Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

PayPal

2025-09-20T18:58:44Z

Earþ: Added a source.

{{StubNotice}}
{{InfoboxCompany
| Company = PayPal Holdings, Inc.
| Name = PayPal
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1998
| Industry = Financial Technology
| Official Website = https://paypal.com/
| Logo = PayPal.png
}}[[wikipedia:PayPal|'''PayPal Holdings, Inc.''']] is an American multinational financial technology company operating an online payments system in the majority of countries that support online money transfers. It serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper methods such as checks and money orders. The company operates as a payment processor for online vendors, auction sites and many other commercial users, for which it charges a fee.

==Products and subsidiaries==

*[[PayPal Honey]]
*[[Venmo]]
==Controversies==

===Steam, 2025===
PayPal does not allow purchasing of Steam Games for all currencies except USD, CAD, EUR, GBP, JPY and AUD.<ref>{{Cite web |last=David |first=Carcasole |date=Aug 12, 2025 |title=PayPal Is Only Processing Steam Purchases in EUR, CAD, GBP, JPY, AUD, and USD |url=https://wccftech.com/paypal-only-processing-steam-purchases-eur-cad-gbp-jpy-aud-usd/ |website=wcfftech.com}}</ref>

===Inactivity fee, 2022===
PayPal charges an inactivity fee in Canada and the EU.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is the inactivity fee? |url=https://www.paypal.com/ca/cshelp/article/what-is-the-inactivity-fee-help947 |website=PayPal Help Centre}}</ref>

If you don't log in or don't have transactions for a year you will be charged $20USD each year. Then, when there are no more funds in the account, they will close your account. If you have not logged in they assume you have seen the changed terms and agree to the changes and thus the fees.

===Transaction fee refunds, 2019===
PayPal will no longer refund transaction fees on refunds<ref>{{Cite web |last=Meldner |first=Richard |date=April 6, 2019 |title=PayPal Will No Longer Refund Transaction Fees On Refunds |url=https://eseller365.com/paypal-will-no-longer-refund-transaction-fees-on-refunds/ |website=eSeller365}}</ref> PayPal announced they would undo this policy change, and then a few months later re-implemented it.

==Privacy==
In 2018, the introduction of the GDPR in Europe forced PayPal to disclose a list of third party companies they share user data with. The list includes over 600 different companies, from fraud prevention to analytics, tracking and advertising companies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=1 July 2025 |title=List of Third Parties with Whom Personal Information May be Shared |url=https://www.paypal.com/ie/legalhub/paypal/third-parties-list |website=PayPal}}</ref>

==General References:==
<references />
[[Category:PayPal]]

Clippy Campaign

2025-08-15T16:23:08Z

Earþ: Made a sentence easier to understand.

The '''Clippy Campaign''' (''Author's Note: tentatively named, there seems to be no agreed upon name for this concept yet'') is a [[wikipedia:Solidarity|solidarity]] visibility campaign where individuals change their profile image to "a Clippy" (officially, the 'Clippit' avatar of [[wikipedia:Office_Assistant|Office Assistant]] as seen in Microsoft Office 2000 through 2003).

The campaign was started by Louis Rossmann in his video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Dtmpe9qaQ Change your profile picture to clippy. I'm serious] and further explained in his video [https://youtu.be/SkL9vzW7nY0 You Changed Your Profile to Clippy: Now What? 📎📎📎]

==How it Works==
Individuals supporting [[Right to repair|Right to Repair]] or generally supporting resistance to anti-ownership activities show their size as a group and solidarity with each other by changing their profile images to a Clippy.

While the individual action itself may not change much, it’s a simple task that gets users invested in the movement. The movement encourages a small amount of effort initially and progresses into more noticeable and reformative acts for the shared goal. Incorporating principles of the [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunk_cost Sunk Cost Fallacy], small amounts of energy investment can add up and create loyalty to the movement.

==Why Clippy==

===Clippy As a Symbol of Escalating Overreach===
As explained by Rossman in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_Dtmpe9qaQ Change your profile picture to clippy. I'm serious] Clippy, while widely mocked and viewed as an annoyance at the time of its introduction, the level of annoyance pales in comparison to the privacy-invading and user-hostile practices by modern corporations, especially Big Tech, that are continually implemented and escalated without resistance.
[https://youtu.be/2_Dtmpe9qaQ?t=68 Change your profile picture to clippy. I'm serious 1:08]<blockquote>Whether or not you like Clippy, [...] the one thing that you could say, unlike Facebook who is trying to profit off of young girls that feel suicidal, Clippy simply wanted to help.
He might have been annoying, but he just wanted to help.

There were no ulterior motives.
If you told Clippy you were having a bad day, he wasn't going to use that information to try and figure out which advertiser to sell you to. Nor was he trying to steal your personal data to get you to purchase other Microsoft products.
He had no ulterior motives, he was simply there to help.

[...]

Clippy wouldn't even read the contents of your letter.</blockquote>

===The Impact of Clippy Avatars===
Rossman hopes that the group awareness created by the campaign will allow people to take action more quickly, due to already knowing that others around them are in alignment. Already it has been seen that many users on YouTube and other social media sites have taken part in the campaign. Some are even taking action to further spread word of the movement in hopes it will eventually get the attention of legislation, tech companies, etc.

[https://youtu.be/SkL9vzW7nY0?t=265 You Changed Your Profile to Clippy: Now What? 📎📎📎 4:25]<blockquote>But if all of them know at the same time that we're on the same page:

We are tired of living in an anti-ownership society, check.

We are tired of living in a society where we subscribe to everything and we own nothing, check.

We are tired of being told it cost $8,000 to fix a f[---]ing power button, check.

[...]

If every single one of these people were not only on the same page, but knew they were on the same page, maybe each one in the chain would speak up when they otherwise wouldn't.

And when they're all moving together and all working together, what happens?

They choose a different vendor.</blockquote>

==Clippy Images==
<gallery>
File:PicoCADClippy.png|A CC-0 (public domain) 3D model based on Clippy
File:Clippy-og.png|The OG clippy render
File:Clippy-new.jpg|Someone's custom clippy render
File:Clippy-blue.jpg|Clippy render against a blue background
</gallery>

==References==
<references />https://youtu.be/2_Dtmpe9qaQ

https://youtu.be/SkL9vzW7nY0

https://youtu.be/hKhRUB8AwnA

https://youtu.be/joIQKaErNKc

https://youtu.be/0xAGUrkDsj4
[[Category:Common terms]]

User:Earþ

2025-08-14T17:40:23Z

Earþ: Made a user page.

[[File:Earþ.jpeg|thumb|<big>Earþ</big>]]
Random guy who occasionally makes edits in here.

Also happens to be the Planet Earth itself.

File:Earþ.jpeg

2025-08-14T17:34:58Z

Earþ: The Blue Marble by NASA

== Summary ==
The Blue Marble by NASA
== Licensing ==
{{From Wikimedia}}

Liberty Safe

2025-08-14T16:55:51Z

Earþ: Added a product template.

{{Stub}}
{{ProductCargo
|ReleaseYear=1988
|InProduction=Yes
|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Safes
|Logo=Liberty Safe logo.svg
|Website=https://www.libertysafe.com/
|Description=Online digital distributor mainly for games.
}}

Founded in 1988 by Jay Crosby in Payson, Utah, [https://www.libertysafe.com/ '''Liberty Safe'''] is an American manufacturer of gun safes, home safes, vault doors, and handgun vaults.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101204162112/http://www.libertysafe.com/images/downloads/history_of_liberty_safe_090619.pdf "History of Liberty Safe"] (PDF). Archived from [https://www.libertysafe.com/pages/our-history the original] on 2010-12-04. Retrieved 2011-02-03. ([[wikipedia:Liberty_Safe#References|Source found via Wikipedia references]]) </ref>
==Controversy==
===Providing Master Key To The FBI===
On August 30th, 2023 Liberty Safe was contacted by the FBI, asking for a code to access an individual's safe. The FBI provided a warrant, however there was no mention of a subpoena. <ref> [https://x.com/libertysafeinc/status/1699245595867971969 Official statement] by Liberty Safe from their X (formerly Twitter) account. </ref> Liberty Safe provided the FBI with a 'Master Code' which allowed them to open the safe. When information of this became public, the firearms community voiced their criticisms, and one customer even cancelled their order. <ref> [https://www.scnr.com/article/liberty-safe-cites-company-protocol-on-decision-to-provide-fbi-with-access-code_f8620a4a4cc311ee9f19b07b25f8c291 Liberty safe cites company protocol on decision to provide FBI with access code.] </ref>

===Outcome===
After significant backlash, Liberty Safe made a post on X (formerly Twitter) on September 6th, 2025, announcing policy changes that now require a subpoena before giving a master code to law enforcement. <ref name="Updated Liberty Safe policy"> [https://x.com/libertysafeinc/status/1699606598669459680/photo/3 Updated policy statement] from Liberty safe on X (formerly Twitter)</ref> They also introduced a way for customers to reset or delete their recovery code. Either option removes the code from the company database, making it inaccessible to Liberty Safe. <ref name="Updated Liberty Safe policy" /> <ref> [https://www.libertysafe.com/pages/protecting-your-privacy Liberty Safe new 'Master code' policy] on their official website. </ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

File:Liberty Safe logo.svg

2025-08-14T16:52:08Z

Earþ: Logo of Liberty Safe

== Summary ==
Logo of Liberty Safe
== Licensing ==
{{From Wikimedia}}

VPN Secure

2025-08-14T15:21:59Z

Earþ: Added a product template.

{{ToneWarning}}

{{ProductCargo
|ReleaseYear=2010
|InProduction=Yes
|ArticleType=Service
|Category=VPN
|Website=https://vpnsecure.me
|Description=Virtual Private Network service.
}}

VPN Secure is a [[wikipedia:Virtual_private_network|virtual private network]] service that, from around 2018 to 2023, offered lifetime VPN service for a fixed, non-recurring price through online software storefront StackSocial. In 2023, InfiniteQuiant Ltd purchased VPN Secure from BoostNetwork Pty Ltd. In April 2025, thousands of these lifetime licenses were abruptly terminated, causing outrage among users.

==Acquisition and Deactivation==
VPN Secure was acquired by InfiniteQuant LTD in May 2023. According to their email to customers, they acquired "the technology, domain, and customer database — but not the liabilities." On April 28, 2025, all lifetime deal accounts were deactivated. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Vigliarolo |first=Brandon |date=14 May 2025 |title=VPN Secure parent company CEO explains why he had to axe thousands of 'lifetime' deals |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250515211209/https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/14/vpn_secure_axe_lifetime_deals/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250515211209/https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/14/vpn_secure_axe_lifetime_deals/ |archive-date=15 May 2025 |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=The Register}}</ref>

InfiniteQuant LTD claimed that they were not made aware of the lifetime subscriptions when they made the acquisition, stating: "Unfortunately, the previous owner did not disclose that thousands of Lifetime Deals (LTDs) had been sold through platforms like StackSocial."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Scharon |date=12 May 2025 |title=VPN firm says it didn’t know customers had lifetime subscriptions, cancels them |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/05/vpnsecure-owner-says-it-had-to-cancel-unsustainable-lifetime-subscriptions/ |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref>

==Inactive Account Policy==

In May 2024, VPN Secure's Terms of Service were updated with the following policy, regarding the deletion of inactive accounts:<blockquote>To maintain the integrity and efficiency of our services, any account with no active login for a period of six months will be automatically erased. Please note that this includes accounts with lifetime deal access.[[File:VPN Secure email to customers.png|thumb|E-mail sent to lifetime deal holders on the day of the shutdown, April 28th, 2025.]]If you have purchased a lifetime deal but fail to connect to your account within the specified six-month period, you will lose access to the lifetime deal. It is essential to log in at least once every six months to keep your account and lifetime deal active.

We encourage all users to maintain regular activity on their accounts to avoid deactivation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=VPN Secure Terms of Service |url=https://www.vpnsecure.me/terms-of-service/}}</ref></blockquote>

===VPN Secure's response===

VPN Secure hasn't responded to a support ticket asking to clarify the issue. However, affected customers report receiving emails claiming the new owners had provided "two additional years at no cost" as a "gesture of good will" and offering discounted renewal rates ($55 for 3 years, $19 for 1 year, or $1.87/month billed annually).

The company states they cannot issue refunds and directs customers seeking compensation to contact StackSocial or "the previous VPN Secure owner based in Australia."

==References==
<references />

Talk:VPNSecure.me terminated a "lifetime" license

2025-08-14T15:19:44Z

Earþ: Earþ moved page Talk:VPNSecure.me terminated a "lifetime" license to Talk:VPN Secure: If any other consumer protection incident regarding this service gets added, this will be a more accurate title. Also, this sounds less biased.

#REDIRECT [[Talk:VPN Secure]]

Talk:VPN Secure

2025-08-14T15:19:44Z

==Irrelevant notice==

This reads like a yelp review right now. It need sources to preperly support the claims made/ [[User:Kostas|Kostas]] ([[User talk:Kostas|talk]]) 18:26, 12 March 2025 (UTC)

:There have been more reports of this on the internet, and I have added a credible source that confirms that. [[User:InTransparencyWeTrust|InTransparencyWeTrust]] ([[User talk:InTransparencyWeTrust|talk]]) 07:03, 13 May 2025 (UTC)

VPNSecure.me terminated a "lifetime" license

2025-08-14T15:19:44Z

Earþ: Earþ moved page VPNSecure.me terminated a "lifetime" license to VPN Secure: If any other consumer protection incident regarding this service gets added, this will be a more accurate title. Also, this sounds less biased.

#REDIRECT [[VPN Secure]]

VPN Secure

2025-08-14T15:19:44Z

{{ToneWarning}}

VPN Secure is a [[wikipedia:Virtual_private_network|virtual private network]] service that, from around 2018 to 2023, offered lifetime VPN service for a fixed, non-recurring price through online software storefront StackSocial. In 2023, InfiniteQuiant Ltd purchased VPN Secure from BoostNetwork Pty Ltd. In April 2025, thousands of these lifetime licenses were abruptly terminated, causing outrage among users.

==Acquisition and Deactivation==
VPN Secure was acquired by InfiniteQuant LTD in May 2023. According to their email to customers, they acquired "the technology, domain, and customer database — but not the liabilities." On April 28, 2025, all lifetime deal accounts were deactivated. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Vigliarolo |first=Brandon |date=14 May 2025 |title=VPN Secure parent company CEO explains why he had to axe thousands of 'lifetime' deals |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250515211209/https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/14/vpn_secure_axe_lifetime_deals/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250515211209/https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/14/vpn_secure_axe_lifetime_deals/ |archive-date=15 May 2025 |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=The Register}}</ref>

InfiniteQuant LTD claimed that they were not made aware of the lifetime subscriptions when they made the acquisition, stating: "Unfortunately, the previous owner did not disclose that thousands of Lifetime Deals (LTDs) had been sold through platforms like StackSocial."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Scharon |date=12 May 2025 |title=VPN firm says it didn’t know customers had lifetime subscriptions, cancels them |url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/05/vpnsecure-owner-says-it-had-to-cancel-unsustainable-lifetime-subscriptions/ |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Ars Technica}}</ref>

==Inactive Account Policy==

In May 2024, VPN Secure's Terms of Service were updated with the following policy, regarding the deletion of inactive accounts:<blockquote>To maintain the integrity and efficiency of our services, any account with no active login for a period of six months will be automatically erased. Please note that this includes accounts with lifetime deal access.[[File:VPN Secure email to customers.png|thumb|E-mail sent to lifetime deal holders on the day of the shutdown, April 28th, 2025.]]If you have purchased a lifetime deal but fail to connect to your account within the specified six-month period, you will lose access to the lifetime deal. It is essential to log in at least once every six months to keep your account and lifetime deal active.

We encourage all users to maintain regular activity on their accounts to avoid deactivation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=VPN Secure Terms of Service |url=https://www.vpnsecure.me/terms-of-service/}}</ref></blockquote>

===VPN Secure's response===

VPN Secure hasn't responded to a support ticket asking to clarify the issue. However, affected customers report receiving emails claiming the new owners had provided "two additional years at no cost" as a "gesture of good will" and offering discounted renewal rates ($55 for 3 years, $19 for 1 year, or $1.87/month billed annually).

The company states they cannot issue refunds and directs customers seeking compensation to contact StackSocial or "the previous VPN Secure owner based in Australia."

==References==
<references />

Itch.io

2025-08-13T15:46:33Z

Earþ: Added the Itch.io logo.

{{Delete|doesn’t follow company article outline, single sentence}}
{{ProductCargo
|Company=
|ReleaseYear=2013
|InProduction=Yes
|ArticleType=Service
|Category=Digital storefront, Video games
|Logo=Itch.io.svg
|Website=https://itch.io
|Description=Online digital distributor mainly for games.
}}

[[wikipedia:Itch.io|itch.io]] is a website used to find and share video games made by independent developers online.

==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}}

*Business model: System relies on "open revenue sharing" which sends to itch.io a percentage of the transaction chosen accordingly by the creator (default 10%).<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2013 |title=Introducing open revenue sharing |url=https://www.tumblr.com/itchio/112709605589/introducing-open-revenue-sharing |website=Tumblr}}</ref>

==Incidents==

===Oxenfree incident===
On September 9th, 2024, users who purchased Oxenfree on itch.io were warned that the game was going to be pulled from the platform on October 1st. Consumers would not be able to download the installers after this date, so they would lose access unless they had them backed up. Users speculated that [[Netflix]], the parent company of the development studio, had ordered the move; however, no response from Netflix or the developers was ever published. This is particularly notable because it violates itch.io's terms of service: "Users shall retain a license to this content even after the content is removed from the Service." <ref>{{Cite web |last=ShawnS |date=31 Jan 2025 |title=OXENFREE |url=https://delistedgames.com/oxenfree/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321070400/https://delistedgames.com/oxenfree/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2025 |access-date=27 Jun 2025 |website=Delisted Games}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Colp |first=Tyler |date=9 Sep 2024 |title=Another reminder that your digital library isn't forever: Oxenfree will be completely removed from Itch.io next month |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/another-reminder-that-your-digital-library-isn-t-forever-oxenfree-will-be-completely-removed-from-itch-io-next-month/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523111125/https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/another-reminder-that-your-digital-library-isn-t-forever-oxenfree-will-be-completely-removed-from-itch-io-next-month/ |archive-date=23 May 2025 |access-date=27 Jun 2025 |website=PC Gamer}}</ref>

===De-indexing of adult games from campaign pressure===

:Main article: [[Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam]]

On July 11, 2025, [[Collective Shout]] issued an open statement demanding credit card payments to immediately cease processing "payments on [[Steam]] and itch.io".<ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=Bita |first=Natasha |date=15 July 2025 |title=Child safety group finds 500 online 'games' role-playing rape and incest |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/education/child-safety-group-finds-500-online-games-roleplaying-rape-and-incest/news-story/b30c59f85ff22934844269cb3beff538 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/koDk8 |archive-date=18 July 2025 |access-date=18 July 2025 |work=The Australian}}</ref><ref name="RPSCS">{{Cite news |last=Evans-Thirlwell |first=Edwin |date=22 July 2025 |title=Anti-porn group who tried to ban GTA 5 claim credit for Steam's sex game crackdown |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/anti-porn-group-who-tried-to-ban-gta-5-claim-credit-for-steams-sex-game-crackdown |access-date=23 July 2025 |work=Rock Paper Shotgun}}</ref> A few days later, itch.io responded by delisting adult content in search results.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content|title=Update on NSFW content|website=Itch.io|date=2025-07-24}}</ref> They re-indexed free "adult NSFW content" later on July 31 with new "content warnings" for such games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itch.io/t/5149036/reindexing-adult-nsfw-content|title=Reindexing adult NSFW content|website=Itch.io|date=2025-07-31}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

File:Itch.io logo.svg

2025-08-13T15:44:30Z

Earþ: Added a trademark warning, just like on the Wikimedia page for the itch.io logo.

==Summary==
Logo of Itch.io
==Licensing==
{{PD}}
{{Trademarked}}

Template:Trademarked

2025-08-13T15:39:59Z

Earþ: Created this template so I can add it to https://consumerrights.wiki/File:Itch.io.svg

{{mbox
| image = [[File:Trademark symbol.svg|50px]]
| text = [[Media:{{PAGENAME}}|This file]] includes material that may be protected as a trademark in some jurisdictions. If you want to use it, you have to ensure that you have the legal right to do so and that you do not infringe any trademark rights.}}
<noinclude>
{{Documentation}}
[[Category:Public domain]]
[[Category:Image copyright tags]]
[[Category:Notice templates]]
</noinclude>

File:Trademark symbol.svg

2025-08-13T15:37:17Z

Earþ:

== Licensing ==
{{PD}}

File:Itch.io logo.svg

2025-08-13T14:46:16Z

Earþ: Logo of Itch.io

== Summary ==
Logo of Itch.io
== Licensing ==
{{PD}}