeding their tracking and surveillance, meaning they can create a larger profit from the data gained. This is likely the ulterior motive, although unproven.

====Google Jamboard shutdown====
{{Main|Google Jamboard}}
In September 2023, Google revealed plans to retire its Jamboard service, as the product would be transitioned to a view-only format by October 1, 2024, and completely shut down by December 31, 2024. As a result, users had little time to transfer their data before the final transition and no refunds were ever issued to hardware buyers.

The Jamboard product was a $5,000 device that Google pitched as a collaborative tool through its Google Workspace service. After the service no longer existed, however, the device became a brick and the users as well as the buyers were left unsupported and uncompensated.

Situations like this highlight the vulnerability of the consumer market since proprietary products are completely at the hands of developers who can cut services on a whim. Thus, consumer protection must be taken to another level to ensure that no matter what companies get rid of, support and compensatory avenues exist.

===Google Assistant 3rd Party List Support===
On June 20th, 2023, Google disabled 3rd party list support for Google Assistant<ref>{{Cite web |access-date=2025-09-16 |title=Where are my old lists? |url=https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/9415862#zippy=%2Cwhere-are-my-old-lists |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250427212604/https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/9415862#zippy=%2Cwhere-are-my-old-lists |archive-date=2025-04-27}}</ref>. This feature allowed lists through 3rd party services such as AnyList or Todoist to be managed via Google Assistant. The only list provider available through Google Assistant after this change was Google Keep<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mathur |first=Chandraveer |website=Android Police |date=2023-05-31 |title=Google Assistant is killing support for notes and lists integration with third-party apps |url=https://www.androidpolice.com/google-assistant-ending-support-third-party-notes-lists/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251218051543/https://www.androidpolice.com/google-assistant-ending-support-third-party-notes-lists/ |archive-date=18 Dec 2025}}</ref>.

===Pixel 4a battery reduction update===
{{Main|Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program}}
On January 6, 2025, Google issued a software update to the Pixel 4a that significantly decreased battery capacity on "Impacted Devices". Not all units were affected. It's speculated that the affected units have defective batteries and may pose a safety risk if the update is not applied, but Google never disclosed the reason(s) that the update was deemed necessary. Google removed all factory images for previous versions of the system software from their website, making it difficult to revert the update.

As compensation, Google offered a free battery replacement only in select countries. In other countries, you could choose between a $50 USD payment or $100 USD worth of Google Store credits. However, some users reported difficulty obtaining their compensation.

===Blocking sideloading of unverified Android apps===
{{Main|Google blocking sideloading of unverified Android apps}}
On 25 August 2025, '''[[Google]]''' announced that starting in 2026 it will block the installation of Android apps from outside the Play Store unless the developer has verified their identity with Google. The policy will first roll out in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand in September 2026, with global enforcement targeted for 2027.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Frey |first=Suzanne |date=25 Aug 2025 |title=A new layer of security for certified Android devices |url=https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-android-security.html |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=Android Developers Blog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128013331/https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/elevating-android-security.html |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Perez |first=Sarah |date=25 Aug 2025 |title=Google will require developer verification for Android apps outside the Play Store |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/25/google-will-require-developer-verification-for-android-apps-outside-the-play-store/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Aug 2025 |website=TechCrunch |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260119211509/https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/25/google-will-require-developer-verification-for-android-apps-outside-the-play-store/ |archive-date=19 Jan 2026}}</ref> This marks a significant change to Android's long-standing support for sideloading apps.

Devices without [[Google Mobile Services]] or running [[wikipedia:List_of_custom_Android_distributions|custom ROMs]] are exempt.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=2025-08-26 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829170329/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |archive-date=2025-08-29 |access-date=2025-08-26 |website=The Register}}</ref> Critics argue this restricts user freedom, impacts independent developers, and may enable Google to block apps it disapproves of, such as ad-blockers, raising concerns about privacy and control over personal devices.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Tim |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google kneecaps indie Android devs, forces them to register |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=The Register |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260119211440/https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/26/android_developer_verification_sideloading/ |archive-date=19 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |first= |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Google will block sideloading of unverified Android apps starting next year |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year |url-status=live |access-date=26 Aug 2025 |website=BleepingComputer |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250829215120/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/810335/google-will-block-sideloading-of-unverified-android-apps-starting-next-year/ |archive-date=29 Aug 2025}}</ref>

===Banning domain-blockers from Play Store===
Since 2013, Google has taken down all apps on G-Play that can block connections to arbitrary [[wikipedia:Domain_Name_System|domain-names]] via [https://developer.android.com/develop/connectivity/vpn the official VPN API], most of those apps being marketed as ad-blockers.<ref>https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-kicks-ad-blocker-apps-off-play-store/</ref> This forced apps such as AdGuard and NetGuard to distribute their ad-blocking features elsewhere.<ref>https://adguard.com/en/blog/adguard-google-play-removal.html</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L6</ref><ref>https://github.com/M66B/NetGuard/blob/7308869411ff87649bf3a46a9c7c08f1e5353801/ADBLOCKING.md?plain=1#L106</ref>

Google cites their own Developer Distribution Agreement (terms of service for devs), claiming that those apps are "disruptive", as if to imply hacking or cracking. Many people claim that's an invalid excuse, and that the ulterior motive was to increase ad-revenue.

===Pixel devices bricked due to confusing reasons===
Numerous Google Pixel phones have gotten bricked as a result of different use cases, such as accidentally switched slots, flashing custom ROMs, or downgrading the bootloader version of the device after an [[Anti-rollback/ARB for device firmware|Anti-Rollback (ARB)]] increment (accidentally or otherwise), or installing the June 2025 update.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Simons |first=Hadlee |date=2025-08-26 |title=Some Pixels are bricked and Google apparently won't help revive them |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-phones-bricked-3591218/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260108045933/https://www.androidauthority.com/google-pixel-phones-bricked-3591218/ |archive-date=8 Jan 2026 |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Android Authority}}</ref> The device enters an emergency download state called Pixel ROM Recovery, which is a Google modification of Samsung's EUB mode on Exynos chipsets. In this mode, it refuses to enter Android recovery or [[wikipedia:Fastboot|Fastboot]], making it near impossible to restore the operating system on the device. The only way to fix it is to use Pixel ROM Recovery to boot a special, Google-signed recovery bootloader into RAM and flash a working version of Android from there.

This recovery bootloader is just a regular bootloader as it appears in Google factory images, but with a special "USB boot" bit flag set to 1. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=Pixel devices getting bricked / stuck in Pixel ROM Recovery after flashing AOSP-based builds with Android 15 QPR2 (BP1A.250305.019) |url=https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/402455330#comment19 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205112358/https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/402455330 |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref>

However, this recovery bootloader is inaccessible to the public, and is not possible to recreate it without Google's private keys. This makes it impossible to repair a device in this state, other than to do a technically challenging repair involving desoldering the UFS chip to repopulate its contents or by replacing the motherboard altogether. Google stores and service centers outside of the US do not offer support for the device if it is out of warranty, even though the issue is completely fixable by software.

Numerous developers have worked on trying to find a solution to this issue, and have succeeded to varying extents. However, devices bricked due to the ARB trigger remain impossible to fix. Google has not provided any recovery images to resolve this issue, despite there being a sizable post on their bug tracker.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-10 |title=Pixel recovery bootloaders lack security reasoning for guarding |url=https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/437705274 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Google IssueTracker |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251004223929/https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/437705274 |archive-date=4 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-12 |title=Pixel devices getting bricked / stuck in Pixel ROM Recovery after flashing AOSP-based builds with Android 15 QPR2 (BP1A.250305.019) |url=https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/402455330 |url-status=live |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=Google IssueTracker |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205112358/https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/402455330 |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref> despite the fact that Google providing the recovery images for the repair will not compromise security, as explained by one of the developers in their report.<ref name=":4" />

===Phone number requirement for new accounts===
Since 2020, Google has increasingly forced users to verify phone-numbers via SMS during account registration,<ref>https://support.google.com/accounts/thread/34403939/cannot-create-a-new-google-account-it-is-requiring-a-phone-number-forced-phone-verification</ref><ref>https://reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oanh2p/does_google_now_require_a_phone_number_to_make/</ref> in an effort to "mitigate spam, bot activity, and account abuse"<ref>{{Cite web |first=CLRN |date=2025-07-25 |title=How to skip phone verification while creating Gmail account? |url=https://www.clrn.org/how-to-skip-phone-verification-while-creating-gmail-account/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-05 |website=California Learning Resource Network}}</ref>. They have a system that immediately detects reuse of numbers, so no accounts can have the same associated number.{{Citation needed}} This, paired with [[YouTube#Forced sign-in|YouTube's sign-in requirement]], makes it impossible for users to share a single "guest" account, as is typically the case for families sharing a smart TV.

==Controversies==

===Account lockouts===
Google has been reported to have randomly locked people out of their accounts due to ostensible security reasons, which are not lifted even if the user had provided the correct credentials and/or even if the user have correctly followed all the verification prompts such as SMS verification. These have caused anguishes for many affected users who are unable to access their contents, emails and services as a result. Furthermore, some had reported that they are forced to undergo SMS verification even when recovery email addresses are already configured to their accounts, thereby likely constituting instances of [[Forced identification|forced verification]] in broad senses.<ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/n5card/mike_rose_no_more_robots_publisher_locked_out_of/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210505101632/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/n5card/mike_rose_no_more_robots_publisher_locked_out_of/ Archived])</ref><ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oy8qb8/fyi_google_can_lock_you_out_of_your_account_for/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20210805030048/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/oy8qb8/fyi_google_can_lock_you_out_of_your_account_for/ Archived])</ref><ref>https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/154yht0/dae_noticed_that_google_had_taken_security/ ([http://web.archive.org/web/20230720181226/https://old.reddit.com/r/degoogle/comments/154yht0/dae_noticed_that_google_had_taken_security/ Archived])</ref>

===Deletion of inactive accounts===
In May 2023, Google announced that [[Inactive account deletion|deletion of inactive user accounts]] would occur starting in December 2023, citing security reasons, noting that old and unused accounts are more likely to be compromised. Google claimed that "Forgotten or unattended accounts often rely on old or re-used passwords that may have been compromised, have not had two factor authentication set up, and receive fewer security checks by the user," while saying that Google "has no plans to delete [[YouTube]] videos".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lawler |first1=Richard |title=Google might delete your Gmail account if you haven't logged in for two years |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23725438/google-gmail-deleting-inactive-accounts |website=The Verge |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date=16 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260205121216/https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/16/23725438/google-gmail-deleting-inactive-accounts |archive-date=5 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Jon |title=Reminder: Google is about to start purging inactive accounts |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/28/23979178/google-inactive-accounts-deletion-december-2023-psa-reminder |website=The Verge |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date=28 November 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212230239/https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/28/23979178/google-inactive-accounts-deletion-december-2023-psa-reminder |archive-date=12 Dec 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Amadeo |first1=Ron |title=Google's new "inactive account" policy won't delete years of YouTube videos |url=https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/05/googles-new-inactive-account-policy-wont-delete-years-of-youtube-videos/ |website=Ars Technica |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en-us |date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212092014/https://arstechnica.com/google/2023/05/googles-new-inactive-account-policy-wont-delete-years-of-youtube-videos/ |archive-date=12 Dec 2025}}</ref> The decision to delete inactive accounts has sparked some criticism and backlash. The cited security rationale behind such decision was ridiculed and was compared to a hypothetical scenario where a bank should be burned down if it is not secure against robbers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Novet |first1=Jordan |title=Google's plan to purge inactive accounts isn't sitting well with some users |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |website=CNBC |access-date=21 December 2023 |language=en |date
=19 August 2023 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250831223936/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/19/google-faces-criticism-of-plan-to-purge-inactive-accounts.html |archive-date=31 Aug 2025}}</ref> Such policies could adversely affect those who had good reasons to become inactive for a long time, such as hospitalization, prison incarceration, and being in totalitarian countries which have prolonged internet shutdowns. Moreover, the Anonymous hacktivist collective has protested against the decision to delete inactive accounts multiple times, describing them as "harsh" and saying that the decision will "destroy history".<ref>{{cite web |date=18 July 2023 |title=Anonymous puts Taiwan flag, national anthem on 2 UN websites {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2023-07-18 09:56:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4946597 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20231014070719/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4946597 Archived])</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=18 October 2023 |title='Anonymous' hacks Chinese government site to protest Israel–Hamas war {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2023-10-18 19:03:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5022840 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20240221120716/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5022840 Archived])</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=8 December 2023 |title=Anonymous posts Taiwan flag on UN site {{!}} Taiwan News {{!}} 2023-12-08 17:26:00 |url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5055454 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Taiwan News}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20240228035811/https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/5055454 Archived])</ref>

===Google device repair program restrictions===
{{Main|Google asserts the right to seize your phone during a repair}}
Google's Service & Repair Program terms explicitly state that any device containing non-Google-authorized parts "will not be returned" to the customer.

===Target API level requirements for Google Play apps===
Google's policy of requiring apps for Android to target recent API levels to appear in the Play Store<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 Aug 2024 |title=Policy Center |url=https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/11926878?hl=en |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Play Console Help |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260215054419/https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/11926878?hl=en |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref> creates a continuous cycle of maintenance and redevelopment that can be especially burdensome for smaller developers, indie creators, and consumers.

The requirement for apps to target newer APIs each year serves some legitimate security and feature purposes. However, it also effectively functions as a form of forced obsolescence. Even perfectly functional apps that don't need technical updates must be regularly reworked just to remain visible on the Play Store.

This creates several issues:

*Development resources must be allocated to updating apps rather than creating new features
*Smaller teams and individual developers are placed at a disadvantage attempting to keep up with the constant update cycle
*Legacy apps that are no longer actively maintained disappear, even if they're still useful
*The cost of maintaining apps increases, potentially making some projects financially nonviable
*Losing access to previously purchased apps when upgrading devices
*Users being unable to reinstall older apps that worked perfectly well for their needs
*Facing unexpected costs to replace functionality they've already paid for
*Dealing with the frustration of discovering favorite apps have disappeared

While Google argues this approach improves the Android ecosystem's security and functionality, it does place a significant burden on developers and can lead to the premature "death" of otherwise functional applications.

This creates a troubling disconnect in digital ownership. Consumers reasonably expect that when they purchase an app, they should maintain access to it across their devices over time. Instead, they discover their digital purchases can effectively vanish due to policy decisions beyond their control.

===Ban on third-party tech support ads===
Google prohibits tech support ads on their platform if they are not authorised by the manufacturer.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Graff |first=David |date=31 Aug 2018 |title=Restricting ads in third-party tech support services |url=https://blog.google/products/ads/restricting-ads-third-party-tech-support-services/ |website=Google |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251112170608/https://blog.google/products/ads/restricting-ads-third-party-tech-support-services/ |archive-date=12 Nov 2025}}</ref>

===The chargeback incident===
In November 2022, a Google customer accidentally purchased two Google Pixel smartphones instead of one, directly from Google (no third-party reseller), and tried to return one package to Google for a refund, but the shipping was unsuccessful.

A Google customer support person suggested the customer to perform a chargeback. The customer acted accordingly without understanding the implications, resulting in the termination of their Google account shortly after. The account was 15 years old at that time.<ref>[https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3393/danger-chargeback-equals-account-permanently-banned DANGER!!!: Chargeback = ACCOUNT PERMANENTLY BANNED. - Virtual curiosities] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260205120523/https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/articles/3393/danger-chargeback-equals-account-permanently-banned Archived])</ref><ref>[https://old.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/zndbku/tifu_by_accidentally_buying_two_google_pixels_and/ TIFU by accidentally buying two Google Pixels and ended up getting my 15 year old Google Account permanently banned. - Reddit] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260113140546/https://old.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/zndbku/tifu_by_accidentally_buying_two_google_pixels_and/ Archived])</ref>

==Anti-consumer legal cases==

===Privacy Violations===

====Rodriguez v. Google LLC (21 May 2021 - 3 Sep 2025)====
Google's "Web & App Activity" (WAA) setting had the ability to be paused. Reportedly, despite this setting being paused by consumers, Google would continue to collect consumer data regardless of consent.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rodriguez v. Google LLC |url=https://www.googlewebappactivitylawsuit.com/Home/FAQ#faq1 |url-status=live |access-date=5 Apr 2025 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251011171640/https://googlewebappactivitylawsuit.com/Home/FAQ |archive-date=11 Oct 2025}}</ref> This case is currently ongoing and has yet to receive a judgment.<ref>[https://www.googlewebappactivitylawsuit.com/Home/Documents Important Documents] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250911091039/https://googlewebappactivitylawsuit.com/Home/Documents Archived])</ref> Google collected mobile device data for eight years from users who opted out of tracking under the WAA.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Staab |first=Theresa |date=18 Sep 2025 |title=Someone is Always Watching: Implications of Google's WAA Privacy Case |url=https://lawreview.syr.edu/someone-is-always-watching-implications-of-googles-waa-privacy-case/ |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=Syracuse Law Review}}</ref> The dates of use/activity in question were between July 1, 2016 and September 23, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 Oct 2024 |title=FAQs: Google Web App Activity lawsuit |url=https://help.wfu.edu/support/solutions/articles/13000825158-faqs-google-web-app-activity-lawsuit |url-status=live |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=Wake Forest University}}</ref> On September 3, 2025, the San Francisco Federal Court jury held Google liable two of three claims of privacy invasion. Google was charged $425 million for invasion of privacy, but not for punitive damages since the jury found that Google did not act with malicious intent.<ref name=":5" />

===Anti-competitive Behavior===

====Epic Games, Inc. v. Google Inc. (13 Aug 2020 - 31 May 2025)====
Google takes a 30% share of all revenue made through all sales made on the Play Store, which is a comparable figure to other digital storefronts such as the [[Apple App Store]] and [[Steam]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Marks |first=Tom |date=7 Oct 2019 |title=Report: Steam's 30% Cut Is Actually the Industry Standard |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/10/07/report-steams-30-cut-is-actually-the-industry-standard |url-status=live |website=ign.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251211034837/https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/10/07/report-steams-30-cut-is-actually-the-industry-standard |archive-date=11 Dec 2025}}</ref> On 13th August 2020, [[Epic Games]] CEO Tim Sweeney updated both iOS and Android versions of ''Fortnite'' to redirect users to Epic Games' storefront to purchase in-game currency ("V-Bucks") alongside the respective first-party storefront, with incentives including cheaper prices if buying from Epic Games directly. This violated the Terms of Service of both Apple and Google's storefronts, and ''Fortnite'' was removed from both app stores the same day.

Epic Games would use this motion to file federal lawsuits against both Google and Apple, citing that these practices meant that the companies were engaging in anti-competitive behavior. Google lost in the lawsuit, but attempted to appeal the decision, in which they lost again.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hollister |first=Sean |date=31 July 2025 |title=Epic just won its Google lawsuit again, and Android may never be the same |url=https://www.theverge.com/news/716856/epic-v-google-win-in-appeals-court |access-date=21 August 2025 |work=The Verge |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260111151936/https://www.theverge.com/news/716856/epic-v-google-win-in-appeals-court |archive-date=11 Jan 2026}}</ref>

===Social Media Addiction Bellwether Trials===

====Los Angeles Superior Court, JCCP 5255 (2026)====
Starting in January of 2026, [[Meta]] (Facebook and [[Instagram]]) and [[Google]] ([[YouTube]]) faced legal claims of their platforms being intentionally addictive and harmful to children. [[ByteDance]] ([[TikTok]]) and Snap ([[Snapchat]]) were named initially, but settled for undisclosed terms before the trial began. A 19-year-old girl, referred to by the initials "KGM" or Kaley, and two other plaintiffs were selected for bellwether trials—test cases tried as part of an MDL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Huamani |first=Kaitlyn |last2=Ortutay |first2=Barbara |date=9 Feb 2026 |title=Landmark trial accusing tech giants of harming children with addictive social media begins |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/landmark-trial-accusing-tech-giants-of-harming-children-with-addictive-social-media-begins |url-status=live |access-date=25 Mar 2026 |website=PBS News}}</ref> On March 25, 2026, the California jury concluded in KGM's case that [[Meta]] and Google were guilty of negligent for their apps—[[Instagram]], Facebook, and [[YouTube]]—being deliberately built to be addictive, which the companies' executives knew this and failed to protect their youngest users.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allyn |first=Bobby |date=25 Mar 2026 |title=Jury finds Meta and Google negligent in social media harms trial |url=https://www.npr.org/2026/03/25/nx-s1-5746125/meta-youtube-social-media-trial-verdict |url-status=live |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=npr}}</ref> [[Meta]] was charged to pay $4.2 million for compensatory and punitive damages, and charged Google $1.8 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kang |first=Cecilia |last2=Mac |first2=Ryan |last3=Tan |first3=Eli |date=25 Mar 2026 |title=Meta and YouTube Found Negligent in Landmark Social Media Addiction Case |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/technology/social-media-trial-verdict.html |url-status=live |access-date=26 Mar 2026 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

==See also==

===Products and Services===

[[List of Google products]]
===Controversies===

*[[Advertising overload]]
*[[Google asserts the right to seize phones during repairs]]
*[[Google Nest Protect forced to use Google app]]
*[[Google Nest thermostat smart features disabled]]
*[[Google Pixel Watches do not come with repair options]]

==External links==

*"[https://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/google.html XScreenSaver: Google Store Privacy Policy]". Google pretending to care about privacy by forcing a fully-local (no internet) minimal-permission screen-saver app to specify a privacy-policy. That blog-post contains many sources on Google's anti-consumer practices

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Google]]

Nothing

2026-05-05T06:17:36Z

1jeremy: /* Funding: */

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2020
|Industry=Electronics
|Logo=Nothing_logo.svg
|Type=Private
|Website=https://nothing.tech
|Description=They specialize is Consumer Tech products such as smartphones, Headphones, TWS and smartwatches, known for their design and software experience.
}}

Founded in 2020, '''Nothing Technology Limited''' (stylised as '''NOTHING''') is a British consumer electronics company headquartered in London. They manufacture consumer tech products such as smartphones, smartwatches, headphones, TWS. They are well known for their unique product designs, often featuring transparent hardware and ''Glyph Interface'', a set of LEDs that light up in various patterns to display information on the rear of their smartphones.

==Consumer-impact summary==
===User Freedom===
The Nothing Phone 3a Lite was shipped with pre-installed Meta services that users were unable to fully uninstall<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Jamie |date=2025-11-04 |title=Nothing has a fix for its Meta bloatware issue, solving a problem that never should’ve existed |url=https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-has-a-fix-for-its-meta-bloatware-issue-solving-a-problem-that-never-shouldve-existed |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=techradar}}</ref>. 

===Funding===
The company is notably being funded by [[Google]] via GV (formerly Google Venture)<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_(company) ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260128122624/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_(company) Archived])</ref>, among other venture capital firms and individuals. Akis Evangelidis, the Co-Founder and President of Nothing<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evangelidis |first=Akis |date=2026-05-04 |title=LinkedIn |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/aevangelidis/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=LinkedIn}}</ref>, has discussed that pre-installed apps are not an incidental occurrence and fit into a larger strategy "partly to manage the BOM (Bill of Materials) cost"<ref>{{Cite news |first=Rajesh |date=2025-10-25 |title=Nothing confirms upcoming phones will include third-party apps (bloatware) out of the box |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2025/10/25/nothing-confirms-upcoming-phones-will-include-third-party-apps-bloatware-out-of-the-box/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |work=[[Gizmochina]]}}</ref>.

===Potential Future Privacy Concerns===
Nothing's co-founder and president, Akis Evangelidis, has been quoted stating that AI will enable "an entire ecosystem that collects more data to deliver highly personalized, context-aware experiences"<ref>{{Cite web |title=FE Exclusive: AI will change smartphones like never before, says Nothing’s Akis Evangelidis – Technology News |url=https://globalnews365.org/fe-exclusive-ai-will-change-smartphones-like-never-before-says-nothings-akis-evangelidis-technology-news/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=GlobalNews365}}</ref>.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Introducing Ads and Bloatware to Lower End Phones===
Nothing OS 4.0 (based on android 16) added Lock Glimpses/Ads and Pre-installed Apps (Bloatware) on their lower end phones, like the Phone 3a series which includes Phone (3a) Lite, (3a), the (3a) Pro and CMF Phones.<ref>[https://nothing.community/d/45348-lock-glimpse-future-plans "Lock Glimpse & Future Plans"] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109212706/https://nothing.community/d/45348-lock-glimpse-future-plans Archived])</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Floemer |first=Andreas |date=2025-10-27 |title=Phone 3a: NothingOS 4.0 brings optional ads to the lock screen |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Phone-3a-NothingOS-4-0-brings-optional-ads-to-the-lock-screen-10904033.html |url-status=live |website=[[heise online]]}}</ref> This move is being heavily criticized by consumers as they previously claimed to provide a bloat-free experience on their devices.

The introduction of Essential Search does not permit the users to perform local searches on the device without forcing them to [[:File:Essential Search Terms of Service.png|Terms and Conditions]] and a [[:File:Essential Search Privacy Policy.png|Privacy policy]].

Following this update the company also refuses to provide with a simple alternative for the user to downgrade the device to a previous working state, without the user paying for the repair even under warranty.

===Bluetooth doesn't work===
{{Main|Nothing Phone (1)}}
Several users have reported a recurring issue with the Nothing Phone (1) where the Bluetooth functionality becomes inoperable. Affected devices are unable to activate Bluetooth, with the toggle permanently greyed out or failing to switch on. This malfunction has been described as rendering the feature "completely broken," making it impossible to pair headphones, speakers, or other accessories.<ref name="reddit1">[https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/vytvol/bluetooth_connectivity_issues_on_the_nothing/ "Bluetooth connectivity issues on the Nothing Phone (1)" – Reddit thread] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20220714114747/https://old.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/vytvol/bluetooth_connectivity_issues_on_the_nothing/ Archived])</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1c9rsqa/bluetooth_not_turning_on_on_my_phone_1/ "Bluetooth not turning on on my phone (1)" – Reddit thread]</ref>

==Products==

*Phone (3) (July 1st, 2025<ref>https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2156428 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250630154725/https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2156428 Archived])</ref>): Nothing advertized it's product as a '[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flagship Flagship]' to hype the product up. The product originally came with a built-in app called 'Nothing Chats', Which was advertized as end-to-end encrypted, Although it is not.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blake |first=Alex |date=November 20, 2023 |title=Nothing tried to outdo Apple’s RCS; instead it created a privacy disaster |url=https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-tried-to-outdo-apples-rcs-instead-it-created-a-privacy-disaster |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250917220328/https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-tried-to-outdo-apples-rcs-instead-it-created-a-privacy-disaster |archive-date=September 17, 2025 |work=tech radar}}</ref> The change has since been reverted it seems in newer software releases. Additionally the phone has an 'Essential Space' button which triggers the built-in AI app, the button cannot be disabled on the device itself, and instead requires a computer with [[wikipedia:Android_Debug_Bridge|ADB]] to disable or customise<ref>{{Cite web |last=rwilco12 |first= |date=2025-08-18 |title=How-To Disable or Remap the Essentials Button |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-disable-or-remap-the-essentials-button.4755184/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260314123936/https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-disable-or-remap-the-essentials-button.4755184/ |archive-date=2026-03-14 |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>. This is not reasonably accessible to the average person.

==See also==
[https://us.nothing.tech/ Nothing's Website]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Nothing

2026-05-05T06:17:13Z

1jeremy: Removed the box below Consumer-impact summary

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2020
|Industry=Electronics
|Logo=Nothing_logo.svg
|Type=Private
|Website=https://nothing.tech
|Description=They specialize is Consumer Tech products such as smartphones, Headphones, TWS and smartwatches, known for their design and software experience.
}}

Founded in 2020, '''Nothing Technology Limited''' (stylised as '''NOTHING''') is a British consumer electronics company headquartered in London. They manufacture consumer tech products such as smartphones, smartwatches, headphones, TWS. They are well known for their unique product designs, often featuring transparent hardware and ''Glyph Interface'', a set of LEDs that light up in various patterns to display information on the rear of their smartphones.

==Consumer-impact summary==
===User Freedom:===
The Nothing Phone 3a Lite was shipped with pre-installed Meta services that users were unable to fully uninstall<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Jamie |date=2025-11-04 |title=Nothing has a fix for its Meta bloatware issue, solving a problem that never should’ve existed |url=https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-has-a-fix-for-its-meta-bloatware-issue-solving-a-problem-that-never-shouldve-existed |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=techradar}}</ref>. 

===Funding:===
The company is notably being funded by [[Google]] via GV (formerly Google Venture)<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_(company) ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260128122624/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_(company) Archived])</ref>, among other venture capital firms and individuals. Akis Evangelidis, the Co-Founder and President of Nothing<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evangelidis |first=Akis |date=2026-05-04 |title=LinkedIn |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/aevangelidis/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=LinkedIn}}</ref>, has discussed that pre-installed apps are not an incidental occurrence and fit into a larger strategy "partly to manage the BOM (Bill of Materials) cost"<ref>{{Cite news |first=Rajesh |date=2025-10-25 |title=Nothing confirms upcoming phones will include third-party apps (bloatware) out of the box |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2025/10/25/nothing-confirms-upcoming-phones-will-include-third-party-apps-bloatware-out-of-the-box/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |work=[[Gizmochina]]}}</ref>.

===Potential Future Privacy Concerns===
Nothing's co-founder and president, Akis Evangelidis, has been quoted stating that AI will enable "an entire ecosystem that collects more data to deliver highly personalized, context-aware experiences"<ref>{{Cite web |title=FE Exclusive: AI will change smartphones like never before, says Nothing’s Akis Evangelidis – Technology News |url=https://globalnews365.org/fe-exclusive-ai-will-change-smartphones-like-never-before-says-nothings-akis-evangelidis-technology-news/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=GlobalNews365}}</ref>.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Introducing Ads and Bloatware to Lower End Phones===
Nothing OS 4.0 (based on android 16) added Lock Glimpses/Ads and Pre-installed Apps (Bloatware) on their lower end phones, like the Phone 3a series which includes Phone (3a) Lite, (3a), the (3a) Pro and CMF Phones.<ref>[https://nothing.community/d/45348-lock-glimpse-future-plans "Lock Glimpse & Future Plans"] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109212706/https://nothing.community/d/45348-lock-glimpse-future-plans Archived])</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Floemer |first=Andreas |date=2025-10-27 |title=Phone 3a: NothingOS 4.0 brings optional ads to the lock screen |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Phone-3a-NothingOS-4-0-brings-optional-ads-to-the-lock-screen-10904033.html |url-status=live |website=[[heise online]]}}</ref> This move is being heavily criticized by consumers as they previously claimed to provide a bloat-free experience on their devices.

The introduction of Essential Search does not permit the users to perform local searches on the device without forcing them to [[:File:Essential Search Terms of Service.png|Terms and Conditions]] and a [[:File:Essential Search Privacy Policy.png|Privacy policy]].

Following this update the company also refuses to provide with a simple alternative for the user to downgrade the device to a previous working state, without the user paying for the repair even under warranty.

===Bluetooth doesn't work===
{{Main|Nothing Phone (1)}}
Several users have reported a recurring issue with the Nothing Phone (1) where the Bluetooth functionality becomes inoperable. Affected devices are unable to activate Bluetooth, with the toggle permanently greyed out or failing to switch on. This malfunction has been described as rendering the feature "completely broken," making it impossible to pair headphones, speakers, or other accessories.<ref name="reddit1">[https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/vytvol/bluetooth_connectivity_issues_on_the_nothing/ "Bluetooth connectivity issues on the Nothing Phone (1)" – Reddit thread] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20220714114747/https://old.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/vytvol/bluetooth_connectivity_issues_on_the_nothing/ Archived])</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1c9rsqa/bluetooth_not_turning_on_on_my_phone_1/ "Bluetooth not turning on on my phone (1)" – Reddit thread]</ref>

==Products==

*Phone (3) (July 1st, 2025<ref>https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2156428 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250630154725/https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2156428 Archived])</ref>): Nothing advertized it's product as a '[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flagship Flagship]' to hype the product up. The product originally came with a built-in app called 'Nothing Chats', Which was advertized as end-to-end encrypted, Although it is not.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blake |first=Alex |date=November 20, 2023 |title=Nothing tried to outdo Apple’s RCS; instead it created a privacy disaster |url=https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-tried-to-outdo-apples-rcs-instead-it-created-a-privacy-disaster |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250917220328/https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-tried-to-outdo-apples-rcs-instead-it-created-a-privacy-disaster |archive-date=September 17, 2025 |work=tech radar}}</ref> The change has since been reverted it seems in newer software releases. Additionally the phone has an 'Essential Space' button which triggers the built-in AI app, the button cannot be disabled on the device itself, and instead requires a computer with [[wikipedia:Android_Debug_Bridge|ADB]] to disable or customise<ref>{{Cite web |last=rwilco12 |first= |date=2025-08-18 |title=How-To Disable or Remap the Essentials Button |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-disable-or-remap-the-essentials-button.4755184/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260314123936/https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-disable-or-remap-the-essentials-button.4755184/ |archive-date=2026-03-14 |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>. This is not reasonably accessible to the average person.

==See also==
[https://us.nothing.tech/ Nothing's Website]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Nothing

2026-05-05T06:09:38Z

1jeremy: /* Funding: */ Changed Google Venture to Google Ventures

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2020
|Industry=Electronics
|Logo=Nothing_logo.svg
|Type=Private
|Website=https://nothing.tech
|Description=They specialize is Consumer Tech products such as smartphones, Headphones, TWS and smartwatches, known for their design and software experience.
}}

Founded in 2020, '''Nothing Technology Limited''' (stylised as '''NOTHING''') is a British consumer electronics company headquartered in London. They manufacture consumer tech products such as smartphones, smartwatches, headphones, TWS. They are well known for their unique product designs, often featuring transparent hardware and ''Glyph Interface'', a set of LEDs that light up in various patterns to display information on the rear of their smartphones.

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}

===User Freedom:===
The Nothing Phone 3a Lite was shipped with pre-installed Meta services that users were unable to fully uninstall<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Jamie |date=2025-11-04 |title=Nothing has a fix for its Meta bloatware issue, solving a problem that never should’ve existed |url=https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-has-a-fix-for-its-meta-bloatware-issue-solving-a-problem-that-never-shouldve-existed |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=techradar}}</ref>. 

===Funding:===
The company is notably being funded by [[Google]] via GV (formerly Google Ventures)<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_(company) ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260128122624/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_(company) Archived])</ref>, among other venture capital firms and individuals. Akis Evangelidis, the Co-Founder and President of Nothing<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evangelidis |first=Akis |date=2026-05-04 |title=LinkedIn |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/aevangelidis/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=LinkedIn}}</ref>, has discussed that pre-installed apps are not an incidental occurrence and fit into a larger strategy "partly to manage the BOM (Bill of Materials) cost"<ref>{{Cite news |first=Rajesh |date=2025-10-25 |title=Nothing confirms upcoming phones will include third-party apps (bloatware) out of the box |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2025/10/25/nothing-confirms-upcoming-phones-will-include-third-party-apps-bloatware-out-of-the-box/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |work=[[Gizmochina]]}}</ref>.

===Potential Future Privacy Concerns===
Nothing's co-founder and president, Akis Evangelidis, has been quoted stating that AI will enable "an entire ecosystem that collects more data to deliver highly personalized, context-aware experiences"<ref>{{Cite web |title=FE Exclusive: AI will change smartphones like never before, says Nothing’s Akis Evangelidis – Technology News |url=https://globalnews365.org/fe-exclusive-ai-will-change-smartphones-like-never-before-says-nothings-akis-evangelidis-technology-news/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=GlobalNews365}}</ref>.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Introducing Ads and Bloatware to Lower End Phones===
Nothing OS 4.0 (based on android 16) added Lock Glimpses/Ads and Pre-installed Apps (Bloatware) on their lower end phones, like the Phone 3a series which includes Phone (3a) Lite, (3a), the (3a) Pro and CMF Phones.<ref>[https://nothing.community/d/45348-lock-glimpse-future-plans "Lock Glimpse & Future Plans"] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109212706/https://nothing.community/d/45348-lock-glimpse-future-plans Archived])</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Floemer |first=Andreas |date=2025-10-27 |title=Phone 3a: NothingOS 4.0 brings optional ads to the lock screen |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Phone-3a-NothingOS-4-0-brings-optional-ads-to-the-lock-screen-10904033.html |url-status=live |website=[[heise online]]}}</ref> This move is being heavily criticized by consumers as they previously claimed to provide a bloat-free experience on their devices.

The introduction of Essential Search does not permit the users to perform local searches on the device without forcing them to [[:File:Essential Search Terms of Service.png|Terms and Conditions]] and a [[:File:Essential Search Privacy Policy.png|Privacy policy]].

Following this update the company also refuses to provide with a simple alternative for the user to downgrade the device to a previous working state, without the user paying for the repair even under warranty.

===Bluetooth doesn't work===
{{Main|Nothing Phone (1)}}
Several users have reported a recurring issue with the Nothing Phone (1) where the Bluetooth functionality becomes inoperable. Affected devices are unable to activate Bluetooth, with the toggle permanently greyed out or failing to switch on. This malfunction has been described as rendering the feature "completely broken," making it impossible to pair headphones, speakers, or other accessories.<ref name="reddit1">[https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/vytvol/bluetooth_connectivity_issues_on_the_nothing/ "Bluetooth connectivity issues on the Nothing Phone (1)" – Reddit thread] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20220714114747/https://old.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/vytvol/bluetooth_connectivity_issues_on_the_nothing/ Archived])</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1c9rsqa/bluetooth_not_turning_on_on_my_phone_1/ "Bluetooth not turning on on my phone (1)" – Reddit thread]</ref>

==Products==

*Phone (3) (July 1st, 2025<ref>https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2156428 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250630154725/https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2156428 Archived])</ref>): Nothing advertized it's product as a '[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flagship Flagship]' to hype the product up. The product originally came with a built-in app called 'Nothing Chats', Which was advertized as end-to-end encrypted, Although it is not.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blake |first=Alex |date=November 20, 2023 |title=Nothing tried to outdo Apple’s RCS; instead it created a privacy disaster |url=https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-tried-to-outdo-apples-rcs-instead-it-created-a-privacy-disaster |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250917220328/https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-tried-to-outdo-apples-rcs-instead-it-created-a-privacy-disaster |archive-date=September 17, 2025 |work=tech radar}}</ref> The change has since been reverted it seems in newer software releases. Additionally the phone has an 'Essential Space' button which triggers the built-in AI app, the button cannot be disabled on the device itself, and instead requires a computer with [[wikipedia:Android_Debug_Bridge|ADB]] to disable or customise<ref>{{Cite web |last=rwilco12 |first= |date=2025-08-18 |title=How-To Disable or Remap the Essentials Button |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-disable-or-remap-the-essentials-button.4755184/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260314123936/https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-disable-or-remap-the-essentials-button.4755184/ |archive-date=2026-03-14 |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>. This is not reasonably accessible to the average person.

==See also==
[https://us.nothing.tech/ Nothing's Website]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Nothing

2026-05-05T06:05:12Z

1jeremy: Updated User Freedom to a more specific characterization of what is occurring and added relevant citation. Added Funding section to discuss Google Venture funding, venture capital funding, and why bloatware is an intentional design feature to reduce Bill of Materials cost, with relevant citations. Added Potential Future Privacy Concerns section to discuss how the president and co-founder has stated that AI would allow more personalized experiences, with relevant citations.

{{CompanyCargo
|Founded=2020
|Industry=Electronics
|Logo=Nothing_logo.svg
|Type=Private
|Website=https://nothing.tech
|Description=They specialize is Consumer Tech products such as smartphones, Headphones, TWS and smartwatches, known for their design and software experience.
}}

Founded in 2020, '''Nothing Technology Limited''' (stylised as '''NOTHING''') is a British consumer electronics company headquartered in London. They manufacture consumer tech products such as smartphones, smartwatches, headphones, TWS. They are well known for their unique product designs, often featuring transparent hardware and ''Glyph Interface'', a set of LEDs that light up in various patterns to display information on the rear of their smartphones.

==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}

===User Freedom:===
The Nothing Phone 3a Lite was shipped with pre-installed Meta services that users were unable to fully uninstall<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Jamie |date=2025-11-04 |title=Nothing has a fix for its Meta bloatware issue, solving a problem that never should’ve existed |url=https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-has-a-fix-for-its-meta-bloatware-issue-solving-a-problem-that-never-shouldve-existed |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=techradar}}</ref>. 

=== Funding: ===
The company is notably being funded by [[Google]] via GV (formerly Google Venture)<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_(company) ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260128122624/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_(company) Archived])</ref>, among other venture capital firms and individuals. Akis Evangelidis, the Co-Founder and President of Nothing<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evangelidis |first=Akis |date=2026-05-04 |title=LinkedIn |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/aevangelidis/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=LinkedIn}}</ref>, has discussed that pre-installed apps are not an incidental occurrence and fit into a larger strategy "partly to manage the BOM (Bill of Materials) cost"<ref>{{Cite news |first=Rajesh |date=2025-10-25 |title=Nothing confirms upcoming phones will include third-party apps (bloatware) out of the box |url=https://www.gizmochina.com/2025/10/25/nothing-confirms-upcoming-phones-will-include-third-party-apps-bloatware-out-of-the-box/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |work=[[Gizmochina]]}}</ref>.

===Potential Future Privacy Concerns===
Nothing's co-founder and president, Akis Evangelidis, has been quoted stating that AI will enable "an entire ecosystem that collects more data to deliver highly personalized, context-aware experiences"<ref>{{Cite web |title=FE Exclusive: AI will change smartphones like never before, says Nothing’s Akis Evangelidis – Technology News |url=https://globalnews365.org/fe-exclusive-ai-will-change-smartphones-like-never-before-says-nothings-akis-evangelidis-technology-news/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-04 |website=GlobalNews365}}</ref>.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
===Introducing Ads and Bloatware to Lower End Phones===
Nothing OS 4.0 (based on android 16) added Lock Glimpses/Ads and Pre-installed Apps (Bloatware) on their lower end phones, like the Phone 3a series which includes Phone (3a) Lite, (3a), the (3a) Pro and CMF Phones.<ref>[https://nothing.community/d/45348-lock-glimpse-future-plans "Lock Glimpse & Future Plans"] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260109212706/https://nothing.community/d/45348-lock-glimpse-future-plans Archived])</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Floemer |first=Andreas |date=2025-10-27 |title=Phone 3a: NothingOS 4.0 brings optional ads to the lock screen |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Phone-3a-NothingOS-4-0-brings-optional-ads-to-the-lock-screen-10904033.html |url-status=live |website=[[heise online]]}}</ref> This move is being heavily criticized by consumers as they previously claimed to provide a bloat-free experience on their devices.

The introduction of Essential Search does not permit the users to perform local searches on the device without forcing them to [[:File:Essential Search Terms of Service.png|Terms and Conditions]] and a [[:File:Essential Search Privacy Policy.png|Privacy policy]].

Following this update the company also refuses to provide with a simple alternative for the user to downgrade the device to a previous working state, without the user paying for the repair even under warranty.

===Bluetooth doesn't work===
{{Main|Nothing Phone (1)}}
Several users have reported a recurring issue with the Nothing Phone (1) where the Bluetooth functionality becomes inoperable. Affected devices are unable to activate Bluetooth, with the toggle permanently greyed out or failing to switch on. This malfunction has been described as rendering the feature "completely broken," making it impossible to pair headphones, speakers, or other accessories.<ref name="reddit1">[https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/vytvol/bluetooth_connectivity_issues_on_the_nothing/ "Bluetooth connectivity issues on the Nothing Phone (1)" – Reddit thread] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20220714114747/https://old.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/vytvol/bluetooth_connectivity_issues_on_the_nothing/ Archived])</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/NothingTech/comments/1c9rsqa/bluetooth_not_turning_on_on_my_phone_1/ "Bluetooth not turning on on my phone (1)" – Reddit thread]</ref>

==Products==

*Phone (3) (July 1st, 2025<ref>https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2156428 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250630154725/https://www.techadvisor.com/article/2156428 Archived])</ref>): Nothing advertized it's product as a '[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flagship Flagship]' to hype the product up. The product originally came with a built-in app called 'Nothing Chats', Which was advertized as end-to-end encrypted, Although it is not.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blake |first=Alex |date=November 20, 2023 |title=Nothing tried to outdo Apple’s RCS; instead it created a privacy disaster |url=https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-tried-to-outdo-apples-rcs-instead-it-created-a-privacy-disaster |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250917220328/https://www.techradar.com/phones/nothing-phones/nothing-tried-to-outdo-apples-rcs-instead-it-created-a-privacy-disaster |archive-date=September 17, 2025 |work=tech radar}}</ref> The change has since been reverted it seems in newer software releases. Additionally the phone has an 'Essential Space' button which triggers the built-in AI app, the button cannot be disabled on the device itself, and instead requires a computer with [[wikipedia:Android_Debug_Bridge|ADB]] to disable or customise<ref>{{Cite web |last=rwilco12 |first= |date=2025-08-18 |title=How-To Disable or Remap the Essentials Button |url=https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-disable-or-remap-the-essentials-button.4755184/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260314123936/https://xdaforums.com/t/how-to-disable-or-remap-the-essentials-button.4755184/ |archive-date=2026-03-14 |access-date=2026-03-14 |website=XDA Forums}}</ref>. This is not reasonably accessible to the average person.

==See also==
[https://us.nothing.tech/ Nothing's Website]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]