Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Lockdown Browser

2026-06-18T23:13:29Z

Keith: honestly at this point I think the article doesn't need the notice any more

{{ProductCargo
|Company=Respondus Inc.
|ReleaseYear=2016
|InProduction=yes
|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Software, Web browser
|Logo=Lockdown-browser-logo.png
|Website=https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/
|Description=LockDown Browser is an academic examination software that locks down the student's computer during an exam.
}}

[https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/ Lockdown Browser], or LockDown Browser, is a custom web browser that locks down a student's computer for examination purposes, it often is integrated with Learning Management Systems, such as [https://www.instructure.com/canvas Canvas], [https://www.powerschool.com/products/classroom/learning-management/ Schoology], etc.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2026-06-17 |title=LockDown Browser Resources |url=https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/resources/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002160459/https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/resources/ |archive-date=2024-10-02 |access-date=2026-06-17 |website=Respondus.com}}</ref> The first documented version released in 2016<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-29 |title=LockDown Browser Version History |url=https://respondus.com/support/ldbverhist.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129214919/https://respondus.com/support/ldbverhist.php |archive-date=2020-11-29 |access-date=2026-06-17 |website=Respondus.com}}</ref>, and it grew in relevance during and after the Covid-19 Lock-downs<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google Trend - Searches on LockDown Browser |url=https://trends.google.com/explore?q=lockdown%2520browser&date=all&geo=Worldwide |url-status=live}}</ref>.

Lockdown Browser integrates with Respondus Monitor. The former is mainly responsible for preventing students to access their computer functionalities during exams, and the latter is mainly responsible for monitoring the students during examinations. The restriction of access include disabling of browser toolbar, windows feature (such as print screen, accessing computer's tool bar), the ability to exit the application, the ability to power off the computer, keyboard functions, and more.<ref name=":0" />

==Impact-Summary==
{{Incomplete section}}

===Student Privacy===
According the Respondus's Privacy Policy<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-12 |title=Privacy Center |url=https://web.respondus.com/privacy-policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260530053053/https://web.respondus.com/privacy-policy/ |archive-date=2026-05-30 |access-date=2026-06-17 |website=Respondus.com}}</ref>, LockDown Browser access many private information depending on institutional policies, such as using facial recognition, "internet and network activity information," screen captures, and etc. Researchers like Balash et al. call softwares like Lockdown Browser to be "invasive monitoring tools" and surveyed privacy concerns amongst students<ref>Balash, D. G., Kim, D., Shaibekova, D., Fainchtein, R. A., Sherr, M., & Aviv, A. J. (2021, June 10). ''Examining the Examiners: Students’ Privacy and Security Perceptions of Online Proctoring Services''. ArXiv.org. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2106.05917</nowiki></ref>. Further, in Ogletree v. Cleveland State University<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ogletree v. Cleaveland State University |url=web.respondus.com/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/Doc-50-Amended-Opinion-and-Order-Ogletree.pdf. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/ohio/ohndce/1:2021cv00500/275187/37/}}</ref>, the U.S. District Court concluded the following:<blockquote>Based on consideration of these factors, individually and collectively, the Court concludes that Mr. Ogletree’s privacy interest in his home outweighs Cleveland State’s interests in scanning his room. Accordingly, the Court determines that Cleveland State’s practice of conducting room scans is unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment.</blockquote>In response to the ruling, Respondus gave the following statement<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-14 |title=Our Take on the Ogletree Ruling |url=https://web.respondus.com/ogletree/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250811075746/https://web.respondus.com/ogletree/ |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2026-06-17}}</ref> as it updated its own privacy policy and terms of use:<blockquote>Respondus has taken several steps to help universities strengthen their online testing policies. First, it has added the following paragraph to the boilerplate text that universities often use for their portion of the Student Terms of Use for Respondus Monitor.

''If your institution or instructor permits you to use Respondus Monitor at a non-university location, you agree to select a location that meets any and all university guidelines. If the location you choose is a home or personal environment, you agree to allow your activity and surrounding workspace to be recorded by video and audio and then analyzed by the Respondus Monitor system.''

Similar text has been added to the Terms of Use section that is between Respondus and the student:

''If you are using Respondus Monitor at your home or in a personal area, you agree to allow your activity and surrounding workspace area to be recorded by video and audio and then to be analyzed by the Respondus Monitor system.''</blockquote>Others criticize that the LockDown Browser creates stress for students and fails to create academic integrity amongst privacy issues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cuevas |first=Heidi |date=2025-07-18 |title=Student Perspective: Lockdown browsers create anxiety, not integrity |url=https://panthernow.com/2025/06/18/lockdown-browsers-create-anxiety-not-integrity/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260316083625/https://panthernow.com/2025/06/18/lockdown-browsers-create-anxiety-not-integrity/ |archive-date=2026-03-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Margaret |date=2021-03-11 |title=Lockdown Browsers: Protecting Integrity or Invading Privacy? |url=https://cuatower.com/2021/03/lockdown-browsers-protecting-integrity-or-invading-privacy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241117121331/https://cuatower.com/2021/03/lockdown-browsers-protecting-integrity-or-invading-privacy/ |archive-date=2024-11-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Swauger |first=Shea |date=2020-08-07 |title=Software that monitors students during tests perpetuates inequality and violates their privacy |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/08/07/1006132/software-algorithms-proctoring-online-tests-ai-ethics/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260518134137/https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/08/07/1006132/software-algorithms-proctoring-online-tests-ai-ethics/ |archive-date=2026-05-18 |access-date=2026-06-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Sean |date=2020-12-02 |title=Lockdown Browser is bad software and should be scrapped |url=https://mytjnow.com/2020/12/02/lockdown-browser-is-bad-software-and-should-be-scrapped/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930200501/https://mytjnow.com/2020/12/02/lockdown-browser-is-bad-software-and-should-be-scrapped/ |archive-date=2022-09-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Critical Analysis of Respondus LockDown Web Browser |url=https://osuosc.org/events/2008-10-17-critical-analysis-of-respondus-lockdown-web-browser/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelley |first=Jason |date=2020-08-20 |title=Proctoring Apps Subject Students to Unnecessary Surveillance |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/proctoring-apps-subject-students-unnecessary-surveillance |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260520222519/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/proctoring-apps-subject-students-unnecessary-surveillance}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pham |first=Vivian |date=2021-04-30 |title=Lockdown browsers fail to create a culture of academic integrity |url=https://retriever.umbc.edu/2021/04/lockdown-browsers-fail-to-create-a-culture-of-academic-integrity-they-invade-student-privacy-and-harm-student-health/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251005194426/https://retriever.umbc.edu/2021/04/lockdown-browsers-fail-to-create-a-culture-of-academic-integrity-they-invade-student-privacy-and-harm-student-health/}}</ref>

===User Freedom===
In terms of freedom, aside from browser restrictions, the decision for students to opt out of LockDown Browser lies not with Respondus but varies between institutions. The following is the Opt-Out policy from Respondus Monitor's student Terms of Use:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-15 |title=Terms of Use - Respondus Monitor (Student) |url=https://web.respondus.com/tou-monitor-student/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260123114802/https://web.respondus.com/tou-monitor-student/ |archive-date=2026-01-23}}</ref><blockquote>d. OPT-OUT. If you cease to agree with these Terms, or the privacy and security policy below at some point in the future, you may opt-out by contacting your Institution. However, opting-out may affect how you will need to complete your course, and your Institution makes no representations regarding how it will affect your relevant course or any ramifications from opt-out (e.g., you may not be able to complete the requirements of such course). As such, we encourage you to speak with your instructor before opting out.</blockquote>

===Business Models===
Respondus primarily markets LockDown Browser towards educational institutions as their direct customers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=LockDown Browser - Pricing |url=https://web.respondus.com/k12/lockdownbrowser/pricing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260330061906/https://web.respondus.com/k12/lockdownbrowser/pricing/}}</ref> The end users for LockDown Browser are the students, and the surrounding monitoring tools are primarily used by test proctors, whether they be hired proctors, instructors, teaching assistants, or otherwise. However, this had led to the concern that end users are not involved in the decision process in software that may negatively impact their computer (see incident).

===Market Control===
...

==Incidents==
===Causing Computer Instability on Windows===

As of writing, no news source had covered these incidents; only technical forums, institutional IT help, and posts from Respondus Support Team had mentioned LockDown Browser damaging student's computer throughout the years. Due to these issues, LockDown Browser had been informally criticized as "malware." Some of the damages and issues include:

*Registry File tampering and disabling of Task Manager on Windows across restarts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-16 |title=Respondus lockdown browser messed up my PC. |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/3903381/respondus-lockdown-browser-messed-up-my-pc |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-19 |title=Our University forced us to download a malware for online classes |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/3717759/our-university-forced-us-to-download-a-malware-for |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-28 |title=Notebook Windows OS damaged after using Lockdown Browser |url=https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery/Notebook-Windows-OS-damaged-after-using-Lockdown-Browser/td-p/8821507}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-24 |title=LockDown Browser has caused issues within my laptop's driver. |url=https://community.instructure.com/en/discussion/567478/lockdown-browser-has-caused-issues-within-my-laptops-driver}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-28 |title=I restarted my computer while LockDown Browser was running. Windows Task Manager is now greyed out. |url=https://archive.md/HgFeS |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.md/HgFeS}}</ref>
*Inability to power-off one's computer; Computer freezing requiring hard computer restart.<ref>{{Cite web |title=LockDown Browser froze during a test and I cannot exit. |url=https://support.respondus.com/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/155/25/lockdown-browser-froze-during-a-test-and-i-cannot-exit |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.md/cp1L3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Troubleshooting Respondus Lockdown Browser Exam Issues |url=https://support.ti.davidson.edu/hc/en-us/articles/360040486733-Troubleshooting-Respondus-Lockdown-Browser-Exam-Issues |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Respondus LockDown Browser, it will not open or closes itself |url=https://helpdesk.concord.edu/kb/article/138-respondus-lockdown-browser-it-will-not-open-or-closes-itself/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-06-11 |title=LockDown Browser Froze While Taking an Exam |url=https://vlac.lonestar.edu/help/a306}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=LockDown Browser Issue: Disabling Power Options |url=https://kb.uconn.edu/space/TL/26699759719/LockDown+Browser+Issue:+Disabling+Power+Options |url-status=live}}</ref>
*Requiring the disabling of anti-virus software, firewall software, and other components of Windows Defender to install or use LockDown Browser.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Feature Transfer Error" during install of LockDown Browser |url=https://support.respondus.com/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/518/25/feature-transfer-error-during-install-of-lockdown-browser |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.md/rj0Z7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Respondus LockDown Browser + Monitor |url=https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/310/respondus/students |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Class Action on Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (2023)===
Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) requires any private companies collecting biometric data from people to obtain informed written consent first, and the lawsuit claim that Respondus violated BIPA through Respondus Monitor, though Respondus denies the allegations. In the settlement for ''Veiga, et al. v. Respondus Inc.,'' Respondus agreed to resolve the class action lawsuit with 6.25 Million USD; anyone who took an exam with Respondus Monitor while in Illinois between Nov. 11, 2015, and June 2, 2023 is affected.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-22 |title=Respondus online exam BIPA $6.25M class action lawsuit settlement |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/closed-settlements/respondus-online-exam-bipa-6-25m-class-action-lawsuit-settlement/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-23 |title=Respondus online exam BIPA $6.25M class action lawsuit settlement 2023: Scam or Legit? Find Out! |url=https://www.planetofreviews.com/respondus-online-exam-bipa-6-25m/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-16 |title=If you took an online exam in Illinois using Respondus Monitor® you may be entitled to compensation as part of a class action settlement |url=https://www.advfn.com/stock-market/stock-news/91357500/if-you-took-an-online-exam-in-illinois-using-respo |url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[:Category:Surveillance]]
*[[GoGuardian]]
*[[VitalSource]]<br />

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Lockdown Browser

2026-06-18T13:15:03Z

Keith:

{{Incomplete}}
{{ProductCargo
|Company=Respondus Inc.
|ReleaseYear=2016
|InProduction=No
|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Software, Web browser
|Logo=Lockdown-browser-logo.png
|Website=https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/
|Description=LockDown Browser is an academic examination software that locks down the student's computer during an exam.
}}[https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/ Lockdown Browser], or LockDown Browser, is a custom web browser that locks down a student's computer during an exam, it often is integrated with learning management systems, such as [https://www.instructure.com/canvas Canvas], [https://www.powerschool.com/products/classroom/learning-management/ Schoology], etc.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2026-06-17 |title=LockDown Browser Resources |url=https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/resources/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002160459/https://web.respondus.com/he/lockdownbrowser/resources/ |archive-date=2024-10-02 |access-date=2026-06-17 |website=Respondus.com}}</ref> The first documented version released in 2016<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-29 |title=LockDown Browser Version History |url=https://respondus.com/support/ldbverhist.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129214919/https://respondus.com/support/ldbverhist.php |archive-date=2020-11-29 |access-date=2026-06-17 |website=Respondus.com}}</ref>, and it grew in relevance during and after the Covid-19 Lock-downs<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google Trend - Searches on LockDown Browser |url=https://trends.google.com/explore?q=lockdown%2520browser&date=all&geo=Worldwide |url-status=live}}</ref>.

Lockdown Browser integrates with Respondus Monitor. The former is mainly responsible for preventing students to access their computer during exams, and the latter is mainly responsible for monitoring the students during examinations. The restriction of access include disabling of browser toolbar, windows feature (such as print screen, accessing computer's tool bar), the ability to exit the application, the ability to power off the computer, keyboard functions, and more.<ref name=":0" />

==Consumer impact summary==
===Student Privacy===
According the Respondus's Privacy Policy<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-12 |title=Privacy Center |url=https://web.respondus.com/privacy-policy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260530053053/https://web.respondus.com/privacy-policy/ |archive-date=2026-05-30 |access-date=2026-06-17 |website=Respondus.com}}</ref>, LockDown Browser access many private information depending on institutional policies, such as using facial recognition, "internet and network activity information," screen captures, and etc. Researchers like Balash et al. call softwares like Lockdown Browser to be "invasive monitoring tools" and surveyed privacy concerns amongst students<ref>Balash, D. G., Kim, D., Shaibekova, D., Fainchtein, R. A., Sherr, M., & Aviv, A. J. (2021, June 10). ''Examining the Examiners: Students’ Privacy and Security Perceptions of Online Proctoring Services''. ArXiv.org. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2106.05917</nowiki></ref>. Further, in Ogletree v. Cleveland State University<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ogletree v. Cleaveland State University |url=web.respondus.com/wp- content/uploads/2023/02/Doc-50-Amended-Opinion-and-Order-Ogletree.pdf. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/ohio/ohndce/1:2021cv00500/275187/37/}}</ref>, the U.S. District Court concluded the following:<blockquote>Based on consideration of these factors, individually and collectively, the Court concludes that Mr. Ogletree’s privacy interest in his home outweighs Cleveland State’s interests in scanning his room. Accordingly, the Court determines that Cleveland State’s practice of conducting room scans is unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment.</blockquote>In response to the ruling, Respondus gave the following statement<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-14 |title=Our Take on the Ogletree Ruling |url=https://web.respondus.com/ogletree/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250811075746/https://web.respondus.com/ogletree/ |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2026-06-17}}</ref> as it updated its own privacy policy and terms of use:<blockquote>Respondus has taken several steps to help universities strengthen their online testing policies. First, it has added the following paragraph to the boilerplate text that universities often use for their portion of the Student Terms of Use for Respondus Monitor.

''If your institution or instructor permits you to use Respondus Monitor at a non-university location, you agree to select a location that meets any and all university guidelines. If the location you choose is a home or personal environment, you agree to allow your activity and surrounding workspace to be recorded by video and audio and then analyzed by the Respondus Monitor system.''

Similar text has been added to the Terms of Use section that is between Respondus and the student:

''If you are using Respondus Monitor at your home or in a personal area, you agree to allow your activity and surrounding workspace area to be recorded by video and audio and then to be analyzed by the Respondus Monitor system.''</blockquote>Others criticize that the LockDown Browser creates stress for students and fails to create academic integrity amongst privacy issues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cuevas |first=Heidi |date=2025-07-18 |title=Student Perspective: Lockdown browsers create anxiety, not integrity |url=https://panthernow.com/2025/06/18/lockdown-browsers-create-anxiety-not-integrity/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260316083625/https://panthernow.com/2025/06/18/lockdown-browsers-create-anxiety-not-integrity/ |archive-date=2026-03-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Margaret |date=2021-03-11 |title=Lockdown Browsers: Protecting Integrity or Invading Privacy? |url=https://cuatower.com/2021/03/lockdown-browsers-protecting-integrity-or-invading-privacy/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241117121331/https://cuatower.com/2021/03/lockdown-browsers-protecting-integrity-or-invading-privacy/ |archive-date=2024-11-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Swauger |first=Shea |date=2020-08-07 |title=Software that monitors students during tests perpetuates inequality and violates their privacy |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/08/07/1006132/software-algorithms-proctoring-online-tests-ai-ethics/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260518134137/https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/08/07/1006132/software-algorithms-proctoring-online-tests-ai-ethics/ |archive-date=2026-05-18 |access-date=2026-06-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Sean |date=2020-12-02 |title=Lockdown Browser is bad software and should be scrapped |url=https://mytjnow.com/2020/12/02/lockdown-browser-is-bad-software-and-should-be-scrapped/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930200501/https://mytjnow.com/2020/12/02/lockdown-browser-is-bad-software-and-should-be-scrapped/ |archive-date=2022-09-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Critical Analysis of Respondus LockDown Web Browser |url=https://osuosc.org/events/2008-10-17-critical-analysis-of-respondus-lockdown-web-browser/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelley |first=Jason |date=2020-08-20 |title=Proctoring Apps Subject Students to Unnecessary Surveillance |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/proctoring-apps-subject-students-unnecessary-surveillance |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260520222519/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/proctoring-apps-subject-students-unnecessary-surveillance}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pham |first=Vivian |date=2021-04-30 |title=Lockdown browsers fail to create a culture of academic integrity |url=https://retriever.umbc.edu/2021/04/lockdown-browsers-fail-to-create-a-culture-of-academic-integrity-they-invade-student-privacy-and-harm-student-health/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251005194426/https://retriever.umbc.edu/2021/04/lockdown-browsers-fail-to-create-a-culture-of-academic-integrity-they-invade-student-privacy-and-harm-student-health/}}</ref>

===User freedom===
In terms of freedom, aside from browser restrictions, the decision for students to opt out of LockDown Browser lies not with Respondus but varies between institutions. The following is the Opt-Out policy from Respondus Monitor's student Terms of Use:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-15 |title=Terms of Use - Respondus Monitor (Student) |url=https://web.respondus.com/tou-monitor-student/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260123114802/https://web.respondus.com/tou-monitor-student/ |archive-date=2026-01-23}}</ref><blockquote>d. OPT-OUT. If you cease to agree with these Terms, or the privacy and security policy below at some point in the future, you may opt-out by contacting your Institution. However, opting-out may affect how you will need to complete your course, and your Institution makes no representations regarding how it will affect your relevant course or any ramifications from opt-out (e.g., you may not be able to complete the requirements of such course). As such, we encourage you to speak with your instructor before opting out.</blockquote>

===Business model===
Respondus primarily markets LockDown Browser towards educational institutions as their direct customers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=LockDown Browser - Pricing |url=https://web.respondus.com/k12/lockdownbrowser/pricing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260330061906/https://web.respondus.com/k12/lockdownbrowser/pricing/}}</ref> The end users for LockDown Browser are the students, and the surrounding monitoring tools are primarily used by test proctors, whether they be hired proctors, instructors, teaching assistants, or otherwise. However, this had led to the concern that end users are not involved in the decision process in software that may negatively impact their computer.

==Incidents==
===Causing computer instability on Windows===
As of writing, no news source had covered these incidents; only technical forums, institutional IT help, and posts from Respondus Support Team had mentioned LockDown Browser damaging student's computer throughout the years. Due to these issues, LockDown Browser had been informally criticized as "malware." Issues include:
*Registry File tampering and disabling of Task Manager on Windows across restarts.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-16 |title=Respondus lockdown browser messed up my PC. |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/3903381/respondus-lockdown-browser-messed-up-my-pc |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-19 |title=Our University forced us to download a malware for online classes |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/3717759/our-university-forced-us-to-download-a-malware-for |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-28 |title=Notebook Windows OS damaged after using Lockdown Browser |url=https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-System-and-Recovery/Notebook-Windows-OS-damaged-after-using-Lockdown-Browser/td-p/8821507}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-24 |title=LockDown Browser has caused issues within my laptop's driver. |url=https://community.instructure.com/en/discussion/567478/lockdown-browser-has-caused-issues-within-my-laptops-driver}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-28 |title=I restarted my computer while LockDown Browser was running. Windows Task Manager is now greyed out. |url=https://archive.md/HgFeS |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.md/HgFeS}}</ref>
*Inability to power-off one's computer; Computer freezing requiring hard computer restart.<ref>{{Cite web |title=LockDown Browser froze during a test and I cannot exit. |url=https://support.respondus.com/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/155/25/lockdown-browser-froze-during-a-test-and-i-cannot-exit |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.md/cp1L3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Troubleshooting Respondus Lockdown Browser Exam Issues |url=https://support.ti.davidson.edu/hc/en-us/articles/360040486733-Troubleshooting-Respondus-Lockdown-Browser-Exam-Issues |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Respondus LockDown Browser, it will not open or closes itself |url=https://helpdesk.concord.edu/kb/article/138-respondus-lockdown-browser-it-will-not-open-or-closes-itself/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-06-11 |title=LockDown Browser Froze While Taking an Exam |url=https://vlac.lonestar.edu/help/a306}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=LockDown Browser Issue: Disabling Power Options |url=https://kb.uconn.edu/space/TL/26699759719/LockDown+Browser+Issue:+Disabling+Power+Options |url-status=live}}</ref>
*Requiring the disabling of anti-virus software, firewall software, and other components of Windows Defender to install or use LockDown Browser.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Feature Transfer Error" during install of LockDown Browser |url=https://support.respondus.com/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/518/25/feature-transfer-error-during-install-of-lockdown-browser |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.md/rj0Z7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Respondus LockDown Browser + Monitor |url=https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/310/respondus/students |url-status=live}}</ref>
===Class action lawsuit under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (2023)===

Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) requires any private companies collecting biometric data from people to obtain informed written consent first, and the lawsuit claim that Respondus violated BIPA through Respondus Monitor, though Respondus denies the allegations. In the settlement for ''Veiga, et al. v. Respondus Inc.,'' Respondus agreed to resolve the class action lawsuit with 6.25 Million USD; anyone who took an exam with Respondus Monitor while in Illinois between Nov. 11, 2015, and June 2, 2023 is affected.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-22 |title=Respondus online exam BIPA $6.25M class action lawsuit settlement |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/closed-settlements/respondus-online-exam-bipa-6-25m-class-action-lawsuit-settlement/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-23 |title=Respondus online exam BIPA $6.25M class action lawsuit settlement 2023: Scam or Legit? Find Out! |url=https://www.planetofreviews.com/respondus-online-exam-bipa-6-25m/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[:Category:Surveillance]]
*[[GoGuardian]]
*[[VitalSource]]
==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Consumer Rights Wiki talk:Draft policy on the inclusion of positive consumer-focused acts and practices

2026-06-17T18:42:37Z

Keith: /* Any thoughts? */ Reply

==Any thoughts?==

What works? What might cause problems further down the line? What's been overlooked? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 13:28, 15 June 2026 (UTC)

:Can we at least mark positive articles on the CRW? It'd be confusng if someone new just clicked 'Random page' and saw what looked like some promotion. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 14:47, 15 June 2026 (UTC)
::I guess the questions there are:
::1) how would we handle mixed articles, and
::2) how would we indicate them - a small article notice at the top? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 18:42, 17 June 2026 (UTC)
:I have a few thoughts as a more casual editor, I hope they're helpful
:*On the EA Command and Conquer example, releasing source code is often suggested as a way to preserve games after their online servers have shut down. The original online servers are long gone for C&C, so I'd argue that example could belong here. (I'd agree it doesn't belong here if it's a purely offline game however)
:*Requiring at least two incidents for a company to have an article seems unnecessary. It creates the odd situation where a positive incident can have an article, but the company itself cannot. (In those situations it seems better to just have the incident detailed on the company page?).
:*On non profits, GrapheneOS seems like an example of one that ''does'' belong here, because the organisation tends to be quite vocal about privacy and other rights.
:[[User:RobotToaster|RobotToaster]] ([[User talk:RobotToaster|talk]]) 14:47, 15 June 2026 (UTC)

Stellantis in-car advertisements

2026-06-17T02:02:28Z

Keith: removed stub notice - feels more like a short incident than a stub

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Stellantis
|StartDate=7 February 2024
|EndDate=
|Status=
|ProductLine=
|Product=
|ArticleType=
|Type=Advertising
|Description=
}}

On 7 February 2024, TechStory.in reported that [[Jeep]] 4xe owners were now seeing full screen pop-up advertisements on the displays of their vehicle's infotainment systems.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gautam |first=Samir |title=Stellantis Introduces Pop-Up Ads in Vehicles, Sparking Outrage Among Owners |url=https://techstory.in/stellantis-introduces-pop-up-ads-in-vehicles-sparking-outrage-among-owners/ |website=TechStory.in |date=7 Feb 2025 |access-date=6 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250304102847/https://techstory.in/stellantis-introduces-pop-up-ads-in-vehicles-sparking-outrage-among-owners/ |archive-date=4 Mar 2025}}</ref>

==Background==
The controversy surrounding [[Stellantis]]' infotainment advertisements is part of a larger trend in the automotive industry, where manufacturers have been experimenting with subscription-based features and monetization of vehicle services. Stellantis' decision to integrate advertisements into vehicle interfaces reignited debates over consumer rights and ownership expectations.

==Incident==
[[File:Jeep-ads-reddit.jpeg|thumb|Jeep puts an ad covering entire screen<ref>{{Cite web |author=RahRahRasputin_ |title=Jeep puts an ad covering my entire screen, and it comes back every time you stop even if you hit ok. |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/1iij34r/jeep_puts_an_ad_covering_my_entire_screen_and_it/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=5 Feb 2025 |access-date=6 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260606232755/https://old.reddit.com/r/assholedesign/comments/1iij34r/jeep_puts_an_ad_covering_my_entire_screen_and_it/ |archive-date=6 Jun 2026}}</ref>]]
Stellantis came under scrutiny following the introduction of full screen pop-up advertisements on its in-vehicle infotainment systems.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McFall |first=Marni Rose |title=Dodge Drivers Furious After Unwanted Ads Pop Up in Their Cars |url=https://www.newsweek.com/stellantis-dodge-car-drivers-adverts-pop-ups-2045033 |website=News Week |date=14 Mar 2025 |access-date=6 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250314190927/https://www.newsweek.com/stellantis-dodge-car-drivers-adverts-pop-ups-2045033 |archive-date=14 Mar 2025}}</ref><ref name="techstory">{{Cite web |last=Esther |first=Anochie |title=Jeep Introduces Pop-Up Ads That Appear Every Time You Stop |url=https://techstory.in/jeep-introduces-pop-up-ads-that-appear-every-time-you-stop/ |website=TechStory.in |date=11 Feb 2025 |access-date=28 Mar 2025 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250214081830/https://techstory.in/jeep-introduces-pop-up-ads-that-appear-every-time-you-stop/ |archive-date=14 Feb 2025}}</ref> This "feature" was met with widespread criticism, and it disrupted the driver experience by displaying ads whenever the vehicle came to a stop.

Reports indicated that the cars infotainment system would be overridden with a whole of screen advertisement for Mopar's extended warranty services. These ads required manual dismissal before users could resume normal system operation, such as checking GPS navigation or adjusting media settings. Initially affected vehicles appeared to be Jeeps, however reports in March 2025 stated that Dodge was also effected.<ref name="techstory" />

Users are unable to opt out of the advertising and there is no ability to prevent them from appearing.

===Stellantis' response===
Stellantis, through its "JeepCares" representative, acknowledged the implementation of these ads, citing an agreement with [[SiriusXM]]. The company suggested that users simply dismiss the ads by tapping the provided close button. However, concerns remain regarding the forced nature of these interruptions and their frequency.<ref name="techstory" />

==See also==
*[[Subaru Starlink]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Stellantis]]
[[Category:Jeep]]

User:Louis/Rebuttal to the ESA on AB 1921 and Stop Killing Games

2026-06-16T13:45:31Z

Keith: Undo revision 58123 by ~2026-125 (talk)

On March 31, 2024, Ubisoft turned off the servers for ''The Crew''.<ref name="neowin-crew">{{Cite news |last=Callaham |first=John |title=Ubisoft delists the first game in The Crew racing series; servers will shut down March 31 |work=Neowin |date=2023-12-14 |url=https://www.neowin.net/news/ubisoft-delists-the-first-game-in-the-crew-racing-series-servers-wil-shut-down-march-31/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231214231729/https://www.neowin.net/news/ubisoft-delists-the-first-game-in-the-crew-racing-series-servers-wil-shut-down-march-31/ |archive-date=2023-12-14}}</ref> The game went dark, including the single-player campaign that never needed other people to play; it was online-only, so nothing worked once the servers were gone.<ref name="engadget-crew">{{Cite news |last=Bonifacic |first=Igor |title=Ubisoft is deleting The Crew from players' libraries, reminding us we own nothing |work=Engadget |date=2024-04-01 |url=https://www.engadget.com/ubisoft-is-deleting-the-crew-from-players-libraries-reminding-us-we-own-nothing-165328083.html |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414171221/https://www.engadget.com/ubisoft-is-deleting-the-crew-from-players-libraries-reminding-us-we-own-nothing-165328083.html |archive-date=2024-04-14}}</ref> Days later, Ubisoft revoked the license from players' own libraries, so people who paid for the game no longer owned a copy of anything.<ref name="engadget-crew" /> You bought a racing game in 2014 and in 2024 a remote switch deleted it.<ref name="neowin-crew" />

That is what the Entertainment Software Association is in California to defend. Stan Pierre-Louis, the ESA's president, wrote an op-ed in the Sacramento Bee calling Assembly Bill 1921 misguided.<ref name="esa-oped">{{Cite web |last=Pierre-Louis |first=Stanley |title=Opinion: Misguided California bill would harm video game makers, players |website=Sacramento Bee |publisher=Entertainment Software Association |date=2026 |url=https://www.theesa.com/opinion-misguided-california-bill-would-harm-video-game-makers-players/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260610060002/https://www.theesa.com/opinion-misguided-california-bill-would-harm-video-game-makers-players/ |archive-date=2026-06-10}}</ref> Strip away the language about innovation and infrastructure and the position is simple: a company should be able to sell you a finished product, take your money, and then switch it off whenever the spreadsheet says so. The bill says no. I think the bill is right, and I think the ESA's argument falls apart claim by claim.

So let us go through it.

==The bill does not say "run it forever." It gives three exits, and one of them is just a refund==

The ESA's central claim:

<blockquote>''"Under Assembly Bill 1921, the Protect Our Games Act, when a game publisher decides to shut down a "server-connected" digital game, developers would be forced to choose between keeping it running indefinitely, rebuilding the game to work without technical support or providing a full refund to everyone..."''<ref name="esa-oped" /></blockquote>

''"Keeping it running indefinitely"'' is not in the bill. The bill exists to let publishers avoid this obligation. Read the actual statutory text.<ref name="bill-text">{{Cite web |title=AB 1921, Protect Our Games Act |website=California Legislative Information |publisher=California State Legislature |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1921 |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/0oJOX |archive-date=2026-06-12}}</ref> When an operator ends the services a game needs for ordinary use, it has to provide at least one of three things: a standalone version that works without the operator's servers, a patch or update that lets the game keep working without those servers, or a refund equal to the full purchase price. The publisher picks which one.

[[File:AB1921-three-remedies.png|thumb|center|upright=2.4|AB 1921 section 20664(a)(2): on shutdown the operator provides one of three things, a standalone version, a patch, or a refund. ''"Keeping it running indefinitely"'' is not among them.]]

The ESA listed "keep it running indefinitely" first and "rebuild" second and made the refund sound like a doomsday. The bill lists the patch and the standalone build as the normal path and the refund as the fallback. Same three slots, opposite emphasis. The publisher chooses, and "leave the lights on forever" was never on the menu.

There is also a notice duty the op-ed skips. The publisher has to warn players at least 60 days before shutdown, in the game and on the website, stating the date services end, which features die, any known security risks, and how to keep playing or get the refund.<ref name="bill-text" /> That is not a demand for eternal service. That is a demand to stop ambushing people who paid you.

[[File:AB1921-60-day-notice.png|thumb|center|upright=2.6|Section 20664(a)(1): the operator must notify players 60 days before it cuts the services off.]]

==The bill covers remasters and re-releases, and the ESA is right about that==

<blockquote>''"The legislation would apply to both new video games and existing games that are remastered or re-released."''<ref name="esa-oped" /></blockquote>

This is accurate, and I will say so plainly. The bill's scope clause applies to a digital game first available for purchase or rereleased for purchase on or after January 1, 2027.<ref name="bill-text" /> A re-release after that date is in. The "rereleased" hook is deliberate, so a publisher cannot dodge the law by re-selling an old title under a new SKU.

[[File:AB1921-prospective-scope-2027.png|thumb|center|upright=2.8|Section 20664(a): the duties apply only to games first sold or rereleased on or after January 1, 2027. Earlier games are grandfathered.]]

But notice what that same clause does. It is prospective. It grandfathers every game already on the market. Nobody is forcing a retrofit of an existing MMO that was architected ten years ago. The ESA presents the scope as alarming reach. The scope is a narrow, forward-looking rule that gives every publisher more than half a year of lead time to design an end-of-life plan or price the refund risk into a 2027 release.

=="Access forever" is the ESA's words, not the bill's==

<blockquote>''"The bill, authored by Assemblymember Chris Ward, D-San Diego, intends to provide consumers with a guarantee that if they pay for access to play an online game, they will keep that access for as long as they want."''<ref name="esa-oped" /></blockquote>

The bill's own author frames it differently. The committee analysis describes the operator's duty on shutdown as a patch, a ''"copy of the game capable of being used in the absence of those services"'', or a full refund.<ref name="apcp-analysis">{{Cite web |title=AB 1921 (Ward) Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection Analysis |website=California State Assembly |publisher=Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection |date=April 2026 |url=https://apcp.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2026-04/ab-1921-irwin-apcp-analysis.pdf |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260612005701/https://apcp.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2026-04/ab-1921-irwin-apcp-analysis.pdf |archive-date=2026-06-12}}</ref> The same analysis records the author's statement that the bill protects people who ''"purchased a license with the expectation of continual access"'' and ensures they ''"walk away with either a playable version of the game or a refund once services cease."''<ref name="apcp-analysis" />

[[File:AB1921-refund-or-playable.png|thumb|center|upright=2.2|Section 20664(a)(2): once services cease the buyer keeps a playable version or gets a full refund.]]

That is not ''"access for as long as they want"''. That is: when you pull the plug, the buyer keeps something playable or gets their money back. The whole movement behind this asks for exactly that and nothing more. [[Stop Killing Games]], the campaign that grew out of The Crew's shutdown, supports publishers ending support for a game whenever they choose; what it asks for is an end-of-life plan so the game can run on players' own systems without the company.<ref name="skg">{{Cite web |title=Stop Killing Games |website=Stop Killing Games |url=https://www.stopkillinggames.com |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260610154536/https://www.stopkillinggames.com/en |archive-date=2026-06-10}}</ref> The European citizens' initiative behind the same idea asks only for ''"reasonable means to continue functioning of said videogames without the involvement from the side of the publisher,"'' leaving each game ''"in a reasonably functional (playable) state."''<ref name="eu-eci">{{Cite web |title=Stop Destroying Videogames |website=European Citizens' Initiative |publisher=European Commission |url=https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/initiatives/details/2024/000007_en |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260131131106/https://citizens-initiative.europa.eu/initiatives/details/2024/000007_en |archive-date=2026-01-31}}</ref> The "forever" is the ESA's invention. It is the one claim every later argument in the op-ed leans on, and it is not real.

=="Nearly the same cost" is wrong about how cloud servers bill, and the rest is a one-time job==

<blockquote>''"When a game's popularity fades, that infrastructure continues to run, for a fraction of the audience, at nearly the same cost."''<ref name="esa-oped" /></blockquote>

Compute does not bill that way. Amazon's GameLift service auto-scales game servers and runs zero instances when there is no game-session activity, which removes compute cost during inactivity; as the audience shrinks, the match-processing cost falls with it.<ref name="aws-gamelift">{{Cite web |title=Scale fleet capacity to and from zero |website=Amazon GameLift Servers Developer Guide |publisher=Amazon Web Services |url=https://docs.aws.amazon.com/gameliftservers/latest/developerguide/fleets_scale-to-from-zero.html |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260308151514/https://docs.aws.amazon.com/gameliftservers/latest/developerguide/fleets_scale-to-from-zero.html |archive-date=2026-03-08}}</ref> It does not sit at ''"nearly the same cost"''.

[[File:AB1921-operator-carveout.png|thumb|center|upright=2.6|Section 20662(b)(2): general-purpose hosting and cloud providers are not digital game operators. The duty falls on whoever controls ordinary use.]]

I will concede the honest part. There is a fixed floor: persistent databases, flat-fee anti-cheat and middleware licenses, and a skeleton security and operations crew that does not scale down to nothing. A near-empty game that you insist on keeping fully live is still uneconomic to host. That is a real cost.

But that cost is an argument for the exit ramp, not for killing the product. The bill's answer to "the live floor costs money" is: then stop running it live. Ship the offline patch. Hand it off. The end-of-life obligation is a one-time engineering expense, not a perpetual operating bill. It is cheap when the studio designed for it and expensive only when it has to untangle tightly coupled proprietary cloud services after the fact. Industry commentary lands in the same place: the analyst George Osborn called the idea that services must run in some form in perpetuity forever ''"bonkers,"'' and developers quoted alongside him put the real difficulty in decoupling external micro-services for an offline build, not in any law of physics.<ref name="modecollapse">{{Cite web |last=Osborn |first=George |title=Stop Killing Games will become an early test of how games respond to consumer power |website=Mode Collapse |date=2025-10-08 |url=https://modecollapse.substack.com/p/stop-killing-games-will-become-an |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251009200601/https://modecollapse.substack.com/p/stop-killing-games-will-become-an |archive-date=2025-10-09}}</ref>

This is not theory. Studios with far less money than Ubisoft have already done the handoff:

*Velan Studios released a free standalone "Private Server Edition" of ''Knockout City'' for Windows, almost all cosmetics unlocked, microtransactions stripped out, with player-hosted and LAN servers, and kept it available when it shut the public servers down on June 6, 2023.<ref name="knockout-city">{{Cite web |title=Knockout City Private Server Edition |website=Knockout City |publisher=Velan Studios |url=https://knockoutcity.com/updates/knockout-city-private-hosted-server-edition |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505185903/https://knockoutcity.com/updates/knockout-city-private-hosted-server-edition |archive-date=2023-05-05}}</ref> An indie studio did that with limited resources.

*Sony's Polyphony Digital patched ''Gran Turismo Sport'' on January 31, 2024 to remove the always-online requirement so the single-player campaign and progression save locally.<ref name="gt-sport">{{Cite news |last=Olney |first=Liam |title=Gran Turismo Sport's Last Ever PS4 Patch Enables Offline Saves |work=Push Square |date=February 2024 |url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2024/02/gran-turismo-sports-last-ever-ps4-patch-enables-offline-saves |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240201130353/https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2024/02/gran-turismo-sports-last-ever-ps4-patch-enables-offline-saves |archive-date=2024-02-01}}</ref>

*Capcom released a paid offline version of ''Mega Man X DiVE'' on September 1, 2023, before shutting the free-to-play online service.<ref name="megaman">{{Cite news |title=Capcom Is Releasing An Offline Version Of Mega Man X DiVE |work=Nintendo Life |date=August 2023 |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/08/capcom-is-releasing-an-offline-version-of-mega-man-x-dive |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230819092149/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/08/capcom-is-releasing-an-offline-version-of-mega-man-x-dive |archive-date=2023-08-19}}</ref>

None of these companies went bankrupt giving players a way to keep what they bought.

==The "two-thirds under 10 employees" stat is real and aimed at the wrong target==

<blockquote>''"nearly two thirds of video game software companies in the U.S. operate with less than 10 employees."''<ref name="esa-oped" /></blockquote>

This number is true. It comes from the ESA's own 2026 ''Essential Facts'' report, which puts 65% of the software sector at fewer than 10 employees.<ref name="esa-facts">{{Cite web |title=2026 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry |website=Entertainment Software Association |publisher=Entertainment Software Association |date=April 2026 |url=https://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/EIR_2026_FINAL.pdf |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260510165929/https://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/EIR_2026_FINAL.pdf |archive-date=2026-05-10}}</ref> I am not going to dispute the ESA's own figure. I am going to point out who it does not describe.

The same report says 29% of the industry workforce sits in eight sites of 1,000 or more employees.<ref name="esa-facts" /> The games that get killed off and started this whole fight are not made by 10-person shops. ''The Crew'' is Ubisoft. ''Concord'' is Sony. ''Babylon's Fall'' is Square Enix and PlatinumGames, shut down less than a year after launch.<ref name="babylons-fall">{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Justin |title=Square Enix will shut down Babylon's Fall in 2023 |work=Game Developer |date=2022-09-13 |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/square-enix-will-shut-down-i-babylon-s-fall-i-in-2023 |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913204915/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/square-enix-will-shut-down-i-babylon-s-fall-i-in-2023 |archive-date=2022-09-13}}</ref> ''Anthem'' is EA.<ref name="anthem">{{Cite web |title=Anthem Game Update |website=Electronic Arts |publisher=Electronic Arts |url=https://www.ea.com/news/anthem-game-update |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260114174127/https://www.ea.com/news/anthem-game-update |archive-date=2026-01-14}}</ref> Those are the multinationals the bill reaches on premium buy-to-play titles. Using micro-studio demographics as a human shield for billion-dollar publishers is the trick here. And the free-to-play and mobile work that most of those tiny studios do is exempt from the bill anyway.<ref name="bill-text" />

[[File:AB1921-exemptions.png|thumb|center|upright=2.4|Section 20664(b): subscription services, free-to-play games, and DRM-free permanent downloads are exempt.]]

==The car-and-phone analogy compares ending support to remote-detonating the engine==

<blockquote>''"We don't expect innovators to continue supporting their very first car model, their original smartphone or an outdated operating system software, but this bill suggests that online video games should last forever."''<ref name="esa-oped" /></blockquote>

This is the sharpest-sounding line in the op-ed and it is the weakest. It confuses ending support with revoking function. When a carmaker stops supporting a model, the car still drives. When Microsoft ended Windows 7 support, the machines still booted. A phone past its last OS update still runs your local apps, takes photos, makes calls. Support ended; the thing you bought kept working.

A server-killed online-only game does the opposite. The Crew did not "lose support." It became a brick, including the single-player campaign that needed no support at all.<ref name="engadget-crew" /> Nobody is asking Ford to service a 2005 sedan forever. We are saying Ford should not be allowed to reach into your driveway and disable the engine by remote signal. The bill and the European initiative ask for preserved function, not infinite support.<ref name="eu-eci" /> The analogy proves the bill's point.

[[File:AB1921-playable-version.png|thumb|center|upright=2.6|Section 20664(a)(2)(A): a version that still works without the operator's servers, the way an unsupported car still drives.]]

=="Unprecedented category" is false, and several existing laws already impose post-sale duties==

<blockquote>''"AB 1921 bill creates an entirely new, unprecedented category of consumer products."''<ref name="esa-oped" /></blockquote>

The committee analysis notes that many of AB 1921's definitions are ''"shared with AB 2426."''<ref name="apcp-analysis" /> AB 2426 is California's 2024 digital-goods law, in effect since January 1, 2025, that bars a seller from using "buy" or "purchase" for a revocable license unless the buyer affirmatively acknowledges the good is a revocable license, or the seller gives a clear and conspicuous pre-purchase disclosure, in plain language, with a link to the terms.<ref name="ab2426">{{Cite web |title=AB 2426, Civil law: false advertising: digital goods |website=California Legislative Information |publisher=California State Legislature |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2426 |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/xCVBb |archive-date=2026-06-12}}</ref> It folds that rule into the state False Advertising Law, which carries civil penalties up to $2,500 per violation.<ref name="bpc17536">{{Cite web |title=California Business and Professions Code Section 17536 |website=California Legislative Information |publisher=California State Legislature |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=17536.&lawCode=BPC |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/QZv55 |archive-date=2026-06-12}}</ref> So the legislature already wrote a law about exactly this gap, and AB 1921 builds on its framework.

[[File:AB1921-existing-law-digest.png|thumb|center|upright=2.6|AB 1921's own Legislative Counsel's Digest points to existing law that already governs ''"buy"'' and ''"purchase"'' labeling for digital goods.]]

Post-sale duties are not new anywhere. California's SB 244 [[Right to repair|right-to-repair]] law, effective July 1, 2024, makes manufacturers supply parts, tools, and documentation for years after the last unit is made.<ref name="sb244">{{Cite web |title=SB 244, Right to Repair Act |website=California Legislative Information |publisher=California State Legislature |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB244 |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/FDj5c |archive-date=2026-06-12}}</ref> The EU repair directive requires spare-parts availability for years on covered goods.<ref name="eu-repair">{{Cite web |title=Directive (EU) 2024/1799 on common rules promoting the repair of goods |website=EUR-Lex |publisher=European Union |date=2024-06-13 |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1799/oj |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710132037/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1799/oj |archive-date=2024-07-10}}</ref> The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act,<ref name="mmwa">{{Cite web |title=15 U.S.C. 2301, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, definitions |website=Legal Information Institute |publisher=Cornell Law School |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2301 |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260224151156/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/2301 |archive-date=2026-02-24}}</ref> the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act,<ref name="clra">{{Cite web |title=California Civil Code Section 1770, Consumers Legal Remedies Act |website=California Legislative Information |publisher=California State Legislature |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1770.&lawCode=CIV |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/PWK04 |archive-date=2026-06-12}}</ref> and Section 5 of the FTC Act<ref name="ftc-act">{{Cite web |title=15 U.S.C. 45, Unfair methods of competition unlawful |website=Legal Information Institute |publisher=Cornell Law School |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/45 |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260515172351/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/45 |archive-date=2026-05-15}}</ref> all already regulate what a seller owes after the sale.

And bricking a product by killing its cloud server is a problem regulators and courts have already seen. Google's Nest bricked the Revolv smart-home hub on May 15, 2016,<ref name="revolv">{{Cite news |last=Sawers |first=Paul |title=Alphabet's Nest will permanently turn off all Revolv hubs on May 15, 2016 |work=VentureBeat |date=2016-04-04 |url=https://venturebeat.com/business/alphabets-nest-will-permanently-turn-off-all-revolv-hubs-on-may-15-2016 |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207041329/https://venturebeat.com/business/alphabets-nest-will-permanently-turn-off-all-revolv-hubs-on-may-15-2016/ |archive-date=2022-12-07}}</ref> a $300 device sold with a lifetime subscription.<ref name="revolv-price">{{Cite news |title=As Nest kills Revolv, can we trust 'lifetime guarantees' and IoT? |work=Cult of Android |date=2016-04-25 |url=https://www.cultofandroid.com/80145/nest-revolv-lifetime-guarantees-internet-of-things/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429140243/https://www.cultofandroid.com/80145/nest-revolv-lifetime-guarantees-internet-of-things/ |archive-date=2016-04-29}}</ref> Sonos pushed a "Recycle Mode" in 2020 that irreversibly bricked working speakers, then reversed after backlash.<ref name="sonos">{{Cite news |last=Bode |first=Karl |title=Sonos Backs Off Plan To Brick Older, Still-Functioning Speakers |work=Techdirt |date=2020-03-13 |url=https://www.techdirt.com/2020/03/13/sonos-backs-off-plan-to-brick-older-still-functioning-speakers/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706011901/https://www.techdirt.com/2020/03/13/sonos-backs-off-plan-to-brick-older-still-functioning-speakers/ |archive-date=2022-07-06}}</ref> Insteon abruptly shut its hubs in mid-April 2022 with no warning.<ref name="insteon">{{Cite news |last=Carlson |first=Jenny |title=Insteon Abruptly Shuts Down, Users Left Smart-Home-Less |work=Hackaday |date=2022-04-25 |url=https://hackaday.com/2022/04/25/insteon-abruptly-shuts-down-users-left-smart-home-less/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425225832/https://hackaday.com/2022/04/25/insteon-abruptly-shuts-down-users-left-smart-home-less/ |archive-date=2022-04-25}}</ref> Spotify deactivated the Car Thing on December 9, 2024<ref name="carthing-disabled">{{Cite news |last=Forristal |first=Lauren |title=Spotify has disabled Car Thing streaming devices |work=TechCrunch |date=2024-12-09 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/09/spotify-car-thing-units-are-officially-disabled/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209214653/https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/09/spotify-car-thing-units-are-officially-disabled/ |archive-date=2024-12-09}}</ref> and, facing a class action, offered refunds to buyers.<ref name="carthing">{{Cite news |last=Perez |first=Sarah |title=Spotify begins offering Car Thing refunds as it faces lawsuit over bricking the streaming device |work=TechCrunch |date=2024-05-30 |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/30/spotify-begins-offering-car-thing-refunds-as-it-faces-lawsuit-over-bricking-the-streaming-device/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530185425/https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/30/spotify-begins-offering-car-thing-refunds-as-it-faces-lawsuit-over-bricking-the-streaming-device/ |archive-date=2024-05-30}}</ref> "Unprecedented" is not the word.

This is not a California fringe idea either. The European citizens' initiative behind the same principle gathered 1,294,188 validated signatures and crossed the required threshold in 24 member states,<ref name="eu-eci-states">{{Cite news |last=Squires-Hand |first=Liam |title=Stop Destroying Videogames initiative to get a public hearing organised by the European Parliament |work=GamingOnLinux |date=2026-01-30 |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/01/stop-destroying-videogames-initiative-to-get-a-public-hearing-organised-by-the-european-parliament/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260130125638/https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/01/stop-destroying-videogames-initiative-to-get-a-public-hearing-organised-by-the-european-parliament/ |archive-date=2026-01-30}}</ref> and was submitted to the European Commission on January 26, 2026.<ref name="eu-eci" />

==Time-limited licenses are a risk publishers choose, and they already handle it with patches and delisting==

<blockquote>''"many of today's popular games include licensed music, likeness rights and branding that might be time-limited. A legal requirement to keep games playable indefinitely will put game publishers in an impossible situation where they are either renegotiating licenses in perpetuity or altering games to change the creator's original intent and gameplay experience."''<ref name="esa-oped" /></blockquote>

The ''"impossible situation"'' rests on the ''"indefinitely"'' strawman that already collapsed. The bill never requires perpetual playability with frozen assets. It lets a publisher ship a final patch that removes or swaps an expired track, hand off a server build, or refund.<ref name="bill-text" /> Refunding involves no alteration of anything.

Publishers do the patch-and-swap move already. Remedy de-listed ''Alan Wake'' in 2017 over expiring music and relisted it in 2018,<ref name="alanwake-delist">{{Cite news |last=Reiner |first=Andrew |title=Alan Wake Returns To PC After Microsoft Renegotiates Music Licenses |work=Game Informer |date=2018-10-25 |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/10/25/alan-wake-returns-to-pc-after-microsoft-renegotiates-music-licenses |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711081855/https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/10/25/alan-wake-returns-to-pc-after-microsoft-renegotiates-music-licenses |archive-date=2019-07-11}}</ref> then in 2024 patched out David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and replaced it with an original track after the song's license changed.<ref name="alanwake-bowie">{{Cite news |last=Geigner |first=Timothy |title=Thanks Complicated Music Licensing Schemes: Alan Wake Updated To Remove Bowie Song From Credits |work=Techdirt |date=2024-09-13 |url=https://www.techdirt.com/2024/09/13/thanks-complicated-music-licensing-schemes-alan-wake-updated-to-remove-bowie-song-from-credits/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915062528/https://www.techdirt.com/2024/09/13/thanks-complicated-music-licensing-schemes-alan-wake-updated-to-remove-bowie-song-from-credits/ |archive-date=2024-09-15}}</ref> Microsoft de-listed ''Forza Horizon 4'' on December 15, 2024 over licensing while letting existing owners keep full offline, online, and multiplayer access.<ref name="forza">{{Cite web |title=Forza Horizon 4 Delisting |website=Forza |publisher=Turn 10 Studios |date=2024 |url=https://forza.net/news/forza-horizon-4-delisting |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0612-1119-04/https://forza.net:443/news/forza-horizon-4-delisting |archive-date=2026-06-12}}</ref> Time-limited licenses are a foreseeable, publisher-chosen risk that the industry already manages by patching or de-listing. The bill asks them to manage it on the way out the door too.

=="Direct conflict with copyright" is wrong, and the copyright angle cuts against the ESA==

<blockquote>''"This comes at great expense to the original creators and is in direct conflict with the basic principles of America's longstanding copyright laws."''<ref name="esa-oped" /></blockquote>

Federal copyright preemption under 17 U.S.C. 301 asks whether a state law vindicates rights equivalent to copyright's exclusive rights.<ref name="usc301">{{Cite web |title=17 U.S.C. 301, Preemption with respect to other laws |website=Legal Information Institute |publisher=Cornell Law School |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/301 |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260501055249/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/301 |archive-date=2026-05-01}}</ref> AB 1921 does not regulate copying, distribution, or derivative works. It regulates the terms of a sale: disclosure, a playable handoff, or a refund. That is the "extra element" that defeats preemption. The Seventh Circuit held in ''ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenberg'' that a two-party contract is ''"not equivalent to any of the exclusive rights within the general scope of copyright."''<ref name="procd">''ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenberg'', 86 F.3d 1447 (7th Cir. 1996). {{Cite web |title=ProCD, Inc. v. Zeidenberg, 86 F.3d 1447 |website=Justia |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/86/1447/538242/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260115205231/https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/86/1447/538242/ |archive-date=2026-01-15}}</ref> A state law gets preempted when it nullifies a federal copyright right, as in ''Vault Corp. v. Quaid Software Ltd.'',<ref name="vault">''Vault Corp. v. Quaid Software Ltd.'', 847 F.2d 255 (5th Cir. 1988). {{Cite web |title=Vault Corp. v. Quaid Software Ltd., 847 F.2d 255 |website=Justia |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/847/255/193888/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250306200836/https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/847/255/193888/ |archive-date=2025-03-06}}</ref> but AB 1921 does the opposite of that. Its refund option involves zero copying, alteration, or distribution, so it cannot ''"directly conflict"'' with copyright.

[[File:AB1921-refund-no-copying.png|thumb|center|upright=2.4|Section 20664(a)(2)(C): the refund remedy copies, distributes, and alters nothing.]]

==Section 1201 makes fan preservation a federal crime, and the Copyright Office twice refused to loosen it==

Here is the part the ESA does not want in the conversation. The reason communities cannot just keep these games alive themselves is a copyright law, and it is the one FULU exists to fix. Live-service games sit behind server-authentication locks. Bypassing one to run a community server is "circumvention" under [[DMCA Section 1201|Section 1201]], and distributing the server emulator or tools to do it violates the anti-trafficking bans in the same statute.<ref name="dmca1201">{{Cite web |title=17 U.S.C. 1201, Circumvention of copyright protection systems |website=Legal Information Institute |publisher=Cornell Law School |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/1201 |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260501042620/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/1201 |archive-date=2026-05-01}}</ref> The narrow preservation exemption in the 2024 triennial rulemaking was renewed only for libraries, archives, and museums, on physical premises; the Copyright Office rejected remote and off-premises access and noted the Librarian has no authority to touch the anti-trafficking bans at all.<ref name="fedreg">{{Cite web |title=Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Controls |website=Federal Register |publisher=Library of Congress, Copyright Office |date=2024-10-28 |url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/10/28/2024-24563/exemption-to-prohibition-on-circumvention-of-copyright-protection-systems-for-access-control |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241102221419/https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/10/28/2024-24563/exemption-to-prohibition-on-circumvention-of-copyright-protection-systems-for-access-control |archive-date=2024-11-02}}</ref> The Office has now refused that same off-premises preservation request two rule-makings running. In the 2024 proceeding the Register again declined to lift the on-premises limitation for the video game class, reasoning in part that the safeguards preservationists offered would not keep preserved games from being played recreationally.

[[File:Copyright-Office-2024-video-game-preservation-denial.png|thumb|center|upright=2.2|U.S. Copyright Office, 2024 Register's Recommendation at 191: the Office refused to let libraries preserve online games off-premises, citing the risk that people would play them recreationally.]]

<blockquote>''"[W]hile the Register appreciates that proponents have suggested broad safeguards that could deter recreational uses of video games in some cases, she believes that such requirements are not specific enough to conclude that they would prevent market harms."''<ref name="register-rec-2024">{{Cite web |title=Section 1201 Rulemaking: Ninth Triennial Proceeding, Register's Recommendation, at 191 (Proposed Class 6(b), the video game class) |website=U.S. Copyright Office |date=October 2024 |url=https://www.copyright.gov/1201/2024/2024_Section_1201_Registers_Recommendation.pdf#page=194 |access-date=2026-06-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241026165911/https://www.copyright.gov/1201/2024/2024_Section_1201_Registers_Recommendation.pdf#page=194 |archive-date=2024-10-26}}</ref></blockquote>

The harm the Office named is a person who wants to play an abandoned game for fun. And the ESA opposed even that limited exemption, reportedly telling the Copyright Office it would never support remote game access for research purposes under any conditions, per the Video Game History Foundation.<ref name="vghf">{{Cite web |title=ESA Says No to Remote Access for Game Research |website=Video Game History Foundation |publisher=Video Game History Foundation |date=2024 |url=https://gamehistory.org/dmca-2024-statement/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241025183234/https://gamehistory.org/dmca-2024-statement/ |archive-date=2024-10-25}}</ref>

So put it together. Publishers use Section 1201 to make community preservation a federal crime, then tell California that community preservation is too burdensome to expect of publishers. They built the wall, and now they point at the wall as the reason nobody can get over it. They cannot have it both ways.

==The ESA's answer to a dead game is to buy it again, or rent it back through a subscription==

The same 2024 Register's Recommendation records the ESA's other answer to a game going dark: there is no real problem, because the buyer can purchase it again or rent it back. Opponents of the exemption, the ESA among them, told the Copyright Office that a market for older games already exists, pointed to re-releases and to titles ESA members make available through subscription services, and argued that these authorized and secondary markets are an alternative to circumvention. The Register summarized the position:

<blockquote>''"Opponents also disagreed over the market for older video games. They claimed that "there remains a substantial market for classic games" and, as in past proceedings, provided examples of "a vibrant and growing market for authorized versions of classic games that could be jeopardized by the broad exemption proposed here," including the classic games offered by ESA's members such as re-releases sales and making the games available using subscription services. They also suggested that the existence of secondary markets demonstrates that there are alternatives to circumvention and any "unwillingness" to acquire works from those markets is unrelated to the prohibition on circumventing access controls."''<ref name="register-rec-2024-market">{{Cite web |title=Section 1201 Rulemaking: Ninth Triennial Proceeding, Register's Recommendation, at 190 (Proposed Class 6(b), the video game class) |website=U.S. Copyright Office |date=October 2024 |url=https://www.copyright.gov/1201/2024/2024_Section_1201_Registers_Recommendation.pdf#page=193 |access-date=2026-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241026165911/https://www.copyright.gov/1201/2024/2024_Section_1201_Registers_Recommendation.pdf#page=193 |archive-date=2024-10-26}}</ref></blockquote>

[[File:ESA-2024-classic-games-subscription-argument.png|thumb|center|upright=2.6|U.S. Copyright Office, 2024 Register's Recommendation at 190: opponents offered re-release sales and subscription services as the existing market for classic games, and called secondary markets an alternative to circumvention.]]

Read what that proposes. A game the buyer paid for once, and owned, is adequately served by buying it a second time whenever a publisher decides to re-release it, or by paying a recurring charge to play it for as long as it stays in the catalog and not one day longer. A subscription is access the publisher can switch off. That is the precise failure mode AB 1921 and [[Stop Killing Games]] exist to address. The ESA answers a shutdown problem with another thing that can be shut down, this time on a meter, and decided by the same publisher who pulled the plug in the first place.

The document even has a word for declining that deal. A buyer who would rather see the community keep an abandoned game running than re-buy it or rent it is, in the ESA's framing, showing ''"unwillingness"'' to use these markets. But the community route is a federal crime, and the same industry lobbied to keep it one. Section 1201 makes the cheapest option illegal, and the ESA then treats the paid options it leaves standing as proof the buyer has nothing to complain about. Every path it endorses sends money back to the publisher.

That is the spine of this whole essay. A game you bought is not a service you rent. The ESA's ''"substantial market"'' answer assumes the buyer should pay again, or pay forever, for a thing they already purchased outright, decades after the original sale. It was a purchase when they took the money. It becomes a subscription only when the buyer asks to keep what they bought.

==The "lack of knowledge" line is an insult that named engineers reject==

The op-ed says the bill ''"shows a fundamental lack of knowledge about how games are built and maintained today,"'' and closes that it ''"doesn't just misunderstand games. It undermines the very thing it claims to protect."''<ref name="esa-oped" /> That is an accusation of technical ignorance, not an argument.

John Carmack, former CTO of Oculus and co-founder of id Software, said after Meta shut down Echo VR that ''"every game should make sure they still work at some level without central server support,"'' that ''"supporting user-run servers as an option can actually save on hosting costs,"'' and that studios should keep their build processes disciplined ''"so there is at least the possibility of making the project open source."''<ref name="carmack">{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Ben |title=John Carmack Issues Statement on Echo VR Closure |website=UploadVR |date=2023 |url=https://www.uploadvr.com/john-carmack-statement-echo-vr-closure/ |access-date=2026-06-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204105354/https://www.uploadvr.com/john-carmack-statement-echo-vr-closure/ |archive-date=2023-02-04}}</ref> That is the end-of-life plan the bill asks for, stated by one of the most credentialed engineers the field has produced. The people who actually build games know how to plan a graceful shutdown. Some of them already do, without negatively impacting future sales.

==The bill's three requirements and FULU's position==

The bill itself, set against the ESA's description of it, is short. When a 2027-or-later buy-to-play game shuts down, the publisher does one of three things: ship a standalone version, ship a patch that lets it run without the operator's servers, or refund the full purchase price. Give players 60 days' notice first. Subscription games, free-to-play games, and games sold as permanent DRM-free downloads are all exempt.<ref name="bill-text" /> The standalone and patch options are also what would let a publisher hand the game off to community hosting instead of killing it.

I will give the ESA its strongest point one more time, on its own. The refund is the full purchase price with no proration; no discount for years elapsed or hours played.<ref name="bill-text" /> For an MMO too tangled to patch offline, the refund may be the only remedy left, and that exposure is real, not imaginary. But it is the fallback, not the default. The off-ramp the industry has used over and over, the patch or the standalone build, is right there first. A publisher that designs for the end of life never has to write the big check.

And the copyright fix matters here, which is FULU's whole reason for being in this. Section 1201 is what turns community self-help into a federal offense. Reform it, and the cheapest end-of-life option of all, letting the people who love a game keep it running themselves, stops being a crime. The publishers who call that option too much to ask are the same ones who lobbied to make it illegal.

The dispute reduces to one question: whether a company that took full price for a game can later reach into the buyer's machine and delete it, owing nothing. AB 1921 answers that before the servers go dark, the buyer is owed a working copy, a patch, or a refund.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200" caption="AB 1921 in its own words">
File:AB1921-three-remedies.png|the three remedies on shutdown
File:AB1921-60-day-notice.png|the 60-day shutdown notice
File:AB1921-refund-or-playable.png|a playable version or a refund once services cease
File:AB1921-prospective-scope-2027.png|games sold or rereleased on or after January 1, 2027
File:AB1921-operator-carveout.png|hosting and cloud providers are not operators
File:AB1921-exemptions.png|subscription, free-to-play, and DRM-free downloads are exempt
File:AB1921-playable-version.png|a version that runs without the operator's servers
File:AB1921-existing-law-digest.png|the digest pointing to existing buy and purchase labeling law
File:AB1921-refund-no-copying.png|the refund remedy copies and alters nothing
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

Sony

2026-06-15T13:37:05Z

Keith: Undo revision 57933 by ~2026-49 (talk)

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|Industry=Conglomerate, Photography equipment, Audio equipment, Home electronics, Video games
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|Website=https://sony.com/
}}
'''{{Wplink|Sony|Sony Group Corporation}}''' is a Japanese Zaibatsu (or mega corporation) headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Access & Map |url=https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/Data/Map/ |website=Sony |date= |access-date=24 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416150015/https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/Data/Map/ |archive-date=16 Apr 2021}}</ref> The Sony Group Corporation owns over 100 companies including, but not limited to Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Sony Entertainment (including Sony Pictures and Sony Music Group), Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Financial Group, and [[Crunchyroll]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=List of acquisitions by Sony |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_acquisitions_by_Sony |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320063035/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_acquisitions_by_Sony |archive-date=20 Mar 2025 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Wikipedia}}</ref>

Sony was established in 1946 as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260204161638/https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/ |archive-date=4 Feb 2026|access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[[Sony]]}}</ref> The young company distinguished itself in the consumer electronics market with transistor radios, home video tape recorders, portable audio players called the Walkman, and compact disk players.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sony History |url=https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/SonyHistory/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251014201041/https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/SonyHistory/ |archive-date=14 Oct 2025 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[[Sony]]}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> In 1988, Sony acquired CBS Records.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Corporate History |url=https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/company/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260108000436/https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/company/ |archive-date=8 Jan 2026|access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[[Sony]]}}</ref> Later, in 1989 it acquired Columbia Pictures.<ref name=":1" /> The company also introduced the home video game console [[PlayStation]] in 1994.<ref name=":1" />

==Consumer impact summary==
Sony has found itself involved in many controversies in the past, most commonly consumer rights and management of digital content issues. They have included instances such as Sony BMG rootkit in 2005, where copy protection software tracked users in secret and added security holes, which were the target of lawsuits and recalls. Sony has also had run-ins with digital content access, like trying to close down the PlayStation Store on older systems and removing "forever" licenses on Funimation content, which was met with pushback and reversal.

More recently, the {{Wplink|PlayStation Network}} (PSN) [[Forced account|account requirement]] mandated by Sony in ''Helldivers 2'' and binding arbitration provisions in Crunchyroll's terms of service have been criticized as restrictive of user choice and access.

==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]].

===Sued by Texas state over ACR data collection (''2025—Present):''===
{{Main|Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection}}
On 15 December 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Sony,<ref name="petition-sony">{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2025 |title=State of Texas v. Sony Electronics Inc., Original Petition |url=https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Sony%20TV%20Petition%20Filed.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260120093757/https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Sony%20TV%20Petition%20Filed.pdf |archive-date=20 Jan 2026 |access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Office of the Texas Attorney General |format=PDF}}</ref> alleging that the manufacturer failed to adequately disclose the data collection capabilities of {{Wplink|automatic content recognition}} (ACR) technology in their smart televisions<ref name="arstechnica">{{Cite web |date=December 16, 2025 |title=Texas sues biggest TV makers, alleging smart TVs spy on users without consent |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/texas-sues-biggest-tv-makers-alleging-smart-tvs-spy-on-users-without-consent/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251228170241/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/texas-sues-biggest-tv-makers-alleging-smart-tvs-spy-on-users-without-consent/ |archive-date=28 Dec 2025|access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Ars Technica}}</ref>. The lawsuit, filed under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, allege that ACR technology captures screenshots of television displays at frequent intervals and that the resulting viewing data is sold to advertisers and data brokers without meaningful consumer consent.<ref name="txag-main">{{Cite web |date=December 15, 2025 |title=Attorney General Paxton Sues Five Major TV Companies, Including Some with Ties to CCP, for Spying on Texans |url=https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-sues-five-major-tv-companies-including-some-ties-ccp-spying-texans |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260123003535/https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-sues-five-major-tv-companies-including-some-ties-ccp-spying-texans |archive-date=23 Jan 2026 |access-date=January 21, 2026 |publisher=Office of the Texas Attorney General}}</ref>

===Automatic reporting of GrapheneOS users to authorities (''2026'')===
On 5 June 2026, a user attempting to verify their age to Sony through the Yoti service was blocked from doing so due to using [[GrapheneOS]]. It was later revealed by Yoti customer support that all GrapheneOS users who attempt to use their services are reported to the authorities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GrapheneOS user reported to authorities for using GrapheneOS |url=https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/36134-grapheneos-user-reported-to-authorities-for-using-grapheneos |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260606085134/https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/36134-grapheneos-user-reported-to-authorities-for-using-grapheneos |archive-date=2026-06-06 |website=[[GrapheneOS]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Did I just got threatened by Yoti (Age Verification) company? |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1txn8di/did_i_just_got_threatened_by_yoti_age/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260605224524/https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1txn8di/did_i_just_got_threatened_by_yoti_age/ |archive-date=2026-06-05 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>

===Network service termination (''2026'')===
On 17 November 2026, Sony will disable streaming functionality on 71 devices across seven product categories although the devices were advertised at the time with the corresponding features and were partly specifically designed as streaming products.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Network service termination for certain Sony Electronics products |url=https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00398725 |website=Sony |date=13 May 2025 |access-date=14 Jun 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260610163812/https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/articles/00398725 |archive-date=10 Jun 2026}}</ref>
<blockquote>Network services will be terminated on certain Sony audio and video products effective '''November 17, 2026'''.

As a result of this termination:

*Access to supported network services will no longer be available on affected models.
*Any downloaded network services may no longer be accessible on affected models.
*Beginning '''November 18, 2026''', icons associated with these services may be removed from affected models.</blockquote>

====Services ending====
*Amazon Prime Video
*Google Cast
*[[Netflix]]
*Pandora
*Slacker Radio
*[[Spotify]]
*Vudu

====Affected models====
;Audio and micro component systems
*CMT-MX700NI
*HAP-S1
*HAP-Z1ES
*MAP-S1
*NAC-SV10

;AV Receivers
*STR-DA1800
*STR-DA2800ES
*STR-DA3700ES
*STR-DA5700ES
*STR-DA5800ES
*STR-DN1020
*STR-DN1030
*STR-DN1040
*STR-DN1050
*STR-DN1060
*STR-DN1070
*STR-DN1080
*STR-DN840
*STR-DN850
*STR-DN860
*STR-ZA810ES

;Blu-ray disc players
*BDP-BX18
*BDP-BX37
*BDP-BX38
*BDP-BX57
*BDP-N460
*BDP-S185
*BDP-S270
*BDP-S280
*BDP-S370
*BDP-S380
*BDP-S390
*BDP-S470
*BDP-S480
*BDP-S570
*BDP-S580
*BDP-S770
*BDP-S780

;Blu-ray disc home theater systems
*BDV-E280
*BDV-E370
*BDV-E470
*BDV-E570
*BDV-E580
*BDV-E770W
*BDV-E780W
*BDV-E870
*BDV-E880
*BDV-F7
*BDV-HZ970
*BDV-IZ1000W
*BDV-L600
*BDV-T28
*BDV-T57
*BDV-T58

;Media players
*FMP-X10
*SMP-N100
*SMP-N200

;Soundbars
*HT-CT790
*HT-CT800
*HT-NT3
*HT-NT5
*HT-RT5
*HT-ST5000
*HT-ST9
*HT-XT2
*HT-XT3

;Wireless speakers
*SA-NS310
*SA-NS410
*SA-NS500
*SA-NS510
*SRS-X7

==Controversies==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Sony BMG CD copy protection {{wplink|rootkit}}
|2005
|Sony BMG distributed about 20 million discs preloaded with copy protection software that tracks the users listening habits (even if the user did not agree to the [[EULA]]), hides itself, and introduces exploitable bugs. As such it has been classified as a rootkit.
Furthermore, they released an uninstaller tool later that merely un-hides their original rootkit and installs more un-removable software, all while extracting more personal information (e-mail addresses) from users.
|Class action lawsuits in 2005-2006 forced Sony to recall about 10% of affected CDs. Sony stopped their copy protection attempts in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sony's DRM protected CDs install Windows rootkits |url=https://en.m.wikinews.org/wiki/Sony%27s_DRM_protected_CDs_install_Windows_rootkits |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250708193020/https://en.m.wikinews.org/wiki/Sony's_DRM_protected_CDs_install_Windows_rootkits |archive-date=8 Jul 2025 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Wikinews}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Revisiting the Sony Rootkit |url=https://fsfe.org/activities/drm/sony-rootkit-fiasco.en.html#restrictions-pictures |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250406125851/https://fsfe.org/activities/drm/sony-rootkit-fiasco.en.html#restrictions |archive-date=6 Apr 2025 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=fsfe}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CD’s Containing XCP Content Protection Technology |url=https://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/titles.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224153240/https://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/titles.html |archive-date=24 Dec 2008 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=Sony BMG}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|Mandatory data collection on PC ports
|2020-ongoing
|
|
|
|
|-
|Revocation of "Forever" licenses to {{wplink|Funimation}} digital content
|2024
|After merging Funimation with {{wplink|Crunchyroll, LLC|Crunchyroll}}, Sony revoked all licenses to digital content that had been advertised as "forever" licenses without providing a refund or reimbursement.
|Some users received free months of service for the new Crunchyroll platform, but only if they submitted a ticket.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Parrish |first=Ash |date=26 Feb 2024 |title=Funimation’s solution for wiping out digital libraries could be good, if it works |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226153946/https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation |archive-date=26 Feb 2024 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=The Verge}}</ref>
|[[Funimation "Forever" Content License Revocation]]
|
|-
|Crunchyroll January 2025 Terms of Service Update
|2025
|Sony forced users of Crunchyroll into binding arbitration by updating their terms of service and without providing an easy way to opt-out.
|TBD
|[[Crunchyroll January 2025 Terms of Service Update]]
|
|-
|Camera monitor on Xperia phones turned into subscription
|2025
|Sony disabled External Monitor feature with software update on Xperia phones and turned it into subscription
|TBD
|[[Sony Xperia turns camera monitor into subscription]]
|<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqPfM6lxv90 ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=PqPfM6lxv90 Archived])</ref>
|}

===Sony's Playstation controversies===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Warranty void if removed stickers
|2004
|Warranty void if removed stickers are illegal under the [[Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act|Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975]]., but are nonetheless used by the company.
Such stickers existed at least on [https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/kuhibAgUoeTpUmSh.huge PlayStation 2] models to prevent users from opening the console (the sticker was on top of a screw).
|
|
|
|-
|PlayStation 3 "Yellow Light of Death"
|2006-2009
|Due to a likely defect in the 90nm graphic processing units (GPUs) of early PlayStation 3s,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=HelpForPS3 (Reuploader) |last2=BBC |date=17 Dec 2009 |title=Sony PS3 Yellow Light of Death - BBC |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_ef8bDQktI |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=E_ef8bDQktI |archive-date=4 Feb 2026 |access-date=3 Jun 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=RIP Felix |date=15 Jan 2024 |title=A 360 Story - The RED Ring of Death & the 7th Generation Console War |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qKtS_uxdcU |url-status=live |access-date=2 Jun 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=RIP Felix |date=23 Dec 2022 |title=A PS3 Story: The Yellow Light of Death |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za7WTNwAX0c |url-status=live |access-date=2 Jun 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref> these models are extremely prone to GPU failures.
Affected models (with a 90nm GPU) include: CECHA, CECHB, CECHC, CECHE, and CECHG.
|TBD; Sony never made a response beyond dodging and denial of the issue.<ref>{{Cite web |last=BBC |date=18 Sep 2009 |title=Sony rebuts BBC PlayStation claim |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8263063.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219154020/https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8263063.stm |archive-date=19 Feb 2025 |access-date=4 Jun 2025 |website=BBC NEWS}}</ref> Consumers whose consoles had this problem- even when Sony was supporting the console- had to pay out of pocket to repair it.<ref name=":2" />
|[[Bumpgate]]
[[PlayStation 3 "Yellow Light of Death"]]
|
|-
|PlayStation 3 Blu-Ray AACS License Renewal
|2006
|The Advanced Access Content System (AACS) encryption key of Sony PlayStation 3 devices must be renewed every 12 to 18 months via software updates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Renewing the AACS encryption key |url=https://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/video/aacs.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319144013/https://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/video/aacs.html |archive-date=19 Mar 2025 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[[PlayStation]]}}</ref>
|TBD. At some point, software updates will no longer be released, which will eventually lock out users from this functionality.
|
|
|-
|PlayStation 3 Removal of OtherOS with System Update 3.21
|2010
|PlayStation 3 systems supported a feature known as "OtherOS" until system update 3.21 on April 1, 2010 with Sony stating it was removed due to "security concerns".<ref>{{Cite web |title=PS3 Firmware 3.21 Coming April 1st |url=https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2010/03/29/ps3-firmware-3-21-coming-april-1st/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250828213927/https://blog.playstation.com/archive/2010/03/29/ps3-firmware-3-21-coming-april-1st/ |archive-date=28 Aug 2025 |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=[[PlayStation]]}}</ref> Prior to the release of the PS3 slim in November 2009, Sony stated that the slim would not support this feature that was available on the current PS3 models still available for sale.<ref>{{cite web |title=SCEE PS3 Slim press release |url=https://www.scee.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=4842&NewsAreaID=2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822130523/https://www.scee.presscentre.com/content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=4842 |archive-date=August 22, 2009 |access-date=2025-08-16}}</ref>
|Class action lawsuit, with a $3.75 million settlement in 2018, with people receiving up to $10.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sony sending $10 settlement checks for PS3 “Other OS” lawsuit |url=https://www.gearnuke.com/sony-sending-10-settlement-checks-for-ps3-other-os-lawsuit/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114062814/https://www.gearnuke.com/sony-sending-10-settlement-checks-for-ps3-other-os-lawsuit/ |archive-date=November 14, 2018 |access-date=2025-08-16}}</ref>
|[[PlayStation 3 Removal of OtherOS with System Update 3.21]]
|
|-
|Sony Playstation hardware bans
|2011-ongoing
|Sony is banning gaming consoles on hardware level from accessing Playstation Network online services for "violation of terms of service", which makes modern game consoles useless piece of junk
|
|[[Sony Playstation hardware bans from online services]]
|
|-
|{{Wplink|Helldivers 2}} PSN Account Requirement post launch
|2024
|Sony added a {{Wplink|PlayStation Network|PSN account}} requirement for Helldivers 2 after the game had become popular, including for countries where you can't create a PSN account.
|The requirement was removed,<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=HELLDIVERS™ 2 Account Linking Update |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/553850/view/4196868529806518741 |website=[[Steam]] |date=6 May 2024 |access-date=24 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260217120939/https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/553850/view/4196868529806518741 |archive-date=17 Feb 2026}}</ref> however the game was removed from sale in countries without PSN.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Serin |first=Kaan |date=11 May 2024 |title=Helldivers 2 gets delisted in more countries without PSN access, blindsided devs call for it to be "available worldwide" |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2-gets-delisted-in-more-countries-without-psn-access-blindsided-devs-call-for-it-to-be-available-worldwide/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511102905/https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2-gets-delisted-in-more-countries-without-psn-access-blindsided-devs-call-for-it-to-be-available-worldwide/ |archive-date=11 May 2024 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=GamesRadar}}</ref>
|[[PlayStation Network Account Requirement for PC Games]]
|<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2VA0eum6w4 ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=I2VA0eum6w4 Archived])</ref>
|-
|PlayStation Store Shutdown
|2021
|Sony intended to shut down the PlayStation Store on its {{wplink|PlayStation 3|PS3}}, {{wplink|PlayStation Vita|PS Vita}}, and {{wplink|PlayStation Portable|PSP}} consoles, despite many of the content offerings not being available on newer consoles.
|Sony walked back the decision for the PS3 and PS Vita, citing the negative response from customers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Jim |date=19 Apr 2021 |title=PlayStation Store on PS3 and PS Vita Will Continue Operations |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2021/04/19/playstation-store-on-ps3-and-ps-vita-will-continue-operations/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419170146/https://blog.playstation.com/2021/04/19/playstation-store-on-ps3-and-ps-vita-will-continue-operations/ |archive-date=19 Apr 2021 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[[PlayStation]]}}</ref>
|
|
|-
|Removal of {{Wplink|Discovery Channel|Discovery}} titles
|2023
|Sony intended to remove customers' access to "purchased" Discovery Channel content at the end of their licensing agreements.
|Sony reversed the decision, allowing customers to continue accessing the content.<ref>{{Cite web |date=Dec 2023 |title=Legal update notice |url=https://www.playstation.com/en-us/legal/psvideocontent/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231201155935/https://www.playstation.com/en-us/legal/psvideocontent/ |archive-date=1 Dec 2023 |access-date=16 Mar 2025 |website=[[PlayStation]]}}</ref>
|[[Sony's attempted removal of "purchased" content]]
|<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bpzyz5kf_A ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=6bpzyz5kf_A Archived])</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krXH8jXefqE ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=krXH8jXefqE Archived])</ref>
|-
|PSN Account Requirement for PC Games
|2024-ongoing
|Sony requires a PSN account be made or used for Playstation games ported to PC and sold on the PC, including games that were solely single player such as Last of Us Part 2<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ariyasinghe |first=Pulasthi |date=2024-11-09 |title=PSN account requirement on PC is there to keep gamers safe, explains Sony |url=https://www.neowin.net/news/psn-account-requirement-on-pc-is-there-to-keep-gamers-safe-explains-sony/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241109203247/https://www.neowin.net/news/psn-account-requirement-on-pc-is-there-to-keep-gamers-safe-explains-sony/ |archive-date=9 Nov 2024 |website=Neowin}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ruiz |first=Michael |date=2024-09-25 |title=Sony Not Backing Down on PSN PC Requirement Despite Backlash |url=https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2024/09/25/sony-psn-login-required-horizon-zero-dawn-remastered-pc/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240925175510/https://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2024/09/25/sony-psn-login-required-horizon-zero-dawn-remastered-pc/ |archive-date=25 Sep 2024 |website=PlayStation Lifestyle}}</ref>.
|In January 2025 Sony removed this requirement for some games and instead offered players benefits to use PSN. However the restriction remains for other Sony games such as Until Dawn.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Qizilbash |first=Asad |date=2025-01-29 |title=New in-game content incentives coming to PlayStation games on PC |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2025/01/29/new-in-game-content-incentives-coming-to-playstation-games-on-pc/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250129163956/https://blog.playstation.com/2025/01/29/new-in-game-content-incentives-coming-to-playstation-games-on-pc/ |archive-date=29 Jan 2025 |website=PlayStation Blog |publisher=Sony - PlayStation Blog}}</ref>
|[[PlayStation Network Account Requirement for PC Games]]
|
|-
|PlayStation restricts how developers can give upgrades to "PS5" editions
|2025
|Sony have restricted how and what developers can offer people upgrading from a PS4 edition to a PS5 edition of a game post launch.
|Sony has continued this practices without a proper response
|[[PlayStation restricts how developers can give upgrades to "PS5" editions]]
|
|-
|PlayStation dynamic prices
|2025 -ongoing
|Sony has been reportedly testing dynamic pricing on the PlayStation Store for months.

That's according to PSPrices, which claims that Sony has been running an A/B testing experiment that shows different prices to different users since November 2025.

In the first four months, the experiment grew from just 50 games in 30 regions to now over 190 games in more than 70 regions.

overall some users are paying 27% more for the same game.
|
|
|
|-
|PlayStation Lease with Flex
|2026
|Unlike traditional installment purchases that lead to eventual ownership, Flex and other leasing models do not result in the consumer owning the console outright. Once the contract term ends, the hardware must be returned regardless of payments already made, or the consumer must enter a separate purchase negotiation. If payments stop early, the consumer loses access to the device without having worked toward ownership
|
|[[PlayStation Lease with Flex]]
|
|}

==Products==

===Audio===
*[[Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds|Sony WF-1000XM4]]
*Sony WH-1000XM5

===Televisions===
*[[Sony x900h television|Sony X900H]]

===Consoles===
*Playstation
*Playstation 2
*Playstation 3
*Playstation 4
*Playstation 5

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Video references===
<references group="Video References" />

[[Category:Sony]]

Consumer Rights Wiki talk:Draft policy on the inclusion of positive consumer-focused acts and practices

2026-06-15T13:28:03Z

Keith: /* Any thoughts? */ new section

== Any thoughts? ==

What works? What might cause problems further down the line? What's been overlooked? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 13:28, 15 June 2026 (UTC)

Consumer Rights Wiki:Draft policy on the inclusion of positive consumer-focused acts and practices

2026-06-15T13:27:50Z

Keith:

Articles about 'positive' aspects of consumer rights have been a bit of a gray area since the founding of the wiki, and this policy aims to clear up our stance on the matter.

==Basic principles==
===No reviews===
First of all, '''the Consumer Rights Wiki is not a review site'''. Just as we do not consider the creation and sale of a product which is simply bad or poor quality to be an anti-consumer act worthy of coverage on the wiki, we do not consider the simple shipping of a high-quality product with good customer service to be a pro-consumer act that should be discussed on the wiki.

===No glazing===
There are a lot of people out there who are staunch fans of particular companies or products. The Consumer Rights Wiki is not the place to wax lyrical about them, and positive things mentioned about a company must have significant consumer rights relevance and media coverage. Everyone's favourite company is someone else's most hated, and we don't want to get bogged down in arguments over . the best way to avoid these arguments is to have precise criteria over the kinds of positive things that can be covered on the wiki

===No recommendations===
While we may cover positive aspects about a product or service, we should never appear to make recommendations.

==Article types==
The stance on documentation of positive practices in different article types is as follows:
===Theme articles===
Theme articles about positive practices will generally be a good fit for the wiki, since cataloguing basic aspects of the consumer landscape furthers the Wiki's mission. The nuance here is that they should not be general 'how to run a good company' business-advice-type practices, but articles specifically relating to things a company can do that positively affect how well-protected a consumer's purchase is.

Examples of theme articles that fit the wiki:

* Warranties - an article that explores the concept of a warranty, going through the various different kinds of warranty
* Acceptance of liability - where a company willingly takes additional responsibility for the proper performance of their product
* End-of-life planning - discussing what affirmative actions companies can take to ensure that their products remain useful to consumers long after official support ends
* Right to repair - discussing the legal and practical issues around the right to repair movement

Examples of theme articles that would not fit the wiki:

* DRM-free software - something being DRM-free is simply the absence of DRM, and should instead be covered as a subsection in the DRM article.
* Pleasant customer service interactions - an article about how businesses can make interactions with staff pleasant is general business advice, and not consumer-rights-wiki relevant content.
* Long-life engineering - While good for consumers, discussion of engineering techniques used to make products last longer is more 'advice on how to make a good product' and less 'consumer rights/protection material'.

===Law articles===
All consumer-relevant laws, positive or negative, are relevant to the wiki and should have articles discussing their contents and scope.

===Incident articles===
incident articles - if a positive consumer-relevant incident has happened, where a company had received substantial coverage for taking a stance above and beyond the norm for consumer protection, then the incident can be covered on the wiki. This needs to be more than marketing/puff pieces and there needs to be proper substantial coverage of a company taking a specific positive action for it to be considered for an incident article on the wiki.

draft note: maybe we should have a more Wikipedia-like notability threshold here in terms of the sources we require?

In general, for a positive incident to be included on the wiki, it must:
* be notable (has received significant coverage outside of promotional puff pieces)
* affect the rights or protections of existing consumers of a product
* not represent an industry norm

Examples of positive incidents might include (Draft note: more examples and edge cases here would be very much appreciated):
* Valve removing forced arbitration from their TOS

Examples of positive incidents which would not fit the wiki:
* EA making the old Command and Conquer games freeware and releasing source code - giving things away for free is nice, and something that people will appreciate, but it does not affect the rights or protections of the consumer

===Company and product articles===
For companies or products, articles should not be made just because a company is 'generally' or even 'exceptionally' good. In the absence of any relevant negative incidents, a company or product should only have a page on the wiki if they have been directly involved in at least 2 named wiki-worthy positive incidents (regardless if those incidents do or do not yet have pages on the wiki). For companies where negative incidents have been recorded and so have a space on the wiki anyway, positive incidents can be mentioned on their company page so long as they meet the above notability criteria, as well as general wiki standards.

Charities and foundations dedicated to supporting some piece of open-source software, or those pieces of software themselves, will not generally be suitable for the wiki, as these typically are just non-problematic entities which make good software and provide competition in the relevant spaces, rather than ones which actively enhance consumer rights/protections.

Examples of exclusively positively notable companies/products which fit the wiki:
Draft note: some input on good/bad examples here would be appreciated!

Examples of positive products/companies
* Under this policy, we'd probably want to remove the GrapheneOS page, and move it to being a subsection of a theme article on mobile operating systems or something? The GrapheneOS page should then just serve as a redirect to that subsection.

===Articles about people===
Draft note: really not sure about this one, might be better to keep this negative only?

As with any articles about people, relevant individuals need to have made a major, personal, and direct impact on the consumer landscape. The Consumer Rights Wiki should, as always, '''ONLY''' document their consumer-protection-relevant activities, aside from any very basic details needed for context. Individuals should only be documented on the wiki if they have been directly involved in changing the approach of large companies, or drafting/passing laws. We should not cover general consumer journalists or celebrities who advocate in passing for changes to consumer laws.

[[Category:CRW]]

Consumer Rights Wiki:Draft policy on the inclusion of positive consumer-focused acts and practices

2026-06-15T13:27:35Z

Keith: created draft page

Articles about 'positive' aspects of consumer rights have been a bit of a gray area since the founding of the wiki, and this policy aims to clear up our stance on the matter.

==Basic principles==
===No reviews===
First of all, '''the Consumer Rights Wiki is not a review site'''. Just as we do not consider the creation and sale of a product which is simply bad or poor quality to be an anti-consumer act worthy of coverage on the wiki, we do not consider the simple shipping of a high-quality product with good customer service to be a pro-consumer act that should be discussed on the wiki.

===No glazing===
There are a lot of people out there who are staunch fans of particular companies or products. The Consumer Rights Wiki is not the place to wax lyrical about them, and positive things mentioned about a company must have significant consumer rights relevance and media coverage. Everyone's favourite company is someone else's most hated, and we don't want to get bogged down in arguments over . the best way to avoid these arguments is to have precise criteria over the kinds of positive things that can be covered on the wiki

===No recommendations===
While we may cover positive aspects about a product or service, we should never appear to make recommendations.

===

==Article types==
The stance on documentation of positive practices in different article types is as follows:
===Theme articles===
Theme articles about positive practices will generally be a good fit for the wiki, since cataloguing basic aspects of the consumer landscape furthers the Wiki's mission. The nuance here is that they should not be general 'how to run a good company' business-advice-type practices, but articles specifically relating to things a company can do that positively affect how well-protected a consumer's purchase is.

Examples of theme articles that fit the wiki:

* Warranties - an article that explores the concept of a warranty, going through the various different kinds of warranty
* Acceptance of liability - where a company willingly takes additional responsibility for the proper performance of their product
* End-of-life planning - discussing what affirmative actions companies can take to ensure that their products remain useful to consumers long after official support ends
* Right to repair - discussing the legal and practical issues around the right to repair movement

Examples of theme articles that would not fit the wiki:

* DRM-free software - something being DRM-free is simply the absence of DRM, and should instead be covered as a subsection in the DRM article.
* Pleasant customer service interactions - an article about how businesses can make interactions with staff pleasant is general business advice, and not consumer-rights-wiki relevant content.
* Long-life engineering - While good for consumers, discussion of engineering techniques used to make products last longer is more 'advice on how to make a good product' and less 'consumer rights/protection material'.

===Law articles===
All consumer-relevant laws, positive or negative, are relevant to the wiki and should have articles discussing their contents and scope.

===Incident articles===
incident articles - if a positive consumer-relevant incident has happened, where a company had received substantial coverage for taking a stance above and beyond the norm for consumer protection, then the incident can be covered on the wiki. This needs to be more than marketing/puff pieces and there needs to be proper substantial coverage of a company taking a specific positive action for it to be considered for an incident article on the wiki.

draft note: maybe we should have a more Wikipedia-like notability threshold here in terms of the sources we require?

In general, for a positive incident to be included on the wiki, it must:
* be notable (has received significant coverage outside of promotional puff pieces)
* affect the rights or protections of existing consumers of a product
* not represent an industry norm

Examples of positive incidents might include (Draft note: more examples and edge cases here would be very much appreciated):
* Valve removing forced arbitration from their TOS

Examples of positive incidents which would not fit the wiki:
* EA making the old Command and Conquer games freeware and releasing source code - giving things away for free is nice, and something that people will appreciate, but it does not affect the rights or protections of the consumer

===Company and product articles===
For companies or products, articles should not be made just because a company is 'generally' or even 'exceptionally' good. In the absence of any relevant negative incidents, a company or product should only have a page on the wiki if they have been directly involved in at least 2 named wiki-worthy positive incidents (regardless if those incidents do or do not yet have pages on the wiki). For companies where negative incidents have been recorded and so have a space on the wiki anyway, positive incidents can be mentioned on their company page so long as they meet the above notability criteria, as well as general wiki standards.

Charities and foundations dedicated to supporting some piece of open-source software, or those pieces of software themselves, will not generally be suitable for the wiki, as these typically are just non-problematic entities which make good software and provide competition in the relevant spaces, rather than ones which actively enhance consumer rights/protections.

Examples of exclusively positively notable companies/products which fit the wiki:
Draft note: some input on good/bad examples here would be appreciated!

Examples of positive products/companies
* Under this policy, we'd probably want to remove the GrapheneOS page, and move it to being a subsection of a theme article on mobile operating systems or something? The GrapheneOS page should then just serve as a redirect to that subsection.

===Articles about people===
Draft note: really not sure about this one, might be better to keep this negative only?

As with any articles about people, relevant individuals need to have made a major, personal, and direct impact on the consumer landscape. The Consumer Rights Wiki should, as always, '''ONLY''' document their consumer-protection-relevant activities, aside from any very basic details needed for context. Individuals should only be documented on the wiki if they have been directly involved in changing the approach of large companies, or drafting/passing laws. We should not cover general consumer journalists or celebrities who advocate in passing for changes to consumer laws.

[[Category:CRW]]

Talk:Verizon demo phone MDM data wipe

2026-06-15T12:51:56Z

Keith: /* Relevancy/article framing */ new section

== Relevancy/article framing ==

Just wanted to start a discussion on this article's relevancy - the person who just blanked the page was clearly out of line, but I think there is some merit to a discussion on how relevant this article is, since it is about a single customer's bad warranty experience.

IMO the only aspect of this case which is notable enough from a consumer rights perspective to cover is the company's refusal to disclose what information they had access to during the fuckup (as that's a fairly unique and interesting situation, beyond simply 'they sent the wrong phone and it wiped itself and they were a bit stingy about compensating the user' and the article should either be removed, or restructured to focus on that data access disclosure angle. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 12:51, 15 June 2026 (UTC)

Renault Zoe connected services subscription

2026-06-13T23:15:02Z

Keith: added stub notice

{{StubNotice}}

The Renault Zoe electric vehicle comes with connected services that let owners monitor battery level, charging status, schedule charging and remotely control climate functions via the My Renault mobile app. These services are marketed as “My Z.E. Connect” and “My Z.E. Inter@ctive”. They are included for an initial period after vehicle is purchased but require ongoing communication between the vehicle and Renault's online servers to function. Once the initial subscription period expires many users have experienced the remote functions disappearing, or requiring manual renewal steps that are not clearly communicated at purchase, services simply stop working without notice once the free trial ends.{{ProductCargo
|Company=Renault
|ProductLine=Renault Zoe
|ReleaseYear=2019
|InProduction=Yes
|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Electric Vehicle
|Website=https://www.renault.co.uk/,https://www.renaultgroup.com/
|Description=Renault Zoe EV features rely on server subscriptions, remote control and monitoring stop working after the trial period ends.
}}
{{Ph-C-Int}}

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

==Incidents==
{{Ph-C-Inc}}
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{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'')===
...

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

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

HP Laptop Subscription

2026-06-13T23:11:51Z

Keith: added tonewarning and cleanup

{{ToneWarning}}
{{Cleanup}}

'''HP Laptop Subscription''' is a laptop subscription service by [[HP Inc.|HP]] which takes device ownership out of the consumer's hands and forces the consumer to be locked into HP's terms, notable ones included here:

#'''Ownership''': The consumer will never, in any capacity, own the laptop they receive with the subscription. If the consumer cancels their subscription, they must return the laptop alongside any additional peripherals bought in the deal.
#'''Commitment Period''': If the consumer retains their subscription after the 30-day trial period, the consumer is locked into a 1-year commitment term with their plan of choice. If the consumer decides to cancel early after the trial period, then the remaining balance for the rest of the year must be paid in full.
#'''Limits on Sharing:''' The consumer is allocated one device per person, per account, per household. This means that multiple subscriptions cannot be used to fulfill multiple user's needs, only one laptop is allocated.
#'''Remote Lockdown:''' If the consumer fails to pay the monthly fee or violates HP's terms of the subscription, then HP retains the right to use their Absolute<ref>{{Cite web |last=HP Development Company LP |date=29 May 2024 |title=HP Absolute Security |url=https://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA2-1087ENW.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |website=HP Workforce Solutions Datasheet}}</ref> remote security software to remote access, lockdown, restrict, or otherwise inhibit or block HP provided services or functions.
#'''No Tampering/Removal of HP Software:''' The consumer cannot tamper with, attempt to, or remove the services pre-installed on their HP laptop, especially concerning their Absolute security software. Violation may result in the subscription being cancelled/denied, further payment being demanded, and/or legal action under the [https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1030 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 U.S.C. § 1030)].

==Features==

*Choice of a popular HP or OMEN Gaming Laptop (variable pricing based on model)
*Dedicated 24/7 Pro live phone support with an HP Agent
*Continuous warranty service
*Next-day shipping replacement for repairs/issues unresolvable over the phone
*Option to keep or upgrade to a new model every year (if available)

==Pricing==

*Laptops (HP Branded)
**$19.99/month - HP 15"<ref group="note"> Only specified on the TOS sheet, or out of stock. </ref>
**$34.99/month - HP Pavilion 16"
**$44.99/month - HP Envy 17"
**$54.99/month - HP Spectre x360 14"<ref group="note"> Ditto note 1. </ref>
**$54.99/month - HP OmniBook X Flip 14"
**$84.99/month - HP EliteBook 6 G1q 14"
*Laptops (OMEN Branded)
**$49.99/month - Victus 15"
**$69.99/month - OMEN 16"
**$79.99/month - OMEN 17"
**$129.99/month - OMEN MAX 16"
*Optional Peripherals (HP Branded)
**$1.99/month - HP Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
**$3.99/month - HP Universal USB-C Multiport Hub
**$6.99/month - HP Series 5 27" FHD White Monitor
**$9.99/month - HP Smart Tank Plus 651<ref group="note"> Ditto note 1. </ref>
*Optional Peripherals (OMEN/HyperX Branded)
**$3.99/month - HyperX Cloud III Headset
**$6.99month - HyperX Cloud III S Wireless Headset
**$7.99/month - HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless Headset
**$4.99/month - HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro Mouse
**$5.99/month - HyperX QuadCast 2 Microphone
**$7.99/month - HyperX QuadCast 2 S Microphone
**$5.99/month - OMEN 24" Monitor
**$9.99/month - OMEN 27" G2 Monitor
**$4.79/month - HyperX Alloy Origins 65 Keyboard

==Other Concerns==

*HP Elitebook has built-in 5G eSim cellular with data provided through the subscription, HP could have remote access in areas with no WiFi
**Use of the HP Go 5G service is limited to on-device usage; consumers cannot use tethering, mobile plan sharing + hotspot, and direct 3rd party service use
**HP Go 5G service and data plan may be terminated without notice if HP believes that the consumer has violated the terms of the Go service
**5G data use falls under a strict throttling system as follows:
***Data Cap per Month: 5GB
***Over 5GB --> 5 Mbps
***Over 10GB --> 2 Mbps
***Over 25GB --> 1 Mbps
***Over 100GB --> 100 Kbps
*HP may use tracking or targeted marketing with the device since the household sharing restriction tracks the device IP address and geographical location
*HP services could force the device to auto-update to the latest software, whether the consumer wants it or not
*HP ID Account required to log in and sign up for the subscription and use the HP services on the device
*Extra peripherals (mouse + keyboard, dock, display) bought in the deal cannot be owned and must be returned with the laptop if the subscription is canceled; additional monthly cost, no option for a one-time purchase
*Data retrieval for a locked down laptop must be done over support, and is at the discretion of the support techs and your subscription status
*No/limited support for laptops with modifications or any other product not in-line with your subscription, and additional fees may be due if HP claims that technical support was "made difficult"<ref>{{Cite web |last=HP Development Company LP |date=10 Nov 2025 |title=If Support Services are made more difficult because of such ineligible components or products, we will charge You for the extra work at our standard service rates |url=https://www.hp.com/us-en/laptops/subscription-terms.html#section=tos-11 |url-status=live |access-date=19 Feb 2026 |website=HP Laptop Subscription - Terms of Services |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251104125227/https://www.hp.com/us-en/laptops/subscription-terms.html |archive-date=4 Nov 2025}}</ref> due to these modifications

==Notes==
<references group="note" />
*5G connectivity on supported devices is provided under the HP Go 5G Connectivity service.
*Soft credit check required to determine eligibility.

==See also==

*HP Website: [https://hplaptopsubscription.hp.com/?jumpid=ma_globalnav_sub_mkt_laptop#faq HP Laptop Subscription]
*HP Laptop Subscription: [https://www.hp.com/us-en/laptops/subscription-terms.html#section=tos-11 Terms of Services (US Only Pilot Edition)]
*HP OMEN Laptop Subscription: [https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/ish_12770288-12770336-16 Terms of Services]
*HP Datasheet: [https://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/getpdf.aspx/4AA8-5152ENW.pdf HP Go 5G Service Sheet]
*Linus Tech Tips: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4e-Kt02rfc&t=534s HP has Subscription Laptops Now]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:HP Inc.]]

Article suggestions

2026-06-12T14:48:47Z

Keith: Undo revision 57542 by Louis (talk)

This page is dedicated towards providing a communal list for users to submit potential articles to feature on the wiki, and to give editors inspiration on what pages they might want to add to the wiki. If you create an article based on an entry from this list, or see that someone else has done so, please make sure to delete the row from this page in order to prevent confusion.

Sources should be inserted within the 'refs' section of the table. If using the [[Consumer_Rights_Wiki:Jargon_buster#Visual_editor_('Edit')|visual editor]], take advantage of '<nowiki/>'''insert reference'''<nowiki/>' via {{Key press|Ctrl|Shift|K}} so that the sources are quick to add to future articles. If you are using the source editor, feel free to copy and paste the formatting from other correctly formatted references on the page. The more sources you include with an article idea, the more likely it is that others will pick the article idea up and run with it, so please attempt to include a good variety of descriptive sources!

Please take note of the wiki's [[Consumer Rights Wiki:Inclusion guidelines|Inclusion criteria]] when submitting article suggestions. If you see article suggestions here which do not fit the Wiki, feel free to remove them, leaving your reasoning in an edit note.

If you are an editor looking for further inspiration to write an article, you can also check out the [[Louis Rossmann - Video Directory|Louis Rossmann video directory]] and [[Other Channels - Video Directory|other channels video directory]] for a good collections of potential articles.

==Example==
Below is an example of what an entry should appear as:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Company
!Summary of Incident
!Refs
|-
|[[Nintendo]]
|In 2025, the company Nintendo stripped Switch 2 consoles that used the MIG switch cartridge of all online functionality
|<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Scattered Brain |date=Jun 16, 2025 |title=Soo... Nintendo banned my Switch 2 (Don't try the MIG Switch!) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExgYTA18_vo&t=656s |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=ExgYTA18_vo |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|access-date=Jun 18, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=Jun 17, 2025 |title=Switch 2 users report online console bans after running personal game “backups” |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/06/playing-personal-game-backups-could-get-your-switch-2-banned-by-nintendo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251222013641/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2025/06/playing-personal-game-backups-could-get-your-switch-2-banned-by-nintendo/ |archive-date=22 Dec 2025|access-date=Jun 19, 2025 |work=Ars Technica}}</ref>
|}

==List of incidents not yet covered==
[[Category:Sources]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Company
!Summary of Incident
!Refs
|-
|194 Online Marketing Services (incl. [[Google]], [[Microsoft]], [[Meta]])
|Survey shows that more than half of websites set marketing cookies despite users opting out via Do Not Track header, Browser add-ons or by declining cookie banners. Google calles it a "misunderstanding of how their products work", Meta comments that according to the law an opt-out only prohibits selling of the data, not collecting it.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google, Microsoft, Meta All Tracking You Even When You Opt Out, According to an Independent Audit |url=https://www.404media.co/google-microsoft-meta-all-tracking-you-even-when-you-opt-out-according-to-an-independent-audit/ |website=404 Media}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=webXray California Privacy Audit: A Legal Minefield that Puts Users at Risk |url=https://globalprivacyaudit.org/2026/california |website=Global Privacy Audit}}</ref>
|-
|[[8Player]]
|In early March, 2026, the Apple TV application called 8Player began displaying a notice informing users who had already paid for the app, that the app would not continue to function unless they agreed to an ongoing subscription.
The text of the notice says the following:
----Thank you for being a valued 8player user.

To keep improving the app and delivering new features, 8player is moving to a subscription model.

You can continue using the full version at no cost until April 15, 2026.

After that, activate the subscription in the app to keep full access. Your existing features will remain available, and no action is needed today.

Thank you for supporting 8player over the years.

[[:File:8player-subscription-model-notice.png]]
|
|-
|[[ABC Financial Services]]
|Manages memberships and recurring service subscriptions for other companies. Prevents customers from being able to cancel a service by locking them into a never-ending cycle of auto renewals, and not allowing the customer to opt out of auto renewal.
|
|-
|[[Acer]]
|Removed Predator/Nitro Sense Applications for laptops from their support sites somewhere in early March 2026 (Looking at wayback machine snapshots). The application is required by the laptops to be able to toggle "Turbo" mode, which applies overclocks and boosts cooling. Additionally, recent Windows update(s) (KB5083769/KB5082417) have broken the application, making users unable to use it even if you were able to install it.
|
|-
|AcuRite
|AcuRite began emailing customers last month that they’d soon have to control their devices with the "AcuRite Now" iOS and Android app, eliminating the free "My AcuRite" app, the replacement of which, "AcuRite Now" requires a subscription for features previously active in the free app.
|https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/weather-monitoring-firm-hangs-dark-cloud-over-customers-heads-by-forcing-new-app/
|-
|Affinity / [[Canva]] page created needs editors to help
|Canva purchases [[Serif]]; the owner of perpetual license design software Affinity Publisher, Designer, and Photo on March 26th 2024. Provides a pledge to assure users that Canva will not "ruin" the suite. In October 2025, Affinity users are locked out of the community forum for a new "Creative Freedom" announcement on October 30th 2025. Complete radio silence for a whole month while they tease long term users on Twitter and Discord. Finally on October 30th 2025, the new Affinity software is announced as "free". Instead, all creative professionals that used the original software are forced to create a new Canva account to access the new Affinity and thus agree to Canva's ToS<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-30 |title=Canva Terms of Use |url=https://www.canva.com/policies/terms-of-use/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128105545/https://www.canva.com/policies/terms-of-use/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2026|website=Canva Legal Trust Center}}</ref>. Affinity redirects the pledge page to an announcement for the new software, effectively burying the original pledge<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2024-03-27 |title=The Affinity and Canva Pledge |url=https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/press/newsroom/affinity-and-canva-pledge |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251002083749/https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/press/newsroom/affinity-and-canva-pledge/ |archive-date=2025-10-02 |website=web.archive.org}}</ref>. Questions about Canva now being able to monetize the work of professionals to train their own AI models sold to Canva users are left unanswered. Free, but at what cost?
EDIT: Initial article has been written but needs more work, citation, and verification. [[Canva Affinity Studio adds arbitration clause|See this article here]].
|<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" />
|-
|[[Alibaba]]
|{{Wplink|Alibaba Group|Wikipedia entry}}
|
|-
|[[AMD]]
|Linux users now have to pay for Vivado even though it used to be free
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rudra |first=Sourav |date=2026-05-25 |title=AMD Pulls a Bait-and-Switch on Linux Users with Vivado Licensing Changes |url=https://itsfoss.com/news/amd-vivado-bait-and-switch-on-linux-users/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-06-01 |website=It's FOSS}}</ref>
|-
|[[Apotheka]]
|Personal ID codes, purchase information and contact details of almost half of Estonian citizens and residents have been compromised in a mass data breach of the IT system operated by Allium UPI, a firm dealing with pharmacy and hospital products.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-04 |title=Cybercriminals steal data of around 700,000 Apotheka pharmacy customers |url=https://news.err.ee/1609302096/cybercriminals-steal-data-of-around-700-000-apotheka-pharmacy-customers |url-status=live |website=[[ERR]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[Apple]]
|$17 000 Apple Watch 18 karat gold edition out of support only 8 years after its introduction (not end of sale!). This means no software support, and, crucially, no repair or replacement parts. If the battery dies, the watch is but a paperweight.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple will no longer fix the $17,000 gold Apple Watch |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/2/23900158/apple-watch-edition-gold-2015-obsolete-unsupported-beyonce |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260222211749/https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/2/23900158/apple-watch-edition-gold-2015-obsolete-unsupported-beyonce |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|website=The Verge}}</ref>
|-
|[[Apple]], [[Beats]]
|No support for Powerbeats (4th generation) despite the headphones being under 5 years from when Apple last distributed the product for sale. The product is not listed as discontinued or vintage, and by Apple's own guidelines, should be eligible for replacement parts and repair. OEM replacement eartips cannot be purchased for any Beats earphones.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Obtaining service for your Apple product after an expired warranty |url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/102772 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260207094149/https://support.apple.com/en-us/102772 |archive-date=7 Feb 2026|access-date=2025-10-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Beats Repair and Service |url=https://support.apple.com/beats/repair |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260104000857/https://support.apple.com/beats/repair |archive-date=4 Jan 2026|access-date=2025-10-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple store search for eartips |url=https://www.apple.com/us/search/eartips?src=alp |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251028001314/https://www.apple.com/us/search/eartips?src=alp |archive-date=28 Oct 2025|access-date=2025-10-18}}</ref>
|-
|[[Apple]] iWork/Creator Studio
|The update that makes the iWork apps part of the new Apple Creator Studio subscription now adds tracking that is enabled by default and implemented as opt-out. The information about it is displayed in a first launch screen without any immediate way opt out, which qualifies as a dark pattern. Instead, the user has to go through a slightly convoluted path via the iPhone/iPad system settings app, and under the submenu "Apps" find each of the iWork apps and disable analytics there individually for each app. On Desktop, it is under a dedicated menu item under the "Pages"/"Numbers"/"Keynote" menu.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=New versions of Keynote, Numbers, and Pages collect telemetry by default on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/1qq7q9m/new_versions_of_keynote_numbers_and_pages_collect/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260223032029/https://old.reddit.com/r/ios/comments/1qq7q9m/new_versions_of_keynote_numbers_and_pages_collect/ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|[[archive.today]] / archive.ph (Web Archival Service)
|The website used [[JavaScript]] embedded into the website code to conduct a DDOS attack from users' devices against a blogger who has voiced criticism of the service in the past. This may make also cause legal issues for users.
NOTE: A similar technique has previously been used by Chinese search giant [[Baidu]], so we might want to create a category or tag for this type of thing

ADDENDUM: This page was reported to have been changing the information displayed in some archived screenshots, such as the author who published particular articles.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kirchner |first=Malte |last2=Kunz |first2=Dr. Christopher |date=10 Feb 2026 |title=Archive.today: Operator uses users for DDoS attack |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Archive-today-Operator-uses-users-for-DDoS-attack-11171455.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260212060655/https://www.heise.de/en/news/Archive-today-Operator-uses-users-for-DDoS-attack-11171455.html |archive-date=12 Feb 2026 |website=heise}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=LMG Clips |title=Wikipedia Banned 690,000 Archive Links - LMG Clips |url=https://youtu.be/rrnFUvFGf5A?si=32JRogu2ID9xykHd |access-date=2026-03-03 |website=LMG Clips on YouTube - Wikipedia Banned 690,000 Archive Links}}</ref>
|-
|[[ASUS]] (ROG)
|Releases bios updates via windows executable, meaning that you can't update your bios to the latest version to amend a security vulnerability or fix an issue unless you're running microsoft windows. The windows executable simply extracts a binary file, that you can drop on a thumb drive. This could be easily done via direct download to support other operating systems.
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|-
|[[AutoAuth]]
|'''AutoAuth''' represents a significant shift toward "repair-by-subscription," where owning a vehicle no longer guarantees the right to maintain it. By placing a digital firewall between the owner and the car’s computer, AutoAuth forces independent shops and DIY enthusiasts to pay recurring access fees and register their personal data with a third-party gatekeeper just to perform basic maintenance, such as electronic parking brake retractions or oil life resets.
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|-
|[[Backblaze]]
|Backblaze makes canceling a subscription needlessly complex and convoluted. This is referring to their personal backup solution, I do not know how other subscriptions are handled.
To cancel a Backblaze subscription after 30 days you are required to delete your account. A full refund can apparently be requested within that window
[https://www.backblaze.com/company/policy/payments-and-refunds "Payments and refunds"].
If after 30 days you decide to cancel or switch to a different service after your subscription ends you have the following options:
1. Wait until the end of your subscription to cancel.
2. Delete your account, removing your access to the service prematurely.
There is no "do not renew" option, even removing your payment information is not possible. In my opinion it should be possible to enjoy the access you paid for without having to remember to cancel a year or two later.
[https://help.backblaze.com/hc/en-us/articles/217665728-Canceling-and-Deleting-a-Backblaze-Account "Canceling and deleting a Backblaze account"]
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|-
|[[Bayer]]
|[[wikipedia:Bayer|Wikipedia]]. See [[Monsanto]]
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|[[Benjamin]]
|Offerwall phone app that pays users money for various tasks- such as watching ads, or downloading and using software. After years of user satisfaction, in late 2025, the company first put a 2 month moratorium on users' ability to withdraw their earned money, then rolled out a massive wave of enshittification features, the most egregious of which, is a "withdrawl queue", where withdrawing your earnings is placed into a queue with no visible progress. No days, no queue tracker, many members have been waiting over 3 months for their withdrawls to be processed, on a feature listed as "instant withdrawl". Various policies also implemented that would completely void a user's earned money, mainly inactivity but also many baseless random user bans (many of which were reversed). There are hundreds of frustrated user testimonials on reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/benjaminone/).
|
|-
|Berlin
|City of Berlin installs security cameras that alerts authorities about people who are "loitering without reason".
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krempl |first=Stefan |date=10 Mar 2026 |title=Surveillance in Berlin: When AI reports "loitering without reason" |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Surveillance-in-Berlin-When-AI-reports-loitering-without-reason-11206420.html |website=heise}}</ref>
|-
|[[Better Business Bureau]] (BBB)
|Users who have been wronged and even scammed by companies have recently started reporting that the BBB has ignored, rejected, misclassified, closed prematurely or taken down their valid, BBB compliant, complaints for no apparent reason<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-29 |title=Better Business Bureau Reviews |url=https://www.trustpilot.com/review/bbb.org |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-29 |website=Trustpilot}}</ref>. Attempts to remedy the situation often result in unanswered/ignored emails and ghosting. Companies with large percentages of unresolved complaints often get an A+ rating (which basically contradicts the BBB's own guidelines). This is especially true when it comes to paying BBB member companies, but is often also the case with non member companies. A Redditors explained that a company can easily buy an A+ BBB rating by paying the BBB<ref>{{Cite web |title=Waste Managment sent an ad disguised as a bill |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ColoradoSprings/comments/1l6hr18/comment/mwpys3o/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-30 |website=Reddit}}</ref> or by paying a lawyer to threaten to sue the BBB for defamation.
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|-
|[[Best Buy]]
|In late 2025, BestBuy added [https://www.bestbuy.com/site/help-topics/pricing-message/pcmcat748302046647.c?id=pcmcat748302046647#:~:text=Our%20%E2%80%9CComparable%20Value%E2%80%9D%20(Comp,retailers%20or%20e%2Dcommerce%20companies. "Comparable Value"] as means of comparing values of products that is of equivalent value to other products sold by manufacturers, 1st party, or 3rd party vendors. Changes to their pricing model has made it to where it is more difficult to determine overall value of a product compared to MSRP.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Support |first=Best Buy |date=2025-01-24 |title=Pricing: Promotions |url=https://www.bestbuy.com/site/help-topics/pricing-message/pcmcat748302046647.c?id=pcmcat748302046647#:~:text=Our%20%E2%80%9CComparable%20Value%E2%80%9D%20(Comp,retailers%20or%20e%2Dcommerce%20companies. |url-status=live |access-date=2026-02-24 |website=Best Buy}}</ref>
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|[[Blackview]]
|[https://www.blackview.hk Blackview], a technology brand that originally specialized in rugged outdoor phones more info at [https://www.blackview.hk/about-blackview "About us]"
Certain Phones have been hit with advertisements from the App called "System message" which is baked in the OS, "Allow Notification dots" can be disabled however "All System message notifications" and neither "Push" notifications cannot be disabled by the user. The App cannot be disabled nor uninstalled, it can be forced stopped and set the battery restriction option to "restricted". I [[User:SolidSnakePliskin|SolidSnakePliskin]] creating this entry have seen this happen firsthand on 1st April 2026 on my Blackview Model Number: N6000 (EEA) Purchased on [https://web.archive.org/web/20260401174012/https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0CCXBNTWR Amazon Italy]. OS Details: Android Version 13 (Security Update November 5, 2025) & DokeOS 3.1. Further More other Reddit users complaining [https://old.reddit.com/r/blackview/comments/1mo441x/get_rid_of_system_notification_that_contains_ads/ here].
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|-
|[[Bluesky]]
|Introduced ID check for Direct Messaging to comply with laws in certain states and abroad, despite both the company and community being against it.
Its legal docs ([https://bsky.social/about/support/tos ToS], [https://bsky.social/about/support/privacy-policy PP], [https://bsky.social/about/support/community-guidelines CG]) need [[JavaScript|JS]] to be viewed by humans, however this seems more of an oversight than deliberate
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|-
|[[Carvana]]
|Saying cars that have been in accidents have not; Lies about inspection and does not replace brake pads even when worn down. Non-refundable $1,500 shipping fee. See [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9yhOeTUEo4 Louis Rossmann's video]
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|[[Chuwi]]
|Misleading consumers by falsifying the specsheet of one of their latest laptops, and repeatedly threatened one of the online publications that wrote an article of their alleged misdeeds.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leitner |first=Simon |date=2026-03-12 |title=CPU fraud, next round: Chuwi CoreBook Plus with supposed AMD Ryzen 5 7430U also affected |url=https://www.notebookcheck.net/CPU-fraud-next-round-Chuwi-CoreBook-Plus-with-supposed-AMD-Ryzen-5-7430U-also-affected.1248660.0.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260313120720/https://www.notebookcheck.net/CPU-fraud-next-round-Chuwi-CoreBook-Plus-with-supposed-AMD-Ryzen-5-7430U-also-affected.1248660.0.html |archive-date=2026-03-13 |access-date=2026-03-12 |website=Notebookcheck}}</ref>
|-
|[[Cloudary Holdings Limited / Webnovel]]
|Terms of service with binding Arbitration.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Webnovel ToS |url=https://www.webnovel.com/terms_of_service |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260101204816/https://www.webnovel.com/terms_of_service |archive-date=1 Jan 2026}}</ref>
|-
|[[Devolo]]
|Devolo switches off servers and removes their app from stores for their "Home Control" system, thus severely reducing the functionality of their devices (apparently Z-Wave-based).
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=IT-News für Profis |url=https://www.golem.de/news/weiterbetrieb-verursacht-weitere-kosten-devolo-macht-smart-home-system-zum-grossteil-unbrauchbar-2508-199409.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251210052941/https://www.golem.de/news/weiterbetrieb-verursacht-weitere-kosten-devolo-macht-smart-home-system-zum-grossteil-unbrauchbar-2508-199409.html |archive-date=10 Dec 2025|website=Golem |language=de}}</ref>
|-
|[[DeviantArt]]
|DeviantArt launched in 2000 and quickly became a household name among digital artists. [https://www.wix.com/press-room/home/post/wix-acquires-deviantart-pairing-wix-capabilities-with-global-creative-community But in 2017 WiX] bought the website and in 2022 had made all art on it's site liable to be training data by default. They then back peddled and then set all art to noai by default. Now they are moving basic functions to be behind their paywall. [https://www.deviantart.com/razorstargazer/journal/Deviantart-is-the-worst-website-ever-created-1309667089 Ones that were free.]
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=The AI Controversy on DeviantArt: How a Creative Paradise Became a Battleground |url=https://expertbeacon.com/the-ai-controversy-on-deviantart-how-a-creative-paradise-became-a-battleground/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Wix Acquires DeviantArt, Pairing Wix Capabilities with Global Creative Community |url=https://www.wix.com/press-room/home/post/wix-acquires-deviantart-pairing-wix-capabilities-with-global-creative-community |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|DotPe cyber-sec negligence
|In 2024, an Indian company that provides digital services to food-chains got trivially hacked/cracked, allowing anyone to get customer data and company revenue-stats across many countries
|<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20240923081639/https://peabee.substack.com/p/whats-inside-the-qr-code-menu-at</ref>
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|[[Digital Europe]] (lobby organization consisting of [[Microsoft]], [[Google]], [[Amazon]], and [[Meta]])
|Group lobbied to keep datacenter emissions secret from consumers via confidentiality clause that was adopted almost verbatim by the Eurpean Comission, intentionally keeping consumers in the dark about the environmental impact of the products they use.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=US tech firms successfully lobbied EU to keep datacentre emissions secret |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/17/microsoft-us-tech-firms-lobbied-eu-secrecy-rules-datacentre-emissions |website=The Guardian}}</ref>
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|[[E621]]
|Terms of service that require agreement to forced arbitration to use the website.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-02 |title=E621 |url=https://e621.net/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128164339/https://e621.net/ |archive-date=28 Jan 2026|website=E621}}</ref>
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|[[EcoVac]]
|Vacuum cleaner robots produced by company 'EcoVac' were found vulnerable to hacking over bluetooth allowing for remote control and access to camera feed. Security researcher Dennis Giese notified the company in December of 2023. In August of 2024, the issue was described by the company as "extremely rare in typical user environments and require specialized hacking tools and physical access to the device."
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fell |first=Julian |date=2024-10-04 |title=We hacked a robot vacuum — and could watch live through its camera - ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-04/robot-vacuum-hacked-photos-camera-audio/104414020 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251128025250/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-04/robot-vacuum-hacked-photos-camera-audio/104414020 |archive-date=28 Nov 2025|access-date=2025-09-10 |website=ABC News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first=Lorenzo |date=2024-08-09 |title=Ecovacs home robots can be hacked to spy on their owners, researchers say {{!}} TechCrunch |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/09/ecovacs-home-robots-can-be-hacked-to-spy-on-their-owners-researchers-say/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260222212044/https://techcrunch.com/2024/08/09/ecovacs-home-robots-can-be-hacked-to-spy-on-their-owners-researchers-say/ |archive-date=2026-02-22 |access-date=10 Aug 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Franceschi-Bicchierai |first=Lorenzo |date=2024-08-15 |title=Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai on X: "Finally, Ecovacs responds to the researchers' findings, saying it won't fix the bugs. |url=https://x.com/lorenzofb/status/1823774980460388675 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241108194816/https://x.com/lorenzofb/status/1823774980460388675 |archive-date=8 Nov 2024}}</ref>
|-
|[[Elegoo Centauri Carbon|Elegoo]]
|The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 3d printer has been proven to use open source Klipper software which requires them to publish their changes to the code.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-28 |title=PSA: Elegoo Centauri Carbon & GPL Compliance |url=https://freethecode.lol/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251206142736/https://freethecode.lol/ |archive-date=6 Dec 2025|access-date=2025-08-28 |website=PSA: Elegoo Centauri Carbon & GPL Compliance}}</ref>
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|[[Ericcson]]
|Data Breach March 2026
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|-
|[[FBI]]
|FBI buys location data of US citizens
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=FBI is buying location data to track US citizens, director confirms |url=https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/18/fbi-is-buying-location-data-to-track-us-citizens-kash-patel-wyden/ |url-status=live |website=[[TechCrunch]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[Foxconn]]
|Foxconn is an electronics manufacturer with various human rights violations on it's record. They've also convinced the government to use eminent domain to take people's property to build factories, that never end up using the factories.
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|-
|[[Foxit Reader]]
|Updater uses dark pattern to trick unsuspecting users into installing a trial version of their paid product. The checkbox is enabled again by default with each update in the hope that the user misses it by accident at some point.
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|-
|[[Gaggia]]
|Between 2015 to 2019, the redesigned Gaggia Classic removed the traditional three-way solenoid valve. The valve was restored in the 2019 Gaggia Classic Pro after criticism and backlash from the espresso enthusiast community.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waddell |first=Kelsey |date=2023-03-23 |title=Gaggia Classic vs Pro: A Closer Look at the Differences |url=https://www.roastycoffee.com/gaggia-classic-vs-pro/ |website=Roasty Coffee}}</ref>
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|[[General Motors|GM]]
|GM originally released the EV1 in 1996 on a lease program, and then instead of selling the much loved used/leased vehicles to consumers, they decided to crush the grand majority of them. Very few surviving examples can be found today, with most in private collections or at universities.
Because it was seen as a failure to major auto manufacturers, It would take over a decade before another EV was produced in the United States.
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|-
|Google TLS Changes
|Google's new requirements to certificate authorities require separate authority/signing chains to be used to issue Server Authentication and Client Authentication certificates. Therefore, starting 11 February 2026, Let's Encrypt will no longer include the Client Authentication EKU on default certificates
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|[[Google]] ([[Android]])
|Google apparently plans to reduce the interval of publishing source code of security patches they consider non-critical. This is another blow to the custom ROM community.
Right now we don't have these incidents organised chronologically, maybe we should have a table with a timeline of measures Google takes to enshittify and close down Android (more APIs moved to Play Services, Developer verification, withholding AOSP device trees for Pixel devices to mess with [[GrapheneOS]], now delayed source code disclosure). What's worst, they always cite safety as a reason.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Exclusive: Google wants to make Android phones safer by switching to ‘risk-based’ security updates |url=https://www.androidauthority.com/android-risk-based-security-updates-3597466/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260107025310/https://www.androidauthority.com/android-risk-based-security-updates-3597466/ |archive-date=7 Jan 2026 |website=Android Authority}}</ref>
|-
|[[Google]], [[Mozilla]], [[Apple]], [[Microsoft]], but largely Google-led
|Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari are removing XSLT 1.0 support, which could break critical parts of government's websites worldwide<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dimant |first=Dimitrii "Mamut" |date=2025-08-10 |title=XSLT removal will break multiple government and regulatory sites across the world #11582 |url=https://github.com/whatwg/html/issues/11582 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260211221059/https://github.com/whatwg/html/issues/11582 |archive-date=11 Feb 2026|access-date=2025-10-25 |website=Github (specifically the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group's HTML standards repo, controlled by Mozilla, Google, Microsoft and Apple)}}</ref>. There are valid security reasons for them to want to stop supporting this 1999-era standard, however they have had 26+ years to update to a newer standard (such as the 2017-era 3.1 standard, which is backwards compatible and would allow these sites to continue to work<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-21 |title="XML Path Language (XPath) 3.1: W3C Recommendation 21 March 2017" |url=https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath-31/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260116015839/https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath-31/ |archive-date=16 Jan 2026|website=W3C}}</ref>). The single unpaid developer maintaining these libraries has more or less retired after getting flooded with impossible to satisfy security requests from these companies<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wellnhoffer |first=Nick |date=2025-05-08 |title=Triaging security issues reported by third parties |url=https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/-/issues/913 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260131231248/https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/-/issues/913 |archive-date=31 Jan 2026|access-date=2025-10-25 |website=gitlab.gnome.org}}</ref>. There is an existing project called XRUST to implement the 3.1 standard<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-09 |title=XRust: XPath, XQuery, and XSLT for Rust |url=https://gitlab.gnome.org/World/Rust/markup-rs/xrust |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260204085435/https://gitlab.gnome.org/World/Rust/markup-rs/xrust |archive-date=4 Feb 2026|access-date=2025-10-14 |website=gitlab.gnome.org}}</ref>, which is 2/3rds of the way through supporting all the features of 1.0 - the XSLT part fully supports all the 1.0 features at this point. XSLT is part of the W3C Consortium's open web standards for formatting and presenting XML, and is also how RSS works, so RSS feeds would stop working as well, disrupting the livelihoods of podcasters<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rijo |first=Luis |date=2025-08-20 |title=Google targets RSS feeds in new XSLT removal proposal |url=https://ppc.land/google-targets-rss-feeds-in-new-xslt-removal-proposal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260222212228/https://ppc.land/google-targets-rss-feeds-in-new-xslt-removal-proposal/ |archive-date=22 Feb 2026|access-date=2025-10-14 |website=PPC-Land}}</ref>. This has led to questions of who owns the web - the public (including the government) who paid for and laid down the highways / web infrastructure - or a handful of large corporations? <ref>{{Cite web |last=Branscombe |first=Mary |date=2025-09-01 |title=XSLT Debate Leads to Bigger Questions of Web Governance |url=https://thenewstack.io/xslt-debate-leads-to-bigger-questions-of-web-governance/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260131231310/https://thenewstack.io/xslt-debate-leads-to-bigger-questions-of-web-governance/ |archive-date=31 Jan 2026|access-date=2025-10-14 |website=The New Stack}}</ref>
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|-
|[[Google Photos]]
|Google Makes it more difficult to manage photos within your google drive account through third party applications, including open source software running on linux.
This makes it incredibly frustrating to clear space in google drive if you've exceeded the space limits.
|<ref>https://github.com/gilesknap/gphotos-sync-discussion/discussions/1</ref>
|-
|[[GoPro]] Hero 12
|GoPro Hero 12 requires the GoPro app to be installed before you can use the camera. Many currently used devices are not compatible with the app, therefore making use of the camera difficult to impossible for new owners or upon camera factory reset. There's also the question of what data the app collects and whether it requires login and or camera activation.
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|-
|[[Honda]]
|moved the garage door opener from a button on the mirror to a [[Pay-walling|paywall]] [[subscription service]]
|<ref>https://reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/comments/1sd54jo/replaced_my_honda_with_a_new_one_after_an/</ref>
|-
|[[Hyundai]] (BlueLink)
|Hyundai ads in-car advertisements for subscription services, while you're driving, after telling you not to look at the screen while driving.
The advertisement is a full page of text, that you can't either enable or disable while you're driving. Your only options are to (A) select later, to delay the ad for another driving session, or (2) Pull over and park your car so you can (C) enable the feature at $10/mo or (iii) dig through settings menus to figure out how to disable the message permanently (which will probably only be actually permanent until the battery in the car dies).
BlueLink appears to be marketing lingo for their cell-phone-linked remote start/stop, lock/unlock, and climate control features. The only feature that should actually need a cellular subscription appears to be stolen vehicle recovery.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Hank |date=2026-04-16 |title=Should I Sue Hyundai? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ1RUyOF2Rk |url-status=live |website=Youtube}}</ref> <ref>https://connected-mobility.hyundai.com/what-we-do/connected-car-services/bluelink</ref>
|-
|[[Internet radios]]
|I'd like a page where I can share information about internet radios "openness." Few allow you to enter a radio station's URL (which I would consider the least intrusive option). Most depend on third-party websites or apps; [https://www.sangean.com/uk/blog/149 some of which have already bricked devices].
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|-
|[[itch.io]], [[Night School Studios]], [[Netflix]]
|In September 2024, users who purchased the game 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 is against 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=itch corp |date=15 Apr 2023 |title=itch.io Terms of Service |url=https://itch.io/docs/legal/terms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240907004719/https://itch.io/docs/legal/terms |archive-date=7 Sep 2024 |access-date=27 Jun 2025 |website=itch.io}}</ref> <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>
|-
|[[The Japan Times|Japan Times, The]]
|The Japan Times uses the DMCA to take down an open source study resource for the Genki and Quartet workbooks.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clydesdale |first=Seth |date=2025-09-11 |title=Important Information Regarding Genki and Quartet Study Resources |url=https://ko-fi.com/post/Important-Information-Regarding-Genki-and-Quartet-D1D21L4B1S |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251116072121/https://ko-fi.com/post/Important-Information-Regarding-Genki-and-Quartet-D1D21L4B1S |archive-date=16 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Update Regarding Genki and Quartet Study Resources DMCA Situation |url=https://ko-fi.com/post/Update-Regarding-Genki-and-Quartet-Study-Resources-Y8Y21M1F5E |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251115073152/https://ko-fi.com/post/Update-Regarding-Genki-and-Quartet-Study-Resources-Y8Y21M1F5E |archive-date=15 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-03 |title=All Exercises for Genki/Quartet Study Resources Have Been Removed |url=https://ko-fi.com/post/All-Exercises-for-GenkiQuartet-Study-Resources-Wi-R6R81M8LLN |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251113045244/https://ko-fi.com/post/All-Exercises-for-GenkiQuartet-Study-Resources-Wi-R6R81M8LLN |archive-date=13 Nov 2025}}</ref>
|-
|[[Kangaroo]]
|A home security camera company that locks local hardware features behind software subscriptions and paywalls that ultimately could work without external service. Access to local storage playback via the app is locked behind a paywall; see reviews. "cooldown" periods provide a risk to security as motion detection does not activate until after a fixed period of time on no-subscription plans with clips that only capture 12 seconds of recording, this was not always the case.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Delaney |first=John |date=2021-11-09 |title=Kangaroo Indoor + Outdoor Cam Review |url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/kangaroo-indoor-plus-outdoor-cam |url-status=live |access-date=2026-04-01 |website=PCMag}}</ref><ref>https://www.bestbuy.com/product/kangaroo-indoor-outdoor-wired-1080p-security-camera-white/J3QLYYW64G/sku/6506997/reviews?pageSize=20</ref>
|-
|[[Klarna]]
|A German consumer rights association reports that payment provider Klarna requests access to users' bank accounts for payment purposes, but instead of just initiating transactions as the user expects, it also scans the complete list of transactions on the user's bank account for advertising purposes and also forwards that data to third parties. Klarna also faces criticism for encouraging debt by offering "buy now, pay later" schemes.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Klarna: Verbraucherschützer kritisieren angebliche Konto-Schnüffelei bei Zahlungsdienstleister |url=https://www.spiegel.de/netzwelt/apps/klarna-verbraucherschuetzer-kritisieren-konto-schnueffelei-bei-zahlungsdienstleister-a-de915cd3-997e-4b39-ad67-bb5d22969635 |website=Der Spiegel |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Verbraucherschützer sind besorgt: Kontoschnüffelei bei Klarna |url=https://www.chip.de/news/Warnung-vor-KlarnaVebraucherschuetzer-sind-besorgt_185654845.html |website=CHIP |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Verbraucherzentrale warnt: Klarna analysiert Kontoauszüge |url=https://www.computerbild.de/artikel/cb-News-Sicherheit-Verbraucherzentrale-warnt-Klarna-analysiert-Kontodaten-39229147.html |website=Computer Bild |language=de}}</ref>
|-
|[[Kohls]]
|There is no option to delete your account on their website
|
|-
|[[KOSA]]
|KOSA claims to make kids safer, but it’s really a dangerous censorship bill that would give the U.S. government unprecedented control over the internet. This would put youth in danger by preventing them from accessing potentially life-saving resources.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fight for the Future |first= |date=2026-01-24 |title=Reject online censorship. Tell lawmakers to oppose KOSA! |url=https://www.stopkosa.com/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Stop KOSA}}</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20250228145348/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/Katy-ISD-blocks-LGBTQ-resources-suicide-16647274.php</ref>
|-
|[[LBRY]] Foundation, [[Odysee]]
|Community first decentralization & Odysee's plan to enable censorship by switching away from the opensource LBRY network.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=The LBRY Foundation |url=https://lbry.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260211161516/https://lbry.org/ |archive-date=11 Feb 2026|access-date=2025-08-08 |quote=The LBRY community invites everyone to join us in building a more free and open way to share content and information online.}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Watson |first=RT |date=6 Jun 2024 |title=Decentralized YouTube alternative Odysee acquired by Forward Research despite content concerns |url=https://www.theblock.co/post/298888/decentralized-youtube-alternative-odysee-acquired-by-forward-research-despite-content-concerns |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251127094918/https://www.theblock.co/post/298888/decentralized-youtube-alternative-odysee-acquired-by-forward-research-despite-content-concerns |archive-date=27 Nov 2025|access-date=16 Aug 2025 |work=The Block}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Li |first=Jun |last2=Grintsvayg |first2=Alex |last3=Kauffman |first3=Jeremy |last4=Fleming |first4=Charles |date=2020 |title=LBRY: A Blockchain-Based Decentralized Digital Content Marketplace |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9126007 |url-status=live |journal=2020 IEEE International Conference on Decentralized Applications and Infrastructures (DAPPS) |location=Oxford, UK |publisher=IEEE |doi=10.1109/DAPPS49028.2020.00005 |isbn=978-1-7281-6978-1 |url-access=registration |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250825221749/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9126007/ |archive-date=25 Aug 2025 |via=IEEE Xplore}}</ref>
|-
|[[LexisNexis]]
|Data breach March 2026
|
|-
|[[LG]]
|LG discontinued its LG Bluetooth Remote app (including plugins such as "btc4") making it non-public on the Play Store and making Bluetooth controllable devices (like for example the CM2630B) half as useful, without even publishing neither the protocol used to control such devices nor the source code of the app.
|
|-
|Linkedin
|LinkedIn has been caught running a massive, silent operation that scans the local computers of its visitors. Every time a user visits <code>linkedin.com</code> using a Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Edge, Brave), a hidden JavaScript program executes to check for the presence of over '''6,000 specific browser extensions.'''
|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHj6IvBmlpU
https://browsergate.eu/
|-
|[[Lowe's]]
|Lowe's uses flock cameras and other AI powered cameras to collect data and build a profile on "prospective, current, or former Lowe's customers". Their cameras point away from their stores.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koebler |first=Jason |date=6 Aug 2025 |title=Home Depot and Lowe's Share Data From Hundreds of AI Cameras With Cops |url=https://www.404media.co/home-depot-and-lowes-share-data-from-hundreds-of-ai-cameras-with-cops/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260216173226/https://www.404media.co/home-depot-and-lowes-share-data-from-hundreds-of-ai-cameras-with-cops/ |archive-date=16 Feb 2026|access-date=15 Sep 2025 |website=404 Media}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 Aug 2025 |title=Lowe’s U.S. Privacy Statement |url=https://www.lowes.com/l/about/privacy-and-security-statement |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251228013530/https://www.lowes.com/l/about/privacy-and-security-statement |archive-date=28 Dec 2025|access-date=15 Sep 2025 |website=Lowe's}}</ref>
|-
|[[Marquis]]
|Data Breach March 2026
|
|-
|[[Meta]] and [[YouTube]]
|In a recent trial Meta and Google were found liable for making there social media platforms addictive and harmful
|<ref>{{Cite web |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}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Campaigners welcome Meta and YouTube's defeat in landmark social media addiction trial |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c747x7gz249o |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |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}}</ref>
|-
|[[Microsoft]]
|Microsoft's Android keyboard app SwiftKey set to make it impossible to backup user data without a Microsoft Account, backups must be stored in Microsoft cloud
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=18 Mar 2026 |title=SwiftKey will soon require a Microsoft account to save your typing info. |url=https://www.theverge.com/tech/896859/swiftkey-will-soon-require-a-microsoft-account-to-save-your-typing-info}}</ref>
|-
|[[Microsoft]]
|Locked the developers of Windscribe, Veracrypt, and, Wireguard out of their accounts
|
|-
|[[Microsoft]] Rewards
|Used to be a good program, but over the last few years they've implemented a number of anti-user policies including extensive cool-downs for earning points on Bing, and making it more difficult to redeem points. There are multiple reports on r/microsoftrewards of people getting banned or restricted when they have over $100 worth of points that they are trying to redeem. They've also removed points opportunities that used to be interesting and engaging.
|
|-
|[[Minut]]
|Minute sells sensors and alarms. They released an alarm (Point) on kickstarter that long after release got a firmware update adding forced subscription if more than one person wanted to use the alarm.
|<ref>https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/minut/pointthe-friendly-home-alarm</ref>
<ref>https://www.minut.com/</ref>
|-
|[https://www.mobvoi.com/us Mobvoi/Ticwatch]
|Written with partially help of AI
Mobvoi has gained a reputation for a "launch and forget" pattern, where devices are marketed with the promise of future software updates that often arrive years late or are cancelled entirely. This pattern—most notable in the two-year delay of the Wear OS 3 update—frequently leaves consumers with hardware that lacks core advertised features, such as Google Assistant. Additionally, the company faces criticism for restrictive warranty policies and a difficult return process that often places the financial burden of shipping and replacement on the user. Once the app was abandoned subscription was still available for purchases but was unusable
|https://9to5google.com/2025/12/05/mobvoi-ticwatch-wear-os-dead/
https://www.androidcentral.com/wearables/mobvoi-explains-wear-os-3-holdup
https://www.pcmag.com/news/another-wear-os-smartwatch-maker-appears-to-have-given-up
https://www.xda-developers.com/mobvoi-lying-ticwatch-hardware/
|-
|Multiple
|Several legal cases involving forced arbitration in some manner; many of these relate to other anticonsumer practices, such as when Wells Fargo illegally opened up ~3.5M fake checking and credit accounts in customers' names. Highly advised to deeply scrub for supplementary sources.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=Apr 16, 2019 |title=Fact Sheet: Cases Tossed Out of Court Because of Forced Arbitration Causes and Class Action Bans |url=https://www.centerjd.org/content/fact-sheet-cases-tossed-out-court-because-forced-arbitration-causes-and-class-action-bans#_ftn1 |access-date=Feb 12, 2026 |website=Center for Justice & Democracy at New York Law School |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251013145327/https://centerjd.org/content/fact-sheet-cases-tossed-out-court-because-forced-arbitration-causes-and-class-action-bans |archive-date=13 Oct 2025}}</ref>
|-
|[[MuseGroup]] (MuseSounds)
|Releasing more and more subscription sound packs while previously released one-time purchase sound packs are full of bugs/issues and have gone without updates for sometimes over a year. They have also increased the price of one-time purchase packs by about 500% while still providing no additional or improved functionality.
They also added unsolicited popups advertising their paid sound packs at startup of the open source MuseScore application, as well as buttons and commands for their cloud service to the home screen, which cannot be disabled. They previously ran into controversy when changing the privacy policy of Audacity and tried to add tracking. The closed-source MuseHub application (which is required to download the free sound packs) connects to tracking services with neither a real opt-in nor an opt-out option. Newer versions of MuseHub now seem to [[Forced account|require an account]] to download free sound packs and sound effects, which previously was not the case. Muse Hub starts at every system launch by default and stays active in the background despite this not being required for its functionality. They also added proprietary parts to MuseScore (like the MuseSample), which is kept closed source. They also bought StaffPad and seem to have quietly ceased its development without publishing any statements.
|
|-
|[[NationStates]]
|Data Breach March 2026
|
|-
|[[Navdy]], [[Harman International]]
|Device discontinued and no updates, device can be used offline for 1 year until it stops working.
https://www.reddit.com/r/navdy/
|
|-
|[[Navia]]
|Data Breach March 2026
|
|-
|[[Netgear]] (internet networking equipment)
|Almost every Netgear internet router requires the creation of a new account to function as a router (see [[Forced account]]), where the TOS includes an agreement to binding arbitration. Most if not all devices are locked into proprietary firmware with no option to change. Some automatic updates have reportedly cause loss of performance with option to revert to a previous version, "bricking" the device in some cases.
Engages in anti-consumer practices, requiring a subscription for basic WiFi-router features such as parental controls. According to a blogpost by a senior employee, grew from "45% in 2016 to over 60% in 2019" of the US consumer router market. In 2025, Netgear is "being sued by TP-Link for a 'Smear Campaign' to Advance US Router Ban [of it's competitor TP-Link].
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=NETGEAR Terms and Conditions |url=https://www.netgear.com/about/terms-and-conditions/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=What subscription plans are available for NETGEAR Smart Parental Controls? |url=https://kb.netgear.com/000062104/What-subscription-plans-are-available-for-NETGEAR-Smart-Parental-Controls |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Abhay Bhorkar |url=https://www.netgear.com/hub/author/abhorkar/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TP-Link Accuses Netgear of 'Smear Campaign' to Advance US Router Ban |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/tp-link-accuses-netgear-of-smear-campaign-to-advance-us-router-ban?test_uuid=04IpBmWGZleS0I0J3epvMrC&test_variant=B |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[https://www.nexigroup.com/ Nexi S.p.A.]
|Nexi is a payment services provider based in Italy, which has been used by the [https://fsfe.org/ Free Software Foundation Europe] (FSFE) for ~ 15 years. They have allegedly been asking FSFE for personal information of FSFE executives and supporters and have recently cancelled their contract with FSFE.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-16 |title=450 FSFE supporters affected: Payment provider Nexi cancelled us |url=https://fsfe.org/news/2026/news-20260316-01.en.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260317162959/https://fsfe.org/news/2026/news-20260316-01.en.html |archive-date=2026-03-17 |access-date=2026-03-17 |website=FSFE - Free Software Foundation Europe}}</ref>
|-
|[[Odido]] Netherlands B.V.
|Odido is an internet service provider in the Netherlands with a 10-15% market share [[https://www.acm.nl/nl/publicaties/acm-telecommonitor-derde-kwartaal-2025 79]]. On the 3rd of March 2026 a user reported that his Odido Zyxel EX5601-T1 router was (illegally) sending analytics data to a Turkish AI-company [[https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/odido-router-verzamelt-analytics-van-je-huishouden-sipke-mellema-0uoie/ 80]]. The user reported on the 8th of March 2026 that the router silently stopped sending this data with no formal mention/patch from Odido. The user reported on the poor security of the router and that the analytics data contained the unencrypted names of local networks, the names of devices connected to these networks, and MAC-addresses. The poor security of Odido's routers follows a massive data leak of 6.2 million customers' full legal names, phone numbers, emails, bank account numbers, passport numbers and more [[https://tweakers.net/nieuws/244656/odido-waarschuwt-voor-datalek-miljoenen-klantgegevens-gestolen-bij-cyberaanval.html 81]].
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=ACM Telecommonitor derde kwartaal 2025 |url=https://www.acm.nl/nl/publicaties/acm-telecommonitor-derde-kwartaal-2025 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Odido-router verzamelt analytics van je huishouden |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/odido-router-verzamelt-analytics-van-je-huishouden-sipke-mellema-0uoie/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Odido waarschuwt voor datalek: miljoenen klantgegevens gestolen bij cyberaanval |url=https://tweakers.net/nieuws/244656/odido-waarschuwt-voor-datalek-miljoenen-klantgegevens-gestolen-bij-cyberaanval.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[OICA]] (European automotive lobby organisation)
|The OICA recently pushed for the right to emit sounds from quiet electric cars to make them as loud as conventional cars with combustion engine and against stricter noise regulation in cities. The fake engine noises in question are specifically not for safety purposes, but for emotional effect for the driver. However, instead of playing the noises only inside for just the driver to hear, the noise is to be played on speakers on the exterior, thus affecting the general public. Noise pollution has long been known to have adverse health effects. ''[NOTE: Similar to environmental aspects, greenwashing etc., we will have to find a good angle for how this fits the wiki. I would say it does match the general theme of manufacturers deliberately making their products worse for minor financial gain and lobbies pushing against things that are in public interest.]''
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Krempl |first=Stefan |date=2026-01-07 |title=Sound Dictatorship vs. Quiet: The Battle for E-Car Roar |url=https://www.heise.de/en/news/Sound-Dictatorship-vs-Quiet-The-Battle-for-E-Car-Roar-11133630.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260108165124/https://www.heise.de/en/news/Sound-Dictatorship-vs-Quiet-The-Battle-for-E-Car-Roar-11133630.html |archive-date=8 Jan 2026|access-date=2026-01-08 |website=Heise Online}}</ref>
|-
|Pearl Abyss
|Crimson Desert engaged in hardware gatekeeping by purposely locking out support for Intel GPUs. Their response when people asked what was going on was, “Get a refund.” They failed to mention in their hardware requirements that Intel GPUs were not supported. Intel also reached out to Pearl Abyss over the course of Crimson Desert’s development to offer support but was ignored. Pearl Abyss has now backpedaled after public backlash and says they will offer Intel GPU support.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Intel suggests it was snubbed by Crimson Desert dev after reaching out "many times" about Arc GPUs – company says it provided "early hardware, drivers, and engineering resources" to studio |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/intel-suggests-it-was-snubbed-by-crimson-desert-dev-after-reaching-out-many-times-about-arc-gpus-company-says-it-provided-early-hardware-drivers-and-engineering-resources-to-studio |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Crimson Desert blocks Intel ARC GPUs from playing, studio asks owners to refund |url=https://www.neowin.net/news/crimson-desert-blocks-intel-arc-gpus-from-playing-studio-asks-owners-to-refund/#:~:text=Users%20on%20Reddit%20who%20discovered,resolution%20for%20Intel%20ARC%20owners. |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Crimson Desert doesn't support Intel Arc GPUs on PC, it may never, and the devs say get a refund if you have one — they didn't warn players until launch |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/crimson-desert-doesnt-support-intel-arc-gpus-it-may-never-and-the-devs-say-get-a-refund-if-you-have-one |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Crimson Desert Doesn't Work on Intel GPUs, But Pearl Abyss Is Working On It |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/crimson-desert-doesnt-work-on-intel-gpus-but-pearl-abyss-is-working-on-it |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Regus]]
|A flexible office / workplace provider for freelancers, contractors, small businesses, etc.
This is specifically for their Virtual Office service. I am sure they apply these same predatory and deceptive tactics with the rest of their services as well.
Locks you into a contract for virtual services that they may terminate at any time. You can too only if you follow very specific and exaggerated terms. They will bill you for the entire agreement even with it terminated. You lose access to the services immediately upon termination but are forced to pay for the rest of the agreement. They are predatory with agreements and will not allow you to break them and will charge you for the entire thing regardless of what happens.
Forced arbitration. Force you to waive any right to class action lawsuits.
Contract comes with terms hidden in their "house rules" document, automatically opting the user into services they did not knowingly agree to, by default. These services are NOT included in the original contract in any way except through the referencing to other documents like the "Terms of Service" and "House Rules", not disclosed ahead of time. They clearly show a lower price and do not clearly show any of the additional services you unknowingly opt into.
They lead you into a low price to get the agreement signed. Once signed, you cannot escape or get out with their terms. You find out later that they've made you agree to additional services by default. They require YOU to jump through hoops to opt out of those services, and they bury the information to do it.
They have predatory auto-renewals for the contracts that are typically months to years long, with many being sold into higher 1 year+ contracts for "savings" and "discounts". These auto-renewals cannot be canceled without 3 MONTHS notice! If it renews, you are locked into another term which you will be forced to pay in full even if you terminate.
This is all for VIRTUAL office services that cost nothing to provide or remove.
A lot of deceptive patterns including, but not limited to: Comparison prevention, hidden costs, hidden subscription, obstruction.
|[https://serviceagreement.regus.com/TermsPDF/VirtualOffice/Global20250301.pdf Terms of Service]
[https://serviceagreement.regus.com/PreviewHouseRule.aspx?guidId=840179ed-c894-4e91-8ccc-3b882bcf4b38 House Rules]
[https://www.myregus.com/help#:~:text=you%20can%20give%20notice%20to%20terminate%20your%20agreement%20at%20anytime%20in%20your%20online%20account%20%2D%20but%20you%20will%20be%20charged%20until%20the%20end%20of%20your%20agreement%20term. Help Page - terminate anytime but pay everything]
|-
|[https://www.skystone.games/ Skystone Games]
|Boundary, a multiplayer online-only first-person shooter, got shut down just a year after its release by Skystone Games, and its publishing rights relinquished, citing "ongoing delays and a lack of updates from the developer". Studio Surgical Scalpels (the developer) stated that the publisher decisions were "extremely sudden and unreasonable", and attempted to "regain the rights to boundary". The game has been offline for more than a year at the time of writing, and no refunds or communications to the user base has been made by Skystone Games.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-19 |title=Boundary - End of service notice |url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1364020/view/4209257868262605607?l=english |url-status=live |access-date=2025-07-07 |website=Steam |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251021143111/https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1364020/view/4209257868262605607?l=english |archive-date=21 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-30 |title=Boundary Shut Down: Who's to Blame? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr8IhV1fovE |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=Kr8IhV1fovE |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Samsung Galaxy S25
|Samsung s25 ultra one ui 8.5 android 16 needs location for blue light shield even for custom schedule.
|[https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Djw8iz7HWTt_uywYQywnMVDwmnBGPt_t/view?pli=1 Screenshot]
|-
|[[Sony]], Sony Online Entertainment/[[Daybreak Game Company]]
|Selling off SOE to the investment firm Columbus Nova, all games published by SOE were delisted without prior notice to consumers or developers, and licenses were revoked as well.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=S |first=Shawn |date=Jun 10, 2016 |title=Akimi Village |url=https://delistedgames.com/akimi-village/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251127030103/https://delistedgames.com/akimi-village/ |archive-date=27 Nov 2025|website=Delisted Games}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Weber |first=Rachel |date=Feb 2, 2015 |title=SOE acquired, becomes Daybreak Game Company |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/soe-acquired-becomes-daybreak-game-company |work=GamesIndustry.biz |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260204235742/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/soe-acquired-becomes-daybreak-game-company |archive-date=4 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|[[Sony]]
|Sony implements surge pricing/discounts on a per-user basis on their playstation store by profiling users, similar to airlines, car rentals, and concert tickets... only the goods are digital only and downloadable rather than physical media. Critics are calling this Surveillance Pricing.
|<ref>https://youtu.be/t8yVc6Uarho?si=fJeCzxqmxgyB_tLq</ref>
|-
|[[Spectora]]
|Spectora is a home inspection software used by many home inspectors, a very important portion of the home buying process. Spectora has announced they intend to insert ads April 7th. The ads look like the home inspector (a independent entity) is recommending outside services. Spectora has also purchased other home inspection platform HomeGauge on April 4th. With Fixle being in the purchese which is the ad network they now own. There are also allegations (have not been proven) of sale of the inspection data (something that remains confidential with client controlling confidentiality) to insurance companies, and Home Lenders. Causing increased rates on historical inspection data even when those things could be a condition to close on the home.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forced Partnership |url=https://forum.nachi.org/t/forced-partnership/266387 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fixle by Spectora: Post-Inspection Tools for Home Buyers |url=https://www.spectora.com/fixle/?utm_campaign=41151531-2026%20Fixle%20Launch%20Campaign&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=411347418&utm_content=411347418&utm_source=hs_automation |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Spectora acquires HomeGauge |url=https://coverager.com/spectora-acquires-homegauge/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Starbucks]]
|Data Breach affecting employees March 2026
|
|-
|[[Superbox]]
|Android TV box manufacturer Superbox remotely locks consumers' devices if they were sold below the manufacturer's minimum specified prices and asks consumers to contact the retailer when they complain.
They are not the first to do something like this. [[Deye]] locked down inverters in the US that they suspected might be gray imports.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=You'll Own Nothing and Be Happy |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I5-rAyFQrk |website=YouTube |type=Video |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=5I5-rAyFQrk |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|[[Symantec]]
|Product: Norton Internet Security.
This one might be tough to document, because it's been slowly going on for the past 15 years. Norton used to offer a great internet security package with a ton of good and useful services for a decent price. Unfortunately, slowly over the years, they've gone further and further down the rabbit hole of charging more money for fewer and fewer features, and then locking some of those features behind even more paywalls and micro-transactions.
|
|-
|[[Steam]] by Valve software
|As of 2026 games bought to work and made for Windows 7, are no longer accessible on Windows 7 OS - A system they were made to work on and sold for. Titles that might not even work on modern Windows instalments.
This is done by forcing updates before launching of any title.
If there was a patch it will always fail before finishing update process.
Thus if user is unwilling to move to next installment of supported the operating system for whatever reason, which is not valve's decision to make. User is locked out of his purchase.
|[https://disk.yandex.com/i/ZPOVZYq11i8nJQ][https://disk.yandex.com/i/pBkHSsIhU5KqmA][https://disk.yandex.com/i/-mGVJAJHSTX-5Q][https://disk.yandex.com/i/I-NVZmXmfBrBEQ]
|-
|[[Telus]]
|Data Breach March 2026
|
|-
|[[TriZetto]]
|Data Breach March 2026
|
|-
|[[Universal Audio]]
|Product: UAD (Volt) Audio Interfaces
Universal Audio (UAD) [[Forced account|requires users to create an account and sign in]] to their software to use their audio interfaces–this is a necessary step and without it the interfaces are unusable.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official UAD setup guide for "Volt" audio interfaces |url=https://help.uaudio.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409233546644-How-to-set-up-your-Volt-Interface}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Review of Volt 876 audio interface by Julian Krause |url=https://youtu.be/CCnttwq9jMw?si=DcwA97e3pSfp5rlr&t=803}}</ref>
|-
|[[UP3]] By [[Jawbone]]
|Approximately 2011, Pioneering startup company from San Francisco, had revolutionary fitness trackers. In 2017 with no notice to customers they stole personal data and shut down app which in turn, bricked devices. Highly likely went bankrupt and sold to sister company to manipulate customer services and rights. Now owned by Aliph brands.
|
|-
|[[Vive]]
|In 2022, Vive discontinued the original Vive Facial Tracker module a year after the original release, then released an updated model with proprietary firmware that blocked use on other 3rd party VR headset, while only allowing the new model to work with their new locked-down headset. The 2021 version of the face tracker's long term support was seemingly cut overnight without any software updates since 2021.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vive Team |date=2022-08-07 |title=VIVE Focus 3 gets Facial Tracker, and Eye Tracker |url=https://blog.vive.com/us/vive-focus-3-gets-facial-tracker-and-eye-tracker/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250619155201/https://blog.vive.com/us/vive-focus-3-gets-facial-tracker-and-eye-tracker/ |archive-date=2025-06-19 |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=Vive Blog}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=StateKi |date=2023-10-10 |title=Post by StatekTi on X |url=https://nitter.catsarch.com/StatekTi/status/1733954156379963393 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260520140619/https://nitter.catsarch.com/StatekTi/status/1733954156379963393 |archive-date=20 May 2026 |access-date=2025-11-21 |website=X (Formerly Twitter)}}</ref>
|-
|Wheatstone Corporation
|Wheatstone Corporation are a manufacturer of professional broadcast equipment, mainly audio consoles and interfaces that utilise their proprietary Wheatnet audio over IP protocol.
Wheatstone restricts access to firmware updates, software configuration tools and software. You must open a support ticked in order for them to send you a download link to these software tools, they make it very difficult to access software required to make their hardware audio interfaces work, even stating they want proof of purchase (not just a licence key) before they will even give you the download link. Managing licences is also non-existent and you will need to contact support, and as such a fee is imposed.
|
|-
|White House
|The White House made a news app, but this app tracks your location every 4.5 minutes through third-party OneSignal
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Deep Humor |date=2026-03-30 |title=Don't Download This App |url=https://youtu.be/d5OTwcRxaTw?si=REEdhGeYPelHGLEQ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-30 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tixon |first=Bernadette B. |date=2026-03-29 |title=White House App Found Tracking Users' Exact Location Every 4.5 Minutes via Third-Party Server |url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/white-house-app-gps-tracking-controversy-1788974 |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=[[International Business Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Milden |first=Dashia |date=2026-03-30 |title=I Downloaded (and Deleted) the White House App So You Don't Have To. It's a Hot Mess |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/i-downloaded-and-deleted-the-white-house-app-so-you-dont-have-to-its-a-hot-mess/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=CNET}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-30 |title=White House app sparks concern over location tracking and privacy issues |url=https://www.tradingview.com/news/cointelegraph:565f766ef094b:0-white-house-app-sparks-concern-over-location-tracking-and-privacy-issues/ |url-status=live |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=[[TradingView]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[WHMCS]]
|Discontinuation of support and updates for WHMCS legacy “Owned” licenses, forcing users who want ongoing updates or technical support to switch to subscription licensing and pay recurring fees rather than continue with the original owned model. This change affects all holders of legacy owned licenses and alters the long-term terms under which those licenses were originally sold
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=WHMCS Knowledgebase |url=https://www.whmcs.com/members/index.php/knowledgebase/70/Support-and-Updates-Expiration.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251211021038/https://www.whmcs.com/members/index.php/knowledgebase/70/Support-and-Updates-Expiration.html |archive-date=11 Dec 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Important pricing changes to your WHMCS owned license Mailer |url=https://www.whmcs.com/members/mailings/?k=price21-emailo |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260215233549/https://www.whmcs.com/members/mailings/?k=price21-emailo |archive-date=15 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|[[Wireless Power Consortium]]
|After monopolizing wireless charging market Qi turned from an open standard into a proprietary.
Version 1.3 introduced "secure authentication between the transmitter and the receiver", i.e. in order to operate every charger must include an expensive proprietary chip licensed only to certified members. This results in increased development and manufacturing costs directly passed onto consumer. Version 2.2, unlike previous versions, "is available for WPC Members only".
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Qi Certification Is Changing and We've Got You Covered |url=https://www.nxp.com/company/about-nxp/smarter-world-blog/BL-QI-CERTIFICATION-IS-CHANGING |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251104012700/https://www.nxp.com/company/about-nxp/smarter-world-blog/BL-QI-CERTIFICATION-IS-CHANGING |archive-date=4 Nov 2025|website=NXP Semiconductors}}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web |title=Download the Qi Specifications |url=https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/specifications/download-the-qi-specifications/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251104094044/https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/knowledge-base/specifications/download-the-qi-specifications/ |archive-date=4 Nov 2025|website=Wireless Power Consortium}}</ref>
|-
|[[Wizards of the Coast]]
|Wizards of the Coast (WotC) seems to be positioning itself to move away from publishing physical books that last forever in favor of pushing digital-only sales and micro-transactions of content and subscriptions. They attempted to amend the OGL (Open Game License) to include language that would require third party authors of D&D content to give up rights to their own content, so WotC can sell it to consumers without crediting the original authors.
Notably, as a direct response to these anti-consumer activities and policies, a select few of the third party publishers have instead decided to come out with their own systems that are not beholden to WotC's whims. A couple of examples include ''Draw Steel'' and ''Daggerheart''. An earlier conflict prompted Paizo to release their own version of the classic D20-based tabletop RPG, ''Pathfinder'', when WotC started releasing the fourth edition of it's rule-set.
|
|-
|[[Wolfgang Puck]]
|Some of the bread makers have anti repair screws in them to prevent people from repairing them themselves. Needs more citations.
|
|-
|[[World Orb]]
|World Network (Sam Altman/Open AI) scheme to collect biometric data on all people. Tied to cryptocurrency, AI schemes. Supposedly way for people to show they are human (run by the people who are trying to make a profit from AI).
|
|-
|Yoti
|Age verification company that operates in the UK, used by Sony for Playstation accounts. A user claims that Yoti reported him to authorities for using their app on GrapheneOS.
|https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/36134-grapheneos-user-reported-to-authorities-for-using-grapheneos
https://imgur.com/a/yoti-hates-graphene-threatens-you-MCHs6NA
https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1txn8di/did_i_just_got_threatened_by_yoti_age/
|-
|[[Zhiyun]]
|Like competing products from [[DJI]], Zhiyun video gimbals require a Chinese smartphone app, internet access and an [[Forced account|account]] to activate on first use.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=ZHIYUN Tutorials |date=25 Jul 2023 |title=ZHIYUN CRANE 2S Activation Tutorial |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CjNp6pWNoQ |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=_CjNp6pWNoQ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026 |website=YouTube}}</ref>
|}

==List of themes not yet covered==
Consumer Rights Wiki is not an encyclopedia.

*Before proposing or making a theme article, see if you can find an article that covers the topic on wikipedia, or some other reference. If you can, just use a reference to that.
*Check the list of theme articles [[:Category:common terms]], to be sure there isn't already an article on the topic, or one closely related. Sometimes a theme may be covered by generalizing an existing article.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Theme
!Summary of Theme
!Refs
|-
|Car manufacturers replacing physical controls by touch-screens
|This is increasingly common, and puts drivers at risk. Some corps pretend touchscreens are a "premium" or "modern" feature, but are typically cheaper for them
|
|-
|[[Content delivery network]] ([[CDN]])
|[[wikipedia:Content_delivery_network|WP]], see also [[Cloud (service)]]. While helpful, they can infer the browsing history of millions of users across sites. The bigger their monopoly, the more cross-site tracking power they have. Even GDPR has been against using CDNs in some situations. Examples of CDN: [[wikipedia:Amazon_CloudFront|CloudFront]] (see [[Amazon]] [[wikipedia:Amazon_Web_Services|AWS]]), [[Cloudflare]], [[Microsoft]] [[wikipedia:Microsoft_Azure|Azure]], [[wikipedia:Fastly|Fastly]], etc...
|
|-
|[[Copyright]]
*Consumer License Agreement (CLA)
|Copyright is an important theme, please mention what it covers, what are the exceptions (e.g. [[wikipedia:first-sale doctrine|first-sale doctrine]]), what laws cover it ([[Digital Millennium Copyright Act|DMCA]]), what exceptions the laws provide (e.g. panorama, see Refs column)
*Cover CLA as an incident type (example company/project [[Canonical]]/[[LXD]]), it's a form of forced contract assigning the company (source code maintainer) the copyright to open source contributions, allowing them to use them in closed source releases.
|[https://www.copyrightexceptions.eu/ CopyrightExceptions.eu]
*[https://drewdevault.com/blog/Dont-sign-a-CLA-2/ Seriously, don't sign a CLA]
*[https://stgraber.org/2023/12/12/lxd-now-re-licensed-and-under-a-cla/ LXD now re-licensed and under a CLA]
|}

==List of companies doing the right thing==
It would be helpful to include examples of companies doing the right thing, even if they aren't, strictly speaking, consumer products.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Company
!
!Good deed
!Refs
|-
|Saleae
|
|How to react properly! Company co-founder/CTO gives full history — instead of just a PR statement — behind the mystery re-wiring of a used (but still defective) unit and offers replacement.
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onxJqNzUyk0 I Found Hidden Wires... Then the CTO Emailed Me.]
|-
|APSystems
|
|After requests from users, the company released a firmware update that adds a local API to their EZ-1M solar micro inverter, allowing it to remain fully usable if the company ends support for the device
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=APsystems EZHI Local API User Manual |url=https://global.apsystems.com/document/apsystems-ezhi-local-api-user-manual/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251107061040/https://global.apsystems.com/document/apsystems-ezhi-local-api-user-manual/ |archive-date=7 Nov 2025|website=global.apsystems.com}}</ref>
|-
|Concept2
|
|Readily provides parts and diagrams. Exists under a [https://www.concept2.com/about/perpetual-purpose-trust Perpetual Purpose Trust].
|
|-
|Core Devices (from creator of Pebble Smartwatches)
|
|Not strictly Core Devices, but when Pebble was sold to Fitbit, the servers remained online for some time, and the Pebble app was updated to allow the Rebble community project to take over some of the Pebble server-side functionality. All backers of the upcoming Pebble 2 series of watches were refunded in full, despite it being a crowd-funding campaign.
Following Google's acquisition of Fitbit and after many years, Google released much of the Pebble Smart Watch source code on github (excluding proprietary libraries). Core Devices and Rebble replaced the usage of the proprietary libraries with open source alternatives, and released new Android and iOS apps, not only supporting the new core devices, but bringing updated support to legacy Pebble devices.
|
|-
|Fairphone
|
|The new Fairphones (5th and 6th generation) are availible with stock android as well as e/os, which is a fork of lineage os and a european alternative cloud provider (murena) instead of google. This has many privacy features (app tracker blocker, tor network usage, and gps spoofing) availible in a few clicks. Also degoogle apps (microg, safetynet, ...) are preinstalled therefore it is w´possible to install everything also from playstore with an anonymous account. As e/os is a fork of lineage os and there is an official guide to flash the fairphone with e/os and is officially supported, flashing lineage os is very easy.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-02-24 |title=How to manually install Android on your Fairphone |url=https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/18896094650513-How-to-manually-install-Android-on-your-Fairphone |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Fairphone (Gen. 6) with privacy first /e/OS |url=https://shop.fairphone.com/the-fairphone-gen-6-e-operating-system |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Framework
|
|They have 10/10 repair score by iFixit site for most of their products. They also support right to repair themselves.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sustainability |url=https://frame.work/sustainability |url-status=live |website=[[Framework]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Frauenheim |first=Carsten |title=Framework Laptop 13 Repair |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Framework_Laptop |url-status=live |website=iFixit}}</ref>
|-
|Home Assistant
|
|Open-source smart home platform that provides local control, automation, and interoperability for a wide range of smart home devices. Provides support for many cloud devices after they're subject to [[discontinuation bricking]].
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home Assistant |url=https://www.home-assistant.io/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260129222300/https://www.home-assistant.io/ |archive-date=2026-01-29 |access-date=2026-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|Noctua
|
|Extremely long support for old products and availability of upgrade kits
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=LMG Clips |date=19 Feb 2026 |title=The Last CPU Cooler You Will Ever Buy |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3g4-fb6u90 |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=D3g4-fb6u90 |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|Numatic International
|
|A UK based manufacture of commercial and consumer wet/dry floor cleaning products (vacuums, scrubbers, floor buffers) that provides a robust library of technical documents, parts breakdowns, data sheets and training for free on both new and existing products without the need to login, pay additional fees or be an approved repair facility.
|
|-
|Oral-B
|
|When installing the Android App, there is no login, and the user is asked for analytics tracking consent.
|
|-
|Orange Pi (Shenzhen Xunlong Software Co., Ltd.)
|
|Commitment to Open Source Hardware and Transparency. (written with help of AI)
Public Schematics, Open Documentation (extensive datasheets for the SoCs), Right to Repair Friendly by using standardized components and providing the "map" (schematics) to the board. Community-Centric: hey actively support the "maker" ecosystem by allowing third-party OS developers (like Armbian) easy access to the hardware information needed to keep older boards running for a decade or more.
|http://www.orangepi.org/index.html
http://www.orangepi.org/html/serviceAndSupport/index.html
|-
|Philips
|
|Added files for replacement parts to Printables so you can 3D print parts for your Philips products
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Philips |url=https://www.printables.com/@Philips |url-status=live |website=Printables}}</ref>
|-
|ratgdo
|
|A garage door opener controller developed by Paul Wieland, allowing you to locally control it (namely Chamberlain openers that would otherwise require the MyQ app for smart home features).
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wieland |first=Paul |title=About - ratgdo |url=https://ratcloud.llc/pages/about |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251213022055/https://ratcloud.llc/pages/about |archive-date=2025-12-13 |access-date=2026-02-05}}</ref>
|-
|Reticulum
|
|Reticulum is an open-source, decentralized networking stack designed to communicate between practically any wireless device, even without internet. Its purpose is to provide fully anonymous end-to-end encrypted communication by default, especially in the age of government surveillance. The Reticulum network, protocol, and hardware are not tied any company in particular but were initially created by Github user 'markqvist'. Honorable mention to NomadNet, which is a network of nodes that serve webpages, similar to the internet, that communicate via Reticulum.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=markqvist |title=Reticulum Network |url=https://reticulum.network/ |access-date=2026-02-15 |website=Reticulum |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260222180553/https://reticulum.network/ |archive-date=22 Feb 2026}}</ref>
|-
|RME Audio
|
|Audio equipment manufacturer that provides reliable, high-quality audio interfaces and equipment with driver and firmware support that spans 15+ years. Extensive documentation and support for both Mac, Windows, and USB Class-Compliant machines on all of their products across several OS generations ensures compatibility, transparency, and a dedication for keeping old hardware alive.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 Apr 2026 |title=RME |url=https://www.rme-usa.com/ |url-status=live |access-date=28 Apr 2026 |website=RME-usa.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 Apr 2026 |title=RME Downloads |url=https://www.rme-usa.com/downloads.html |url-status=live |access-date=28 Apr 2026 |website=RME-usa.com}}</ref>
|-
|stevesgames.co.uk
|
|Will never put ads or in-app purchases in their computer games and will make gamees available for free after securing the companys future.
|
|-
|Sweetwater Sound
|
|The largest US-focused audio and music retailer that offers one of the best customer support systems to customers. Provides near 24x7 support with each customer being designated to a dedicated "sales engineer" who becomes the primary point of contact, with support networks that have direct contact to product vendors. Also contributes to more than 600 non-profits across the US. Also keeps outdated or obsolete product pages online as references, acting as a sort of music product database for most audio vendors.
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 Apr 2026 |title=Why Choose Sweetwater? |url=https://www.sweetwater.com/about/why-choose-sweetwater/ |url-status=live |access-date=30 Apr 2026 |website=Sweetwater.com}}</ref>
|-
|Tektronix
|
|Provided extensive product data on unsupported products to a museum, vintageTEK, and thus to tekwiki and the rest of the community.
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lenihan |first=Thomas F. |date=2012-02-28 |title=Copyright Notice |url=https://vintagetek.org/copyright-notice/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250828004431/https://vintagetek.org/copyright-notice/ |archive-date=2025-08-28 |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=vintageTEK museum}}</ref>
|-
|Ulanzi
|
|The company offers a tutorial on how users can mix their own fog juice to use with Ulanzi mini fog machines from readily available low-cost ingredients, whereas competitors sell proprietary fog juice at extortionate prices, refuse to release the formula and refuse to honour the warranty if users use anything but the OEM brand with their machines.
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tutorial {{!}} How to DIY Ulanzi FM01 Fog Machine Juice? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiq1B6-dcEM |type=Video}} ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=qiq1B6-dcEM Archived])</ref>
|-
|ZSA
|
|This company produces programmable ergonomic keyboards. They have 10/10 repair score by iFixit site for one of their keyboards <ref>{{Cite web |title=ErgoDox EZ Keyboard Repairability Assessment |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/ErgoDox+EZ+Keyboard+Repairability+Assessment/125077}}</ref>. They also support right to repair themselves <ref>{{Cite web |title=Supporting the Right to Repair |url=https://blog.zsa.io/2105-right-to-repair/}}</ref>. They have their own web software to modify keyboard layout <ref>{{Cite web |title=Voyager default layout |url=https://configure.zsa.io/voyager/layouts/default/latest/2}}</ref>, but it's possible to download source code of your layout and compile and flash it yourself using their fork of the QMK <ref>{{Cite web |title=QMK, forked for ZSA's Oryx Configurator (to safeguard stability) |url=https://github.com/zsa/qmk_firmware/}}</ref>. The flashing can be done with standard tools, without any signing and bootloader unlocking.
|
|}

==See also==
*[[Louis Rossmann - Video Directory]]
*[[Other Channels - Video Directory|Other Channels - Video Directory]]

==Reference List==
<references />

Cava Grill

2026-06-12T14:47:34Z

Keith: Undo revision 57550 by Louis (talk)

{{CompanyCargo
| Founded = 2006
| Industry = Food
| Logo = Cava Group logo.png
| Type = Public
| Website = https://cava.com/
| CompanyAlias = Cava Grills
}}

Founded in 2006, [[wikipedia:Cava_Group|Cava Group, Inc.]], also referred as Cava Grill, is a American Mediterranean fast casual restaurant.

== Consumer-impact summary ==

* '''User Freedom:''' Users can request to opt-out of sale of personal information.
* '''User Privacy:''' Partakes part in selling users data to advertisers, including call recordings, identifiers, network specific details, and medical information.
* '''Business Model:''' Food and drink sales through delivery or in place transactions.
* '''Market Control:''' $954 million in revenue in 2024.

== 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:Cava Grill|Cava Grill category]].

=== Website not accommodating blind users  ===
On 18 January 2018, Thomas J. Olsen filed a lawsuit against Cava over allegedly failure to accommodate blind users with proper tools on their website. It claims the company lack certain technologies that would allow visually impaired users to easily access the website, including alternative text on its images and links.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 April 2026 |title=UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK |url=https://www.classaction.org/media/olsen-v-cava-group-inc-et-al.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=3 April 2026 |website=ClassAction}}</ref>

=== Spicy Lamb Meatballs ===
Dating back to 2021, numerous customers on customer review sites, [[X Corp|X]] (formerly Twitter) and [[Reddit]] reported getting raw meatballs in their products, with many reporting getting sick after consumption that lasted for several days, with several reports being up to a week. Several customers gave concern to the company cooking practices, with many pointing out that the meatballs are uncooked in the middle due to bad cooking practices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Balik |first=Lauren |date=5 February 2024 |title=A Cava (NYSE: CAVA) Food Illness Outbreak is Not a Black Swan, But a Pink Meatball: A Near… |url=https://www.thecaptainslog.io/a-cava-nyse-cava-food-illness-outbreak-is-not-a-black-swan-but-a-pink-meatball-a-near/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 April 2026 |website=The Captain's Logs}}</ref>

=== Selling products not made for consumption ===
On 27 April 2022, Neil Hamman and Michael Stewart would file a lawsuit against Cava Grills for allegedly selling grains and salad bowl related products that were unfit for human consumption. It claims the company “falsely portrayed” [[wikipedia:PFAS|polyfluoroalkyl substances]] (PFAS) contents inside its prodcut by “concealed and misrepresented the product.”<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rizzi |first=Corrado |date=28 April 2022 |title=Cava Food Packaging Contains Unsafe PFAS, Class Action Claims |url=https://www.classaction.org/news/cava-food-packaging-contains-unsafe-pfas-class-action-claims |url-status=live |access-date=2 April 2026 |website=ClassAction}}</ref> On 15 April 2024, plaintiffs voluntary dismissed the case with prejudice for unknown reasons.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 April 2026 |title=Grain and Salad Bowls from CAVA |url=https://truthinadvertising.org/class-action/grain-and-salad-bowls-from-cava/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 April 2026 |website=Truth in Advertising}}</ref>

On 13 October 2023. non profit organization Toxin Free USA filed a complaint against Cava for false advertising and fraud after conducting a series of lab test that resulted in some of their product containing high levels organic fluorine,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=3 April 2026 |title=Toxin Free USA v. CAVA Groupe inc. |url=https://justicepesticides.org/en/juridic_case/toxin-free-usa-c-cava-groupe-inc/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 April 2026 |website=Justice Pesticides}}</ref> Toxin Free USA would later release a statement announcing plans to peruse a lawsuit against Cava Group, however the company didn't respond.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=23 October 2023 |title=Toxin Free USA Sues CAVA for Food Containing Pesticides and Food Packaging Containing PFAS |url=https://toxinfreeusa.org/toxin-free-usa-sues-cava-for-food-containing-pesticides-and-food-packaging-containing-pfas/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 April 2026 |website=Toxic Free USA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=27 October 2023 |title=Toxic Free USA Sues CAVA Restaurant for Food containing pesticides $ Food packaging Containing PFAS |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ONUjjTNm-8 |url-status=live |access-date=3 April 2026 |website=Youtube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 October 2023 |title=READ the full press release |url=https://www.facebook.com/GMOFreeUSA/videos/read-the-full-press-release-httpstoxinfreeusaorgtoxin-free-usa-sues-cava-for-foo/858296426002871/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 April 2026 |website=Facebook}}</ref> In the lawsuit, it alleges the company pita chips, bread, cabbage slaw, lentils, and rice were advertised as a healthy and environmental friendly, however it causes several health implications to consumers such as cancer and liver damage.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=24 October 2023 |title=Toxin Free USA files lawsuit against CAVA Group |url=https://www.packaging-gateway.com/news/toxin-free-lawsuit-cava/?cf-view |url-status=live |access-date=3 April 2026 |website=Packaging Gateway}}</ref> containing several synthetic biocide/pesticide chemicals such as glyphosate and isoprothiolane. As of April 2026, the case is still pending a legal outcome.<ref name=":0" />

== See also ==

* [[Chipotle]]
* [[Panera Bread]]

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Cava Grill]]

PlayOn Desktop discontinued

2026-06-12T14:43:50Z

Keith: Undo revision 57572 by Louis (talk)

{{IncidentCargo
|Company=MediaMall
|StartDate=2021-10-07
|EndDate=2021-11-24
|Status=Resolved
|ProductLine=
|Product=PlayOn Desktop
|ArticleType=Product
|Type=Broken Promise,License revocation,Rent-seeking
|Description=MediaMall sold PlayOn Desktop "Lifetime License" at $69.99, then ended updates in October 2021 and pushed lifetime holders to a subscription
}}

'''[[wikipedia:PlayOn#PlayOn_Desktop|PlayOn Desktop]] discontinued''' refers to MediaMall Technologies, Inc.'s October 2021 decision to end development of its PlayOn Desktop streaming DVR software, which had been sold with a $69.99 one-time "Lifetime License," and to direct existing customers toward a new subscription product, PlayOn Home, priced at $5 per month or $40 per year.<ref name="techhive">{{Cite web |last=Newman |first=Jared |date=2021-10-21 |title=PlayOn strands lifetime subscribers as it overhauls its desktop DVR software |url=https://www.techhive.com/article/579775/playon-streaming-dvr-just-got-a-lot-pricier.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260328101637/https://www.techhive.com/article/579775/playon-streaming-dvr-just-got-a-lot-pricier.html |archive-date=28 March 2026 |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=TechHive}}</ref><ref name="upgrade-archive">{{Cite web |date=2021-01-26 |title=PlayOn Upgrade Page |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126210706/https://www.playon.tv/upgrade |website=PlayOn (archived by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine) |access-date=2026-05-08}}</ref> PlayOn Desktop received its final software update on October 7, 2021, and was no longer available to purchase as of that date.<ref name="techhive" /> Lifetime customers were offered a minimum of three months of free PlayOn Home as compensation, with longer offers for more recent buyers.<ref name="welcome-home">{{Cite web |date=2021-11-24 |title=Welcome to PlayOn Home |url=https://www.playon.tv/blog/welcome-playon-home |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251207002651/https://www.playon.tv/blog/welcome-playon-home |archive-date=7 Dec 2025 |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=The PlayOn Blog}}</ref>

==Background==

PlayOn Desktop was a Windows application developed by MediaMall Technologies, Inc. The program loaded streaming videos in a hidden web browser and silently recorded them to the user's hard drive, producing standard MP4 files. TechHive's Jared Newman, in coverage of the discontinuation, noted that PlayOn had existed in some form for thirteen years as of October 2021 and described the desktop product as "an invaluable tool" for cord-cutters who wanted to retain access to programming after streaming subscriptions lapsed or shows moved between services.<ref name="techhive" />

The PlayOn Desktop End User License Agreement, which governed all sales of the software, was a contract between the user and "MediaMall Technologies, Inc." Section 4 of the EULA reads:
<blockquote>''MediaMall reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service, or any part thereof, at any time and without notice to you, and MediaMall will not be liable to you should it exercise such rights, even if your use of PlayOn or PlayLater Content is impacted by the change.''</blockquote><ref name="eula">{{Cite web |title=PlayOn End User License Agreement |url=https://www.playon.tv/eula |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260315134901/https://www.playon.tv/eula |archive-date=15 Mar 2026 |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=PlayOn}}</ref>
Section 5 of the EULA limited MediaMall's warranty to thirty days from the date of receipt, stating:
<blockquote>''There is no warranty or condition of any kind with respect to any defects discovered after the thirty-day limited warranty period.''</blockquote><ref name="eula" />
Disputes were governed by the laws of New York and assigned to the state and federal courts of New York; the EULA contained no arbitration clause and no class action waiver.<ref name="eula" />

At the time of the discontinuation, PlayOn was sold under three plans on the official upgrade page. A Wayback Machine snapshot taken on January 26, 2021, captures the offer: a Lifetime License at $69.99 as a one-time payment, a monthly plan at $4.99, and an annual plan at $19.99.<ref name="upgrade-archive" /> The same snapshot shows a promotional banner reading "NOW 50% OFF DESKTOP LIFETIME" and "SAVE $40 NOW," indicating the lifetime tier was actively marketed to consumers in the months before development ended.<ref name="upgrade-archive" /> A separate product, PlayOn Cloud, recorded videos through MediaMall's own servers on a per-recording credit basis and was governed by a distinct Terms of Service.<ref name="techhive" /><ref name="cloud-tos">{{Cite web |title=PlayOn Cloud Terms of Service |url=https://www.playon.tv/cloud-tos |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260323025538/https://www.playon.tv/cloud-tos |archive-date=23 Mar 2026 |access-date=2026-05-08 |website=PlayOn}}</ref>

==October 2021 product termination==

PlayOn Desktop received its final update on October 7, 2021, and was withdrawn from sale that same day.<ref name="techhive" /> In its place, MediaMall released PlayOn Home, a Windows program described by TechHive as "functionally similar to the old Desktop software" but available only on a $5 per month or $40 per year subscription.<ref name="techhive" /> The annual price represented an increase from the $19.99 annual plan that had been advertised on PlayOn's upgrade page earlier in 2021.<ref name="upgrade-archive" /><ref name="techhive" />

The same week as the final desktop update, a PlayOn representative posting under the name Skip Sullivan from a @playon.tv email address explained the change in an announcement on the official PlayOn subreddit, which was then reposted by a forum participant to the SageTV community thread "PlayOn Desktop is Dead" (the SageTV mirror is the publicly archived copy). Sullivan wrote:
<blockquote>''Those of you with lifetime PlayOn Desktop licenses are eligible for at least 3 free months of PlayOn Home. Should you find it not for you, you can continue to use PlayOn Desktop on Windows 10 and Window 8.1 PCs, but it will likely become less stable over time. While we won't be releasing updates for PlayOn Desktop we will still provide technical support and troubleshooting assistance.''</blockquote><ref name="sagetv">{{Cite web |date=2021-10-22 |title=PlayOn Desktop is Dead (thread reposting Skip Sullivan's PlayOn subreddit announcement) |url=https://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread_t_66812.html?t=66812 |website=SageTV Community Forum |access-date=2026-05-08}}</ref>

Sullivan's announcement identified the technical reason MediaMall gave for the change:
<blockquote>''Windows 11 integrates the new chromium-based Edge browser very differently than Windows 10, which changes the way PlayOn does it's hidden browser/capture process. The Edge stuff in Windows 11 was still in flux/development in the Windows 11 betas.''</blockquote><ref name="sagetv" />
TechHive reported a parallel email statement from MediaMall's Chief Operating Officer, Tracy Burman, who said via email that Windows 11 introduces a major change in how it integrates Microsoft's Edge browser, which in turn forced the company to revamp its entire capturing process.<ref name="techhive" /> Burman further told TechHive in an email statement:
<blockquote>''it was not possible to develop and maintain this new and improved version of PlayOn without some continued investment from our customers.''</blockquote><ref name="techhive" />

The transition was formalized in a November 24, 2021 post on the official PlayOn Blog titled "Welcome to PlayOn Home." The post, attributed to "Tracy's Blog," announced PlayOn Home as "our new PC-based Streaming DVR" and stated that monthly and annual Desktop subscribers would be migrated automatically.<ref name="welcome-home" /> TechHive's Jared Newman, writing in the same period, observed that "the old PlayOn desktop software will eventually become worthless as its recording capabilities degrade," because PlayOn's recording mechanism depended on continued maintenance against changes in streaming-service websites.<ref name="techhive" />

==MediaMall's response to lifetime customers==

MediaMall did not refund lifetime license holders. Instead, the November 24, 2021 PlayOn Blog post offered them migration credit toward the new subscription product:
<blockquote>''Existing PlayOn Desktop users with monthly and annual plans will be automatically migrated over to PlayOn Home. Users who purchased a Lifetime license to Desktop will receive a minimum of 3 months of PlayOn Home for free, and folks who purchased more recently will get even more free time on PlayOn Home. Users can see what their special PlayOn Home offer is by logging into their account.''</blockquote><ref name="welcome-home" />
After those free months, lifetime holders who wished to continue using a maintained product would have to pay $5 monthly or $40 annually.<ref name="techhive" />

MediaMall relied on the EULA's reservation clause, which had granted the company the right to discontinue the software "at any time and without notice" without liability to the user, and the thirty-day limited warranty that disclaimed responsibility for any later defects.<ref name="eula" /> Sullivan framed the company's position in the same announcement as a resource constraint:
<blockquote>''This decision was not made lightly. PlayOn is a small company and with limited development resources and this was and is about carving out a path forward that allows us to continue cover the cost of development and to provide software and service that meet needs of our users.''</blockquote><ref name="sagetv" />
Sullivan also stated that purchasing PlayOn Home was not a forfeiture of the existing lifetime license and that the desktop software would continue to install and run on Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 systems, though without further updates.<ref name="sagetv" />

==Consumer response==

TechHive reported on the consumer reaction:
<blockquote>''The news has not gone over well on PlayOn's Reddit page, where an announcement post now has hundreds of mostly angry comments.''</blockquote><ref name="techhive" />
The SageTV community forum thread "PlayOn Desktop is Dead," which mirrored Sullivan's PlayOn subreddit announcement, drew posts from forum participants questioning a one-time payment marketed as "lifetime" being terminated by a unilateral software-development decision.<ref name="sagetv" /> Jared Newman concluded the TechHive piece with a broader observation:
<blockquote>''we should all be a little more wary of "lifetime" subscriptions from companies whose costs are ongoing; sooner or later, the bill always comes due.''</blockquote><ref name="techhive" />

As of May 2026, no class action lawsuit against MediaMall Technologies regarding the PlayOn Desktop discontinuation has been documented in published reporting on the dispute, and no consumer-protection investigation has been announced.

==Legal context==

The closest reported precedent on the "lifetime of the device" defense in a software context is ''McVetty v. TomTom North America Inc.'', No. 7:19-cv-04908 (S.D.N.Y.), in which a plaintiff brought New York General Business Law claims against TomTom over GPS devices marketed with "Lifetime Maps and Traffic" that the company later discontinued. TomTom argued that "lifetime" referred to the useful life of the device, not the life of the purchaser. A federal court dismissed the action in July 2022 on the ground that McVetty's amended complaint did not provide context for the label he relied on after purchasing the device, with the court finding that the amended complaint put forth insufficient details about any alleged deception.<ref name="mcvetty">{{Cite web |last=Dennehy |first=Kevin |date=2022-07-21 |title=TomTom Successfully Defends Proposed Class Action, Reports 2nd Quarter Loss |url=https://locationbusinessnews.com/tomtom-successfully-defends-proposed-class-action-reports-2nd-quarter-loss |website=Location Business News |access-date=2026-05-08}}</ref><ref name="mcvetty-filing">{{Cite web |last=Rizzi |first=Corrado |date=2019-05-28 |title=TomTom Hit with Class Action Over Allegedly 'Illusory' Lifetime Maps and Traffic Support |url=https://www.classaction.org/news/tomtom-hit-with-class-action-over-allegedly-illusory-lifetime-maps-and-traffic-support |website=ClassAction.org |access-date=2026-05-08}}</ref> PlayOn's EULA assigns disputes to the state and federal courts of New York,<ref name="eula" /> placing any consumer claim against MediaMall over the lifetime license in the same forum that decided ''McVetty''.

The leading counter-example involves hardware rather than software. In ''Alvarez v. Sirius XM Radio Inc.'', No. 2:18-cv-08605-JVS-SS (C.D. Cal.), Sirius XM agreed to a settlement valued at approximately $96 million on claims that "Lifetime Subscription" plans had been tied to specific radio devices, with the carrier interpreting "lifetime" as the working life of the hardware. Final approval was granted on February 9, 2021.<ref name="alvarez">{{Cite web |title=SiriusXM Lifetime Subscription Class Action Settlement |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/closed-settlements/siriusxm-lifetime-subscription-class-action-settlement/ |website=Top Class Actions |access-date=2026-05-08}}</ref>

California has since enacted statutory disclosure rules for digital-goods purchases. Assembly Bill 2426, codified at California Business and Professions Code section 17500.6, prohibits the use of words such as "buy" or "purchase" in connection with digital goods unless the consumer either receives a permanent download or provides "affirmative acknowledgment" that what is being sold is a license rather than ownership.<ref name="ab2426">{{Cite web |title=AB-2426 Consumer protection: false advertising: digital goods. |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2426 |website=California Legislative Information |access-date=2026-05-08}}</ref> The statute took effect on January 1, 2025.<ref name="sidley-ab2426">{{Cite web |date=November 2024 |title=California's New Digital Goods Law AB 2426: What You Need to Know |url=https://www.sidley.com/en/insights/newsupdates/2024/11/californias-new-digital-goods-law-ab-2426-what-you-need-to-know |website=Sidley Austin LLP |access-date=2026-05-08}}</ref> The PlayOn Desktop transition predates AB 2426 by three years.

The procedural posture of any future PlayOn Desktop dispute is shaped by an asymmetry between MediaMall's two governing agreements. The PlayOn Desktop EULA selects New York state and federal courts and contains no arbitration clause and no class action waiver.<ref name="eula" /> The PlayOn Cloud Terms of Service, by contrast, require final and binding arbitration before the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Arbitration Rules, and prohibit class, consolidated, or representative actions. The Cloud ToS class-action waiver reads:
<blockquote>''You may only resolve Disputes with MMT on an individual basis, and may not bring a claim as a plaintiff or a class member in a class, consolidated, or representative action. Class arbitrations, class actions, private attorney general actions, and consolidation with other arbitrations are prohibited under our agreement.''</blockquote><ref name="cloud-tos" />
Lifetime Desktop license holders therefore retain, in theory, access to a New York class proceeding that PlayOn Cloud customers do not.<ref name="eula" /><ref name="cloud-tos" />

==See also==

*[[VitalSource "Lifetime" false advertising]]
*[[TeamViewer terminates perpetual licenses]]
*[[Ngenic forces subscription on previously “lifetime” Tune customers]]
*[[Bandicam perpetual license invalidation]]
*[[List of products and services with post-purchase license change]]
*[[MediaMall]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:2021 incidents]]
[[Category:Lifetime license removal]]
[[Category:Rent-seeking]]

Roblox's problematic moderation

2026-06-12T14:42:56Z

Keith: I don't think the warnings are neccesary

{{Incomplete}}
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Roblox
|StartDate=
|EndDate=
|Status=
|ProductLine=
|Product=Roblox
|ArticleType=
|Type=Child Safety, Safety
|Description=
}}

Since [[Roblox]] launched in 2004, both its automated and human aspects of moderation have been problematic for its users. Notable issues range from Roblox's obscene chat filter that limit communication on the platform,<ref>{{Cite web |author=Gregheffley95 |date=Feb 26, 2021 |title=Roblox censors almost everything |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/lsxpex/roblox_censors_almost_everything/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619214011/https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/lsxpex/roblox_censors_almost_everything/ |archive-date=Jun 19, 2023 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=Mar 7, 2017 |title=Why the hell are numbers censored! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/5y0w3z/why_the_hell_are_numbers_censored/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617231601/https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/5y0w3z/why_the_hell_are_numbers_censored/ |archive-date=Jun 17, 2023 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=JParty |date=Feb 24, 2017 |title=Updates to Chat Privacy API + New Account Indicators + Changes to Text Filtering APIs |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/updates-to-chat-privacy-api-new-account-indicators-changes-to-text-filtering-apis/33867 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251124014032/https://devforum.roblox.com/t/updates-to-chat-privacy-api-new-account-indicators-changes-to-text-filtering-apis/33867 |archive-date=24 Nov 2025|access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=Roblox Dev Forum}}</ref> inconsistent enforcement of guidelines, and the indirect encouragement of illegal behaviors on the platform intended for young audiences.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Schlep |date=Jan 9, 2024 |title=this simulator should NOT be on roblox... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMdacOJxmjU |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=IMdacOJxmjU |archive-date=Aug 16, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Schlep |date=Apr 14, 2024 |title=Roblox Needs to BAN These Games... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE3FeYfJOhw |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=EE3FeYfJOhw |archive-date=Aug 16, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref>

==Platform features==

In June 2023, a higher maturity rating for users aged 17+ was added to the platform, enabling access to "graphic and realistic-looking depictions of violence and heavy bloodshed", "private spaces or settings intended for adults", "non-sexual expressions of love and affection", "romantic themes and topics", "alcohol use and intoxicated behavior", and "vulgar or obscene language".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-09 |title=Restricted Content Policy - Roblox Support |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250905011501/https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |archive-date=2025-09-05 |access-date=2025-09-09 |website=Roblox Support}}</ref>

In July 2025, Roblox's CEO David Baszucki suggested that in the future dating features will be added to the platform for users aged 21 or older.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-09 |title=The Story: Roblox and the 'Prehistoric Era' of Gaming w/ David Baszucki - TechStuff |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/4YW2cYqRprKx4i5a1dxH81 |access-date=2025-09-09 |website=Spotify |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113014103/https://open.spotify.com/episode/4YW2cYqRprKx4i5a1dxH81 |archive-date=13 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Baqery |first=Mohsen |date=Jul 30, 2025 |title=Roblox CEO Has Suggested the Worst Idea Possible |url=https://gamerant.com/roblox-ceo-worst-idea-dating-sim/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250805010736/https://gamerant.com/roblox-ceo-worst-idea-dating-sim/ |archive-date=Aug 5, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=GameRant}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Norton |first=Brad |date=Jul 15, 2025 |title=Roblox CEO wants adults to use platform as a dating service |url=https://www.dexerto.com/roblox/roblox-ceo-wants-adults-to-use-platform-as-a-dating-service-3226769/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726183225/https://www.dexerto.com/roblox/roblox-ceo-wants-adults-to-use-platform-as-a-dating-service-3226769/ |archive-date=Jul 26, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Dexerto}}</ref> However some people have expressed concern at this idea, because at minimum 40% of the game's population is under 13 years old,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Connor |first=Jak |date=Jul 29, 2025 |title=Roblox CEO wants to add an in-game dating feature, despite 40% of players being under 13yrs old |url=https://www.tweaktown.com/news/106712/roblox-ceo-wants-to-add-an-in-game-dating-feature-despite-40-of-players-being-under-13yrs-old/index.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251021205509/https://www.tweaktown.com/news/106712/roblox-ceo-wants-to-add-an-in-game-dating-feature-despite-40-of-players-being-under-13yrs-old/index.html |archive-date=21 Oct 2025|access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=TweakTown}}</ref> and a further 16% of users are between 13 and 16 years old.<ref name=":32">{{Cite news |last=Tan |first=Nicholas |date=Nov 10, 2022 |title=Roblox Dev Arrested for Kidnapping: Who is Arnold Castillo (aka Jadon Shedletsky)? |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/913144-roblox-dev-arrested-developer-who-is-arnold-castillo-jadon-shedletsky |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250725055725/https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/913144-roblox-dev-arrested-developer-who-is-arnold-castillo-jadon-shedletsky |archive-date=Jul 25, 2025 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |work=Game Revolution}}</ref> It is also known that ID verification mechanisms can be easily bypassed, which would enable underage children to access these features.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In August 2025, the platform integrated the open-source AI-powered system (Sentinel) to spy on chats.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ortutay |first=Barbara |date=Aug 7, 2025 |title=Roblox rolls out open-source AI system to protect kids from predators in chats |url=https://apnews.com/article/roblox-grooming-messages-ai-kids-teens-9e9d4131d46b80eead3e57b1110d48eb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250810175337/https://apnews.com/article/roblox-grooming-messages-ai-kids-teens-9e9d4131d46b80eead3e57b1110d48eb |archive-date=Aug 10, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Associated Press}}</ref> In the same month, [[Roblox]] announced their collaboration with law enforcement according to a blog post.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Matt |date=Aug 7, 2025 |title=How Roblox Partners With Law Enforcement |url=https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2025/08/how-roblox-partners-law-enforcement |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=Roblox Blog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260114185118/https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2025/08/how-roblox-partners-law-enforcement |archive-date=14 Jan 2026}}</ref>

==Platform flaws==
The platform does not require ID verification for registering accounts under age 17, meaning predators are able to opaquely pretend to be children while interacting with the platform and other users.

Beyond a questionable chat filtering system that both over-moderates content,<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/TrXploit |date=Oct 30, 2023 |title=It's just for me, or the filter got worse? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/17jxexz/its_just_for_me_or_the_filter_got_worse/ |access-date=Jan 29, 2026 |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221184403/https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/17jxexz/its_just_for_me_or_the_filter_got_worse/ |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=FUJiCHROME |date=Jun 1, 2024 |title=Chat filter has gotten noticeably worse in the past week |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/chat-filter-has-gotten-noticeably-worse-in-the-past-week/3038806/ |access-date=Jan 29, 2026 |website=[[Roblox]] Developer Forums |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250903181546/https://devforum.roblox.com/t/chat-filter-has-gotten-noticeably-worse-in-the-past-week/3038806 |archive-date=3 Sep 2025}}</ref> as well as being capable of being easily bypassed,<ref>{{Cite web |last=retalberisha |date=Jun 1, 2025 |title=bypasses chat |url=https://scriptblox.com/script/Universal-Script-bypasses-chat-38352 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0321-2322-11/https://scriptblox.com:443/script/Universal-Script-bypasses-chat-38352 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Jan 29, 2026 |website=ScriptBlox}}</ref> Roblox has historically underinvested in adequate moderation for its user base. The moderation team is excessively small compared to its competitors, a documented 100-200 moderation on-staff compared to [[Fortnite]]'s 1,000+ and [[Minecraft]]'s 500+ members on the moderation staff.{{Citation needed|reason=Existing source is on [[source blacklist]]}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=Sep 17, 2024 |title=Why is Roblox moderation so bad? |url=https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/why-is-roblox-moderation-so-bad/ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Games Learning Society |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251018075436/https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/why-is-roblox-moderation-so-bad/ |archive-date=18 Oct 2025}}</ref> Combined with a lack of investment in adequate moderation tools,<ref>{{Cite news |date=Jul 24, 2024 |title=All Roblox Controversies Explained (2024) |url=https://screenrant.com/roblox-controversies-moderation-bad/ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |work=ScreenRant |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260124001406/https://screenrant.com/roblox-controversies-moderation-bad/ |archive-date=24 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=Apr 9, 2024 |title=Roblox VC moderation is terrible |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/comments/1c05qqs/roblox_vc_moderation_is_terrible/ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] - r/ROBLOXBans |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260224112957/https://old.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/comments/1c05qqs/roblox_vc_moderation_is_terrible/ |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref> it has become responsible for an excess of younger audiences being harmed on the platform.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dinunzio |first=Caitlin |date=Dec 21, 2021 |title=Roblox Accused Of Being Unsafe For Children In Viral Video |url=https://screenrant.com/roblox-accusations-safety-children-people-make-games/ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |work=ScreenRant |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230408045715/https://screenrant.com/roblox-accusations-safety-children-people-make-games/ |archive-date=8 Apr 2023}}</ref> 

Reported by Hindenburg Research, the platform outsources its moderation to call centers within Asia, many of which are paid poorly and often lack the literacy to adequately handle cases,<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=Oct 8, 2024 |title=Roblox: Inflated Key Metrics For Wall Street And A Pedophile Hellscape For Kids |url=https://hindenburgresearch.com/roblox/ |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=Hindenburg Research |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260107052726/https://hindenburgresearch.com/roblox/ |archive-date=7 Jan 2026}}</ref> and their systems required multiple offenses to even incite a temporary ban. The former moderator they interviewed cited their poor resources as a key issue as to why he would refuse to let any kids he knew to play the game.

In a report from Hindenburg Research,<ref name=":32" /> they interviewed a former Senior Product Designer for the platform which directly stated:<blockquote>“You’re supposed to make sure that your users are safe and but then the downside is that, if you’re limiting users’ engagement, it’s hurting your metrics. It’s hurting the [daily] active users, the time spent on the platform, and in a lot of cases, the leadership doesn’t want that.”

“You have to make a make a decision, right? You can keep your players safe, but then it would be less of them on the platform. Or you just let them do what they want to do. And then the numbers all look good and investors will be happy.”

“You maybe see it in the numbers going down or the profits going down. Then whether you like it or not, you kind of just have to reconsider your option[s], because once you’re a public company, you’re answering to all the investors.”</blockquote>This statement in summary represented how the platform intentionally refused to integrate features to protect underage users on the platform, exclusively for the purposes of inflating the game's population to appease the platform's shareholders.

The platform's poor moderation choices that have led to an excess of innocent individuals compared to legitimately bad actors also led to the formation of the subreddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/ r/ROBLOXbans], which has extensive posts covering the platform both ignoring mature content  and excessively punishing users over minor or absurd infractions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=r/ROBLOXBans |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/wiki/index/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250424112358/https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/wiki/index/ |archive-date=2025-04-24 |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> This community has documented problems such as IP/Poison bans, which have led to automatic bans and deletions if users simply access public wi-fi access points where other users have faced bans.<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/ExplodeWasTaken |date=Apr 1, 2025 |title=r/ROBLOXBans - FAQ |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/wiki/freqaskedquestions/ |access-date=Jan 30, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250907133956/https://old.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/wiki/freqaskedquestions |archive-date=7 Sep 2025}}</ref>

==Incidents==

===People Make Games videos===
When the platform was investigated by journalists working to uncover how the platform was additionally encouraging the exploitation of underage developers,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Quintin |date=Aug 19, 2021 |title=Investigation: How Roblox Is Exploiting Young Game Developers |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gXlauRB1EQ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - People Make Games |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=_gXlauRB1EQ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> the company aimed to have the report taken down, thus leading to further research from reporters on ''People Make Games'' regarding further harmful moderation controversies.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Quintin |date=Dec 13, 2021 |title=Roblox Pressured Us to Delete Our Video. So We Dug Deeper. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTMF6xEiAaY&t=10s |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - People Make Games |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=vTMF6xEiAaY |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>

In the follow-up video it was revealed that the lead developer, known by the alias of Doc, of the fan game ''Sonic Eclipse Online'' had spread harmful and sexually-charged comments to female developers on his team. While his primary account was removed from the platform, Roblox's moderation team had refused to handle his alternate account which owned all the games he published to the platform, meaning he continued to gain revenue from his project while clearly evading his ban.<ref name=":22" /> Soon after the publication of the video, his game would then be taken down via [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act|DMCA]] from [[SEGA]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=Feb 5, 2022 |title=Sega took down Sonic Eclipse Online |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3rmxony0mQ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - BloxEverlasting |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=b3rmxony0mQ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> It was not until mid-2022 that Doc would receive federal charges for abducting a minor through his predatory behavior on the platform,<ref name=":32" /> and finally be entirely removed from said platform.

===Schlep===
Roblox threatened the content creator Schlep with litigation over vigilantism.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |author=Schlep |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox Is Threatening to Sue Me For Protecting Kids |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8&t |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8 |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref name=":12" /> Schlep cited that neglect from Roblox's moderation team was the reason for his actions.<ref name=":02" /> In response to Roblox's submission of a cease and desist notice to Schlep,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=Schlep on X: "Every account I've ever made on Roblox has been terminated... |url=https://x.com/RealSchlep/status/1954101415564951680 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321154928/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RealSchlep/status/1954101415564951680 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=[[X]])}}</ref><ref name=":02" /> the platform was condemned by the community and California 17<sup>th</sup> Congressional District Representative Ro Khanna,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horetski |first=Dylan |date=Aug 13, 2025 |title=Congressman steps in after Roblox threatens to sue & bans “predator hunter” YouTuber Schlep |url=https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/congressman-steps-in-after-roblox-threatens-to-sue-bans-predator-hunter-youtuber-schlep-3237759/ |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=Dexerto |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250904095642/https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/congressman-steps-in-after-roblox-threatens-to-sue-bans-predator-hunter-youtuber-schlep-3237759/ |archive-date=4 Sep 2025}}</ref> and consumers promoted a hashtag #FreeSchlep in an attempt to get Schlep's account reinstated.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=Schlep on X: "wow its trending again. 3 days in a row now I was lowkey ... |url=https://x.com/RealSchlep/status/1954982451350008298 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321154942/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RealSchlep/status/1954982451350008298 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=[[X]]}}</ref> The movement also received support from popular Roblox YouTuber KreekCraft.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=KreekCraft on X: "Roblox Schlep situation" / X |url=https://x.com/KreekCraft/status/1954215182311297365 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/kreek-craft-roblox-schlep-situation |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=[[X]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-10 |title=Roblox Banned Schlep - YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKOYXcYmxow |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=VKOYXcYmxow |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=YouTube}}</ref> Furthermore, Roblox outlawed vigilante groups on their platform,<ref name=":12" /> causing vigilante group RoCatchers, a predator-catching group, to disband.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=RoCatchers on X: "We sadly have to disband what we're doing on here. ... |url=https://x.com/RoCatchers/status/1954221211581301201 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321154952/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RoCatchers/status/1954221211581301201 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=[[X]] |quote=}}</ref>

==="Condo" games===
The platform additionally hosts thousands of "condo" games,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dorn |first=James |date=Jul 24, 2025 |title=What is a Condo Game on Roblox? |url=https://expertbeacon.com/what-is-a-condo-on-roblox/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321155003/https://expertbeacon.com/what-is-a-condo-on-roblox/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=Expert Beacon}}</ref> to allow platform users to simulate sexual activities. Despite these games being directly in violation of Roblox's policies:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Restricted Content Policy |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox |at=Romantic and Sexual Content |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260217013725/https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |archive-date=17 Feb 2026}}</ref><blockquote>"Any content which explicitly [depicts] sexual content or nudity is against the rules of Roblox"</blockquote>The platform has been slow to handle these games being frequently uploaded, especially since these games are frequently reuploaded on alternate accounts en-masse.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McGuinness |first=Devan |date=Feb 16, 2022 |title=Roblox “Condo” Strip Clubs Still Populating Platform — What to Know |url=https://www.fatherly.com/news/roblox-strip-clubs-problem-safety |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=Fatherly |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251114004833/https://www.fatherly.com/news/roblox-strip-clubs-problem-safety |archive-date=14 Nov 2025}}</ref> Additionally, the platform has notoriously collaborated with TheOfficialTeddy, known for publishing "condo" games to the platform, even including one of his notorious titles within 2025's The Hatch event, despite his long history of frequent bans from the platform.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Ricablanca |first=Celsos |date=Jul 3, 2025 |title=Why did Roblox ban TheOfficialTeddy? Here’s what we know |url=https://esports.gg/news/roblox/why-did-roblox-ban-theofficialteddy-heres-what-we-know/ |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=eSports.gg |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251018131550/https://esports.gg/news/roblox/why-did-roblox-ban-theofficialteddy-heres-what-we-know/ |archive-date=18 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=Jun 17, 2025 |title=Tweet from RoCatchers |url=https://x.com/RoCatchers/status/1934826134476087759 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321155412/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RoCatchers/status/1934826134476087759 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=X (formerly [[Twitter]])}}</ref> The platform reversed Teddy's addition within the event and re-banned the individual only after significant backlash from players and content creators participating in the event.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=Jun 30, 2025 |title=Tweet from Roblox |url=https://x.com/Roblox/status/1939844614997033165 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0322-0056-24/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com:443/Roblox/status/1939844614997033165 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=X (formerly [[Twitter]])}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cripe |first=Michael |date=Jul 3, 2025 |title=Roblox #BoycottTheHatch Controversy Explained |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/roblox-boycottthehatch-controversy-explained |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=IGN |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210010600/https://www.ign.com/articles/roblox-boycottthehatch-controversy-explained |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref>

Sexually explicit games on Roblox are often promoted on other platforms including discord where they are called "condo" servers. <ref>{{Cite web |author=Noize |date=2025-07-06 |title=Roblox and Discord Under Fire for Failing to Address Predator Communities |url=https://gaminghq.eu/2025/07/06/roblox-and-discord-failing-to-address-predator-communities/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=GamingHQ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251010003804/https://gaminghq.eu/2025/07/06/roblox-and-discord-failing-to-address-predator-communities/ |archive-date=10 Oct 2025}}</ref> These servers are often sexually explicit and accessible to minors. A youtuber by the name "Ruben sim " made a discord moderation bot called Ro-Cleaner which banned members from discord condo servers to mitigate child predation, but as of October 2025 this bot has been banned from discord due to Discord Moderators banning the bot which serviced more than 20,000 discord servers due to their claim that it violated discords TOS by discriminating based on "protected characteristics" in accordance with Discords community guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cubbins |first=Dwayne |date=2025-04-24 |title=Discord cites user profiling violations in shutdown of popular anti-predator bot |url=https://techissuestoday.com/discord-shutdown-popular-anti-predator-bot/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Tech Issues Today |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251024170946/https://techissuestoday.com/discord-shutdown-popular-anti-predator-bot/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |archive-date=24 Oct 2025}}</ref>
[[File:Roblox adult game.png|thumb|alt=A picture of a Roblox game, with the name "Escape to Epstein Island"|An example of one of the mature games on Roblox that can be played by underage accounts.]]
A sibling to the "condo" genre have been titles named after individuals known for sex trafficking, such as Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jeffrey Epstein, these games were able to be easily accessed by underage users.<ref name=":5" />

Even games which may not be initially intended for mature audiences have been at risk from mature-aged users posting inappropriate content, such as "School Simulator", which failed to censor genitalia, obscene speech, and more,<ref name=":5" /> despite Roblox's claims that it reviews every piece of content uploaded to the platform.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clayton |first=James |last2=Dyer |first2=Jasmin |date=Feb 15, 2022 |title=Roblox: The children's game with a sex problem |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-60314572 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813071306/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-60314572 |archive-date=Aug 13, 2025 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=BBC}}</ref>

====CSAM communities====
Some Roblox experiences have large communities that trade in child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and allow underage players to access them.<ref name=":5" /> Hindenburg reported that there are at least 38 of these groups which solicit CSAM as of 2024.<ref name=":5" /> One such group evaded moderation for at least 15 years by disguising itself as “''[ Content Deleted 19208 ]''”, with ID info stating that it formed in 2009.<ref name=":5" /> Moderation For Dummies reported the existence of at least 12,400 accounts which dabble in various levels of CSAM on the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=Sep 2, 2024 |title=Tweet from Mod For Dummies |url=https://x.com/ModForDummies/status/1830646065948958861 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321155645/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/ModForDummies/status/1830646065948958861 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=X (formerly [[Twitter]])}}</ref>

==Lawsuits and legal controversies==
{{Incomplete section}}
Litigation has been frequent for the platform regarding its neglect to handle child predators for several years now. The following is a brief list from over 300 unique legal incidents<ref>{{Cite news |last=Musumeci |first=Natalie |date=Aug 13, 2025 |title=Roblox accused of being a 'hunting ground' for child predators as legal firestorm against gaming giant intensifies |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/roblox-online-gaming-giant-child-predator-allegations-lawsuits-2025-8?op=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250814072608/https://www.businessinsider.com/roblox-online-gaming-giant-child-predator-allegations-lawsuits-2025-8?op=1 |archive-date=Aug 14, 2025 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=Business Insider}}</ref> regarding Roblox's moderation.


===Arnold Castillo (February to July 2022)===
In February 2022, the lead game developer for the game ''Sonic Eclipse Online'' on Roblox, Arnold Castillo, allegedly used the platform to groom an anonymous minor. Months later in May, he allegedly coerced the minor into crossing state lines to his property via the service [[Uber]].<ref name=":32" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=Jul 29, 2022 |title=New Jersey Man Federally Charged with Enticement of a Minor and Interstate Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/new-jersey-man-federally-charged-enticement-minor-and-interstate-transportation-minor |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818133543/https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/new-jersey-man-federally-charged-enticement-minor-and-interstate-transportation-minor |archive-date=Aug 18, 2025 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=DOJ - Southern District of Indiana Attorney's Office}}</ref> Days after the abduction, the individual was detained and put on trial, and received 2 life sentences and $500k in fines. This occurred after Castillo's extensive history of violating the platform's Terms of Service for the purposes of grooming minors. Both his community and staff released 2 documents<ref>{{Cite web |title=The DoctorRofatnik Archives |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IBLEag66elaVPs11PimO2t2M0ikCCb67ti_RNYB0MxQ/edit?tab=t.0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/the-doctor-rofatnik-archives/mode/2up |archive-date=2020-10-26 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Google Docs}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Response to your claims |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a6NozfqgKOLT1882d9xy1QuJzW0TWJXuorvincSI4z8/edit?tab=t.0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018093721/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a6NozfqgKOLT1882d9xy1QuJzW0TWJXuorvincSI4z8/edit?tab=t.0 |archive-date=Oct 18, 2025 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Google Docs}}</ref> covering his harmful behavior on both Roblox and additionally [[Discord]].<ref name=":42">{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=Oct 31, 2022 |title=The Roblox Developer Arrested By The FBI |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdDfdlLuAgA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250810205552/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdDfdlLuAgA |archive-date=Aug 10, 2025 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - Ruben Sim}}</ref> Roblox's moderation refused to directly handle the situation, despite the extensive reports, and his arrest compiled with the charges he faced were only successful due to datamining efforts via vigilantes on the platform.<ref name=":42" />

===''State v. Darius Matylewich (September 2023)''===
In 2023, Darius Matylewich allegedly used a combination of Roblox and other social media services to abduct an 11-year-old girl to his property across state lines.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 7, 2025 |title=Bear Man Gets 20 Years In 11-Year-Old’s Abduction |url=https://firststateupdate.com/2025/07/bear-man-gets-20-years-in-11-year-olds-abduction/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250724133630/https://firststateupdate.com/2025/07/bear-man-gets-20-years-in-11-year-olds-abduction/ |archive-date=Jul 24, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=1st State Update}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Slocum |first=Jack |date=Jul 8, 2025 |title=Delaware Man Gets Prison Time For Coercing, Kidnapping Wayne 11-Year-Old |url=https://patch.com/new-jersey/wayne/delaware-man-gets-prison-time-coercing-kidnapping-wayne-11-year-old |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251017234219/https://patch.com/new-jersey/wayne/delaware-man-gets-prison-time-coercing-kidnapping-wayne-11-year-old |archive-date=Oct 17, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Patch}}</ref> 2 years later, on July 2, 2025, Matylewich was charged with 20 years of incarceration for the coercion and enticement of a minor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=Jul 7, 2025 |title=Delaware Man Sentenced To 240 Months For Coercing 11-Year-Old New Jersey Resident To Travel To Delaware For Sexual Activity |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-de/pr/delaware-man-sentenced-240-months-coercing-11-year-old-new-jersey-resident-travel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250805115546/https://www.justice.gov/usao-de/pr/delaware-man-sentenced-240-months-coercing-11-year-old-new-jersey-resident-travel |archive-date=Aug 5, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |website=U.S. Attorney's Office - District of Delaware}}</ref> During the entire incident, Roblox did not halt Matylewich's activities on the platform.

===''State v. Franciou Romelus (April 2024)''===
Francious Romelus allegedly stalked a 14-year-old girl via Roblox in 2023 and attempted to abduct her on April 12, 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Arradondo |first=Briona |date=Apr 24, 2024 |title=Man arrested for stalking, attacking 14-year-old girl he met online: TPD |url=https://www.fox13news.com/news/man-arrested-for-stalking-attacking-14-year-old-girl-he-met-online-tpd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018155641/https://www.fox13news.com/news/man-arrested-for-stalking-attacking-14-year-old-girl-he-met-online-tpd |archive-date=Oct 18, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Fox 13 News}}</ref> Romelus was charged with aggravated stalking, transmission of harmful material to a minor, among other charges, and received a 30-year sentence. Roblox moderation again did not prevent, halt, or report the individual to authorities at that time.

===''U.S. v. Daniel Aravena Oliva'' (August 2024)===
In 2024, Daniel Aravena Oliva allegedly groomed a 13-year-old girl on the platform across international borders for several months. After flying to the US from Chile, the individual was arrested before he could sexually assault the minor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Aug 23, 2024 |title=Chilean man arrested in connection with exploitation of 14-year-old girl, Glendora police say |url=https://abc7.com/post/chilean-man-arrested-connection-exploitation-14-year-old-girl-glendora-police-say/15222531/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250823132323/https://abc7.com/post/chilean-man-arrested-connection-exploitation-14-year-old-girl-glendora-police-say/15222531/ |archive-date=Aug 23, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=ABC 7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Toohey |first=Grace |date=Aug 22, 2024 |title=Chilean man groomed 13-year-old girl he met on Roblox before flying to U.S. to meet her, police say |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-22/chilean-arrest-roblox-child-exploitation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813153123/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-22/chilean-arrest-roblox-child-exploitation |archive-date=Aug 13, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

===''State v. Christian Scribben'' (February to April 2025)===
Christian Scribben allegedly, on multiple accounts, used Roblox to coerce minors to produce CSAM. Scribben was arrested in April and tried as an adult.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 2, 2025 |title=Ocala teen jailed for exploiting children he met on video game |url=https://www.ocala-news.com/2025/05/02/ocala-teen-jailed-for-exploiting-children-he-met-on-video-game/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251017173601/https://www.ocala-news.com/2025/05/02/ocala-teen-jailed-for-exploiting-children-he-met-on-video-game/ |archive-date=Oct 17, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Ocala News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hogan |first=Brandon |date=Apr 30, 2025 |title=17-year-old arrested in Marion County, accused of sexually exploiting children on Roblox |url=https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/04/30/17-year-old-arrested-in-marion-county-accused-of-sexually-exploiting-children-on-roblox/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250823160458/https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/04/30/17-year-old-arrested-in-marion-county-accused-of-sexually-exploiting-children-on-roblox/ |archive-date=Aug 23, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Click Orlando}}</ref> On the day of Scribben's arrest, the Florida AG James Uthmeier subpoenaed Roblox regarding its marketing material, citing an excess of reports of children being exposed to “graphic or harmful material” while using the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Uthmeier |first=James |date=Apr 16, 2025 |title=Attorney General James Uthmeier Fights to Protect Children Online; Subpoenas Roblox for Child-Protection Policies and Procedures |url=https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-james-uthmeier-fights-protect-children-online-subpoenas-roblox-child |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250814164722/https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-james-uthmeier-fights-protect-children-online-subpoenas-roblox-child |archive-date=Aug 14, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |website=Florida Office of Attorney General}}</ref>

===''State v. Matthew Naval'' (April to June 2025)===

Matthew Macatuno Naval allegedly abducted a 10-year-old girl soon after meeting her on Roblox,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Girl was kidnapped by man who messaged her on Roblox, officials say. 10-year-old found safe |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-16/girl-10-allegedly-kidnapped-by-man-who-messaged-on-roblox |website=Los Angeles Times |date=2025-04-16 |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |first=Kaitlyn |last=Huamani |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819041136/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-16/girl-10-allegedly-kidnapped-by-man-who-messaged-on-roblox |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref><ref name=":46">{{Cite web |title=California man accused of kidnapping 10-year-old he met on Roblox |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/national-international/california-man-accused-of-kidnapping-10-year-old-he-met-on-roblox/3807102/ |website=NBC San Diego |date=2025-04-17 |first=Viola |last=Flowers |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819041723/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/national-international/california-man-accused-of-kidnapping-10-year-old-he-met-on-roblox/3807102/ |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref><ref name=":47">{{Cite web |title=Elk Grove man accused of kidnapping missing child after meeting her on Roblox |url=https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/missing-kern-county-child-found-elk-grove-suspected-kidnapper/103-53c26187-7d46-4b43-964a-1010c1bf07c5 |website=ABC 10 |date=2025-04-14 |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819043626/https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/missing-kern-county-child-found-elk-grove-suspected-kidnapper/103-53c26187-7d46-4b43-964a-1010c1bf07c5 |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> and he was charged with one count of kidnapping, one count of kidnapping a child under 14 to commit sex acts, two counts of committing sex acts with a child under 14, one count of showing sexual content to a minor, and two counts related to contacting a minor with the intent to commit a sex act.<ref name=":48">{{Cite web |last=Kotowski |first1=Jason |last2=Huh |first2=Jenny |date=2025-04-18 |title=Man accused of kidnapping Taft girl held on $1.35M bail |url=https://www.kget.com/news/crime-watch/man-accused-of-kidnapping-taft-girl-charged-with-7-felonies/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819043054/https://www.kget.com/news/crime-watch/man-accused-of-kidnapping-taft-girl-charged-with-7-felonies/ |archive-date=2025-08-19 |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=KGET.com}}</ref> According to police, the survivor was found in a car at an Elk Grove strip mall over 250 miles from her home in Taft, and police returned her to her family.<ref name=":46" /><ref name=":47" /> Representing the severity of the charges against Naval, his bail was listed at about US$1.35 million.<ref name=":48" />


===''Doe et al v. Roblox Corporation et al'' (July 2025)===
The suit Doe et al v. Roblox Corporation et al, filed on July 9, 2025, is an ongoing product liability suit where the plaintiffs are two anonymous individuals and the defendants are Roblox Corporation and [[Discord|Discord, Inc.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Doe et al v. Roblox Corporation et al |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/58931825/Doe_et_al_v_Roblox_Corporation_et_al |website=PacerMonitor |date=2025-07-09 |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819035355/https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/58931825/Doe_et_al_v_Roblox_Corporation_et_al |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> The main complaints in the original file were:
<blockquote>
(1) Fraudulent Concealment and Misrepresentations<br />
(2) Negligent Misrepresentation<br />
(3) Negligence — General<br />
(4) Negligence — Failure to Warn<br />
(5) Negligence — Unreasonable Design<br />
(6) Negligent Undertaking<br />
(7) Strict Liability — Design Defect<br />
(8) Strict Liability — Failure to Warn<ref>{{Cite web |title=Case 3:25-cv-05753-LB |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/filings/DWCGRGFI/Doe_et_al_v_Roblox_Corporation_et_al__candce-25-05753__0001.0.pdf |website=Pacermonitor |date=2025-07-09 |first=Paige |last=Boldt |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819035429/https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/filings/DWCGRGFI/Doe_et_al_v_Roblox_Corporation_et_al__candce-25-05753__0001.0.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref>
</blockquote>


===Florida Attorney-General Subpoena & Multi-State Scrutiny (July 2025)===

==Legacy==
{{Incomplete section}}

The negligence shown by Roblox and the platform's moderation has been a key point within various forms of legislation to require identification-based verification on online services, e.g. the [[Online Safety Act|Online Safety Act of 2023]] within the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Online Safety Act 2023 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/contents/enacted |website=www.legislation.gov.uk |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818200028/https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/contents |archive-date=2025-08-18}}</ref>

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

Roblox's problematic moderation

2026-06-12T14:41:40Z

Keith: Undo revision 57574 by Louis (talk)

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{{Warning|This article contains sexual or violent themes and elements which may be offensive, traumatizing, or disturbing for certain viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.}}
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No online platform is immune to child predators, especially those geared towards minor audiences. However, [[Roblox]] has an extensive history of poorly handling child predators.

Since [[Roblox]] launched in 2004, both its automated and human aspects of moderation have been problematic for its users. Notable issues range from Roblox's obscene chat filter that limit communication on the platform,<ref>{{Cite web |author=Gregheffley95 |date=Feb 26, 2021 |title=Roblox censors almost everything |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/lsxpex/roblox_censors_almost_everything/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230619214011/https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/lsxpex/roblox_censors_almost_everything/ |archive-date=Jun 19, 2023 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=Mar 7, 2017 |title=Why the hell are numbers censored! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/5y0w3z/why_the_hell_are_numbers_censored/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617231601/https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/5y0w3z/why_the_hell_are_numbers_censored/ |archive-date=Jun 17, 2023 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=JParty |date=Feb 24, 2017 |title=Updates to Chat Privacy API + New Account Indicators + Changes to Text Filtering APIs |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/updates-to-chat-privacy-api-new-account-indicators-changes-to-text-filtering-apis/33867 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251124014032/https://devforum.roblox.com/t/updates-to-chat-privacy-api-new-account-indicators-changes-to-text-filtering-apis/33867 |archive-date=24 Nov 2025|access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=Roblox Dev Forum}}</ref> inconsistent enforcement of guidelines, and the indirect encouragement of illegal behaviors on the platform intended for young audiences.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Schlep |date=Jan 9, 2024 |title=this simulator should NOT be on roblox... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMdacOJxmjU |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=IMdacOJxmjU |archive-date=Aug 16, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Schlep |date=Apr 14, 2024 |title=Roblox Needs to BAN These Games... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE3FeYfJOhw |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=EE3FeYfJOhw |archive-date=Aug 16, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref>

==Platform features==

In June 2023, a higher maturity rating for users aged 17+ was added to the platform, enabling access to "graphic and realistic-looking depictions of violence and heavy bloodshed", "private spaces or settings intended for adults", "non-sexual expressions of love and affection", "romantic themes and topics", "alcohol use and intoxicated behavior", and "vulgar or obscene language".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-09-09 |title=Restricted Content Policy - Roblox Support |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250905011501/https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |archive-date=2025-09-05 |access-date=2025-09-09 |website=Roblox Support}}</ref>

In July 2025, Roblox's CEO David Baszucki suggested that in the future dating features will be added to the platform for users aged 21 or older.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-09 |title=The Story: Roblox and the 'Prehistoric Era' of Gaming w/ David Baszucki - TechStuff |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/4YW2cYqRprKx4i5a1dxH81 |access-date=2025-09-09 |website=Spotify |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260113014103/https://open.spotify.com/episode/4YW2cYqRprKx4i5a1dxH81 |archive-date=13 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Baqery |first=Mohsen |date=Jul 30, 2025 |title=Roblox CEO Has Suggested the Worst Idea Possible |url=https://gamerant.com/roblox-ceo-worst-idea-dating-sim/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250805010736/https://gamerant.com/roblox-ceo-worst-idea-dating-sim/ |archive-date=Aug 5, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=GameRant}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Norton |first=Brad |date=Jul 15, 2025 |title=Roblox CEO wants adults to use platform as a dating service |url=https://www.dexerto.com/roblox/roblox-ceo-wants-adults-to-use-platform-as-a-dating-service-3226769/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726183225/https://www.dexerto.com/roblox/roblox-ceo-wants-adults-to-use-platform-as-a-dating-service-3226769/ |archive-date=Jul 26, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Dexerto}}</ref> However some people have expressed concern at this idea, because at minimum 40% of the game's population is under 13 years old,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Connor |first=Jak |date=Jul 29, 2025 |title=Roblox CEO wants to add an in-game dating feature, despite 40% of players being under 13yrs old |url=https://www.tweaktown.com/news/106712/roblox-ceo-wants-to-add-an-in-game-dating-feature-despite-40-of-players-being-under-13yrs-old/index.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251021205509/https://www.tweaktown.com/news/106712/roblox-ceo-wants-to-add-an-in-game-dating-feature-despite-40-of-players-being-under-13yrs-old/index.html |archive-date=21 Oct 2025|access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=TweakTown}}</ref> and a further 16% of users are between 13 and 16 years old.<ref name=":32">{{Cite news |last=Tan |first=Nicholas |date=Nov 10, 2022 |title=Roblox Dev Arrested for Kidnapping: Who is Arnold Castillo (aka Jadon Shedletsky)? |url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/913144-roblox-dev-arrested-developer-who-is-arnold-castillo-jadon-shedletsky |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250725055725/https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/913144-roblox-dev-arrested-developer-who-is-arnold-castillo-jadon-shedletsky |archive-date=Jul 25, 2025 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |work=Game Revolution}}</ref> It is also known that ID verification mechanisms can be easily bypassed, which would enable underage children to access these features.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In August 2025, the platform integrated the open-source AI-powered system (Sentinel) to spy on chats.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ortutay |first=Barbara |date=Aug 7, 2025 |title=Roblox rolls out open-source AI system to protect kids from predators in chats |url=https://apnews.com/article/roblox-grooming-messages-ai-kids-teens-9e9d4131d46b80eead3e57b1110d48eb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250810175337/https://apnews.com/article/roblox-grooming-messages-ai-kids-teens-9e9d4131d46b80eead3e57b1110d48eb |archive-date=Aug 10, 2025 |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |work=Associated Press}}</ref> In the same month, [[Roblox]] announced their collaboration with law enforcement according to a blog post.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Matt |date=Aug 7, 2025 |title=How Roblox Partners With Law Enforcement |url=https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2025/08/how-roblox-partners-law-enforcement |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=Roblox Blog |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260114185118/https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2025/08/how-roblox-partners-law-enforcement |archive-date=14 Jan 2026}}</ref>

==Platform flaws==
The platform does not require ID verification for registering accounts under age 17, meaning predators are able to opaquely pretend to be children while interacting with the platform and other users.

Beyond a questionable chat filtering system that both over-moderates content,<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/TrXploit |date=Oct 30, 2023 |title=It's just for me, or the filter got worse? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/17jxexz/its_just_for_me_or_the_filter_got_worse/ |access-date=Jan 29, 2026 |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260221184403/https://old.reddit.com/r/roblox/comments/17jxexz/its_just_for_me_or_the_filter_got_worse/ |archive-date=21 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=FUJiCHROME |date=Jun 1, 2024 |title=Chat filter has gotten noticeably worse in the past week |url=https://devforum.roblox.com/t/chat-filter-has-gotten-noticeably-worse-in-the-past-week/3038806/ |access-date=Jan 29, 2026 |website=[[Roblox]] Developer Forums |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250903181546/https://devforum.roblox.com/t/chat-filter-has-gotten-noticeably-worse-in-the-past-week/3038806 |archive-date=3 Sep 2025}}</ref> as well as being capable of being easily bypassed,<ref>{{Cite web |last=retalberisha |date=Jun 1, 2025 |title=bypasses chat |url=https://scriptblox.com/script/Universal-Script-bypasses-chat-38352 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0321-2322-11/https://scriptblox.com:443/script/Universal-Script-bypasses-chat-38352 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Jan 29, 2026 |website=ScriptBlox}}</ref> Roblox has historically underinvested in adequate moderation for its user base. The moderation team is excessively small compared to its competitors, a documented 100-200 moderation on-staff compared to [[Fortnite]]'s 1,000+ and [[Minecraft]]'s 500+ members on the moderation staff.{{Citation needed|reason=Existing source is on [[source blacklist]]}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=Sep 17, 2024 |title=Why is Roblox moderation so bad? |url=https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/why-is-roblox-moderation-so-bad/ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Games Learning Society |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251018075436/https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/why-is-roblox-moderation-so-bad/ |archive-date=18 Oct 2025}}</ref> Combined with a lack of investment in adequate moderation tools,<ref>{{Cite news |date=Jul 24, 2024 |title=All Roblox Controversies Explained (2024) |url=https://screenrant.com/roblox-controversies-moderation-bad/ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |work=ScreenRant |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260124001406/https://screenrant.com/roblox-controversies-moderation-bad/ |archive-date=24 Jan 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=Apr 9, 2024 |title=Roblox VC moderation is terrible |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/comments/1c05qqs/roblox_vc_moderation_is_terrible/ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] - r/ROBLOXBans |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260224112957/https://old.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/comments/1c05qqs/roblox_vc_moderation_is_terrible/ |archive-date=24 Feb 2026}}</ref> it has become responsible for an excess of younger audiences being harmed on the platform.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dinunzio |first=Caitlin |date=Dec 21, 2021 |title=Roblox Accused Of Being Unsafe For Children In Viral Video |url=https://screenrant.com/roblox-accusations-safety-children-people-make-games/ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |work=ScreenRant |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230408045715/https://screenrant.com/roblox-accusations-safety-children-people-make-games/ |archive-date=8 Apr 2023}}</ref> 

Reported by Hindenburg Research, the platform outsources its moderation to call centers within Asia, many of which are paid poorly and often lack the literacy to adequately handle cases,<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=Oct 8, 2024 |title=Roblox: Inflated Key Metrics For Wall Street And A Pedophile Hellscape For Kids |url=https://hindenburgresearch.com/roblox/ |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=Hindenburg Research |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260107052726/https://hindenburgresearch.com/roblox/ |archive-date=7 Jan 2026}}</ref> and their systems required multiple offenses to even incite a temporary ban. The former moderator they interviewed cited their poor resources as a key issue as to why he would refuse to let any kids he knew to play the game.

In a report from Hindenburg Research,<ref name=":32" /> they interviewed a former Senior Product Designer for the platform which directly stated:<blockquote>“You’re supposed to make sure that your users are safe and but then the downside is that, if you’re limiting users’ engagement, it’s hurting your metrics. It’s hurting the [daily] active users, the time spent on the platform, and in a lot of cases, the leadership doesn’t want that.”

“You have to make a make a decision, right? You can keep your players safe, but then it would be less of them on the platform. Or you just let them do what they want to do. And then the numbers all look good and investors will be happy.”

“You maybe see it in the numbers going down or the profits going down. Then whether you like it or not, you kind of just have to reconsider your option[s], because once you’re a public company, you’re answering to all the investors.”</blockquote>This statement in summary represented how the platform intentionally refused to integrate features to protect underage users on the platform, exclusively for the purposes of inflating the game's population to appease the platform's shareholders.

The platform's poor moderation choices that have led to an excess of innocent individuals compared to legitimately bad actors also led to the formation of the subreddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/ r/ROBLOXbans], which has extensive posts covering the platform both ignoring mature content  and excessively punishing users over minor or absurd infractions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=r/ROBLOXBans |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/wiki/index/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250424112358/https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/wiki/index/ |archive-date=2025-04-24 |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> This community has documented problems such as IP/Poison bans, which have led to automatic bans and deletions if users simply access public wi-fi access points where other users have faced bans.<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/ExplodeWasTaken |date=Apr 1, 2025 |title=r/ROBLOXBans - FAQ |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/wiki/freqaskedquestions/ |access-date=Jan 30, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250907133956/https://old.reddit.com/r/ROBLOXBans/wiki/freqaskedquestions |archive-date=7 Sep 2025}}</ref>

==Incidents==

===People Make Games videos===
When the platform was investigated by journalists working to uncover how the platform was additionally encouraging the exploitation of underage developers,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Quintin |date=Aug 19, 2021 |title=Investigation: How Roblox Is Exploiting Young Game Developers |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gXlauRB1EQ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - People Make Games |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=_gXlauRB1EQ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> the company aimed to have the report taken down, thus leading to further research from reporters on ''People Make Games'' regarding further harmful moderation controversies.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Quintin |date=Dec 13, 2021 |title=Roblox Pressured Us to Delete Our Video. So We Dug Deeper. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTMF6xEiAaY&t=10s |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - People Make Games |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=vTMF6xEiAaY |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref>

In the follow-up video it was revealed that the lead developer, known by the alias of Doc, of the fan game ''Sonic Eclipse Online'' had spread harmful and sexually-charged comments to female developers on his team. While his primary account was removed from the platform, Roblox's moderation team had refused to handle his alternate account which owned all the games he published to the platform, meaning he continued to gain revenue from his project while clearly evading his ban.<ref name=":22" /> Soon after the publication of the video, his game would then be taken down via [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act|DMCA]] from [[SEGA]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=Feb 5, 2022 |title=Sega took down Sonic Eclipse Online |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3rmxony0mQ |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - BloxEverlasting |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=b3rmxony0mQ |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref> It was not until mid-2022 that Doc would receive federal charges for abducting a minor through his predatory behavior on the platform,<ref name=":32" /> and finally be entirely removed from said platform.

===Schlep===
Roblox threatened the content creator Schlep with litigation over vigilantism.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |author=Schlep |date=Aug 9, 2025 |title=Roblox Is Threatening to Sue Me For Protecting Kids |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8&t |access-date=Aug 10, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=hMqAw_NjHK8 |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref name=":12" /> Schlep cited that neglect from Roblox's moderation team was the reason for his actions.<ref name=":02" /> In response to Roblox's submission of a cease and desist notice to Schlep,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=Schlep on X: "Every account I've ever made on Roblox has been terminated... |url=https://x.com/RealSchlep/status/1954101415564951680 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321154928/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RealSchlep/status/1954101415564951680 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=[[X]])}}</ref><ref name=":02" /> the platform was condemned by the community and California 17<sup>th</sup> Congressional District Representative Ro Khanna,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horetski |first=Dylan |date=Aug 13, 2025 |title=Congressman steps in after Roblox threatens to sue & bans “predator hunter” YouTuber Schlep |url=https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/congressman-steps-in-after-roblox-threatens-to-sue-bans-predator-hunter-youtuber-schlep-3237759/ |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=Dexerto |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250904095642/https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/congressman-steps-in-after-roblox-threatens-to-sue-bans-predator-hunter-youtuber-schlep-3237759/ |archive-date=4 Sep 2025}}</ref> and consumers promoted a hashtag #FreeSchlep in an attempt to get Schlep's account reinstated.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=Schlep on X: "wow its trending again. 3 days in a row now I was lowkey ... |url=https://x.com/RealSchlep/status/1954982451350008298 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321154942/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RealSchlep/status/1954982451350008298 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=[[X]]}}</ref> The movement also received support from popular Roblox YouTuber KreekCraft.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=KreekCraft on X: "Roblox Schlep situation" / X |url=https://x.com/KreekCraft/status/1954215182311297365 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/kreek-craft-roblox-schlep-situation |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=[[X]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-10 |title=Roblox Banned Schlep - YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKOYXcYmxow |url-status=live |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=VKOYXcYmxow |archive-date=2025-08-11 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=YouTube}}</ref> Furthermore, Roblox outlawed vigilante groups on their platform,<ref name=":12" /> causing vigilante group RoCatchers, a predator-catching group, to disband.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-09 |title=RoCatchers on X: "We sadly have to disband what we're doing on here. ... |url=https://x.com/RoCatchers/status/1954221211581301201 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321154952/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RoCatchers/status/1954221211581301201 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=[[X]] |quote=}}</ref>

==="Condo" games===
The platform additionally hosts thousands of "condo" games,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dorn |first=James |date=Jul 24, 2025 |title=What is a Condo Game on Roblox? |url=https://expertbeacon.com/what-is-a-condo-on-roblox/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321155003/https://expertbeacon.com/what-is-a-condo-on-roblox/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=Expert Beacon}}</ref> to allow platform users to simulate sexual activities. Despite these games being directly in violation of Roblox's policies:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Restricted Content Policy |url=https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |url-status=live |access-date=12 Aug 2025 |website=Roblox |at=Romantic and Sexual Content |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260217013725/https://en.help.roblox.com/hc/en-us/articles/15869919570708-Restricted-Content-Policy |archive-date=17 Feb 2026}}</ref><blockquote>"Any content which explicitly [depicts] sexual content or nudity is against the rules of Roblox"</blockquote>The platform has been slow to handle these games being frequently uploaded, especially since these games are frequently reuploaded on alternate accounts en-masse.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McGuinness |first=Devan |date=Feb 16, 2022 |title=Roblox “Condo” Strip Clubs Still Populating Platform — What to Know |url=https://www.fatherly.com/news/roblox-strip-clubs-problem-safety |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=Fatherly |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251114004833/https://www.fatherly.com/news/roblox-strip-clubs-problem-safety |archive-date=14 Nov 2025}}</ref> Additionally, the platform has notoriously collaborated with TheOfficialTeddy, known for publishing "condo" games to the platform, even including one of his notorious titles within 2025's The Hatch event, despite his long history of frequent bans from the platform.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Ricablanca |first=Celsos |date=Jul 3, 2025 |title=Why did Roblox ban TheOfficialTeddy? Here’s what we know |url=https://esports.gg/news/roblox/why-did-roblox-ban-theofficialteddy-heres-what-we-know/ |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=eSports.gg |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251018131550/https://esports.gg/news/roblox/why-did-roblox-ban-theofficialteddy-heres-what-we-know/ |archive-date=18 Oct 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=Jun 17, 2025 |title=Tweet from RoCatchers |url=https://x.com/RoCatchers/status/1934826134476087759 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321155412/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/RoCatchers/status/1934826134476087759 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=X (formerly [[Twitter]])}}</ref> The platform reversed Teddy's addition within the event and re-banned the individual only after significant backlash from players and content creators participating in the event.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=Jun 30, 2025 |title=Tweet from Roblox |url=https://x.com/Roblox/status/1939844614997033165 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0322-0056-24/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com:443/Roblox/status/1939844614997033165 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=X (formerly [[Twitter]])}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cripe |first=Michael |date=Jul 3, 2025 |title=Roblox #BoycottTheHatch Controversy Explained |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/roblox-boycottthehatch-controversy-explained |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=IGN |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260210010600/https://www.ign.com/articles/roblox-boycottthehatch-controversy-explained |archive-date=10 Feb 2026}}</ref>

Sexually explicit games on Roblox are often promoted on other platforms including discord where they are called "condo" servers. <ref>{{Cite web |author=Noize |date=2025-07-06 |title=Roblox and Discord Under Fire for Failing to Address Predator Communities |url=https://gaminghq.eu/2025/07/06/roblox-and-discord-failing-to-address-predator-communities/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=GamingHQ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251010003804/https://gaminghq.eu/2025/07/06/roblox-and-discord-failing-to-address-predator-communities/ |archive-date=10 Oct 2025}}</ref> These servers are often sexually explicit and accessible to minors. A youtuber by the name "Ruben sim " made a discord moderation bot called Ro-Cleaner which banned members from discord condo servers to mitigate child predation, but as of October 2025 this bot has been banned from discord due to Discord Moderators banning the bot which serviced more than 20,000 discord servers due to their claim that it violated discords TOS by discriminating based on "protected characteristics" in accordance with Discords community guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cubbins |first=Dwayne |date=2025-04-24 |title=Discord cites user profiling violations in shutdown of popular anti-predator bot |url=https://techissuestoday.com/discord-shutdown-popular-anti-predator-bot/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Tech Issues Today |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251024170946/https://techissuestoday.com/discord-shutdown-popular-anti-predator-bot/?utm_source=chatgpt.com |archive-date=24 Oct 2025}}</ref>
[[File:Roblox adult game.png|thumb|alt=A picture of a Roblox game, with the name "Escape to Epstein Island"|An example of one of the mature games on Roblox that can be played by underage accounts.]]
A sibling to the "condo" genre have been titles named after individuals known for sex trafficking, such as Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jeffrey Epstein, these games were able to be easily accessed by underage users.<ref name=":5" />

Even games which may not be initially intended for mature audiences have been at risk from mature-aged users posting inappropriate content, such as "School Simulator", which failed to censor genitalia, obscene speech, and more,<ref name=":5" /> despite Roblox's claims that it reviews every piece of content uploaded to the platform.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Clayton |first=James |last2=Dyer |first2=Jasmin |date=Feb 15, 2022 |title=Roblox: The children's game with a sex problem |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-60314572 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813071306/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-60314572 |archive-date=Aug 13, 2025 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=BBC}}</ref>

====CSAM communities====
Some Roblox experiences have large communities that trade in child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and allow underage players to access them.<ref name=":5" /> Hindenburg reported that there are at least 38 of these groups which solicit CSAM as of 2024.<ref name=":5" /> One such group evaded moderation for at least 15 years by disguising itself as “''[ Content Deleted 19208 ]''”, with ID info stating that it formed in 2009.<ref name=":5" /> Moderation For Dummies reported the existence of at least 12,400 accounts which dabble in various levels of CSAM on the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=Sep 2, 2024 |title=Tweet from Mod For Dummies |url=https://x.com/ModForDummies/status/1830646065948958861 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260321155645/https://nitter.us.catsarch.com/ModForDummies/status/1830646065948958861 |archive-date=21 Mar 2026 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |website=X (formerly [[Twitter]])}}</ref>

==Lawsuits and legal controversies==
{{Incomplete section}}
Litigation has been frequent for the platform regarding its neglect to handle child predators for several years now. The following is a brief list from over 300 unique legal incidents<ref>{{Cite news |last=Musumeci |first=Natalie |date=Aug 13, 2025 |title=Roblox accused of being a 'hunting ground' for child predators as legal firestorm against gaming giant intensifies |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/roblox-online-gaming-giant-child-predator-allegations-lawsuits-2025-8?op=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250814072608/https://www.businessinsider.com/roblox-online-gaming-giant-child-predator-allegations-lawsuits-2025-8?op=1 |archive-date=Aug 14, 2025 |access-date=Aug 13, 2025 |work=Business Insider}}</ref> regarding Roblox's moderation.


===Arnold Castillo (February to July 2022)===
In February 2022, the lead game developer for the game ''Sonic Eclipse Online'' on Roblox, Arnold Castillo, allegedly used the platform to groom an anonymous minor. Months later in May, he allegedly coerced the minor into crossing state lines to his property via the service [[Uber]].<ref name=":32" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=Jul 29, 2022 |title=New Jersey Man Federally Charged with Enticement of a Minor and Interstate Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/new-jersey-man-federally-charged-enticement-minor-and-interstate-transportation-minor |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818133543/https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/new-jersey-man-federally-charged-enticement-minor-and-interstate-transportation-minor |archive-date=Aug 18, 2025 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=DOJ - Southern District of Indiana Attorney's Office}}</ref> Days after the abduction, the individual was detained and put on trial, and received 2 life sentences and $500k in fines. This occurred after Castillo's extensive history of violating the platform's Terms of Service for the purposes of grooming minors. Both his community and staff released 2 documents<ref>{{Cite web |title=The DoctorRofatnik Archives |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IBLEag66elaVPs11PimO2t2M0ikCCb67ti_RNYB0MxQ/edit?tab=t.0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.org/details/the-doctor-rofatnik-archives/mode/2up |archive-date=2020-10-26 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Google Docs}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Response to your claims |url=https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a6NozfqgKOLT1882d9xy1QuJzW0TWJXuorvincSI4z8/edit?tab=t.0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018093721/https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a6NozfqgKOLT1882d9xy1QuJzW0TWJXuorvincSI4z8/edit?tab=t.0 |archive-date=Oct 18, 2025 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=Google Docs}}</ref> covering his harmful behavior on both Roblox and additionally [[Discord]].<ref name=":42">{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Ruben |date=Oct 31, 2022 |title=The Roblox Developer Arrested By The FBI |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdDfdlLuAgA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250810205552/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdDfdlLuAgA |archive-date=Aug 10, 2025 |access-date=Aug 11, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] - Ruben Sim}}</ref> Roblox's moderation refused to directly handle the situation, despite the extensive reports, and his arrest compiled with the charges he faced were only successful due to datamining efforts via vigilantes on the platform.<ref name=":42" />

===''State v. Darius Matylewich (September 2023)''===
In 2023, Darius Matylewich allegedly used a combination of Roblox and other social media services to abduct an 11-year-old girl to his property across state lines.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 7, 2025 |title=Bear Man Gets 20 Years In 11-Year-Old’s Abduction |url=https://firststateupdate.com/2025/07/bear-man-gets-20-years-in-11-year-olds-abduction/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250724133630/https://firststateupdate.com/2025/07/bear-man-gets-20-years-in-11-year-olds-abduction/ |archive-date=Jul 24, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=1st State Update}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Slocum |first=Jack |date=Jul 8, 2025 |title=Delaware Man Gets Prison Time For Coercing, Kidnapping Wayne 11-Year-Old |url=https://patch.com/new-jersey/wayne/delaware-man-gets-prison-time-coercing-kidnapping-wayne-11-year-old |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251017234219/https://patch.com/new-jersey/wayne/delaware-man-gets-prison-time-coercing-kidnapping-wayne-11-year-old |archive-date=Oct 17, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Patch}}</ref> 2 years later, on July 2, 2025, Matylewich was charged with 20 years of incarceration for the coercion and enticement of a minor.<ref>{{Cite web |date=Jul 7, 2025 |title=Delaware Man Sentenced To 240 Months For Coercing 11-Year-Old New Jersey Resident To Travel To Delaware For Sexual Activity |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-de/pr/delaware-man-sentenced-240-months-coercing-11-year-old-new-jersey-resident-travel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250805115546/https://www.justice.gov/usao-de/pr/delaware-man-sentenced-240-months-coercing-11-year-old-new-jersey-resident-travel |archive-date=Aug 5, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |website=U.S. Attorney's Office - District of Delaware}}</ref> During the entire incident, Roblox did not halt Matylewich's activities on the platform.

===''State v. Franciou Romelus (April 2024)''===
Francious Romelus allegedly stalked a 14-year-old girl via Roblox in 2023 and attempted to abduct her on April 12, 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Arradondo |first=Briona |date=Apr 24, 2024 |title=Man arrested for stalking, attacking 14-year-old girl he met online: TPD |url=https://www.fox13news.com/news/man-arrested-for-stalking-attacking-14-year-old-girl-he-met-online-tpd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251018155641/https://www.fox13news.com/news/man-arrested-for-stalking-attacking-14-year-old-girl-he-met-online-tpd |archive-date=Oct 18, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Fox 13 News}}</ref> Romelus was charged with aggravated stalking, transmission of harmful material to a minor, among other charges, and received a 30-year sentence. Roblox moderation again did not prevent, halt, or report the individual to authorities at that time.

===''U.S. v. Daniel Aravena Oliva'' (August 2024)===
In 2024, Daniel Aravena Oliva allegedly groomed a 13-year-old girl on the platform across international borders for several months. After flying to the US from Chile, the individual was arrested before he could sexually assault the minor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Aug 23, 2024 |title=Chilean man arrested in connection with exploitation of 14-year-old girl, Glendora police say |url=https://abc7.com/post/chilean-man-arrested-connection-exploitation-14-year-old-girl-glendora-police-say/15222531/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250823132323/https://abc7.com/post/chilean-man-arrested-connection-exploitation-14-year-old-girl-glendora-police-say/15222531/ |archive-date=Aug 23, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=ABC 7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Toohey |first=Grace |date=Aug 22, 2024 |title=Chilean man groomed 13-year-old girl he met on Roblox before flying to U.S. to meet her, police say |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-22/chilean-arrest-roblox-child-exploitation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250813153123/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-08-22/chilean-arrest-roblox-child-exploitation |archive-date=Aug 13, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

===''State v. Christian Scribben'' (February to April 2025)===
Christian Scribben allegedly, on multiple accounts, used Roblox to coerce minors to produce CSAM. Scribben was arrested in April and tried as an adult.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 2, 2025 |title=Ocala teen jailed for exploiting children he met on video game |url=https://www.ocala-news.com/2025/05/02/ocala-teen-jailed-for-exploiting-children-he-met-on-video-game/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251017173601/https://www.ocala-news.com/2025/05/02/ocala-teen-jailed-for-exploiting-children-he-met-on-video-game/ |archive-date=Oct 17, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Ocala News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hogan |first=Brandon |date=Apr 30, 2025 |title=17-year-old arrested in Marion County, accused of sexually exploiting children on Roblox |url=https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/04/30/17-year-old-arrested-in-marion-county-accused-of-sexually-exploiting-children-on-roblox/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250823160458/https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2025/04/30/17-year-old-arrested-in-marion-county-accused-of-sexually-exploiting-children-on-roblox/ |archive-date=Aug 23, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |work=Click Orlando}}</ref> On the day of Scribben's arrest, the Florida AG James Uthmeier subpoenaed Roblox regarding its marketing material, citing an excess of reports of children being exposed to “graphic or harmful material” while using the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Uthmeier |first=James |date=Apr 16, 2025 |title=Attorney General James Uthmeier Fights to Protect Children Online; Subpoenas Roblox for Child-Protection Policies and Procedures |url=https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-james-uthmeier-fights-protect-children-online-subpoenas-roblox-child |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250814164722/https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-james-uthmeier-fights-protect-children-online-subpoenas-roblox-child |archive-date=Aug 14, 2025 |access-date=Aug 12, 2025 |website=Florida Office of Attorney General}}</ref>

===''State v. Matthew Naval'' (April to June 2025)===

Matthew Macatuno Naval allegedly abducted a 10-year-old girl soon after meeting her on Roblox,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Girl was kidnapped by man who messaged her on Roblox, officials say. 10-year-old found safe |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-16/girl-10-allegedly-kidnapped-by-man-who-messaged-on-roblox |website=Los Angeles Times |date=2025-04-16 |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |first=Kaitlyn |last=Huamani |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819041136/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-16/girl-10-allegedly-kidnapped-by-man-who-messaged-on-roblox |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref><ref name=":46">{{Cite web |title=California man accused of kidnapping 10-year-old he met on Roblox |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/national-international/california-man-accused-of-kidnapping-10-year-old-he-met-on-roblox/3807102/ |website=NBC San Diego |date=2025-04-17 |first=Viola |last=Flowers |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819041723/https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/national-international/california-man-accused-of-kidnapping-10-year-old-he-met-on-roblox/3807102/ |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref><ref name=":47">{{Cite web |title=Elk Grove man accused of kidnapping missing child after meeting her on Roblox |url=https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/missing-kern-county-child-found-elk-grove-suspected-kidnapper/103-53c26187-7d46-4b43-964a-1010c1bf07c5 |website=ABC 10 |date=2025-04-14 |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819043626/https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/elk-grove/missing-kern-county-child-found-elk-grove-suspected-kidnapper/103-53c26187-7d46-4b43-964a-1010c1bf07c5 |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> and he was charged with one count of kidnapping, one count of kidnapping a child under 14 to commit sex acts, two counts of committing sex acts with a child under 14, one count of showing sexual content to a minor, and two counts related to contacting a minor with the intent to commit a sex act.<ref name=":48">{{Cite web |last=Kotowski |first1=Jason |last2=Huh |first2=Jenny |date=2025-04-18 |title=Man accused of kidnapping Taft girl held on $1.35M bail |url=https://www.kget.com/news/crime-watch/man-accused-of-kidnapping-taft-girl-charged-with-7-felonies/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819043054/https://www.kget.com/news/crime-watch/man-accused-of-kidnapping-taft-girl-charged-with-7-felonies/ |archive-date=2025-08-19 |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=KGET.com}}</ref> According to police, the survivor was found in a car at an Elk Grove strip mall over 250 miles from her home in Taft, and police returned her to her family.<ref name=":46" /><ref name=":47" /> Representing the severity of the charges against Naval, his bail was listed at about US$1.35 million.<ref name=":48" />


===''Doe et al v. Roblox Corporation et al'' (July 2025)===
The suit Doe et al v. Roblox Corporation et al, filed on July 9, 2025, is an ongoing product liability suit where the plaintiffs are two anonymous individuals and the defendants are Roblox Corporation and [[Discord|Discord, Inc.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Doe et al v. Roblox Corporation et al |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/58931825/Doe_et_al_v_Roblox_Corporation_et_al |website=PacerMonitor |date=2025-07-09 |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819035355/https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/58931825/Doe_et_al_v_Roblox_Corporation_et_al |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref> The main complaints in the original file were:
<blockquote>
(1) Fraudulent Concealment and Misrepresentations<br />
(2) Negligent Misrepresentation<br />
(3) Negligence — General<br />
(4) Negligence — Failure to Warn<br />
(5) Negligence — Unreasonable Design<br />
(6) Negligent Undertaking<br />
(7) Strict Liability — Design Defect<br />
(8) Strict Liability — Failure to Warn<ref>{{Cite web |title=Case 3:25-cv-05753-LB |url=https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/filings/DWCGRGFI/Doe_et_al_v_Roblox_Corporation_et_al__candce-25-05753__0001.0.pdf |website=Pacermonitor |date=2025-07-09 |first=Paige |last=Boldt |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819035429/https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/filings/DWCGRGFI/Doe_et_al_v_Roblox_Corporation_et_al__candce-25-05753__0001.0.pdf |archive-date=2025-08-19}}</ref>
</blockquote>


===Florida Attorney-General Subpoena & Multi-State Scrutiny (July 2025)===

==Legacy==
{{Incomplete section}}

The negligence shown by Roblox and the platform's moderation has been a key point within various forms of legislation to require identification-based verification on online services, e.g. the [[Online Safety Act|Online Safety Act of 2023]] within the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Online Safety Act 2023 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/contents/enacted |website=www.legislation.gov.uk |access-date=2025-08-18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250818200028/https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50/contents |archive-date=2025-08-18}}</ref>

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

Template:Irrelevant

2026-06-12T13:51:35Z

Keith: Reverted edit by Louis (talk) to last revision by Sojourna

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2026-06-12T13:49:58Z

Keith: removed random edit note

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Talk:Bricks and Minifigs accused of theft of over $200,000 dollars worth of Lego sets

2026-06-11T17:42:26Z

Keith: /* Relevancy */ Reply

==not happy with my version==

but the original was a complete clusterfuck

i hope someone takes on the task of making a proper article for this [[User:Louis|Louis]] ([[User talk:Louis|talk]]) 21:34, 3 June 2026 (UTC)

==Protected==

I've restricted editing and moving privileges to moderators and administrators. My reason for this can be found in the history, but for convenience I'll include it here:
<blockquote>Controversy is too hot/uncertain and charged with misrepresentation on both sides. Locking this to mods/admins only while it sorts itself out.</blockquote>

Louis already made [https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Bricks_and_Minifigs_accused_of_theft_of_over_%24200%2C000_dollars_worth_of_Lego_sets&diff=55926&oldid=55399 a massive edit] earlier today, and I believe his reasoning in the edit further bolsters my case for protecting the article. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 02:47, 4 June 2026 (UTC)

:Indeed, we simply just don't have all of the facts laid out for us to cover, and the drama especially around the court case is just going to cause issues on the wiki. We will likely consider unlocking it when events die out a bit. [[User:JamesTDG|JamesTDG]] ([[User talk:JamesTDG|talk]]) 02:51, 4 June 2026 (UTC)

==bm responds with 2 blog posts today.==

and I believe both are backed up in archive multiple times as well.

https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/ [[User:Mandle Rex|Mandle Rex]] ([[User talk:Mandle Rex|talk]]) 06:11, 5 June 2026 (UTC)

:as bricks and minifigs has seen fit to nuke their site, here's the archive links
:https://web.archive.org/web/20260604183046/https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/06/04/bricks-and-minifigs-salem-joshua-johnson-brandon-best-resignation/
:https://web.archive.org/web/20260604183346/https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/06/04/bricks-and-minifigs-salem-store-timeline/
:https://web.archive.org/web/20260604182946/https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/05/28/bricks-minifigs-salem-oregon-clarity-and-resolution/
:https://web.archive.org/web/20260604183729/https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/05/21/salem-oregon-bricks-and-minifigs-store-situation/ [[User:Mandle Rex|Mandle Rex]] ([[User talk:Mandle Rex|talk]]) 01:18, 6 June 2026 (UTC)
::oh, and did they lose their authorized status with lego too?? https://web.archive.org/web/20260604225759/https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/05/18/bricks-minifigs-launches-exclusive-customizable-moc-wall-clock-and-nationwide-contest-with-santoki-distributor-of-lego-licensed-products/ [[User:Mandle Rex|Mandle Rex]] ([[User talk:Mandle Rex|talk]]) 01:30, 6 June 2026 (UTC)

==Relevancy==

(Copying this from a Zulip conversation from earlier today so it doesn't get lost in the ether.)

*It appears to be an outlier incident rather than something systemic (no "Yelp reviews").
*The man that contracted his father's Lego sets into consignment apparently lied later to the greater world about the $200k valuation.
*Reckless Ben lied to his audience about legal outcomes in Oregon in his initial video.
*Louis already had to massively edit the article earlier this week (see his edit note).
*It's a "he said, she said" with sourcing basically limited to parties' allegations against each other.

As far as I'm concerned, it's a poisoned topic that shouldn't be covered and left for the courts to figure out. When it's all sorted out, perhaps then it could be covered. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 03:03, 7 June 2026 (UTC)

:THEN MOB IF THIS IS YOUR MENTALITY, QUIT THE WIKI BECAUSE WITH THAT LOGIC OF "it's a poisoned topic that shouldn't be covered and left for the (((courts))) to figure out. When it's all sorted out, perhaps then it could be covered" 99% OF THE ARTICLES IN THE WIKE SHOUD NOT GET COVERT UNLIT WENTTTTT?????, FOR EXSAMPLE (Section 1201 of the DMCA) WITH THAT LOGIC, LOUIS SHOUD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT UNLIT IT GO TO COURTS BY A ACT OF GOD OR BY THE fulu-foundation!. IF IM WRONG JUST TELL ME TO STFU AND I WILL:) [[Special:Contributions/2607:FB91:3B0D:C975:D56:2771:779B:27BB|2607:FB91:3B0D:C975:D56:2771:779B:27BB]] 14:55, 11 June 2026 (UTC)
::First, calm down, and press your caps lock key. This is a wiki, and editors need to be able to give their genuine opinions on articles without getting shouted at by randos.
::I'm sympathetic to the idea that the topic being 'poisoned' is not sufficient reason to exclude an article from the wiki. IMO, if a topic or situation is messy, then that warrants extra caution when writing the article, rather than being a reason to avoid it altogether.
::There are however a number of other relevant points that Sojourna brought up that we need to consider when deciding if the article fits the wiki. The biggest, IMO, is the question of to what extent is this a consumer rights issue vs an isolated case of theft or generic fraud. If there were dodgy legal structures that enabled someone to ''legally'' steal the collection from a B&M customer, then that would be relevant to the Wiki. If it just ends up being a case of regular ol' fraud or theft which only affected one customer, then it probably does not. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 17:42, 11 June 2026 (UTC)

User talk:Louis/Dragonfly Energy trade libel suit Will Prowse

2026-06-11T14:48:22Z

Keith: /* 100 AH (BB10012) vs 75 AH (BB1275) */ Reply

==Wow great job Louis==

I am not sure why there isn't any discussion here so I was going to jump in here. It really looks like the "small guy" is going to win here. Kudos to the solar forum community and to Louis and his diligent work. If I was a betting man I would bet Dennis isn't going to save face and will melt the company like these batteries. What sucks are all the people/businesses who have these batteries and they are good to maybe discharge to 37.5 amps. They aren't going to have a place to make a future warranty claim or someone to call if they have a question about the product. [[User:Blairski|Blairski]] ([[User talk:Blairski|talk]]) 09:22, 8 June 2026 (UTC)

==Review of ULs certifications?==
One thing that might be tangential to the core of this specific topic, yet potentially even more worrying is that these batteries are sold and marketed as UL Listed. If this is really the case, how can they display such major flaws during normal use?
If they are indeed UL Listed as branded?
[[File:BB10012 data sheet UL marks.png|thumb|UL Markings in PDF]]
I can not find any UL Listing for Battle Born batteries over at https://productiq.ulprospector.com/en/search?term=Battle%20Born&page=1
The PDF also contain the following listed information:
[[File:BB10012 data sheet - Recognized Specifications.png|thumb|"Recognized Specifications for BB10012"]]

If someone with access to the physical product cn check to see if the product(s) bear any control / issue number (4–6 digits)
this would be helpful, otherwise i call bull$hit on all claimed UL certifications. Might be worth pursuing in a class action lawsuit if many people were misled by false UL certification claims?
--[[User:Traste|Traste]] ([[User talk:Traste|talk]]) 06:43, 9 June 2026 (UTC)

:[[File:Intertek UL Certified.png|thumb|Intertek Certified Products]]
:[[User:Traste|Traste]] ([[User talk:Traste|talk]]) 12:16, 9 June 2026 (UTC)

==100 AH (BB10012) vs 75 AH (BB1275)==

It appears Will is testing the BB10012 (100AH), where the max charging current is listed as 50A. I have this battery and that's what my spec sheet (downloaded in 2018) has listed. The Battle Born website is also still showing the max for the BB10012 as 50A.

So either Battle Born is claiming Will tested a BB1275 (75AH) battery, which the spec may have conveniently changed from 50A to 37.5A, or they are claiming the max charging current on the BB10012 is now somehow 37.5A - even though their website still lists it at 50A.

[[Special:Contributions/108.76.115.238|108.76.115.238]] 16:58, 8 June 2026 (UTC)

:Part of me feels like they got mixed up, themselves, and edited the wrong spec sheet prior to filing their lawsuit. [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 15:37, 9 June 2026 (UTC)

::Will did actually test a BB1275 battery at 49A (YT: /watch?v=GIE1-hIhbvM). The datasheet did say 50A at some point on BB's website but I did find a datasheet dated Sep 30 2022 that says 37.5A (can't post the link because the Wiki doesn't allow me to). This still is a screwup on Dragonfly's part BUT I'm afraid they might have some ground here. [[User:Pmichniewski|Pmichniewski]] ([[User talk:Pmichniewski|talk]]) 20:51, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
:::Possibly they changed it to 37.5A, and then changed it back to 50A? @[[User:Je|Je]] posted about it below, having taken a look at the metadata of the new file, as well as one that is still on Defender's site about this battery model, with a metadata "last modified" date of 30 December 2024. Plus, Louis just posted today (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3QaHx0--mU) about the Wayback Machine having the pre-June 50A datasheet for the BB1275 here: https://web.archive.org/web/20251016152325/https://battlebornbatteries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/BB1275-Standard-Datasheet_V2-compressed.pdf (note that it is "V2" in the filename).
:::According to the inspector in Preview, the creation/modification date (they're both the same) for the file on Archive.org is Dec 30, 2024 at 5:43 PM. No author or email on this one. [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 21:38, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
::::It has the same filename as the one on the Defender site, so I'm going to lean towards the idea that Defender got their copy directly from Battle Born from the older, original page for the BB1275. [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 21:43, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
:::Out of curiosity, where did you find the data sheet from 2022 for the BB1275 that references 37.5A charging rate? Do you have a link? [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 23:04, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
::::Let's see if the Wiki will let me post the link: www.invertersupply.com/media/data/BB1275_Manual-Edition.PIM_BB1275Rev009_07282022.pdf [[User:Pmichniewski|Pmichniewski]] ([[User talk:Pmichniewski|talk]]) 07:26, 10 June 2026 (UTC)
:::::Awesome, thank you. I snagged a copy of it. So the naming implies that this is Rev 9, dated 28 July 2022. Per the metadata, the file was created (and last modified) on 2 August 2022. The author is Caitlin Spara, and the PDF was created via something called GPL Ghostscript 9.50.
:::::[[File:BB1275 certification marks (2 August 2022).png|alt=Screenshot excerpt of the mark information from the BB1275 Manual, Rev 9, dated 2 August 2022 (in the metadata). There is an ETL mark showing for Canada and US, with the number "5011501". There is a mark with a black and white image of a globe and an airplane, reading "Conforms to UN38.3". There is text reading "Conforms to UL STD 52133.2, Certified to CSA STD (possibly an 8, or a 3)22.2# 62133-2, Conforms to UL STD 2054" and a graphic of a trash can, with an X over it, over a short solid black bar. Note: the PDF used what appears to be a JPG to insert the mark information, and consequently the quality of these graphics is poor compared to the other information in the manual.|thumb|Certification marks from the 2 August 2022 (per the file's metadata) version of the BB1275 manual]]
:::::The mark information in the manual seems to show an ETL mark for Canada and US, with the number "5011501". There is a mark with a black and white image of a globe and an airplane, reading "Conforms to UN38.3" (this has to do with the battery being safe for shipping/transportation). There is text reading "Conforms to UL STD 52133.2, Certified to CSA STD (possibly an 8, or a 3)22.2# 62133-2, Conforms to UL STD 2054" and a graphic of a trash can, with an X over it, over a short solid black bar (which I presume means "don't dispose of this in regular trash"). The author dropped what appears to be a JPG into the original file instead of low-loss graphics (like PNG) or actual vector files (e.g., SVG), so it's a bit hard to read for me. [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 14:26, 10 June 2026 (UTC)
::::::Oh, sorry, I just noticed that I posted the wrong link. Here's the one from Sep 30 2022 that I mentioned: www.invertersupply.com/media/data/BB1275-Datasheet-9-30-22-Web-PDF-X.pdf [[User:Pmichniewski|Pmichniewski]] ([[User talk:Pmichniewski|talk]]) 15:50, 10 June 2026 (UTC)
:::::::No sweat. In my eagerness to get the marks out of the previous one, I completely forgot that I was looking for the charging info. ; )
:::::::Okay, this one also is dated in the filename earlier than the actual creation date: the file date suggests September 30, 2022, but the creation/last modified date on the file's metadata is November 9, 2022. The author is "Adobe Acrobat 22.2".
:::::::So it seems like the max charging rate was, at the end of 2022, 37.5A, and then later got changed to 50A, then back to 37.5A.
:::::::I suppose a plausible story could be that someone at Dragonfly got confused between the models, and updated the data sheet to reflect BB120002's max charging rate, then didn't realize this until after Will's video, and then changed it back really quickly to support the lawsuit? Still, if there was a data sheet available in 2024 that had different information, and which was downloadable from Dragonfly's Battle Born website for that battery, I cannot see how they can claim that Will should have somehow known that this was incorrect and that he should have been using information from a data sheet that was available in 2022. [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 21:17, 10 June 2026 (UTC)
:::::::Hi there - sorry you've been having issue with posting links (we have fairly aggressive filters for link-posting in user-space, as it's a common tactic of SEO spam bots that constantly target any MediaWiki instance). James gave you the confirmed role, so you shouldn't have any more troubles with editing! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 14:48, 11 June 2026 (UTC)

==UL Listed/Certified==

I'm only doing a really cursory search, but I don't see any of the UL Listed or Certified marks on the battery (as imaged here on 8 June 2026: https://battlebornbatteries.com/products/100ah-12v-lifepo4-deep-cycle-battery ) -- I haven't fully read through the filing yet, but if they are claiming that the batteries are UL Listed, it's curious that the actual UL Listed mark doesn't appear to be on the battery (the BB10012 at least), and isn't showing up in the listing registry. I *think* they're only claiming that the batteries are made "...to UL 2054...standards", which is a different thing than claiming to be actually certified or listed (I think).

I *do* see a mark for LC -- the image is blurry, but it looks like the "c LC US" mark described here: https://labtestcert.com/marks-labels/

The ETL mark is covered here: https://www.intertek.com/product-certification-marks/etl/faq/

The "CE" mark indicates that the product is supposed to conform to European consumer standards (cite: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_marking) which I'm suspecting it does not (but I am not a European battery safety expert). Still, "...It is a criminal offence to affix a CE mark to a product that is not compliant or to offer such a product for sale."

The "UN38.3" mark has to do with the item being a lithium battery certified as being safe for transporation: https://www.intertek.com/batteries/un-38-3-testing/ [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 22:33, 8 June 2026 (UTC)

:I didn't include this in my original comment, above, but UL's site for marks is here: https://markshub.ul.com/
:I'm finding this whole situation (as a non-engineer) very confusing (I feel for the poor consumer). For example, I have yet to find the "shield" UL standard mark that's on Traste's image for the battery on the "Marks Hub". The standard for Lithium batteries is not 62133; it is 62133-2 (62133-1 is the standard for alkaline batteries): https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL62133-2_1_S_20200110 but the standard's page here does not list any associated mark (like the shield mark).
:I can't look at the actual standards document (I think), because if I'm reading this page correctly, I would have to purchase a copy of the standard (at a minimum of $688 and a max of $1719), which is...weird. I'm probably not finding it, or I'm looking in the wrong place, but it's just driving home for me how difficult it is for the average, not-especially-technical consumer to independently verify marks that companies slap onto their products (which, to be honest, makes me ''less'' confident in the UL mark). [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 11:39, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
::I should also add that I went ahead and signed up for the UL Product IQ site, which I do not recommend considering that they ask you for a LOT of personal information up-front and won't let you sign up without doing so (so I'm not sure how long my account will last since I put a bunch of bogus info in there). I have been trying to find any other RV Lithium-Ion battery manufacturers, to try to see how their product info might compare to Dragonfly's info, and have come up empty so far. Looking at the batteries that come up on standard review sites (which may or may not be actually real) and which inevitably link to Amazon, none of the image show any batteries with any UL mark. That I have so far been able to find. [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 11:43, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
:::Hi Jackalgirl,
:::Apparently there are different UL services and lookup pages, and the ones Dragonfly state for their certifications is Intertek;
:::https://ramuk.intertekconnect.com/webclients/its/dlp/products.nsf/4c8700f3b75987a08525777700583333/8080c4204b23df7d86258b880059c69a?OpenDocument
:::The listed UL-2054 certified devices: "Lithium-Ion Battery Pack, Dragonfly Energy, Battle Born, Model Nos. DF10012, BB10012, BB10012LT, DFGC2, BBGC2, BBGC2LT, DF10012H, BB10012H, BBGC2H, DFGC2H, DFTHO10012H, DFTHOGC2H, BB10012i, BBGC2i, BB10012iH and BBGC2iH.
:::A representative sample of the listed devices have been tested, investigated and found to comply with the requirements of the Standard(s) for Safety Household and Commercial Batteries ([https://sunlithenergy.com/ul-2054-certification/ UL-2054]) and are identified with the ETL Listed Mark."
:::Could not find any validation for the other (In the specifications documents) mentioned certifications.
:::How they managed to pass these might be worth looking into. [[User:Traste|Traste]] ([[User talk:Traste|talk]]) 12:27, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
::::Okay, got it. This has to do with my non-engineer's ignorance (at this point) of what UL actually ''is'' -- is it an overall set of standards that other entities can use for testing, and therefore vouch on behalf of UL that the item is certified to UL's standard? If that's the case, and if Intertek is then verifying that this battery is UL 2054-compliant, got it.
::::But correct me if I'm wrong: this does ''not'' mean that the battery is "UL Listed" or "UL Certified" -- you'd still have to go through UL for this, right?
::::I'm also curious about what the testing process is at Intertek -- what their own requirements are for testing and then reporting that something is UL-compliant. The cynical part of me says that Intertek is the company you go to when you know your product won't pass UL testing (or perhaps UL is just freakishly expensive, which would not surprise me at all, which drives business to Intertek, assuming that testing through them is less expensive). [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 12:40, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
:::::To be fair, I am perhaps just hours ahead of you in my understanding, if even that. As you say, there are different agreed sets of standards, and then there are the testing services who tests the actual products - like Intertek in this case . I doubt a company or organisation who makes a business from testing product standards compliance would devalue themself by not testing properly. I find it more likely that Dragonfly has submitted better constructed products for testing and then let the retail product line "enshittyfy". The Intertek listing includes far from all Dragonfly models, like BB1275 is stating Certification in the spec document, but is not listed. This might be "OK", I do not know if each variation and model needs a specific certificate (but since the the specs are very different and the listed certifications differ in the documents, it would make sense if it IS required).
:::::So either the observed faults were not applicable to the sample batteries tested and certified, Dragonfly did a switch, or the certifications are worthless. I started looking into how to hold companies with such claimed certification accountable as well as the testing services, because I refuse to accept that the heat, arcing and molten plastics would successfully pass such a certification.
:::::Maybe it is worth sending Intertek a link to the videos and ask them? [[User:Traste|Traste]] ([[User talk:Traste|talk]]) 14:13, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
::::::Yes, I definitely think it's worth that. I have some thoughts, and will see what I can do. Thank you!
::::::I think the thing that distresses me the most about all of this is how hard it is to understand it. At this point, I feel like all those marks are like the fronts of a Potemkin village. But I'm probably just being cynical (again). [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 15:53, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
:::::::Here is the letter I sent via Intertek's general inquiries form, which required a bunch of personal information (and I took one for the team and supplied actual contact information because I would really like to get the answers to this if they are willing to entertain me, and haven't been inundated with requests for information about this already):
:::::::-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
:::::::To whom it may concern, good morning,
:::::::I'm writing to you to ask about your certification for Dragonfly's Battle Born 100AH battery, model BB10012, which is listed in your database here: https://ramuk.intertekconnect.com/webclients/its/dlp/products.nsf/4c8700f3b75987a08525777700583333/8080c4204b23df7d86258b880059c69a?OpenDocument
:::::::For reference, please see this video by Will Prowse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m7DSCKO-Bo&list=PL7bvIB2TPsCgD4TxUxf3szWyxRz_HwUd1&index=5&pp=iAQB - it's part of a larger Battle Born review and testing series, and I will summarize this for you since I respect your time.
:::::::Will tested a brand new Battle Born BB10012 model battery, charging at 49A, through cycle testing in accordance with the battery's specifications (charged at -1A of the rated 50A, discharged at 99A, -1A from the max discharge of 100A). He was trying to test for a repeatedly-reported issue with the battery: that the positive terminal is bolted to its bus using aluminum bolts with a plastic spacer (PA-765), which deforms under the heat load of current passing through the bolt and nuts, and result in a loose terminal. However, what happened during his testing (after he had to lower the testing specifications because the battery was disconnecting when cycled at its advertised rate) was that the negative side of the battery heated up so badly after 30 cycles (far fewer than the 3,000-5,000 cycles advertised by the company) that it deformed the battery's case and the battery completely ceased to function.
:::::::Please see this site for a full written explanation of the situation, including other technical research, from Louis Rossmann: https://consumerrights.wiki/w/User:Louis/Dragonfly_Energy_trade_libel_suit_Will_Prowse
:::::::I have a few questions about your certification of the BB10012 battery.
:::::::o Did you actually test the BB10012 100AH, 12V battery?
:::::::o Were you able to cycle the BB10012 between 3,000 and 5,000 times at the stated charge/discharge capacities without failure, overheating, deformations, or other safety issues occuring?
:::::::o If so, was the plastic spacer used in the connection of the positive terminal present in the model that you tested?
:::::::o If so, could you explain how a plastic spacer that deforms and leads to loose connections (not "disconnects" as the manufacturer claims) could still conform to a safety standard?
:::::::o Do you require companies that make changes to their products to retest with you, or submit their changes to you for review?
:::::::o If so, are there any changes that are considered minor enough to not require retesting/recertification?
:::::::o If so, do you have any kind of guidelines as to what would characterize a change as "minor" in this sense?
:::::::o Would the insertion of a PA-765 spacer within the assembly of the positive terminal's connection to the bus be qualified as a "minor" change, or would it require you to retest the unit? [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 16:38, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
::::::Also, with respect to the "what do these words mean", Will says it specifically at 6:06 in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5qQYGLi4B8&list=PL7bvIB2TPsCgD4TxUxf3szWyxRz_HwUd1&index=7 - "Also, on this sticker it says, 'conforms', 'certified', and 'conforms'; that does not mean 'UL Listed', that means it's conforming to a standard, probably with a third-party lab." (Which would be Intertek) [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 16:28, 9 June 2026 (UTC)
::As an example: on eTrailer, I found some other RV batteries:
::o Dometic's "Go Power" battery, quick-start guide here: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/catsy.549/GP-LiFePO4-100+Quick+Guide.pdf - this battery doesn't show any UL marks; it just claims that it "conforms to UL 2054", which is the standard for "Household and Commercial Batteries" (https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL2054_3_S_20211117). I can't, of course, tell what this standard actually details from the source, but found this from a company in Germany: https://www.vri-gmbh.de/en/vri-knowledge-base/standards-and-regulations/ul-2054: "UL 2054 is a safety standard for portable primary (non-rechargeable) and secondary (rechargeable) batteries used as power sources in products. The standard covers both single cells and multi-cell configurations (battery packs) and defines construction requirements, test procedures and marking requirements. Unlike UL 1642, which focuses on lithium cells at the cell level, UL 2054 addresses the battery and battery pack level for all chemistries. For lithium cells used in battery packs, UL 2054 references the requirements of UL 1642 [JG: which is the safety standard for lithium batteries, both rechargeable and non-]."
::o Rich Solar's "Alpha 1 Pro Lithium Battery" says it is certified "UL1973" on eTrailer's site (https://www.etrailer.com/Battery/Rich-Solar/RS74VR.html#exp-productdetails=.all-description), but on the info sheet (https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0058/2769/0553/files/ALPHA_1_PRO-Specification-20240812v3.pdf) it just says it "conforms" to "UL 1973", which is "ANSI/CAN/UL Batteries for Use in Stationary and Motive Auxiliary Power Applications" (https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL1973_3_S_20220225). I can find no info for this battery at UL's "ProductIQ" site; Rich Solar lists three 3 items, which seem to be for solar panels; none of the listings include any model names for the batteries that Rich Solar is selling, so I don't think it's actually certified.
::I know this is not relevant to Battle Born; however, what I'm trying to convey here is the difficulty of actually understanding and tracking this stuff down (for a person who is not an engineer and who has not had extensive training in this system).
::Additional resources: I (finally!) found my way to UL's page for batteries in general, which should be a good resource: https://www.ul.com/services/battery-safety-testing. It lists the following relevant "global" UL standards:
::*[https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?UniqueKey=37777 UL 1642], the Standard for Lithium Batteries
::*[https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL2054_3_S_20211117 UL 2054], the Standard for Household and Commercial Batteries
::*[https://shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL2056_1_S_20241022 UL 2056], the Standard for Power Banks
::*IEC/[https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?UniqueKey=36642 UL 62133-2], the Standard for Secondary Cells and Batteries Containing Alkaline or Other Non-Acid Electrolytes - Safety Requirements for Portable Sealed Secondary Cells, and for Batteries Made from Them, for Use in Portable Applications - Part 2: Lithium Systems
::Links are to the standards sales site.
::Note that UL 1973 is not in this list, possibly because it is not "global". Lithonics claims that this is the most relevant standard for RVs and marine systems: https://lithionics.com/ul-1973-lithium-battery-safety-for-rv-marine-systems/ (but it is difficult to independently verify this claim, at least through UL directly). [[User:Jackalgirl|Jackalgirl]] ([[User talk:Jackalgirl|talk]]) 12:29, 9 June 2026 (UTC)

==Updated documentation's author's email and creation date are attached to the PDF==

A funny detail I noticed is that if you view the metadata of the [https://battlebornbatteries.com/cdn/shop/files/BB1275_Data_Sheet.pdf updated documentation PDF], it says it was created by <code>madisonmccusker@gmail.com</code> on 2026-06-01 20:38:36 UTC. The [https://defender.com/assets/pdf/battle-born/bb1275-standard-datasheet_v2-compressed.pdf previous file] was created on 2024-12-30 23:43:34 UTC and does not have an author attached. [[User:Je|Je]] ([[User talk:Je|talk]]) 00:40, 9 June 2026 (UTC)

==additional video?==

I found this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7KqYu8LGtU&t=388s
One of the people in the video, Denis Phares, says: "... whereas these batteries, Battle Born batteries, can actually charge at full capacity constantly. They'll take the full current."

118 Directory Enquiry Numbers as Paid Customer Service Intermediaries (Germany)

2026-06-09T13:18:51Z

Keith: -cat

{{Incomplete}}

'''118 Directory Enquiry Numbers as Paid Customer Service Intermediaries (Germany)''' is a practice in which businesses allow premium-rate 118 operators to advertise themselves as a way to reach their customer service telephone hotline. Consumers who call such a number are billed at premium rates for a service they could access for free by contacting the company directly.<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Teure Sonderrufnummern und Kurzwahldienste - So schützen Sie sich |trans-title=Expensive special phone numbers and speed dial services - How to protect yourself |url=https://www.verbraucherzentrale-niedersachsen.de/themen/internet-telefon/festnetz/teure-sonderrufnummern-kurzwahldienste-so-schuetzen-sie-sich |website=Verbraucherzentrale Niedersachsen |date= |access-date=27 May 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260215113652/https://www.verbraucherzentrale-niedersachsen.de/themen/internet-telefon/festnetz/teure-sonderrufnummern-kurzwahldienste-so-schuetzen-sie-sich |archive-date=15 Feb 2026 |lang=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=118xy - Auskunftsrufnummern |trans-title=118xy - Directory assistance numbers |url=https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/DE/Fachthemen/Telekommunikation/Nummerierung/118xy/start.html |website=Bundesnetzagentur |date= |access-date=27 May 2026 |url-status=live
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260222162200/https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/DE/Fachthemen/Telekommunikation/Nummerierung/118xy/start.html |archive-date=22 Feb 2026 |lang=de}}</ref>

==How it works==
A business registers its customer service telephone hotline with a 118 directory enquiry operator, or permits the operator to list a 118 number as the way to reach them. When a consumer calls this number, they are connected to the company via the 118 intermediary and billed at premium rates for the entire duration of the call, including time spent on hold. The company's own hotline is typically reachable for free.

==Why it is a problem==
'''Point 1:''' Consumers are charged premium rates for reaching a hotline that is freely accessible by calling the company directly.

'''Point 2:''' Most callers believe they are contacting the company directly and are unaware of the costs involved. Being transferred to the actual company hotline incurs an additional charge on top of the per-minute rate.

==Examples==
Some examples of 118 Directory Enquiry Numbers as Paid Customer Service Intermediaries (Germany) include:

*11835 getting called by customers thinking it is Amazon
*Companies known to be reachable via paid 118 intermediary services include [[Amazon]] and others{{Citation needed|date=27 May 2026}} Note that not every company is reachable through every 118 number — availability varies by operator.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

User talk:Je

2026-06-09T12:34:31Z

Keith: /* Sorry about the filter */ new section

{{Template:Welcome|realName=|name=Je}}

-- [[User:New user message|New user message]] ([[User talk:New user message|talk]]) 00:32, 9 June 2026 (UTC)

== Sorry about the filter ==

Since Louis's info doc on the is under his user-space, you'll have experienced some of your edits getting caught in filters(we have some fairly aggressive filters for user space since we have to deal with spam-bots that like to post there). Your account is now confirmed, so that should no longer be an issue.

Thank you very much for coming by and editing! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 12:34, 9 June 2026 (UTC)

Bricks and Minifigs accused of theft of over $200,000 dollars worth of Lego sets

2026-06-05T10:29:21Z

Keith: Removed protection from "Bricks and Minifigs accused of theft of over $200,000 dollars worth of Lego sets"

{{Irrelevant}}
{{OngoingEvent}}
{{#seo:
|description=A family says a Lego collection consigned to a Bricks & Minifigs store went missing after a 2024 corporate store seizure; the company denies theft.
}}
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Bricks and Minifigs
|StartDate=2024-11-14
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=Lego
|Product=Lego
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Consignment, Retail
|Description=Family says a Lego collection consigned to a Bricks & Minifigs store went missing after a corporate seizure; the company denies any theft.
}}

In November 2023, an Oregon family consigned a large collection of sealed LEGO Star Wars sets to a '''[[Bricks and Minifigs|Bricks & Minifigs]]''' franchise store in Keizer, expecting the store to sell the sets and pay them a share of each sale.<ref name="sbj" /> After Bricks & Minifigs corporate repossessed the store in November 2024, collector Bryan Mansell says most of the collection, which he values at $150,000 to $200,000, was gone and that he was never paid for it.<ref name="sbj" /> Bricks & Minifigs denies any theft, says the consignment was an unauthorized arrangement made by the store's former independent franchisee, and says most of the sets had already been sold before corporate took the store over.<ref name="bam2" /> The dispute drew wide attention in May 2026 after a series of YouTube videos about it; the suit on the public docket is one Bricks & Minifigs and its franchisees brought against the YouTuber and the family for defamation, and the YouTuber faces misdemeanor harassment charges in Utah.<ref name="complaint" /><ref name="ksl" />

== Background ==
Bryan Mansell and his father assembled the collection over roughly 15 years. According to figures Mansell gave the ''Salem Business Journal'', it held more than 780 sealed sets and about 1,200 minifigures, including a sealed ''Cloud City'' set he valued at more than $10,000 and individual minifigures worth more than $1,300 each.<ref name="sbj" /> Mansell said he had put about $30,000 into the collection over the years and had intended it as a long-term investment.<ref name="sbj" />

On November 22, 2023, Mansell signed a consignment agreement with Chrystal Law-Gorman, who then owned the Keizer store. The ''Salem Business Journal'', which reviewed the signed document, reported that the store would take 35 percent of each sale and pay Mansell the other 65 percent in monthly installments, that the sets remained Mansell's property until they sold, that the store had to insure them for full replacement value, and that any unsold sets were to be returned within ten days of the agreement's termination.<ref name="sbj" />

The collection's value is disputed, and the figure in the headlines comes from the family and from the company's own past marketing. Mansell put the total at $150,000 to $200,000.<ref name="sbj" /> The ''Salem Business Journal'' independently reviewed the inventory spreadsheet and found the boxed sets alone documented at roughly $60,335 to $98,480, with the 1,200 minifigures tracked separately.<ref name="sbj" /> A Bricks & Minifigs Facebook post promoting the collection in November 2023 described it as ''"estimated to be worth well over $200,000."''<ref name="sbj" /> In its later statements, the company said the only documentation the family provided showed a collection worth $60,000 to $80,000.<ref name="bam2" />

== Store seizure and the missing collection ==
Bricks & Minifigs corporate took control of the Keizer store on November 14, 2024, and the accounts of that night diverge sharply. CEO Ammon McNeff told the ''Salem Business Journal'' that the Law-Gormans owed roughly $200,000 in unpaid obligations, including the store's purchase price and royalties, and that the franchise agreement let the company offset those debts against the store's assets.<ref name="sbj" /> The Law-Gormans said they had approached corporate about selling the store, not closing it, and that a representative seized it the same day without notice, refused to let them conduct an inventory, and forced them out that night.<ref name="sbj" /> The store and its assets passed to Baker Bricks LLC, run by Brandon Best and Josh Johnson.<ref name="sbj" />

Whether corporate knew about the consignment is the central factual dispute. Law-Gorman told the ''Salem Business Journal'' that on the night of the seizure she told the corporate representative about Mansell's consignment, and that BAM's then director of operations, Ki McAllister, acknowledged it on a speakerphone call and said that because the new operator was taking over the business he would be taking over the consignment as well. She said the exchange was captured on the store's security camera and given to the Keizer Police Department.<ref name="sbj" /> Mansell said the same video contradicts the company's later claim that it knew nothing about the arrangement.<ref name="sbj" /> McNeff declined to discuss the video, citing the litigation, and maintained that corporate was unaware of any consignment when it took the store.<ref name="sbj" /> In its own statement, the company acknowledged that a ''"Corporate support employee verbally said the new owner would 'take all that consignment liability'"'' when ownership changed, but said the employee was not making a binding agreement.<ref name="bam2" />

Mansell formally terminated the consignment on November 22, 2024, demanding sales records, unpaid proceeds, and the return of his remaining sets.<ref name="sbj" /> He said he was met with denials, that the new operators said they knew nothing of the consignment, and that corporate told him its evidence was insufficient and directed him to pursue the Law-Gormans instead.<ref name="sbj" /> Mansell said he later sent a buyer into the store who purchased one of his consigned sets, which he argued showed the sets were still there and still being sold.<ref name="sbj" /> He summarized his position to the ''Salem Business Journal'':
<blockquote>''I filed charges against everybody because I didn't know who to believe ... but I can prove for a fact that my sets are still in that store and these guys are lying about it.''<ref name="sbj" /></blockquote>

The two sides also dispute whether the store was permitted to take consignments at all. McNeff said consignment is prohibited under the company's franchise rules and could have been grounds for termination had corporate known; the Law-Gormans said their franchise agreement contained no such prohibition and that corporate raised no objection when it learned of the deal. The ''Salem Business Journal'' reported that it asked Bricks & Minifigs for documentation of the claimed prohibition and that none had been provided by the time it published.<ref name="sbj" /> The Keizer Police Department confirmed an open investigation, which Mansell said had been referred to the Marion County District Attorney to decide whether criminal charges were warranted.<ref name="sbj" />

== Bricks & Minifigs response ==
Bricks & Minifigs published two statements on its company blog, on May 21 and May 28, 2026.<ref name="bam1" /><ref name="bam2" /> The company said corporate, the entity BAM Franchising, Inc., was not a party to the consignment, that such arrangements are prohibited under its franchise agreements, and that after taking over the store it found only a small quantity of sets, which it valued at $2,000 to $5,000, that might have belonged to Mansell. It said it offered those sets back and that the offer was refused.<ref name="bam2" /> The company rejected the claim that it stole the collection:
<blockquote>''Neither corporate nor the incoming owners (Josh Johnson and Brandon Best) ever took, sold, or concealed this collection.''<ref name="bam2" /></blockquote>
The company also said the store closed temporarily not because of any lawsuit but because its staff, including teenage employees, faced harassment, stalking, and bomb threats driven by the videos, and it said it would tighten inventory and record-keeping requirements across its locations.<ref name="bam2" /> In late May 2026, McNeff appeared on a LEGO-community podcast, apologized to the Mansell family for the difficulties they had faced, and said he remained willing to take part in professional mediation.<ref name="tribune" />

== Schneider's videos and Utah charges ==
The dispute reached a large audience in May 2026 through Benjamin Schneider, a [[YouTube]] creator known as Reckless Ben, who published a series of videos about the case, one of which drew around three million views.<ref name="techdirt" /> In the videos, Schneider accused Bricks & Minifigs of stealing Mansell's collection.<ref name="rb" /><ref name="complaint" /> His May 21, 2026 video was titled ''"I tracked down the thief who stole $200,000 of LEGO."''<ref name="rb" />

The videos and a later lawsuit describe confrontations involving Schneider and others in American Fork, Utah, where store operator Josh Johnson lives. According to the American Fork Police Department and reporting by KSL and the ''American Fork Citizen'', people connected to Schneider repeatedly approached Johnson's home between March 8 and March 11, 2026, including leaving packages while dressed as a delivery driver and hanging a sign near the property stating that Johnson had stolen a dying man's life savings.<ref name="afcitizen" /><ref name="ksl" /> Schneider was arrested on March 11, 2026 and was later charged with stalking, a class A misdemeanor, and targeted residential picketing, a class B misdemeanor.<ref name="ksl" /><ref name="afcitizen" /> He has represented himself, has not entered a plea, and is presumed innocent; a protective order was granted to Johnson on May 20, 2026.<ref name="ksl" /><ref name="afcitizen" />

Schneider accused the American Fork police of bias and of shielding the store owners. On May 29, 2026, the department released a statement and body-camera footage in response, saying it was not involved in the underlying Oregon business dispute and had acted only to enforce Utah law within its jurisdiction.<ref name="afpd" /><ref name="ksl" />

== Lawsuit ==
=== Claims ===
On May 27, 2026, Bricks & Minifigs and several affiliated people and entities sued Schneider, Mansell, and others in the Fourth Judicial District Court in Utah County, Utah. The plaintiffs were BAM Franchising, Inc., executives Ammon McNeff and Matthew McNeff, store operators Josh Johnson and Brandon Best, and Baker Bricks LLC; the defendants were Schneider, his company Reckless Ben LLC, Mansell, Victor Nguyen, and unnamed others.<ref name="complaint" /><ref name="dexerto" /> The verified complaint raises 13 causes of action, including defamation per se, defamation, a Utah racketeering claim, civil stalking, trespass, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and it asks the court to declare that the company lawfully acquired the store's assets and is not bound by the consignment agreement.<ref name="dexerto" /><ref name="complaint" /> It seeks more than $300,000 in damages, attorneys' fees, and an injunction.<ref name="ksl" /><ref name="complaint" /> A judge granted a temporary restraining order on May 28, 2026.<ref name="complaint" />

=== Related litigation ===
The former franchisees, the Law-Gormans, have said they retained counsel and are pursuing their own lawsuit against BAM Franchising for breach of contract, conversion, defamation, and civil conspiracy, contending that corporate never provided the post-termination store inventory their franchise agreement required.<ref name="sbj" />

== Consumer and community response ==
Schneider raised money for the Mansell family through a public fundraiser.<ref name="ksl" /> After Bricks & Minifigs asked [[Patreon]] to remove Schneider's page, Patreon chief executive Jack Conte posted a video refusing the request and saying the company would keep the page online.<ref name="kotaku" />

The dispute also drew commentary on the legal exposure all sides created for themselves. Writing for Techdirt, Mike Masnick argued that the parties should have involved lawyers far earlier, citing attorney Leonard French's point that a consignor in Mansell's position can protect consigned goods by filing a UCC-1 financing statement.<ref name="techdirt" /> Bricks & Minifigs maintains that responsibility for the consignment lies with the former independent franchisee, not the franchisor.<ref name="bam2" />

== See also ==
* [[DCS sues small YouTuber for accurate review]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="sbj">{{Cite web |title=Keizer Lego Dispute Centers on Star Wars Collection |url=https://salembusinessjournal.org/2026/03/30/keizer-lego-dispute-star-wars-collection/ |website=Salem Business Journal |date=2026-03-30 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="ksl">{{Cite web |title=Viral videos allege pricey Lego theft. Here's how Utah police entered the conversation |url=https://www.ksl.com/article/51505848/viral-videos-allege-pricey-lego-theft-heres-how-utah-police-entered-the-conversation |website=KSL.com |date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="afcitizen">{{Cite web |title=YouTuber arrested twice by AF police over LEGO dispute |url=https://afcitizen.com/2026/05/30/youtuber-arrested-twice-by-af-police-over-lego-dispute/ |website=American Fork Citizen |date=2026-05-30 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="dexerto">{{Cite web |title=Bricks & Minifigs sues Reckless Ben over viral $200k Lego Star Wars investigation |url=https://www.dexerto.com/youtube/bricks-minifigs-sues-reckless-ben-over-viral-200k-lego-star-wars-investigation-3370801/ |website=Dexerto |date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="complaint">{{Cite web |title=Verified Complaint and Temporary Restraining Order, BAM Franchising, Inc. v. Schneider, Fourth Judicial District Court, Utah County, Utah |url=https://archive.org/details/bam-franchising-bricks-and-minifigs-v-benjamin-paul-schneider-reckless-ben-bryan |website=Internet Archive |date=2026-05-27 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="tribune">{{Cite web |title=Bricks and Minifigs CEO Ammon McNeff addresses $200K Lego dispute in lengthy interview |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610668/bricks-and-minifigs-ceo-ammon-mcneff-addresses-200k-lego-dispute-in-lengthy-interview |website=The Express Tribune |date=2026-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260602193907/https://tribune.com.pk/story/2610668/bricks-and-minifigs-ceo-ammon-mcneff-addresses-200k-lego-dispute-in-lengthy-interview |archive-date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="techdirt">{{Cite web |last=Masnick |first=Mike |title=Everyone In This LEGO Dispute Should Have Spoken To A Lawyer Earlier Than They Did |url=https://www.techdirt.com/2026/06/02/everyone-in-this-lego-dispute-should-have-spoken-to-a-lawyer-earlier-than-they-did/ |website=Techdirt |date=2026-06-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260603043939/https://www.techdirt.com/2026/06/02/everyone-in-this-lego-dispute-should-have-spoken-to-a-lawyer-earlier-than-they-did/ |archive-date=2026-06-03 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="bam1">{{Cite web |author=Bricks & Minifigs |title=A Note to Our Community About the Bricks & Minifigs Salem, OR Store |url=https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/05/21/salem-oregon-bricks-and-minifigs-store-situation/ |website=Bricks & Minifigs Blog |date=2026-05-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260529143815/https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/05/21/salem-oregon-bricks-and-minifigs-store-situation/ |archive-date=2026-05-29 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="bam2">{{Cite web |author=Bricks & Minifigs |title=Response to Customer Inquiries Regarding Bricks & Minifigs Salem, Oregon |url=https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/05/28/bricks-minifigs-salem-oregon-clarity-and-resolution/ |website=Bricks & Minifigs Blog |date=2026-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260530142716/https://bricksandminifigs.com/blog/blog/2026/05/28/bricks-minifigs-salem-oregon-clarity-and-resolution/ |archive-date=2026-05-30 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="afpd">{{Cite web |author=American Fork Police Department |title=Bricks and Minifigs/Benjamin Schneider Media Release |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcVmSQpIPRY |website=YouTube |date=2026-05-29 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="rb">{{Cite web |author=Reckless Ben |title=I tracked down the thief who stole $200,000 of LEGO |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wscQpkcwgNU |website=YouTube |date=2026-05-21 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
<ref name="kotaku">{{Cite web |title=Patreon CEO Stands By Reckless Ben Following Takedown Notice And Lawsuit |url=https://kotaku.com/youtuber-patreon-mormon-mafia-2000701942 |website=Kotaku |date=2026-06-02 |access-date=2026-06-03}}</ref>
</references>

==External links==
*[https://bamsucks.com/ Collection of court filings and videos involving the case]

[[Category:Bricks and Minifigs]]

Bricks and Minifigs accused of theft of over $200,000 dollars worth of Lego sets

2026-06-05T10:27:00Z

Keith: Changed protection settings for "Bricks and Minifigs accused of theft of over $200,000 dollars worth of Lego sets" ([Edit=Allow only autoconfirmed users] (indefinite) [Move=Allow only autoconfirmed users] (indefinite))

Template:Draft

2026-06-04T09:45:54Z

Keith: Changed the wording slightly, added a link

{{ombox
| type = notice
| text = This is a working draft in {{{1|{{BASEPAGENAME}}}}}'s [[Consumer_Rights_Wiki:Jargon_buster#Userspace|userspace]]. It may not meet the consumerrights.wiki verification, notability, or relevancy standards.
}}
<noinclude>
==Documentation==
Use this notice for drafts in userspace.

If you want to change the name shown, you can do it like this:

<code><nowiki>{{Draft|nobody}}</nowiki></code> which shows up as this:

{{Draft|nobody}}

Talk:Airzone Cloud moves to a subscription-based model

2026-06-03T13:34:27Z

Keith: /* Sourcing improvements and factual corrections */ Reply

==Sourcing improvements and factual corrections==

I'm an Airzone customer directly affected by this change and an HVAC installer working with Airzone systems professionally. I have several elements that may help address the sourcing concerns flagged on this article, and I'd like to propose changes before editing directly.

'''Elements I can contribute with verifiable sources:'''

#The original Airzone announcement newsletter, archived on the Wayback Machine on May 29, 2026 (the day after the announcement): https://web.archive.org/web/20260529164019/https://confort.airzonecontrol.com/airzone-cloud-fr-systemes1 The article currently dates the announcement to "early 2026" — it was actually May 28, 2026, with the paywall taking effect October 2026 (6-month free trial for existing users).
#A precision on the scope of the change: based on the official announcement, remote ''visualization'' remains free without subscription. Only remote ''control'' (sending commands) moves behind the paywall. The article currently states users "lose all remote access", which is imprecise.
#Information from Airzone France technical support confirming that the current Airzone Webserver model does not support the local API documented in Airzone's integration manual, and that a separate hardware product (AZX6WSPHUB, approximately €300) is required to obtain local API access independent of Airzone Cloud.

'''Elements I would prefer not to touch:'''

The Lawsuit section, including claims of action by FACUA and OCU. I have no independent source confirming these specific organizations are involved, but I don't want to remove content others have contributed without input from editors more familiar with the Spanish consumer protection landscape.

Would adding the elements above, with proper inline references, be an appropriate way to address the Incomplete flag ? Should I proceed with edits, or would you prefer I draft changes here first? Thanks. [[User:Matthias|Matthias]] ([[User talk:Matthias|talk]]) 13:26, 3 June 2026 (UTC)

:Hi Matthias,
:We're absolutely happy for you to make those changes. In addition, if you see elements in the article that are unsourced and don't pass the sniff test, please feel free to delete them. If the original author, or another editor, feels streongly that that information should be included, they can always come back and re-add it with an appropriate source. Incomplete notices are often added by moderators or users who identify that there are substantial issues with an article and to notify readers that they should be careful about accepting it at face value, but who do not have the time or inclination to do the research themselves to research and fix the article, so something being retained in an article should not be seen as an endorsement of it by other editors.
:As an aside, I've also confirmed your account, so you shouldn't have to deal with any more captchas! Thank you very much for getting involved. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 13:34, 3 June 2026 (UTC)

Consumer Rights Wiki talk:Moderators' noticeboard

2026-06-03T01:44:20Z

Keith: /* Page resurrection request */ Reply

<div style="margin: {{#ifeq:{{{navbox|<noinclude>yes</noinclude>}}}|yes|2px}} 0 0.5em; padding: 0.5em; {{{style|border: 1px solid #A0A5AD;}}} {{{backgroundstyle|background-color: var(--background-color-progressive-subtle, #eaf3ff); color: inherit;}}}">
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*Just need a mod? Post here or ping a mod with a question.
*Post any information or news relevant to the moderation team here.
*To request an article to be created, do not post here, try [[Article suggestions]] instead.
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<br />
{{Archives}} 
==Open tasks==

*[[:Category:Articles with deletion requests]]
*[[:Category:Articles with merge requests]]
*[[:Category:Articles marked as irrelevant]]
*[[Special:NewPages]]

==add "Quasi-Wanted" Special page==

There are Wikipedia articles linked from many different CRW articles. It'd be nice to see which topics are candidates for a dedicated article on CRW. I say "topics", just-in-case a future update adds support for non-WP "pseudo-internal" links (because WP links are shown as "internal" even though they aren't)

Apologies in advance if this is not a place for feature-requests [[User:Rudxain|Rudxain]] ([[User talk:Rudxain|talk]]) 06:23, 15 March 2026 (UTC)

==so...==

abt that superuser role? has it been rolled out yet? got hit in the face w a stub notice bug again lol [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 14:08, 26 March 2026 (UTC)

:another thing. Phreeli has a valid entry in [[List of products and services with forced arbitration]]. still @[[User:Louis]] supported them w a dedicated [https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=e8SnNNq6MaI video], in which he states "so this is a company we started" and claims to be an unpaid board member. so I ask, what the fuck? Louis said to give a fuck abt consumer rights but he is not your savior. the video was released on 2025.12.19 and the citation on the list was archived on 2026.01.13, so it can be argued that it could be a development after the video was published. I have not seen him mention Phreeli since then. so I cannot say if they're still affiliated but the video is still up w no follow up (afaik). as y'all are in contact w the man, can we get a comment or perhaps an apology video w a ukulele cameo? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 15:30, 26 March 2026 (UTC)
::I discussed that here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_twkLJbc1c
::if there's an MVNO that's open to allowing people to pay with crypto without providing a name and address, I am happy to push them in that direction & help move it along. forced arbitration sucks balls, but every carrier has forced arbitration..... so this becomes a question of, should i not help push along a carrier that allows people to sign up in a more anonymous way, because 1 thing isn't to my liking... ??? the answer to that is no.
::framework doesn't release schematics... but after a long talk with the CEO, they'll allow you to get one if you contact them & sign an NDA. that's not what I want. but it is better than if I had not engaged at all.
::if i started a phone company/MVNO, it'd have no forced arbitration '''''AND''''' allow people to sign up with anonymous crypto without providing their name.... but i'm not starting a phone company... i am too busy as it is.
::phreeli belongs in that list of products & services with forced arbitration because they have forced arbitration. [[User:Louis|Louis]] ([[User talk:Louis|talk]]) 19:59, 26 March 2026 (UTC)
:::as mentioned in my previous comment I didn't know of that video. thank you. even tho its been a week, I still haven't found the time to watch it. perhaps many of the points I've highlighted have already been discussed in said video.
:::regardless, I agree that the existence of a more private MVNO's a blessing to see in a sea full of scammers. but I still would've liked to see them not go the same route as traditional operators regarding forced arbitration. everybody's "threat" model is diff so I can understand your stance. I'm a fairly regular watcher of the channel but somehow I missed the video. and based on the view discrepancy (378k vs 41k), many others have too. the follow up video includes the announcement in its description but the title and thumbnail do not reflect it being a follow up. I would like to see this rectified.
:::now on Framework, I did not know an NDA had to be signed in order to get the schematics. I checked the article and it does not mention that. based on my 5 min search I found [https://knowledgebase.frame.work/availability-of-schematics-and-boardviews-BJMZ6EAu this] but it does not mention an NDA, just to reach out to support. could you please provide sources? I'd like to append this to the article. I don't consider it egregious but for a person looking for them, they should know.
:::I'd like to highlight a conflict here. in the video you state "so this company we started" and in [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2009536/000200953624000001/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml this] SEC filing you're cited as a Director. I'd like to mention that I'm not American nor have any idea wtf this shit is, but I have a borderline idea on what SEC filings are. could you please explain to me what this means? ofc you yourself did not start the company but you are still listed as a director of the company.
:::an article on Phreeli does not exist and the arbitration list can be hard to find. so I will be creating one. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 18:52, 3 April 2026 (UTC)
:Superconfirmed has been rolled out, see [[Consumer Rights Wiki:Moderator applications]], BUT you need your email. I think this stuff should be done onwiki but whatever, I got mod without using email lol. [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 21:26, 26 March 2026 (UTC)
::I went on a hiatus again lol so apologies for the slow response.
::I did email Keith on the matter b4 the rollout and recently did I get knighted. thank you mods [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 18:54, 3 April 2026 (UTC)

I'm unable to move this discussion to the archive, due to word filter. [[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] ([[User talk:Tracerneo|talk]]) 13:47, 20 May 2026 (UTC)

==Archive everything==

is there a way the checking process for refs be automated? it is user maintained and isn't always accurate. perhaps all refs could be checked if they have the <code>archive-url=</code> filled? [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 18:26, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

==Featured articles on main page have light grey title on White background .. even on dark mode==

This isnt great for readability.

my setup for reference :

dark mode on CRW, Firefox. Linux Mint XFCE. [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 04:46, 6 April 2026 (UTC)

:wait i just went back and now they are black titles... i dont know what happened. mightve been a one time bug on my part ??? [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 04:49, 6 April 2026 (UTC)
::OK i figured it out... this is weird :
::it only happnes when i am LOGGED OUT of my account.
::to reiterate :
::when a user is logged out. the featured articles on the main page appear with light grey titles on white background ; which isnt great for readability ... especially for new users' first impression of the website.
::Once i am logged into my account, the titles now appear black with good contrast.
::I dont know why this is the case but it is consistent across my testing [[User:Plankton|Plankton]] ([[User talk:Plankton|talk]]) 04:51, 6 April 2026 (UTC)
:::@[[User:JakeL|JakeL]] this was an issue that I had before that I asked om your talkpage to fix, now it's happening again? [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:26, 6 April 2026 (UTC)
:::I'm going to throw in a curveball. logged in and I still got the issue. [[User:SinexTitan|SinexTitan]] ([[User talk:SinexTitan|talk]]) 08:52, 10 April 2026 (UTC)
::::@[[User:JakeL|JakeL]] pinging again [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 11:04, 10 April 2026 (UTC)
:::::Flagged this for Keith since it’s been awhile hopefully Jake sees it. - [[User:Atsumari|Atsumari]] ([[User talk:Atsumari|talk]]) 11:18, 2 May 2026 (UTC)

==Suggestion==

I feel we could be more clearer when it come to our date standards on the wiki, as right now I feel its lacking in clarity and causes confusion for newcomers on what the actual date format is most commonly accepted and preferred (as of right now being something like a date format of 20 Jan 2004 <s>if that makes sense</s>). Currently, when going onto the citation tab to add a source, it reads ''"Example: Format as YYYY-MM-DD (2020-12-30) or DD Mon YYYY (30 Dec 2025)".''

Additionally, I also think the product section ''(referring to the This is a list of the company's product lines '''with articles on this wiki'''. [[Example product line one]] (release date): Short summary of the product's incidents.)'' could also be more specified and informative on what users are supposed to fill out, along with specifying what to do when there's no incidents relating to any of their product, as right now it's kinda up to the users to determine what it means.

I also want to ask if you can add more sections to the parent company on the CompanyCargo template(being adding one company that's own by several other companies instead of one <s>as of current</s>) as I'm currently working on '''[[Denny's]]''' article and <sub><s>as far as I know</s></sub> there are 3 private companies that own Denny's as of the moment.

I don't mean to come off in a bad way where it's disrespectful, I meant to only state my opinion on the matter. [[User:SquidthePlummer|SquidthePlummer]] ([[User talk:SquidthePlummer|talk]]) 03:06, 11 April 2026 (UTC)

:Agree, we don't really have a specific date standard here [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 05:38, 11 April 2026 (UTC)

:I have been using the DMY format since the majority of the world generally uses that. The hope for the wiki is to be an international source for consumers around the world (not just Americans), and I believe DMY to be in line with that goal. I further believe it would be better to have a consistent experience, which is why I have used the DMY format even for American companies and incidents. (Though clearly Rossmann disagreed with that, as he recently "corrected" the dates on an Amazon article from an older edit of mine.)

:As for the citations, I abbreviate the months because early on using more than three characters for the month resulted in the citation template being unhappy. It appears to have since been fixed, but old habits die hard. Not sure why the wiki template data outputs strictly numbers and that's a topic that will eventually have to be decided on in conjunction with this.

:Apologies for not speaking up sooner; I wanted mull over the matter first. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 23:24, 16 April 2026 (UTC)

==Editing templates, protected pages, deleting irrelevant articles==

How can I request additional permissions? I would like to add a location field to [[Template:CompanyCargo]], edit pages like [[Template:Main_Page/Consumer_Tools]], and remove pages like [[Varusteleka]] (that as far as I'm aware has not been involved in any consumer rights violations) or [[Fruitbat Factory]] (that I think has a page only due to its DLC-oriented business model). [[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] ([[User talk:Tracerneo|talk]]) 13:40, 14 May 2026 (UTC)

:@[[User:Keith|Keith]] I'm honestly tempted to make a buncha things autoconfirmed-protectee but i
:I'd rather not w/o your approval [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 04:32, 17 May 2026 (UTC)
::At the moment it's limited to Superconfirmed and above. Given the quality of @[[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]]'s contributions, I'd be happy to give them Superconfirmed. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 20:40, 17 May 2026 (UTC)
:::Cargo templates are still fully protected, so I cannot edit them. Please see [[Special:ProtectedPages]], it may be reasonable to change most of these (especially templates) to semi-protected. [[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] ([[User talk:Tracerneo|talk]]) 15:34, 18 May 2026 (UTC)
::::Cargo tables are a bit more sensitive, as external tools which use the data will rely on a consistent schema. breakages here wouldn't just affect articles on the wiki, it could also break any external tooling that uses the cargo data. on that basis cargo tables are something I'd be fairly reluctant to un-protect [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 15:45, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
:::::I see. I got an idea, I may be able to wrap the cargo template in a different template. [[Template:IncidentCargo]] may be the easiest, as it doesn't render anything. [[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] ([[User talk:Tracerneo|talk]]) 16:07, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
:Regarding edit access to the consumer tools page or any template used on the front page, additional inclusions like consumer tools are generally confirmed by staff to prevent the potential for promoting a service or product that doesn’t align with our goals.
:Also while we have you here, creating country articles like [[Poland]] isn’t within our scope, as a country category can contain the necessary information such as their incidents and laws while linking back to the country's Wikipedia page. For that, having categories such as [[:Category:Canadian incidents]] and [[:Category:Canadian legislation]] in the Canada category would be best practice. Let me know if you have any questions! [[User:Mr Pollo|Mr Pollo]] ([[User talk:Mr Pollo|talk]]) 13:05, 17 May 2026 (UTC)
::There are countries that have many consumer rights organizations and governmental bodies, or complicated laws, that do not warrant one article or do not make sense individually. Without such pages there is no discoverability for these convoluted topics.
::Consider a Polish developer making changes to open source software, to make it interoperable with device that recently got locked down. The device manufacturer subsequently threatens them with legal action, citing [[DMCA]]. How can you find out, that DMCA does not apply outside of the US, the international treaty that DMCA implements is implemented with exceptions in his jurisdiction that make the reverse engineering for interoperability permissible, and that recently [[SLAPP suits and legal intimidation]] has been [https://commission.europa.eu/news-and-media/news/new-eu-rules-protect-against-strategic-lawsuits-against-public-participation-enter-force-2024-05-03_en largely outlawed]? [[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] ([[User talk:Tracerneo|talk]]) 20:56, 17 May 2026 (UTC)
:::Also there's [[:Category:Organizations]], [[:Category:Regulatory agencies and public support bodies]], and [[Template:CompanyCargo]] has a suggested "Government" value in the Type field. Countries/jurisdictions fall under the Themes scope in my opinion.
:::Categories (and non-Main namespaces) lack discoverability (they are not searched by default). [[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] ([[User talk:Tracerneo|talk]]) 21:06, 17 May 2026 (UTC)
::::Tend to agree. I do wonder though whether the page titles should be just the name of the of the country or be something like 'Government of x', or 'Consumer protection in x', but that's a minor issue, and ultimately the content of the pages is good. I've created [[Consumer_Rights_Wiki_talk:RfC:_Page_protection]] for people to discuss the situation on the wiki regarding permission levels. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 21:42, 17 May 2026 (UTC)

==Excerpt==

I have brought [[Template:Excerpt]] (and associated modules) from Wikipedia. Documentation: [[wikipedia:Template:Excerpt]]

You can see it in use in the [[Bambu Lab#Cease and desist against OrcaSlicer fork maintainer (2026)|Bambu Lab]] article (see also [[:Category:Articles with excerpts]]). The main benefit is the reduced duplication, where excerpted incidents can be included in company articles.

Can you help me start a project, to convert more articles to use this template? [[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] ([[User talk:Tracerneo|talk]]) 15:28, 18 May 2026 (UTC)

:@[[User:Keith|Keith]] [[User:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|'''''AnotherConsumerRightsPerson''''']] ([[User talk:AnotherConsumerRightsPerson|talk]]) 17:50, 19 May 2026 (UTC)
::Grabbing Keith for you since it’s been a couple hours. - [[User:Atsumari|Atsumari]] ([[User talk:Atsumari|talk]]) 20:23, 19 May 2026 (UTC)
:Yeah, would be happy to! I assume the scope of it is 'any page in which another page is described in brief should use an excerpt of the other page, rather than a custom summary'? [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 00:05, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
::Yes. Currently it's a either verbatim copy of the Incident page lead section or a custom summary. The verbatim copy results in some users updating one but not the other, and then they diverge in content, sometimes missing important facts in all relevant places. Custom summary may sometimes be preferable.
::The incident articles themselves should also be written in a way that the lead section is a summary of the incident with up to date status.
::Ideally we should make people aware of the feature, so new articles and summaries are written with using excerpts in mind. [[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] ([[User talk:Tracerneo|talk]]) 00:27, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
::[[Itch.io#De-indexing of adult games from campaign pressure (2025)]] is an example of page that is better off with custom summary.
::[[Adobe]] has many incidents that could be converted into excerpts.
::[[European Union#Stop Destroying Videogames (ECI)]] excerpts smaller parts of [[SKG]] (2nd argument (section), <code>paragraphs=</code> and <code>hat=no</code> in use). [[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] ([[User talk:Tracerneo|talk]]) 11:41, 20 May 2026 (UTC)

==Fake DMCA takedown==

This page was edited with "DMCA takedown" as reason by a user that was just created: https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Model_F_Labs&action=history If you see the nature of the edits, it seems rather likely this was done in an attempt to remove critique. [[User:NonPassivatedMOSFET|NonPassivatedMOSFET]] ([[User talk:NonPassivatedMOSFET|talk]]) 20:32, 1 June 2026 (UTC)

==Page resurrection request==

Last year there was an argument on whether some community toxicity cases and management issues at the Wikipedia platform fall within the scope of this wiki or not.

Recently there's some developments that can finally settle the case and which will fall within this wiki's scope this time around, as editors on Wikipedia are threatening a worker's strike after the WMF disbands the entire Community Tech team. Relevant links:

*https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikipedia:COMMTECHGATE

*https://medium.com/@jakeorlowitz/wikipedia-is-doing-the-capitalist-thing-56a393232943

*https://medium.com/@jakeorlowitz/wikipedia-runs-on-people-it-shouldnt-run-over-people-48823f4238bb

*https://www.theverge.com/report/939442/wikipedia-editors-protest-wikimedia-layoffs-strike

*https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/hundreds-of-wikipedia-editors-are-threatening-to-go-on-strike-and-the-reason-is-these-engineers/articleshow/131394771.cms

*https://www.pcmag.com/news/wikipedia-editors-could-strike-following-layoffs

The page [[Wikipedia]] and/or [[Wikimedia Foundation]] are theredore requested to be resurrected. In hindsight I feel that the fussy attitude by Beanie Bo against the inclusion of Wikipedia issues into the wiki scope looks ridiculous in the first place. [[Special:Contributions/52.220.157.15|52.220.157.15]] 22:35, 1 June 2026 (UTC)

:After reading through the links you provided, I do not see how the labor issue, although concerning, is relevant from a consumer rights perspective. — [[User:Sojourna|Sojourna]] ([[User talk:Sojourna|talk]]) 04:15, 2 June 2026 (UTC)
::The disbanding of Community Tech team at Wikipedia will make it easier for WMF and so on to initiate changes that are deemed "unpopular", which will harm the interests of consumers/readers in the long term. Not to mention many volunteer editors are at the same time, readers. As one had pointed out, you can and should look at this [https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Wishlist/Updates the archives] of Community Wishlist] to see how the team had contributed to the well-being of the encyclopedia over time. Dark mode is just one of the features that if I can remember, was requested that way.[[Special:Contributions/15.181.161.29|15.181.161.29]] 11:13, 2 June 2026 (UTC)
:::I don't really think that the ongoing dispute falls into the Wiki's scope, and will outline my reasoning below:
:::Changes to the internal governance of an organization, or labour disputes in general, are not relevant to the wiki - there needs to be some direct, specific, and notable impact on consumers.
:::We also do not cover generic product quality issues, despite any impact they may have on consumers, unless there is some aggravating factor such as safety, an attempt to cover up the quality issue by the company, or it being a willful degradation in quality of a product that users had already paid for. If a company makes a bad product, that is a skill issue, rather than a consumer rights issue, unless consumers were promised and paid for a substantially different product to the one they received.
:::Therefore, if a labour dispute or similar threatened to reduce the quality of a company's product, it would not be relevant to the wiki. E.g. if the company behind a game (that had not come out yet and which had not accepted pre-orders) decided to scrap their entire art team and replace it with AI slop, kicking off a labour dispute with product quality implications, then that would not be a consumer rights issue to be covered on the wiki. If, however, a company had sold pre-orders or a season pass for a DLC that was upcoming, then they sacked everyone who was meant to deliver that content, then that product quality issue would become a wiki-relevant issue once it becomes clear in reporting that the promised and paid-for content was not going to be delivered.
:::The only Wikipedia-related controversy I'm aware of that I could imagine being actually relevant to the wiki would be the long-standing controversies around whether or not the various Wikipedia donation banners were misleading as to the effect donations would have on Wikipedia's maintenance. While it being donations to charity puts a bit of a spin on it, misleading advertising is 100% relevant to the wiki, and there's definitely been enough debate and discussion and coverage on that topic over the years to meet notability and sourcing criteria. Even then, it's probably open to some debate. Would a charity that accepts donations and then the person running the charity embezzles the money and runs off, be a consumer rights issue? idk.
:::Ultimately, since the Wikipedia platform is delivered freely and is also not 'paid for' through user data, it makes a lot of arguments for consumer rights relevancy more difficult. If they decided to shut the whole thing down tomorrow, it would be a great loss for humanity, but I'm still not sure whether it would be wiki-relevant. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 01:44, 3 June 2026 (UTC)

User talk:Liketomakemoney

2026-06-02T15:41:16Z

Keith:

{{Template:Welcome|realName=|name=Liketomakemoney}}

-- [[User:New user message|New user message]] ([[User talk:New user message|talk]]) 05:15, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

== Confirmed ==

If you had any difficulty getting through some of the spam filters, you should try again now: I've confirmed your account so you shouldn't get caught in the filters.

Thank you very much for contributing! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 15:41, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

User talk:Liketomakemoney

2026-06-02T15:41:00Z

Keith: /* Confirmed */ new section

{{Template:Welcome|realName=|name=Liketomakemoney}}

-- [[User:New user message|New user message]] ([[User talk:New user message|talk]]) 05:15, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

== Confirmed ==

If you had any difficulty getting through some of the spam filters, you should try again now: I've confirmed your account.

Thank you very much for contributing! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 15:41, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

User talk:GokartMozart

2026-06-02T09:24:53Z

Keith: /* Apologies if you had a problem with the user page filters */ new section

{{Template:Welcome|realName=|name=GokartMozart}}

-- [[User:New user message|New user message]] ([[User talk:New user message|talk]]) 06:19, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

== Apologies if you had a problem with the user page filters ==

Hi, just saw that you might have been having issues with our filters that stop people adding links to user pages before their accounts are confirmed. This filter exists because the wiki is constantly spammed by SEO bots that try to do that sort of thing.

I've confirmed your account now, so you should be able to do what you were trying to do before now! [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 09:24, 2 June 2026 (UTC)

Model F Labs

2026-06-01T22:47:18Z

Keith: re-added a bit taht got removed last edit

{{CompanyCargo
|Description=Sells keyboards as "all sales final," demands buyers accept cosmetic defects, and offers no upfront returns or warranty, against EU law
|Founded=
|Industry=Technology
|Logo=Model_f_labs.png
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Private
|Website=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com
}}
'''Model F Labs LLC''' is an American company, operating online as modelfkeyboards.com, that sells reproductions of [[wikipedia:IBM|IBM]] Model F and beam-spring mechanical keyboards.<ref name="extremetech">{{Cite web |title=The IBM Model F keyboard returns from a 30-year hiatus |url=https://www.extremetech.com/computing/252014-ibm-model-f-keyboard-returns-30-year-hiatus |publisher=ExtremeTech |date=2017-06-09 |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250526170002/https://www.extremetech.com/computing/252014-ibm-model-f-keyboard-returns-30-year-hiatus |archive-date=2025-05-26 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="store" /> Its Terms and Conditions declare that all sales are final, require buyers to accept cosmetic defects as standard, and furnish the limited warranty only after delivery or by mail-in request rather than before the sale.<ref name="ToS">{{Cite web |title=Terms and Conditions |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/terms-and-conditions/ |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}} Archived at [https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-30/https://www.modelfkeyboards.com:443/terms-and-conditions/ megalodon.jp].</ref> Several of those terms conflict with mandatory European Union consumer protections that apply to distance sales and that cannot be waived to a buyer's detriment.<ref name="dir2019771-art21">{{Cite web |title=Directive (EU) 2019/771, Article 21 (Mandatory nature) |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0771 |publisher=EUR-Lex |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260518100525/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0771 |archive-date=2026-05-18 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The project was started by Joe Strandberg, known in keyboard communities as ''Ellipse'',<ref name="about">{{Cite web |title=About the Project |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/about/ |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}}</ref> to recreate the buckling-spring keyboards IBM produced in the early 1980s.<ref name="pcmag">{{Cite web |title=Keyboard Enthusiast Sells Brand-New IBM Model F |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/keyboard-enthusiast-sells-brand-new-ibm-model-f |publisher=PCMag |date=2017-07-05 |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250526062032/https://www.pcmag.com/news/keyboard-enthusiast-sells-brand-new-ibm-model-f |archive-date=2025-05-26 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="extremetech" />

==Consumer-impact summary==
* The company's own Terms and Conditions state that '''all sales are final''' and require buyers to agree to accept cosmetic defects as standard, not as non-conforming.<ref name="ToS" />
* Warranty terms are not presented before purchase. They are furnished only on request before the sale, or with the product after delivery.<ref name="ToS" />
* The Terms and Conditions concede that finishes and surfaces wear down with use, sometimes exposing the bare metal underneath.<ref name="ToS" />
* The homepage shows an order deadline set to the end of the month and presented as urgency to buyers.<ref name="homepage">{{Cite web |title=Model F Keyboards homepage |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}} Archived at [https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-20/https://www.modelfkeyboards.com:443/ megalodon.jp].</ref>
* For buyers in the EU, the no-returns policy and the absence of an upfront two-year guarantee conflict with the Consumer Rights Directive and the Sale of Goods Directive.<ref name="dir201183-art9">{{Cite web |title=Directive 2011/83/EU, Article 9 (Right of withdrawal) |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083 |publisher=EUR-Lex |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260601063459/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083 |archive-date=2026-06-01 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dir2019771-art10">{{Cite web |title=Directive (EU) 2019/771, Article 10 (Liability of the seller) |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0771 |publisher=EUR-Lex |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260518100525/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0771 |archive-date=2026-05-18 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Background==
Model F Labs produces small batches of keyboards modeled on IBM's capacitive buckling-spring designs, including the 62-key F62, the 77-key F77, and larger F104 and F122 layouts, alongside beam-spring reproductions.<ref name="store">{{Cite web |title=Brand New Model F and Beam Spring Keyboard Choices (store) |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/store/ |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}}</ref> At launch the reproductions sold for about $325 before keycaps, with keycap sets around $35.<ref name="pcmag" /> The classic F62 and F77 use zinc metal cases, with later and larger models built from aluminum, following the solid-metal construction of IBM's 4704 banking-terminal keyboards.<ref name="qa">{{Cite web |title=Questions and Answers |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/q-and-a/ |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}}</ref>

The operation runs as a hybrid of an enthusiast group buy and a retail storefront. Earlier rounds were made to order with long production waits, while later rounds are sold from in-stock inventory.<ref name="store" /> Model F Labs has said that production will eventually end, with no firm date, and that products remain available until stock runs out.<ref name="homepage" />

==Controversies==
===Order-deadline urgency===
The Model F Labs homepage displays an order deadline set to the end of the month, urging customers to have their orders in by that date. Presenting a month-end cutoff as urgency is a [[Dark pattern|dark pattern]] that draws on [[Fear of missing out|FOMO]].<ref name="homepage" /> The company has paired this with statements that production will eventually cease without a specific end date, while continuing to sell from existing stock.<ref name="homepage" />

===Finish wear and the company's response===
[[File:Model f labs wear.jpg|thumb|Finish wear reported on a Model F Labs F62 case, which the buyer who posted the photo said appeared after roughly nine months of use. The image is a community forum report.]]
Model F Labs' Terms and Conditions require buyers to accept cosmetic flaws as a condition of sale: ''"All buyers agree to accept cosmetic defects on all products."''<ref name="ToS" /> The listed examples include chips, scuffs, lost or missing paint, scratches, and gouges, and the terms add that keyboard finishes and surfaces will wear down over time with usage, ''"sometimes exposing the bare metal material."''<ref name="ToS" /> The same terms state that such cosmetic defects are not considered ''"non-conforming"''.<ref name="ToS" />

Rather than treating wear as a defect to be remedied, the Terms and Conditions tell buyers that each keyboard is powder-coated or anodized and direct them to buy their own touch-up paint, naming ordinary paint-store touch-up paint or Birchwood Casey Aluminum Touch Up to ''"improve any issues"''.<ref name="ToS" />

On the Deskthority keyboard enthusiast forum, several users reported that the powder-coated finish on their F62 and F77 cases wore through within a few months of use, exposing the bare zinc underneath, a timeline they considered inconsistent with the company's promotion of the keyboards as long-lasting.<ref name="dt-wear-a">{{Cite web |title=Forum reports of finish wear on Model F reproductions |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521878#p521878 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203141/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521878 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dt-wear-b">{{Cite web |title=Forum photo of finish wear on an F62 |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521981#p521981 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203141/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521981 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the same threads, members said Strandberg defended the wear as normal and within the Terms and Conditions, and that he offered full case replacements in some instances, which the participants attributed to community pressure rather than a change in policy.<ref name="dt-wear-c">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of the company response to wear reports |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521991#p521991 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203144/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521991 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dt-wear-d">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of case-replacement offers |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522038#p522038 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203149/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522038 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Group-buy conduct and forum disputes===
Model F Labs presents itself as a small enthusiast group buy while its own homepage reports thousands of orders and millions of dollars in sales.<ref name="homepage" /> On Deskthority, some members argued that the operation functions as a retail business and criticized its refusal to share certain production details with contributors who had helped develop the designs.<ref name="dt-conduct-a">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of the company group-buy status and production transparency |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521855#p521855 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203147/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521855 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref> Members also said Strandberg promoted Model F Labs products in community group-buy threads rather than the sub-forum set aside for keyboard manufacturers, and asked moderators to move the discussion; as of February 20, 2025 the posters said that had not happened.<ref name="dt-conduct-b">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of product promotion in the group-buy sub-forum |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521864#p521864 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203145/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521864 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref> Separately, members reacted critically to a proposal by Strandberg to buy the Deskthority forum with help from community funding, which some saw as a risk to independent criticism of the company on the platform.<ref name="fb-deskthority">{{Cite web |title=Social-media post regarding a proposal to buy the Deskthority forum |url=https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15xhzF92qc/ |publisher=Facebook (Model F Keyboards) |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-45/https://www.facebook.com:443/ModelFKeyboards/posts/pfbid02KrbfKP8Hx72WjJx7nNWPBXx17LwHgGBmU42ykiqA5kXNfxLhMMsiqixre7EYeikSl |archive-date=2026-04-06 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===EU consumer-law===
[[File:Model f labs warranty.jpg|thumb|Scan of a Model F Labs warranty flyer that ships with a keyboard. The company states in its Terms and Conditions that the warranty is otherwise available only by mail-in request or on arrival of the product, so a buyer does not see these terms before purchase.<ref name="ToS" />]]
Model F Labs ships to customers in the European Union, which subjects those sales to EU distance-selling and consumer-guarantee rules. Several of the company's terms conflict with those rules, with forum members raising concerns around EU-compliance.<ref name="dt-eu">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of EU consumer-law compliance |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521939#p521939 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203144/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521939 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Fear of missing out]]
* [[Terms of service]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Companies]]
[[Category:Consumer electronics companies]]
[[Category:Consumer protection]]

Model F Labs

2026-06-01T22:45:38Z

Keith: removed the shipping damage thing - products occasionally being shipped with crap packaging doesn't seem wiki-worthy. also removed original legal analysis

{{CompanyCargo
|Description=Sells keyboards as "all sales final," demands buyers accept cosmetic defects, and offers no upfront returns or warranty, against EU law
|Founded=
|Industry=Technology
|Logo=Model_f_labs.png
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Private
|Website=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com
}}
'''Model F Labs LLC''' is an American company, operating online as modelfkeyboards.com, that sells reproductions of [[wikipedia:IBM|IBM]] Model F and beam-spring mechanical keyboards.<ref name="extremetech">{{Cite web |title=The IBM Model F keyboard returns from a 30-year hiatus |url=https://www.extremetech.com/computing/252014-ibm-model-f-keyboard-returns-30-year-hiatus |publisher=ExtremeTech |date=2017-06-09 |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250526170002/https://www.extremetech.com/computing/252014-ibm-model-f-keyboard-returns-30-year-hiatus |archive-date=2025-05-26 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="store" /> Its Terms and Conditions declare that all sales are final, require buyers to accept cosmetic defects as standard, and furnish the limited warranty only after delivery or by mail-in request rather than before the sale.<ref name="ToS">{{Cite web |title=Terms and Conditions |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/terms-and-conditions/ |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}} Archived at [https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-30/https://www.modelfkeyboards.com:443/terms-and-conditions/ megalodon.jp].</ref> Several of those terms conflict with mandatory European Union consumer protections that apply to distance sales and that cannot be waived to a buyer's detriment.<ref name="dir2019771-art21">{{Cite web |title=Directive (EU) 2019/771, Article 21 (Mandatory nature) |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0771 |publisher=EUR-Lex |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260518100525/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0771 |archive-date=2026-05-18 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The project was started by Joe Strandberg, known in keyboard communities as ''Ellipse'',<ref name="about">{{Cite web |title=About the Project |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/about/ |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}}</ref> to recreate the buckling-spring keyboards IBM produced in the early 1980s.<ref name="pcmag">{{Cite web |title=Keyboard Enthusiast Sells Brand-New IBM Model F |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/keyboard-enthusiast-sells-brand-new-ibm-model-f |publisher=PCMag |date=2017-07-05 |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250526062032/https://www.pcmag.com/news/keyboard-enthusiast-sells-brand-new-ibm-model-f |archive-date=2025-05-26 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="extremetech" />

==Consumer-impact summary==
* The company's own Terms and Conditions state that '''all sales are final''' and require buyers to agree to accept cosmetic defects as standard, not as non-conforming.<ref name="ToS" />
* Warranty terms are not presented before purchase. They are furnished only on request before the sale, or with the product after delivery.<ref name="ToS" />
* The Terms and Conditions concede that finishes and surfaces wear down with use, sometimes exposing the bare metal underneath.<ref name="ToS" />
* The homepage shows an order deadline set to the end of the month and presented as urgency to buyers.<ref name="homepage">{{Cite web |title=Model F Keyboards homepage |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}} Archived at [https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-20/https://www.modelfkeyboards.com:443/ megalodon.jp].</ref>
* For buyers in the EU, the no-returns policy and the absence of an upfront two-year guarantee conflict with the Consumer Rights Directive and the Sale of Goods Directive.<ref name="dir201183-art9">{{Cite web |title=Directive 2011/83/EU, Article 9 (Right of withdrawal) |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083 |publisher=EUR-Lex |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260601063459/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083 |archive-date=2026-06-01 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dir2019771-art10">{{Cite web |title=Directive (EU) 2019/771, Article 10 (Liability of the seller) |url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0771 |publisher=EUR-Lex |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260518100525/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0771 |archive-date=2026-05-18 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Background==
Model F Labs produces small batches of keyboards modeled on IBM's capacitive buckling-spring designs, including the 62-key F62, the 77-key F77, and larger F104 and F122 layouts, alongside beam-spring reproductions.<ref name="store">{{Cite web |title=Brand New Model F and Beam Spring Keyboard Choices (store) |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/store/ |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}}</ref> At launch the reproductions sold for about $325 before keycaps, with keycap sets around $35.<ref name="pcmag" /> The classic F62 and F77 use zinc metal cases, with later and larger models built from aluminum, following the solid-metal construction of IBM's 4704 banking-terminal keyboards.<ref name="qa">{{Cite web |title=Questions and Answers |url=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/q-and-a/ |publisher=Model F Labs |access-date=2026-06-01}}</ref>

The operation runs as a hybrid of an enthusiast group buy and a retail storefront. Earlier rounds were made to order with long production waits, while later rounds are sold from in-stock inventory.<ref name="store" /> Model F Labs has said that production will eventually end, with no firm date, and that products remain available until stock runs out.<ref name="homepage" />

==Controversies==
===Order-deadline urgency===
The Model F Labs homepage displays an order deadline set to the end of the month, urging customers to have their orders in by that date. Presenting a month-end cutoff as urgency is a [[Dark pattern|dark pattern]] that draws on [[Fear of missing out|FOMO]].<ref name="homepage" /> The company has paired this with statements that production will eventually cease without a specific end date, while continuing to sell from existing stock.<ref name="homepage" />

===Finish wear and the company's response===
[[File:Model f labs wear.jpg|thumb|Finish wear reported on a Model F Labs F62 case, which the buyer who posted the photo said appeared after roughly nine months of use. The image is a community forum report.]]
Model F Labs' Terms and Conditions state that buyers agree to accept cosmetic defects, listing chips, scuffs, and lost or missing paint as allowed examples, and that keyboard finishes and surfaces will wear down over time with usage, ''"sometimes exposing the bare metal material"''.<ref name="ToS" /> The same terms state that such cosmetic defects are not considered ''"non-conforming"''.<ref name="ToS" />

Rather than treating wear as a defect to be remedied, the Terms and Conditions tell buyers that each keyboard is powder-coated or anodized and direct them to buy their own touch-up paint, naming ordinary paint-store touch-up paint or Birchwood Casey Aluminum Touch Up to ''"improve any issues"''.<ref name="ToS" />

On the Deskthority keyboard enthusiast forum, several users reported that the powder-coated finish on their F62 and F77 cases wore through within a few months of use, exposing the bare zinc underneath, a timeline they considered inconsistent with the company's promotion of the keyboards as long-lasting.<ref name="dt-wear-a">{{Cite web |title=Forum reports of finish wear on Model F reproductions |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521878#p521878 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203141/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521878 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dt-wear-b">{{Cite web |title=Forum photo of finish wear on an F62 |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521981#p521981 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203141/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521981 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the same threads, members said Strandberg defended the wear as normal and within the Terms and Conditions, and that he offered full case replacements in some instances, which the participants attributed to community pressure rather than a change in policy.<ref name="dt-wear-c">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of the company response to wear reports |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521991#p521991 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203144/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521991 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="dt-wear-d">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of case-replacement offers |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522038#p522038 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203149/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522038 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Group-buy conduct and forum disputes===
Model F Labs presents itself as a small enthusiast group buy while its own homepage reports thousands of orders and millions of dollars in sales.<ref name="homepage" /> On Deskthority, some members argued that the operation functions as a retail business and criticized its refusal to share certain production details with contributors who had helped develop the designs.<ref name="dt-conduct-a">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of the company group-buy status and production transparency |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521855#p521855 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203147/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521855 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref> Members also said Strandberg promoted Model F Labs products in community group-buy threads rather than the sub-forum set aside for keyboard manufacturers, and asked moderators to move the discussion; as of February 20, 2025 the posters said that had not happened.<ref name="dt-conduct-b">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of product promotion in the group-buy sub-forum |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521864#p521864 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203145/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521864 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref> Separately, members reacted critically to a proposal by Strandberg to buy the Deskthority forum with help from community funding, which some saw as a risk to independent criticism of the company on the platform.<ref name="fb-deskthority">{{Cite web |title=Social-media post regarding a proposal to buy the Deskthority forum |url=https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15xhzF92qc/ |publisher=Facebook (Model F Keyboards) |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-45/https://www.facebook.com:443/ModelFKeyboards/posts/pfbid02KrbfKP8Hx72WjJx7nNWPBXx17LwHgGBmU42ykiqA5kXNfxLhMMsiqixre7EYeikSl |archive-date=2026-04-06 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===EU consumer-law===
[[File:Model f labs warranty.jpg|thumb|Scan of a Model F Labs warranty flyer that ships with a keyboard. The company states in its Terms and Conditions that the warranty is otherwise available only by mail-in request or on arrival of the product, so a buyer does not see these terms before purchase.<ref name="ToS" />]]
Model F Labs ships to customers in the European Union, which subjects those sales to EU distance-selling and consumer-guarantee rules. Several of the company's terms conflict with those rules, with forum members raising concerns around EU-compliance.<ref name="dt-eu">{{Cite web |title=Forum discussion of EU consumer-law compliance |url=https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521939#p521939 |publisher=Deskthority forum post |access-date=2026-06-01 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203144/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521939 |archive-date=2025-07-08 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Fear of missing out]]
* [[Terms of service]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Companies]]
[[Category:Consumer electronics companies]]
[[Category:Consumer protection]]

Talk:Model F Labs

2026-06-01T20:58:11Z

Keith: /* Reverted edits */ new section

== Reverted edits ==

I've reverted a couple of edits from @[[User:Debuser|Debuser]]. The state of the page as-is can certainly be improved, and I'm not opposed to every change which was made, but they do seem to be excessively promotional, and large chunks of information have been removed and replaced with promotional content without any reason given.

Combining this with the fact that the edit comments in no way reflected the contents of the edits, these edits raised an eyebrow and it seemed most sensible to revert them. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 20:58, 1 June 2026 (UTC)

Model F Labs

2026-06-01T20:52:23Z

Keith: Reverted edits by Debuser (talk) to last revision by Tempo123

{{StubNotice}}
{{clear}}
{{CompanyCargo
|Description=
|Founded=2015
|Industry=Technology
|Logo=Model_f_labs.png
|ParentCompany=
|Type=Private
|Website=https://www.modelfkeyboards.com
}}
'''Model F Labs LLC''' is an American technology company that specializes in mechanical keyboards and related products. It was founded in 2015 by Joe Strandberg (aka. Ellipse) as a crowdfunded group buy on the Deskthority keyboard enthusiast forum with the purpose of creating reproductions of discontinued [[wikipedia:IBM|IBM]] keyboards. Strandberg acts as the company's primary representative and point of contact.<ref>https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/about/ ([https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-17/https://www.modelfkeyboards.com:443/about/ Archived])</ref> Model F Labs uses Deskthority as one of their main platforms for announcements and product support.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=11046 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203148/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?t=11046 Archived])</ref>

==Controversies==
===Usage of dark patterns===
Model F Labs' website makes use of [[Fear of missing out|FOMO]] tactics to instill a sense of urgency into potential customers. The homepage has an apparent order deadline that urges users to "please have [their] orders in by then!" Despite this messaging, the deadline has never been enforced and the date continues to be updated to the end of the current month.<ref name="homepage">https://www.modelfkeyboards.com ([https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-20/https://www.modelfkeyboards.com:443/ Archived])</ref>

While Model F Labs has stated that production will eventually cease for it's keyboard offerings, it has offered no specific deadline. All the products sold on the website are available until stock runs out.

===Premature paint wear===
[[File:Model f labs wear.jpg|thumb|Finish wear on a Model F Labs F62 keyboard. This example apparently occurred after roughly 9-months of use.<ref name="wear">https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521981#p521981 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203141/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521981 Archived])</ref>]]
Model F Labs specifies in it's [[terms of service]] (ToS) that all buyers agree to accept cosmetic defects on their products, and that finishes on it's cases are expected to wear with use.<ref name="ToS">https://www.modelfkeyboards.com/terms-and-conditions/ ([https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-30/https://www.modelfkeyboards.com:443/terms-and-conditions/ Archived])</ref>

However, Model F Labs does not specify in the ToS a timeline for when such wear might reasonably occur. Several users on Deskthority have reported that the powder coated finish on their F62 and F77 keyboards wore down within the span of a few months, exposing the bare zinc casing.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521878#p521878 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203141/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521878 Archived])</ref><ref name="wear"></ref> Users agreed this was an unacceptable timeline for expected wear and called into question the company's QA, especially considering that Model F Labs advertises their keyboards as "Built to Last for Decades, Not Years" on their website's homepage.

Strandberg was criticized for his response to these cases; standing by the ToS and stating the wear was still normal.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521991#p521991 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203144/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521991 Archived])</ref><ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522034#p522034 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203145/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522034 Archived])</ref> He has offered full case replacements in some select instances, but this appears to have been done as a result of Deskthority member backlash rather than intention to change Model F Labs' future policy.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522038#p522038 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203149/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=522038 Archived])</ref>

===Shipping damages===
Several users have reported shipping damage to their new Model F Labs keyboards.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLFCkgG1tUI ([https://preservetube.com/watch?v=iLFCkgG1tUI Archived])</ref><ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521308#p521308 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203146/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521308 Archived])</ref><ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521407#p521407 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203148/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521407 Archived])</ref> They have called into question the adequacy of Model F Labs packaging, typically utilizing a tab locking box with two foam endcaps that secure the keyboard in place. The keys are not installed in the keyboard, leaving the barrels and springs exposed. Any additional loose components such as keycaps and replacement parts are placed in unsecured bags on top of the exposed springs. The movement of these unsecured bags or movement of keyboard may result in damage to the case, broken keycaps, bent springs, and damage to other components.

Model F Labs will generally replace components damaged during shipping upon user request. Strandberg has also acknowledged these issues and stated that additional tape will be applied to the boxes and more components will be packed behind the keyboard in the future.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521310#p521310 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203143/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521310 Archived])</ref> However he didn't specify if those bags remaining on top of the springs would be secured to prevent movement. It is also unclear if any damage to the keyboard finish resulting from shipping will be treated in the same manner as long term wear under the ToS.

===Alleged misuse of internet forums===
Model F Labs has grown into a company that has amassed thousands of orders and millions of dollars worth of sales according to the company's homepage.<ref name="homepage"></ref> However, it still continues to act as a small scale group buy despite engaging in conduct more aligned with that of a profit seeking business. Part of this conduct has been Model F Labs has refusal to divulge certain production information about it's products to users, despite taking user contributions to help develop them.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521855#p521855 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203147/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521855 Archived])</ref> Strandberg has also been accused of hijacking other user's threads to promote Model F Labs products.

This has caused controversy amongst some Deskthority forum members as keyboard manufacturers are supposed to conduct product promotion and support in different sub-forums, yet Strandberg has continued to utilize the group buy sub-forum despite acting on behalf of a business.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521864#p521864 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203145/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521864 Archived])</ref> Deskthority members have since asked for moderators to move Model F Labs' product discussion threads to a sub-forum specifically for keyboard manufacturers. As of February 20, 2025, this has not happened.

Strandberg has at one point offered to buy Deskthority and asked users if they would be willing to help fund his purchase of the platform.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15xhzF92qc/ ([https://megalodon.jp/2026-0406-0731-45/https://www.facebook.com:443/ModelFKeyboards/posts/pfbid02KrbfKP8Hx72WjJx7nNWPBXx17LwHgGBmU42ykiqA5kXNfxLhMMsiqixre7EYeikSl Archived])</ref> This was lambasted by forum members as they viewed a potential takeover by Strandberg would lead to criticism of Model F Labs on Deskthority being silenced, and continued promotion of the company at the expense of other member created projects to run unabated.
[[File:Model f labs warranty.jpg|thumb|Warranty flyer for a Model F Labs keyboard. The warranty information on this sheet is normally only available by mail-in request as stated in the ToS, or upon arrival of a purchased product.]]

===Apparent failure to meet EU standards===
While not confirmed by any legal firm/case, Deskthority members have observed that Model F Labs' policies may not be meeting EU guidelines regarding the sale of "custom" or "made-to-order" products by companies despite Model F Labs shipping it's products to customers in the EU.<ref>https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521939#p521939 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250708203144/https://deskthority.net/viewtopic.php?p=521939 Archived])</ref>

Per the guidelines outlined by the EU, companies selling to Europe - regardless of location, shall obey the European law which says that any product sold online in Europe can be returned within 15 days and has a guarantee lasting 2 years. If a company is selling new products with defects, it must clearly disclose the defects to the consumer before the sale. This includes informing the consumer about the nature of the defects and how they might affect the product’s performance or appearance. These rules apply to all new products, but "custom" and "made-to-order" products are not exempt from these guidelines.<ref>https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250920115906/https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/index_en.htm Archived])</ref><ref>https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251215185820/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32011L0083 Archived])</ref>

The disclosure of potential cosmetic defects is buried in Model F Labs' ToS.<ref name="ToS"></ref> As such, it is likely not considered clearly visible to the user while they are in the process of making a purchase. Model F Labs' no returns policy and limited warranty also do not meet the 15-day return window and 2-year warranty that the EU requires. The warranty terms are also not made clear upfront and only known to the user after receiving their keyboard, or by mail-in request as outlined in the ToS. The products sold by Model F Labs also lack a CE mark.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Consumer Rights Wiki:Jargon buster

2026-05-31T00:05:36Z

Keith:

Wikis, especially MediaWiki wikis, have been hanging around the internet for a few decades at this point, and for those of us who are waist-deep in this or other wikis, it can often be hard to remember what it was like to not know the lingo! This page should therefore act as a cheat-sheet for the definitions of wiki-specific terminology, along with the occasional tip to help out when editing.

Any references to UI elements here will be referring to the desktop version of the site.

The Consumer Rights Wiki isn't particularly unique or special in its formatting and usage, so most of the information below can be applied to pretty much any MediaWiki wiki. With that being said, why don't we start off by defining...

==MediaWiki==
MediaWiki is the software that the Wiki runs on. It is developed by the Wikimedia Foundation (who, among other things, provide the infrastructure to run Wikipedia) and is open-source, available for anyone who wants to run a Wiki to use. It's also a few decades old, and has frequently been described as 'a bit of a nightmare' to work with, but in general, it's good at what it does.

==Namespaces==
The pages on this Wiki are organised into namespaces. Namespaces can be most easily identified by the prefix that goes before a page title, after the '/w/' in the URL. For example, this page is in the 'Consumer_Rights_Wiki:' namespace.

What namespace a page is in can affect several things about a page, such as whether it is searchable, who can edit it, or whether it is useable as a template.

===Mainspace===
'Mainspace' is the default location for articles, which have no prefix. Mainspace pages are expected to contain the reader-facing content pages of the wiki.

Example page: [[John Deere]]

===Talk===
'Talk', or 'discussion' pages have a prefix ending in the word 'talk'. A talk namespace exists for every other namespace, to hold the discussion pages that accompany articles. Anyone can edit these, and editing is typically done via the 'add topic' or 'add reply' buttons, which make the process of starting or continuing conversations a bit easier.

You can also directly edit talk pages via the source editor, but this should only ever be done to quickly correct your own minor typos - substantive edits to talk page comments are strongly discouraged and will probably be reverted, as it disrupts people's ability to properly follow the conversation.

Busy talk pages are sometimes cleared out and placed into archives, so check for those if a conversation seems to have disappeared!

Example page: [[Talk:John Deere]]

===Userspace===
Userspace is the term for articles that begin with 'User:[Username]'. These articles are attributed to the specific user, and users should refrain from editing the user pages of other users, except to remove material which is obviously unsuitable for hosting on the Wiki.

User pages, and user sub-pages (beginning with 'User:[Username]/'), are a good place for users to post their [[Consumer_Rights_Wiki:Wiki_content_policies#No_Original_Research|Original Research]], or write more opinionated or tangential content which is not suitable for mainspace wiki articles. Many editors also keep a personal sandbox at a sub-page like 'User:[Username]/sandbox' for drafting articles or testing wikitext before publishing it to mainspace.

Example page: [[User:Keith]]

===Special pages===
On the left-hand toolbar, there is a link called 'special pages'. This link takes you to a big long list of different pages in the 'Special:' namespace, which are built-in to MediaWiki and let you see all sorts of interesting and useful things, like a list of 'orphaned pages' (pages that are not linked to by any other page), or the full feed of recent changes.

Example page: [[Special:RecentChanges]]

===Templates===
Templates (page segments/sections which can be re-used on multiple pages) live in the 'Template:' namespace.

Example page: [[Template:StubNotice]]

==Page tabs==
Whenever you go to an article, you'll see a number of tabs along the top of the article, just below its title. These let you switch between different views and actions on the current page - reading it, editing it, viewing its history, and so on. We'll expand more on some of these (the editing ones) later, but for now, here's a quick overview, from left to right:

==='Page' and 'Discussion'===
The 'Page' and 'Discussion' tabs on the top left of an article allow you to move between the mainspace article and its associated talk page ('talk page' and 'discussion page' are used interchangeably). The Discussion page, also known as a 'talk' page, acts like a mini-forum for each individual article. You can start threads and reply to comments, with the comment being replied to being identifiable by its indentation.

All the tabs/buttons on the right-hand side will apply to the version of the page you're currently on, so if you click 'Discussion' and then 'View history', for example, you would be viewing the history of the discussion page, whereas if you clicked 'Page', followed by 'View history', you would be looking at the history of edits to the main page.

==='Read'===
The 'Read' tab does what it says on the tin, and lets you read the page.

===Visual editor ('Edit')===
The visual editor is the default method for editing articles, and you can access it by clicking 'Edit' in the top-right of an article. It is a text editor designed specifically for editing wiki pages, and comes built-in with MediaWiki-specific tools.

===Source editor ('Edit source')===
The source editor can be accessed by clicking on the 'Edit source' tab, and allows you to directly change the page's source wikitext.

The source editor is most useful when making complex changes involving templates, or when trying to debug any weirdness with the way the page displays. A decent proportion of the Wiki's power-users, though, end up using the source editor as their default for all editing.

One final note on source editing is that, while the use of AI to write content can be an absolute nightmare and cause all sorts of problems (see the [[Consumer_Rights_Wiki:AI_usage_policy|AI usage policy]]), LLMs have a very good understanding of Wikitext syntax, and can be extremely helpful when it comes to syntax, templates, and formatting. If you're having trouble getting something to display correctly, passing the source wikitext to an LLM might give you a leg up in working out the problem.

==='View history'===
Clicking the 'View history' tab will take you to that page's edit history. Here you can see all of the past versions of the page, who made the edits, and any edit notes (edit summaries) the author left.

A '''diff''' is a side-by-side comparison of two versions of a page, showing exactly what was added, removed, or changed between them. The 'Compare selected revisions' button on the history page allows you to see the diff between the article at two points in time - particularly useful if an editor has made a long sequence of minor edits to the article, and you want to view the cumulative effects of those changes. The 'undo' link next to a revision lets you reverse a specific edit, and 'rollback' (available to moderators) reverts all recent consecutive edits by a single user in one click.

==='Move'===
The 'Move' tab (on the right-hand side, in the 'tools' dropdown) lets you rename a page. Moving a page automatically leaves a redirect behind from the old title to the new one, so existing links don't break. Page moves are logged just like edits, and bad moves can be reverted.

==Wikitext==
Wikitext is the 'source code' of every article on a MediaWiki wiki. It follows similar rules to markdown, with some differences - for example, bullet points are created with an asterisk, rather than a hyphen. Full documentation on Wikitext can be found on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Wikitext

==Editing==
Editing is how you make changes to the wiki. Anyone can do it!

Everything discussed with source text provided here can also be done via the visual editor, using options from the drop-down menus at the top of the editor, which automatically create the source text for the article based on what is input. Trying to enter source text into the visual editor will typically not work, though sometimes it will surface a dialogue which tries to guess at what you were trying to do.

Whenever you save an edit, you'll see an 'edit summary' box. Leaving a short note (e.g. "fixed typos in Background section", or "added citation for FTC suit") helps other editors quickly understand what changed when scanning the page history, and is considered good wiki etiquette.

===Citations and references===
Citations and references are the bread and butter of mainspace articles on the wiki. We rely on them to make our articles verifiable - which is the idea that a reader of one of our articles can check where we're getting our info from, and make sure we're not talking rubbish. Technically speaking the citation is the inline marker in the body of the article, and the reference is the full source entry that appears in the references list at the bottom of the page, but the terms are often used interchangeably.

The vast majority of citations in the wiki will use the 'Cite web' template, which has been borrowed from Wikipedia, as we don't tend to be citing books or academic journals as much as Wikipedia does. If for some reason you need another type of citation, you may have to create or port over the necessary template yourself, if we don't have it set up yet.

===Internal links===
Internal links are simple to create in the source editor: you simply place double square brackets around the title of a page. If you want the display text to be different from the destination page name, you can put a pipe character (|) between the page name and the display text.

Spaces ( ) and underscores (_) are interchangeable in page names when linking them.

For example, <code><nowiki>[[Mark_Zuckerberg|bellend]]</nowiki></code> (Displayed as: [[Mark_Zuckerberg|bellend]]) will allow you to link Mark Zuckerberg's page in an accurate, if non-specific, way. This would, however, be deeply inappropriate in a normal article, as the wiki is not generally meant to offer or imply opinions on the morality of individuals or companies, and certainly not by calling anyone a bellend.

You can also link to a specific section within a page by appending '#' and the section heading, e.g. <code><nowiki>[[John Deere#Background]]</nowiki></code>. This works for section anchors on other pages, on the same page, and even on Wikipedia links (see below).

Wikipedia links are a subset of internal links. Because MediaWiki is built with Wikipedia integration in mind, you can create a link to a Wikipedia article simply by putting double square brackets around a Wikipedia page name with 'Wikipedia:' before it. For example, <code><nowiki>[[Wikipedia:False advertising]]</nowiki></code> creates a link that looks like this: [[Wikipedia:False advertising]]

===External links===
Generally, one should avoid creating external links in articles when not necessary, as the bulk of the external referencing should use citations rather than direct links. When an external website is being used to support a claim being made within the text of an article, direct external links should not be used. You can, however, use them in the 'External links' section of an article, or to link a company website in their Cargo table/infobox. External links are created by placing square brackets around a URL. The alternate display text will be anything after a space ( ).

For example, <code><nowiki>[https://consumerrights.wiki The Consumer Rights Wiki]</nowiki></code> will display as [https://consumerrights.wiki The Consumer Rights Wiki], whereas <code><nowiki>[https://consumerrights.wiki]</nowiki></code> with no alternate display text will display as a numbered link: [https://consumerrights.wiki].

==Common templates==
Templates are ways of re-using complex elements (such as an infobox) between articles. Here are a few of the templates you'll be likely to encounter frequently when editing:

===Cargo tables===
Cargo tables are how the Wiki stores structured, machine-readable data about its articles — things like a company's founding year, industry, and website, or an incident's affected product and current status. This is the data that populates the infobox you see at the top of articles like [[John Deere]], and the same data is also consumed by external projects such as the [https://github.com/FULU-Foundation/CRW-Extension Consumer Rights Wiki browser extension], as well as anyone wanting hard data on the Wiki's contents.

Which Cargo template a given article uses is determined by its [[Consumer_Rights_Wiki:Article_types|article type]]. The main ones you'll see are:
*[[Template:CompanyCargo]] for company articles
*[[Template:ProductCargo]] for product and product-line articles
*[[Template:IncidentCargo]] for incident articles

If you start a new article via the [[Consumer_Rights_Wiki:New_here|'Create a page']] link in the sidebar, the Cargo table is filled out for you based on your answers to the form. Otherwise, you'll see syntax like the following near the top of the source:

<code><nowiki>{{CompanyCargo|Founded=...|Industry=...|Website=...|Description=...}}</nowiki></code>

Each parameter after the pipe (|) is a field-value pair. To update the data, just edit the relevant value; to leave a field blank, omit it entirely.

A lot of older articles on the wiki were written before the Cargo system was introduced, and so [[Projects:Cargo-complete|are missing some or all of their structured data]].

===Placeholder templates===
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[[Category:CRW]]
[[Category:Help]]

Browser extension AI chat exfiltration

2026-05-29T12:35:25Z

Keith:

'''Browser extension AI chat exfiltration''' is the practice of browser extensions, primarily distributed through the [[Chrome]] Web Store, reading the content of users' conversations with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, Character.AI & DeepSeek along with the user's full URL history & shipping that data to remote servers controlled by the extension's publisher or its parent data-broker company. A May 11, 2026 investigation by security researcher James Arnott of amibeingpwned.com identified seven Chrome extensions with a combined install base of more than seven million users that were either actively exfiltrating AI chat content or carried the server-controlled infrastructure to begin doing so on command; most of the seven carried Google's Featured or Verified badges at the time of disclosure.<ref name="aibp-wall">{{Cite web |url=https://amibeingpwned.com/blog/ai-chat-scraper-wall-of-shame |title=The AI Chat Scraping Extension Wall of Shame |last=Arnott |first=James |work=Am I Being Pwned |date=May 11, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> The pattern follows a December 2025 disclosure by Koi Security that the Urban VPN Proxy extension, with more than seven million users across Chrome & Edge, had been logging conversations with eight separate AI assistants since a July 9, 2025 update,<ref name="malwarebytes">{{Cite web |url=https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/chrome-extension-slurps-up-ai-chats-after-users-installed-it-for-privacy |title=Chrome extension slurps up AI chats after users installed it for privacy |work=Malwarebytes Labs |date=December 18, 2025 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> & a January 2026 OX Security disclosure of two ChatGPT-impersonating extensions with a combined 900,000 users that posted users' chats to attacker-controlled servers every 30 minutes.<ref name="hackernews">{{Cite web |url=https://thehackernews.com/2026/01/two-chrome-extensions-caught-stealing.html |title=Two Chrome Extensions Caught Stealing ChatGPT and DeepSeek Chats from 900,000 Users |last=Lakshmanan |first=Ravie |work=The Hacker News |date=January 6, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Background ==

A browser extension is a small program a user installs into Chrome, Edge or Firefox to add a feature such as blocking pop-ups, changing how a site looks, or telling the user what software a website is built on. Once installed, an extension runs alongside every page the user opens. If the extension was given the read-your-browsing-history permission or the broader permission to read and modify any web page, it can see every URL the user visits & it can read the text of any page the browser displays, including a user's typed prompts to an AI chatbot & the chatbot's replies.

Technically, the read-the-page capability is delivered through a content script: a piece of extension code injected into the page's document model that reads the rendered HTML directly. Because the content script runs inside the browser after the TLS connection to ChatGPT or Claude has already been decrypted, the encryption between the user & the AI provider does not protect the chat from the extension. A separate background service worker in the extension can take what the content script reads & post it to a remote server the publisher controls.<ref name="aibp-stylish">{{Cite web |url=https://amibeingpwned.com/blog/stylish-is-back-back-again |title=Stylish is Back, Back again! |last=Arnott |first=James |work=Am I Being Pwned |date=February 26, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Google's own Chrome Web Store Limited Use policy states that ''"Collection and use of web browsing activity is prohibited, except to the extent required for a user-facing feature described prominently in the Product's Chrome Web Store page and in the Product's user interface."''<ref name="cws-limited">{{Cite web |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/webstore/program-policies/limited-use |title=Limited Use |work=Chrome for Developers |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> The cases below indicate that this policy is not consistently enforced.

== May 2026 amibeingpwned.com investigation ==

On May 11, 2026, James Arnott published ''The AI Chat Scraping Extension Wall of Shame'' on amibeingpwned.com, a project of Bay Area Labs Inc. Arnott's methodology combined static & dynamic analysis in the AIBP sandbox with manual packet capture; for each Confirmed entry, he watched the AI chat content leave the browser in network traffic in his own sandboxed browser & decoded the obfuscated payloads before classification.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott divided his findings into two categories: ''Confirmed'', meaning he observed chat content leaving the browser during testing, & ''Capability'', meaning the exfiltration code path & remote endpoint were present & wired up but did not fire in the observation window, which he attributed to server-side gating through remote configuration.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

Arnott explained the Capability category as follows:

<blockquote>''Remote config lets an extension fetch instructions from a server at runtime, changing behaviour after install without an update. It's also a convenient way to dodge sandbox detection, which is what we think we're looking at in the Capability entries below.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

The seven extensions Arnott named, with the install counts, owner attributions, status & obfuscation type he documented, are summarised below.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Extension !! Users !! Owner !! Status !! Obfuscation
|-
| Stylish || 2,000,000 || SimilarWeb || Confirmed || Extensive (five-stage chain)
|-
| Poper Blocker || 2,000,000 || Big Star Labs LP || Confirmed || Character mapping
|-
| SimilarWeb || 1,000,000 || SimilarWeb || Confirmed || None
|-
| StayFocusd || 700,000 || SensorTower || Capability || LZ-String
|-
| CrxMouse || 700,000 || Big Star Labs LP || Capability || Base64
|-
| WhatRuns || 400,000 || Owned it Ltd || Confirmed || None
|-
| StayFree || 200,000 || SensorTower || Capability || LZ-String
|}

Arnott separately listed the Urban VPN Proxy extension, with more than eight million users, as an ''"honourable mention"'' because it had been caught & had ceased AI-chat scraping after the December 2025 Koi Security disclosure, although it continued to exfiltrate URLs with LZ-String compression at the time of his post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott also published primary video evidence of two of the Confirmed entries on the amibeingpwned YouTube channel, demonstrating WhatRuns exfiltration<ref name="yt-whatruns">{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYwUmaVohQk |title=WhatRuns caught scraping AI chats |author=amibeingpwned |work=YouTube |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> & the StayFocusd infrastructure analysis.<ref name="yt-stayfocusd">{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOdGJEky1SU |title=StayFocusd, is this productivity tool acting like Spyware? |author=amibeingpwned |work=YouTube |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== How the exfiltration works ==
The Stylish extension wraps every URL the user visits in five layers of encoding before sending it to its servers, which makes it harder for a casual reviewer or an automated Chrome Web Store check to see what is being sent. The encoded request leaves the browser every time the user opens a new page, whether or not the user is doing anything with the extension at that moment.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Arnott reverse-engineered the Stylish payload & published the structure in a February 26, 2026 post. The JSON payload the extension builds in its background service worker contains, among other fields, ''gp'' (the current URL), ''klm'' (the previous URL) & ''pxe'' (a unique identifier for the user).<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> Arnott documented the obfuscation chain applied to that payload before it is posted:

<blockquote>''URL encoding to a query string ... Double base64 encoded JSON stringified, then base64 again ... Columnar transposition cipher, the base64 string is split into 48-character rows, then read column-by-column instead of row-by-row, scrambling the text ... AES-256-CBC encrypted using a symmetric key hardcoded in the extension source code ... Base64 encoded one final time.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Arnott observed that the AES-256-CBC step uses a symmetric key compiled into the extension's source code, which means anyone willing to read the extension's JavaScript can decrypt the traffic; he published a working JavaScript decoder using the recovered key.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> His commentary on the design choice was direct:

<blockquote>''I do like the use of a hardcoded encryption key as it makes my life so much easier, although I do wonder if they've heard of this revolutionary "asymmetric encryption" where they can avoid having this hardcoded key for encryption and decryption.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Other extensions in Arnott's list applied lighter obfuscation or none at all. Poper Blocker used a character-mapping scheme; CrxMouse used base64; StayFocusd & StayFree used the LZ-String library, which Arnott characterised as compression; WhatRuns & the SimilarWeb extension applied no obfuscation to the exfiltrated requests at all.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> WhatRuns, in Arnott's words, ''"exfiltrates every URL you visit, alongside AI chats. No exceptions here, they don't even bother to obfuscate the requests."''<ref name="aibp-wall" />

The Capability extensions are gated server-side, which is why a one-shot sandbox check does not see them firing. Arnott documented the Stylish-published Poper Blocker case in detail: the AI-chat scraping code path & endpoint were present, but the exfiltration only began after the sandbox's user identifier had aged for roughly a day. In his words: ''"We initially did not see AI chat scraping in our sandbox, but after leaving the user ID to age for a day, the scraping kicked in, confirming the server-side timer gated on user-ID age."''<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott documented StayFocusd's behaviour as the same pattern with a different trigger: the AI-chat scraping path was present behind a remote configuration flag that was off in initial testing & on by the time of his May 2026 post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> The category covers ChatGPT, Claude & Character.AI; Arnott names those three providers as the targets exfiltrated by Stylish.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

== Owning companies ==

=== SimilarWeb ===

SimilarWeb is the publisher of both the Stylish extension & an extension named after the company itself. Arnott documented both as Confirmed AI-chat exfiltrators, with the SimilarWeb-branded extension sending AI chats & full URLs even when the user is not interacting with it.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Stylish has carried SimilarWeb's name as publisher since the company acquired the extension in January 2017; Robert Heaton documented in July 2018 that the post-acquisition version recorded every URL Stylish's two million users visited & sent those URLs to SimilarWeb's servers with a unique identifier.<ref name="heaton">{{Cite web |url=https://robertheaton.com/2018/07/02/stylish-browser-extension-steals-your-internet-history/ |title='Stylish' browser extension steals all your internet history |last=Heaton |first=Robert |date=July 2, 2018 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Arnott separately observed a contradiction between the Stylish privacy policy, which he says explicitly states the company sells personal data, & the Chrome Web Store listing's larger-font claim on the home page that it does not.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> As of May 2026 the Stylish Chrome Web Store listing names ''"Similarweb LTD"'' as the publisher, reports two million users & shows the Featured badge.<ref name="cws-stylish">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/stylish-custom-themes-for/fjnbnpbmkenffdnngjfgmeleoegfcffe |title=Stylish - Custom themes for any website |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

=== Sensor Tower ===

Sensor Tower is the publisher of StayFocusd & StayFree, both classified by Arnott as Capability for AI-chat exfiltration & both observed exfiltrating most URLs the user visits, with a US-centric whitelist for adult sites, US health sites & regex filters for US social security numbers & ZIP codes that does not protect users in other countries.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> StayFocusd's Chrome Web Store listing as of May 2026 names ''"Sensor Tower"'' as publisher, reports 700,000 users, shows the Featured badge & describes ''"Gen AI Analytics: Track and analyze your usage of AI chat platforms directly from the StayFocusd"'' as a feature while separately stating ''"StayFocusd does not collect personal data from the web pages you visit."''<ref name="cws-stayfocusd">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/stayfocusd-website-blocker-focus-timer-shorts-blocker/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji |title=StayFocusd - Website Blocker & Focus Timer & Shorts Blocker |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

=== Big Star Labs LP ===

Big Star Labs LP is the publisher of Poper Blocker & CrxMouse. Arnott observed Poper Blocker exfiltrating URLs with character-mapping obfuscation & gated AI-chat scraping that activated after a 24-hour user-ID age, & observed CrxMouse exfiltrating URLs with base64 obfuscation & carrying the same remote-config infrastructure.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> A name match exists with a 2018 AdGuard investigation by Andrey Meshkov, which documented a Delaware-registered ''"Big Star Labs"'' entity whose Chrome extensions & mobile apps were collecting browsing histories from more than 11 million users; AdGuard noted that ''"Every document that contains the company name is an image (in other words, you cannot simply Google their name), they use different accounts in extension stores, and the domain owners aren't publicized."''<ref name="adguard">{{Cite web |url=https://adguard.com/en/blog/big-star-labs-spyware.html |title=Big Star Labs Spyware Campaign |last=Meshkov |first=Andrey |work=AdGuard Blog |date=July 24, 2018 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Whether the 2026 ''"Big Star Labs LP"'' is the same legal entity is not established in cited sources; only the name match is.

=== Owned it Ltd ===

Owned it Ltd is the publisher of WhatRuns, which Arnott documented as Confirmed for AI-chat exfiltration with no obfuscation applied to the outbound requests.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> The Chrome Web Store listing for WhatRuns as of May 2026 names ''"Ownedit Ltd"'' as the publisher, reports 400,000 users, shows the Featured badge & lists a developer address at 11 Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2LP, United Kingdom.<ref name="cws-whatruns">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/whatruns/cmkdbmfndkfgebldhnkbfhlneefdaaip |title=WhatRuns |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Historical precedent ==

Stylish was an open-source browser extension before SimilarWeb acquired it in January 2017. Robert Heaton's July 2, 2018 disclosure documented that the post-acquisition Stylish recorded every URL its users visited & sent that history to SimilarWeb together with a unique identifier; for users who had created a userstyles.org account, that identifier could be linked to a login cookie & through it to a real identity.<ref name="heaton" /> Heaton found the exfiltrated payloads in Burp Suite as ''"a large number of strange-looking requests going to api.userstyles.org"'' carrying base64-encoded blobs.<ref name="heaton" /> Heaton's post updated to note that ''"2 days after publication of this post, Stylish was removed from the Chrome and Firefox stores. 3 weeks later, a new version is back in the Firefox store."''<ref name="heaton" /> Arnott's February 2026 follow-up confirms that Stylish has returned to the Chrome Web Store carrying the Featured badge & is again exfiltrating the same categories of data.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> The community-maintained open-source fork of the original Stylish codebase, named '''Stylus''', has roughly 900,000 users, does not phone home & caches styles on the user's local machine; Arnott recommends it as the direct replacement.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

== Related contemporaneous cases ==

=== Urban VPN Proxy ===

In December 2025, Koi Security disclosed that Urban VPN Proxy, a Chrome & Edge extension with more than seven million users, had been logging users' conversations with eight AI assistants since a July 9, 2025 version 5.5.0 update; the platforms intercepted were ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Grok (xAI) & Meta AI.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> Malwarebytes Labs corroborated the finding & noted that the extension sat in the Chrome Web Store with a 4.7-star rating & Google's Featured badge.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> The captured conversations were forwarded to Urban Cybersecurity's parent company, BiScience (B.I Science (2009) Ltd), which Malwarebytes characterised as a data broker collecting browsing history & device identifiers from millions of users.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> Malwarebytes reported that as of the date of its post, ''"Urban Proxy VPN and Urban Cybersecurity's other apps appeared to have been removed from the Chrome Web Store."''<ref name="malwarebytes" />

=== AITOPIA-impersonating extensions ===

On December 30, 2025, OX Security researcher Moshe Siman Tov Bustan disclosed two extensions impersonating the legitimate AITOPIA extension with a combined 900,000 users. The two extensions, ''Chat GPT for Chrome with GPT-5, Claude Sonnet & DeepSeek AI'' & ''AI Sidebar with Deepseek, ChatGPT, Claude and more'', were ''"found exfiltrating user conversations and all Chrome tab URLs to a remote C2 server every 30 minutes."''<ref name="ox">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ox.security/blog/malicious-chrome-extensions-steal-chatgpt-conversations/ |title=Malicious Chrome Extensions Steal ChatGPT Conversations |last=Siman Tov Bustan |first=Moshe |work=OX Security |date=December 30, 2025 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> One of the two, the ChatGPT-named extension with more than 600,000 users, carried Google's Featured badge at the time of the disclosure.<ref name="ox" /> Ravie Lakshmanan of The Hacker News reported on January 6, 2026 that the extensions were still available for download as of writing but that the ChatGPT-named one ''"has since been stripped of its 'Featured' badge."''<ref name="hackernews" /> The Hacker News also reported that John Tuckner of Secure Annex had coined the term ''"Prompt Poaching"'' for the broader pattern of using browser extensions to capture AI conversations covertly, & had separately identified the SimilarWeb extension & SensorTower's StayFocusd as legitimate analytics-company extensions engaged in the same conduct.<ref name="hackernews" /> By January 7, 2026, SecurityWeek reported that both AITOPIA-impersonating extensions were no longer available in the Chrome Web Store.<ref name="securityweek">{{Cite web |url=https://www.securityweek.com/chrome-extensions-with-900000-downloads-caught-stealing-ai-chats/ |title=Chrome Extensions With 900,000 Downloads Caught Stealing AI Chats |last=Arghire |first=Ionut |work=SecurityWeek |date=January 7, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Chrome Web Store response ==

Google introduced the Chrome Web Store Featured badge in April 2022, telling users that the badge marks extensions that ''"follow our technical best practices and meet a high standard of user experience and design"'' and that ''"Chrome team members manually evaluate each extension before it receives the badge."''<ref name="google-badge">{{Cite web |url=https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/chrome/find-great-extensions-new-chrome-web-store-badges/ |title=Find great extensions with new Chrome Web Store badges |work=The Keyword (Google) |date=April 20, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Every extension in Arnott's May 2026 list carried Featured, Verified or both at the time of his post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott's published conclusion was that badges in practice correlate with public attention rather than with audited compliance. In the section ''The Chrome Web Store badge problem'' he wrote:

<blockquote>''In our experience, Chrome only takes away badges when there's a public outcry. Which is why investigations like this matter.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

In the ''What can users do?'' section, he added:

<blockquote>''Don't treat "Featured" or "Verified" as a safety signal. Every extension on this list has at least one.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

Arnott also documented a direct contradiction between the privacy disclosures of the Stylish extension and its Chrome Web Store listing. The Stylish privacy policy, per his reading, explicitly states the publisher sells personal data; the Chrome Web Store listing's larger-font homepage text states that the publisher does not sell personal data; & the Chrome Web Store's approved-use-cases policy itself prohibits the sale of user data.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

== Consumer impact and mitigation ==

The data leaving the browser in these cases falls into three categories: the text of the user's AI chatbot conversations (the prompts the user typed & the chatbot's replies), the full URL of every page the user visits including search queries & any tokens embedded in URLs, & a persistent unique identifier that lets the receiving company link those records across sessions.<ref name="aibp-wall" /><ref name="aibp-stylish" /> Heaton's 2018 analysis of the same data category at SimilarWeb gave the worked examples that still apply: single-use password-reset links, time-limited authentication tokens for medical records & Google search-result URLs are all captured because they live inside the URL the extension sees.<ref name="heaton" /> Arnott extends the harm analysis to AI chat content, with the worked example of a user typing search terms about something covered by a non-disclosure agreement or a corporate spearphishing target list being built from a captured record of which web-based software a target uses.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

For non-technical users, the practical mitigations documented in the cited sources are: audit installed extensions & remove anything not actively used, since the permissions persist after install; do not treat the Chrome Web Store ''"Featured"'' or ''"Verified"'' badges as safety signals;<ref name="aibp-wall" /> & for users of Stylish specifically, switch to the open-source fork Stylus, which caches styles locally on the user's machine & does not phone home.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> For organisations, Tuckner's summary in The Hacker News is the operational frame: ''"It is clear prompt poaching has arrived to capture your most sensitive conversations and browser extensions are the exploit vector."''<ref name="hackernews" />

== See also ==

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Topics]]
[[Category:Browser extensions]]
[[Category:Data brokers]]
[[Category:Privacy]]
[[Category:Chrome Web Store]]

Browser extension AI chat exfiltration

2026-05-29T12:29:15Z

Keith:

'''Browser extension AI chat exfiltration''' is the practice of browser extensions, primarily distributed through the [[Chrome]] Web Store, reading the content of users' conversations with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, Character.AI & DeepSeek along with the user's full URL history & shipping that data to remote servers controlled by the extension's publisher or its parent data-broker company. A May 11, 2026 investigation by security researcher James Arnott of amibeingpwned.com identified seven Chrome extensions with a combined install base of more than seven million users that were either actively exfiltrating AI chat content or carried the server-controlled infrastructure to begin doing so on command; most of the seven carried Google's Featured or Verified badges at the time of disclosure.<ref name="aibp-wall">{{Cite web |url=https://amibeingpwned.com/blog/ai-chat-scraper-wall-of-shame |title=The AI Chat Scraping Extension Wall of Shame |last=Arnott |first=James |work=Am I Being Pwned |date=May 11, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> The pattern follows a December 2025 disclosure by Koi Security that the Urban VPN Proxy extension, with more than seven million users across Chrome & Edge, had been logging conversations with eight separate AI assistants since a July 9, 2025 update,<ref name="malwarebytes">{{Cite web |url=https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/chrome-extension-slurps-up-ai-chats-after-users-installed-it-for-privacy |title=Chrome extension slurps up AI chats after users installed it for privacy |work=Malwarebytes Labs |date=December 18, 2025 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> & a January 2026 OX Security disclosure of two ChatGPT-impersonating extensions with a combined 900,000 users that posted users' chats to attacker-controlled servers every 30 minutes.<ref name="hackernews">{{Cite web |url=https://thehackernews.com/2026/01/two-chrome-extensions-caught-stealing.html |title=Two Chrome Extensions Caught Stealing ChatGPT and DeepSeek Chats from 900,000 Users |last=Lakshmanan |first=Ravie |work=The Hacker News |date=January 6, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Background ==

A browser extension is a small program a user installs into Chrome, Edge or Firefox to add a feature such as blocking pop-ups, changing how a site looks, or telling the user what software a website is built on. Once installed, an extension runs alongside every page the user opens. If the extension was given the read-your-browsing-history permission or the broader permission to read and modify any web page, it can see every URL the user visits & it can read the text of any page the browser displays, including a user's typed prompts to an AI chatbot & the chatbot's replies.

Technically, the read-the-page capability is delivered through a content script: a piece of extension code injected into the page's document model that reads the rendered HTML directly. Because the content script runs inside the browser after the TLS connection to ChatGPT or Claude has already been decrypted, the encryption between the user & the AI provider does not protect the chat from the extension. A separate background service worker in the extension can take what the content script reads & post it to a remote server the publisher controls.<ref name="aibp-stylish">{{Cite web |url=https://amibeingpwned.com/blog/stylish-is-back-back-again |title=Stylish is Back, Back again! |last=Arnott |first=James |work=Am I Being Pwned |date=February 26, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Google's own Chrome Web Store Limited Use policy states that ''"Collection and use of web browsing activity is prohibited, except to the extent required for a user-facing feature described prominently in the Product's Chrome Web Store page and in the Product's user interface."''<ref name="cws-limited">{{Cite web |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/webstore/program-policies/limited-use |title=Limited Use |work=Chrome for Developers |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> The cases below indicate that this policy is not consistently enforced.

== May 2026 amibeingpwned.com investigation ==

On May 11, 2026, James Arnott published ''The AI Chat Scraping Extension Wall of Shame'' on amibeingpwned.com, a project of Bay Area Labs Inc. Arnott's methodology combined static & dynamic analysis in the AIBP sandbox with manual packet capture; for each Confirmed entry, he watched the AI chat content leave the browser in network traffic in his own sandboxed browser & decoded the obfuscated payloads before classification.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott divided his findings into two categories: ''Confirmed'', meaning he observed chat content leaving the browser during testing, & ''Capability'', meaning the exfiltration code path & remote endpoint were present & wired up but did not fire in the observation window, which he attributed to server-side gating through remote configuration.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

Arnott explained the Capability category as follows:

<blockquote>''Remote config lets an extension fetch instructions from a server at runtime, changing behaviour after install without an update. It's also a convenient way to dodge sandbox detection, which is what we think we're looking at in the Capability entries below.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

The seven extensions Arnott named, with the install counts, owner attributions, status & obfuscation type he documented, are summarised below.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Extension !! Users !! Owner !! Status !! Obfuscation
|-
| Stylish || 2,000,000 || SimilarWeb || Confirmed || Extensive (five-stage chain)
|-
| Poper Blocker || 2,000,000 || Big Star Labs LP || Confirmed || Character mapping
|-
| SimilarWeb || 1,000,000 || SimilarWeb || Confirmed || None
|-
| StayFocusd || 700,000 || SensorTower || Capability || LZ-String
|-
| CrxMouse || 700,000 || Big Star Labs LP || Capability || Base64
|-
| WhatRuns || 400,000 || Owned it Ltd || Confirmed || None
|-
| StayFree || 200,000 || SensorTower || Capability || LZ-String
|}

Arnott separately listed the Urban VPN Proxy extension, with more than eight million users, as an ''"honourable mention"'' because it had been caught & had ceased AI-chat scraping after the December 2025 Koi Security disclosure, although it continued to exfiltrate URLs with LZ-String compression at the time of his post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott also published primary video evidence of two of the Confirmed entries on the amibeingpwned YouTube channel, demonstrating WhatRuns exfiltration<ref name="yt-whatruns">{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYwUmaVohQk |title=WhatRuns caught scraping AI chats |author=amibeingpwned |work=YouTube |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> & the StayFocusd infrastructure analysis.<ref name="yt-stayfocusd">{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOdGJEky1SU |title=StayFocusd, is this productivity tool acting like Spyware? |author=amibeingpwned |work=YouTube |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== How the exfiltration works ==
The Stylish extension wraps every URL the user visits in five layers of encoding before sending it to its servers, which makes it harder for a casual reviewer or an automated Chrome Web Store check to see what is being sent. The encoded request leaves the browser every time the user opens a new page, whether or not the user is doing anything with the extension at that moment.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Arnott reverse-engineered the Stylish payload & published the structure in a February 26, 2026 post. The JSON payload the extension builds in its background service worker contains, among other fields, ''gp'' (the current URL), ''klm'' (the previous URL) & ''pxe'' (a unique identifier for the user).<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> Arnott documented the obfuscation chain applied to that payload before it is posted:

<blockquote>''URL encoding to a query string ... Double base64 encoded JSON stringified, then base64 again ... Columnar transposition cipher, the base64 string is split into 48-character rows, then read column-by-column instead of row-by-row, scrambling the text ... AES-256-CBC encrypted using a symmetric key hardcoded in the extension source code ... Base64 encoded one final time.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Arnott observed that the AES-256-CBC step uses a symmetric key compiled into the extension's source code, which means anyone willing to read the extension's JavaScript can decrypt the traffic; he published a working JavaScript decoder using the recovered key.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> His commentary on the design choice was direct:

<blockquote>''I do like the use of a hardcoded encryption key as it makes my life so much easier, although I do wonder if they've heard of this revolutionary "asymmetric encryption" where they can avoid having this hardcoded key for encryption and decryption.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Other extensions in Arnott's list applied lighter obfuscation or none at all. Poper Blocker used a character-mapping scheme; CrxMouse used base64; StayFocusd & StayFree used the LZ-String library, which Arnott characterised as compression; WhatRuns & the SimilarWeb extension applied no obfuscation to the exfiltrated requests at all.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> WhatRuns, in Arnott's words, ''"exfiltrates every URL you visit, alongside AI chats. No exceptions here, they don't even bother to obfuscate the requests."''<ref name="aibp-wall" />

The Capability extensions are gated server-side, which is why a one-shot sandbox check does not see them firing. Arnott documented the Stylish-published Poper Blocker case in detail: the AI-chat scraping code path & endpoint were present, but the exfiltration only began after the sandbox's user identifier had aged for roughly a day. In his words: ''"We initially did not see AI chat scraping in our sandbox, but after leaving the user ID to age for a day, the scraping kicked in, confirming the server-side timer gated on user-ID age."''<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott documented StayFocusd's behaviour as the same pattern with a different trigger: the AI-chat scraping path was present behind a remote configuration flag that was off in initial testing & on by the time of his May 2026 post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> The category covers ChatGPT, Claude & Character.AI; Arnott names those three providers as the targets exfiltrated by Stylish.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

== Owning companies ==

=== SimilarWeb ===

SimilarWeb is the publisher of both the Stylish extension & an extension named after the company itself. Arnott documented both as Confirmed AI-chat exfiltrators, with the SimilarWeb-branded extension sending AI chats & full URLs even when the user is not interacting with it.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Stylish has carried SimilarWeb's name as publisher since the company acquired the extension in January 2017; Robert Heaton documented in July 2018 that the post-acquisition version recorded every URL Stylish's two million users visited & sent those URLs to SimilarWeb's servers with a unique identifier.<ref name="heaton">{{Cite web |url=https://robertheaton.com/2018/07/02/stylish-browser-extension-steals-your-internet-history/ |title='Stylish' browser extension steals all your internet history |last=Heaton |first=Robert |date=July 2, 2018 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Arnott separately observed a contradiction between the Stylish privacy policy, which he says explicitly states the company sells personal data, & the Chrome Web Store listing's larger-font claim on the home page that it does not.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> As of May 2026 the Stylish Chrome Web Store listing names ''"Similarweb LTD"'' as the publisher, reports two million users & shows the Featured badge.<ref name="cws-stylish">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/stylish-custom-themes-for/fjnbnpbmkenffdnngjfgmeleoegfcffe |title=Stylish - Custom themes for any website |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

=== Sensor Tower ===

Sensor Tower is the publisher of StayFocusd & StayFree, both classified by Arnott as Capability for AI-chat exfiltration & both observed exfiltrating most URLs the user visits, with a US-centric whitelist for adult sites, US health sites & regex filters for US social security numbers & ZIP codes that does not protect users in other countries.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> StayFocusd's Chrome Web Store listing as of May 2026 names ''"Sensor Tower"'' as publisher, reports 700,000 users, shows the Featured badge & describes ''"Gen AI Analytics: Track and analyze your usage of AI chat platforms directly from the StayFocusd"'' as a feature while separately stating ''"StayFocusd does not collect personal data from the web pages you visit."''<ref name="cws-stayfocusd">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/stayfocusd-website-blocker-focus-timer-shorts-blocker/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji |title=StayFocusd - Website Blocker & Focus Timer & Shorts Blocker |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

=== Big Star Labs LP ===

Big Star Labs LP is the publisher of Poper Blocker & CrxMouse. Arnott observed Poper Blocker exfiltrating URLs with character-mapping obfuscation & gated AI-chat scraping that activated after a 24-hour user-ID age, & observed CrxMouse exfiltrating URLs with base64 obfuscation & carrying the same remote-config infrastructure.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> A name match exists with a 2018 AdGuard investigation by Andrey Meshkov, which documented a Delaware-registered ''"Big Star Labs"'' entity whose Chrome extensions & mobile apps were collecting browsing histories from more than 11 million users; AdGuard noted that ''"Every document that contains the company name is an image (in other words, you cannot simply Google their name), they use different accounts in extension stores, and the domain owners aren't publicized."''<ref name="adguard">{{Cite web |url=https://adguard.com/en/blog/big-star-labs-spyware.html |title=Big Star Labs Spyware Campaign |last=Meshkov |first=Andrey |work=AdGuard Blog |date=July 24, 2018 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Whether the 2026 ''"Big Star Labs LP"'' is the same legal entity is not established in cited sources; only the name match is.

=== Owned it Ltd ===

Owned it Ltd is the publisher of WhatRuns, which Arnott documented as Confirmed for AI-chat exfiltration with no obfuscation applied to the outbound requests.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> The Chrome Web Store listing for WhatRuns as of May 2026 names ''"Ownedit Ltd"'' as the publisher, reports 400,000 users, shows the Featured badge & lists a developer address at 11 Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2LP, United Kingdom.<ref name="cws-whatruns">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/whatruns/cmkdbmfndkfgebldhnkbfhlneefdaaip |title=WhatRuns |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Historical precedent ==

Stylish was an open-source browser extension before SimilarWeb acquired it in January 2017. Robert Heaton's July 2, 2018 disclosure documented that the post-acquisition Stylish recorded every URL its users visited & sent that history to SimilarWeb together with a unique identifier; for users who had created a userstyles.org account, that identifier could be linked to a login cookie & through it to a real identity.<ref name="heaton" /> Heaton found the exfiltrated payloads in Burp Suite as ''"a large number of strange-looking requests going to api.userstyles.org"'' carrying base64-encoded blobs.<ref name="heaton" /> Heaton's post updated to note that ''"2 days after publication of this post, Stylish was removed from the Chrome and Firefox stores. 3 weeks later, a new version is back in the Firefox store."''<ref name="heaton" /> Arnott's February 2026 follow-up confirms that Stylish has returned to the Chrome Web Store carrying the Featured badge & is again exfiltrating the same categories of data.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> The community-maintained open-source fork of the original Stylish codebase, named '''Stylus''', has roughly 900,000 users, does not phone home & caches styles on the user's local machine; Arnott recommends it as the direct replacement.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

== Related contemporaneous cases ==

=== Urban VPN Proxy ===

In December 2025, Koi Security disclosed that Urban VPN Proxy, a Chrome & Edge extension with more than seven million users, had been logging users' conversations with eight AI assistants since a July 9, 2025 version 5.5.0 update; the platforms intercepted were ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Grok (xAI) & Meta AI.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> Malwarebytes Labs corroborated the finding & noted that the extension sat in the Chrome Web Store with a 4.7-star rating & Google's Featured badge.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> The captured conversations were forwarded to Urban Cybersecurity's parent company, BiScience (B.I Science (2009) Ltd), which Malwarebytes characterised as a data broker collecting browsing history & device identifiers from millions of users.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> Malwarebytes reported that as of the date of its post, ''"Urban Proxy VPN and Urban Cybersecurity's other apps appeared to have been removed from the Chrome Web Store."''<ref name="malwarebytes" />

=== AITOPIA-impersonating extensions ===

On December 30, 2025, OX Security researcher Moshe Siman Tov Bustan disclosed two extensions impersonating the legitimate AITOPIA extension with a combined 900,000 users. The two extensions, ''Chat GPT for Chrome with GPT-5, Claude Sonnet & DeepSeek AI'' & ''AI Sidebar with Deepseek, ChatGPT, Claude and more'', were ''"found exfiltrating user conversations and all Chrome tab URLs to a remote C2 server every 30 minutes."''<ref name="ox">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ox.security/blog/malicious-chrome-extensions-steal-chatgpt-conversations/ |title=Malicious Chrome Extensions Steal ChatGPT Conversations |last=Siman Tov Bustan |first=Moshe |work=OX Security |date=December 30, 2025 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> One of the two, the ChatGPT-named extension with more than 600,000 users, carried Google's Featured badge at the time of the disclosure.<ref name="ox" /> Ravie Lakshmanan of The Hacker News reported on January 6, 2026 that the extensions were still available for download as of writing but that the ChatGPT-named one ''"has since been stripped of its 'Featured' badge."''<ref name="hackernews" /> The Hacker News also reported that John Tuckner of Secure Annex had coined the term ''"Prompt Poaching"'' for the broader pattern of using browser extensions to capture AI conversations covertly, & had separately identified the SimilarWeb extension & SensorTower's StayFocusd as legitimate analytics-company extensions engaged in the same conduct.<ref name="hackernews" /> By January 7, 2026, SecurityWeek reported that both AITOPIA-impersonating extensions were no longer available in the Chrome Web Store.<ref name="securityweek">{{Cite web |url=https://www.securityweek.com/chrome-extensions-with-900000-downloads-caught-stealing-ai-chats/ |title=Chrome Extensions With 900,000 Downloads Caught Stealing AI Chats |last=Arghire |first=Ionut |work=SecurityWeek |date=January 7, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Chrome Web Store response & policy gap ==

Google introduced the Chrome Web Store Featured badge in April 2022, telling users that the badge marks extensions that ''"follow our technical best practices and meet a high standard of user experience and design"'' & that ''"Chrome team members manually evaluate each extension before it receives the badge."''<ref name="google-badge">{{Cite web |url=https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/chrome/find-great-extensions-new-chrome-web-store-badges/ |title=Find great extensions with new Chrome Web Store badges |work=The Keyword (Google) |date=April 20, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Every extension in Arnott's May 2026 list carried Featured, Verified or both at the time of his post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott's published conclusion was that badges in practice correlate with public attention rather than with audited compliance. In the section ''The Chrome Web Store badge problem'' he wrote:

<blockquote>''In our experience, Chrome only takes away badges when there's a public outcry. Which is why investigations like this matter.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

In the ''What can users do?'' section, he added:

<blockquote>''Don't treat "Featured" or "Verified" as a safety signal. Every extension on this list has at least one.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

Arnott also documented a direct contradiction between the privacy disclosures of the Stylish extension & its Chrome Web Store listing. The Stylish privacy policy, per his reading, explicitly states the publisher sells personal data; the Chrome Web Store listing's larger-font homepage text states that the publisher does not sell personal data; & the Chrome Web Store's approved-use-cases policy itself prohibits the sale of user data.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

== Consumer impact & mitigation ==

The data leaving the browser in these cases falls into three categories: the text of the user's AI chatbot conversations (the prompts the user typed & the chatbot's replies), the full URL of every page the user visits including search queries & any tokens embedded in URLs, & a persistent unique identifier that lets the receiving company link those records across sessions.<ref name="aibp-wall" /><ref name="aibp-stylish" /> Heaton's 2018 analysis of the same data category at SimilarWeb gave the worked examples that still apply: single-use password-reset links, time-limited authentication tokens for medical records & Google search-result URLs are all captured because they live inside the URL the extension sees.<ref name="heaton" /> Arnott extends the harm analysis to AI chat content, with the worked example of a user typing search terms about something covered by a non-disclosure agreement or a corporate spearphishing target list being built from a captured record of which web-based software a target uses.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

For non-technical users, the practical mitigations documented in the cited sources are: audit installed extensions & remove anything not actively used, since the permissions persist after install; do not treat the Chrome Web Store ''"Featured"'' or ''"Verified"'' badges as safety signals;<ref name="aibp-wall" /> & for users of Stylish specifically, switch to the open-source fork Stylus, which caches styles locally on the user's machine & does not phone home.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> For organisations, Tuckner's summary in The Hacker News is the operational frame: ''"It is clear prompt poaching has arrived to capture your most sensitive conversations and browser extensions are the exploit vector."''<ref name="hackernews" />

== See also ==

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Topics]]
[[Category:Browser extensions]]
[[Category:Data brokers]]
[[Category:Privacy]]
[[Category:Chrome Web Store]]

Browser extension AI chat exfiltration

2026-05-29T12:27:55Z

Keith:

'''Browser extension AI chat exfiltration''' is the practice of browser extensions, primarily distributed through the [[Chrome]] Web Store, reading the content of users' conversations with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, Character.AI & DeepSeek along with the user's full URL history & shipping that data to remote servers controlled by the extension's publisher or its parent data-broker company. A May 11, 2026 investigation by security researcher James Arnott of amibeingpwned.com identified seven Chrome extensions with a combined install base of more than seven million users that were either actively exfiltrating AI chat content or carried the server-controlled infrastructure to begin doing so on command; most of the seven carried Google's Featured or Verified badges at the time of disclosure.<ref name="aibp-wall">{{Cite web |url=https://amibeingpwned.com/blog/ai-chat-scraper-wall-of-shame |title=The AI Chat Scraping Extension Wall of Shame |last=Arnott |first=James |work=Am I Being Pwned |date=May 11, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> The pattern follows a December 2025 disclosure by Koi Security that the Urban VPN Proxy extension, with more than seven million users across Chrome & Edge, had been logging conversations with eight separate AI assistants since a July 9, 2025 update,<ref name="malwarebytes">{{Cite web |url=https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/chrome-extension-slurps-up-ai-chats-after-users-installed-it-for-privacy |title=Chrome extension slurps up AI chats after users installed it for privacy |work=Malwarebytes Labs |date=December 18, 2025 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> & a January 2026 OX Security disclosure of two ChatGPT-impersonating extensions with a combined 900,000 users that posted users' chats to attacker-controlled servers every 30 minutes.<ref name="hackernews">{{Cite web |url=https://thehackernews.com/2026/01/two-chrome-extensions-caught-stealing.html |title=Two Chrome Extensions Caught Stealing ChatGPT and DeepSeek Chats from 900,000 Users |last=Lakshmanan |first=Ravie |work=The Hacker News |date=January 6, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Background ==

A browser extension is a small program a user installs into Chrome, Edge or Firefox to add a feature such as blocking pop-ups, changing how a site looks, or telling the user what software a website is built on. Once installed, an extension runs alongside every page the user opens. If the extension was given the read-your-browsing-history permission or the broader permission to read & modify any web page, it can see every URL the user visits & it can read the text of any page the browser displays, including a user's typed prompts to an AI chatbot & the chatbot's replies.

Technically, the read-the-page capability is delivered through a content script: a piece of extension code injected into the page's document model that reads the rendered HTML directly. Because the content script runs inside the browser after the TLS connection to ChatGPT or Claude has already been decrypted, the encryption between the user & the AI provider does not protect the chat from the extension. A separate background service worker in the extension can take what the content script reads & post it to a remote server the publisher controls.<ref name="aibp-stylish">{{Cite web |url=https://amibeingpwned.com/blog/stylish-is-back-back-again |title=Stylish is Back, Back again! |last=Arnott |first=James |work=Am I Being Pwned |date=February 26, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Google's own Chrome Web Store Limited Use policy states that ''"Collection and use of web browsing activity is prohibited, except to the extent required for a user-facing feature described prominently in the Product's Chrome Web Store page and in the Product's user interface."''<ref name="cws-limited">{{Cite web |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/webstore/program-policies/limited-use |title=Limited Use |work=Chrome for Developers |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> The cases below indicate that this policy is not consistently enforced.

== The May 2026 amibeingpwned.com investigation ==

On May 11, 2026, James Arnott published ''The AI Chat Scraping Extension Wall of Shame'' on amibeingpwned.com, a project of Bay Area Labs Inc. Arnott's methodology combined static & dynamic analysis in the AIBP sandbox with manual packet capture; for each Confirmed entry, he watched the AI chat content leave the browser in network traffic in his own sandboxed browser & decoded the obfuscated payloads before classification.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott divided his findings into two categories: ''Confirmed'', meaning he observed chat content leaving the browser during testing, & ''Capability'', meaning the exfiltration code path & remote endpoint were present & wired up but did not fire in the observation window, which he attributed to server-side gating through remote configuration.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

Arnott explained the Capability category as follows:

<blockquote>''Remote config lets an extension fetch instructions from a server at runtime, changing behaviour after install without an update. It's also a convenient way to dodge sandbox detection, which is what we think we're looking at in the Capability entries below.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

The seven extensions Arnott named, with the install counts, owner attributions, status & obfuscation type he documented, are summarised below.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Extension !! Users !! Owner !! Status !! Obfuscation
|-
| Stylish || 2,000,000 || SimilarWeb || Confirmed || Extensive (five-stage chain)
|-
| Poper Blocker || 2,000,000 || Big Star Labs LP || Confirmed || Character mapping
|-
| SimilarWeb || 1,000,000 || SimilarWeb || Confirmed || None
|-
| StayFocusd || 700,000 || SensorTower || Capability || LZ-String
|-
| CrxMouse || 700,000 || Big Star Labs LP || Capability || Base64
|-
| WhatRuns || 400,000 || Owned it Ltd || Confirmed || None
|-
| StayFree || 200,000 || SensorTower || Capability || LZ-String
|}

Arnott separately listed the Urban VPN Proxy extension, with more than eight million users, as an ''"honourable mention"'' because it had been caught & had ceased AI-chat scraping after the December 2025 Koi Security disclosure, although it continued to exfiltrate URLs with LZ-String compression at the time of his post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott also published primary video evidence of two of the Confirmed entries on the amibeingpwned YouTube channel, demonstrating WhatRuns exfiltration<ref name="yt-whatruns">{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYwUmaVohQk |title=WhatRuns caught scraping AI chats |author=amibeingpwned |work=YouTube |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> & the StayFocusd infrastructure analysis.<ref name="yt-stayfocusd">{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOdGJEky1SU |title=StayFocusd, is this productivity tool acting like Spyware? |author=amibeingpwned |work=YouTube |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== How the exfiltration works ==

For a non-technical reader: the Stylish extension wraps every URL the user visits in five layers of encoding before sending it to its servers, which makes it harder for a casual reviewer or an automated Chrome Web Store check to see what is being sent. The encoded request leaves the browser every time the user opens a new page, whether or not the user is doing anything with the extension at that moment.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Arnott reverse-engineered the Stylish payload & published the structure in a February 26, 2026 post. The JSON payload the extension builds in its background service worker contains, among other fields, ''gp'' (the current URL), ''klm'' (the previous URL) & ''pxe'' (a unique identifier for the user).<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> Arnott documented the obfuscation chain applied to that payload before it is posted:

<blockquote>''URL encoding to a query string ... Double base64 encoded JSON stringified, then base64 again ... Columnar transposition cipher, the base64 string is split into 48-character rows, then read column-by-column instead of row-by-row, scrambling the text ... AES-256-CBC encrypted using a symmetric key hardcoded in the extension source code ... Base64 encoded one final time.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Arnott observed that the AES-256-CBC step uses a symmetric key compiled into the extension's source code, which means anyone willing to read the extension's JavaScript can decrypt the traffic; he published a working JavaScript decoder using the recovered key.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> His commentary on the design choice was direct:

<blockquote>''I do like the use of a hardcoded encryption key as it makes my life so much easier, although I do wonder if they've heard of this revolutionary "asymmetric encryption" where they can avoid having this hardcoded key for encryption and decryption.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Other extensions in Arnott's list applied lighter obfuscation or none at all. Poper Blocker used a character-mapping scheme; CrxMouse used base64; StayFocusd & StayFree used the LZ-String library, which Arnott characterised as compression; WhatRuns & the SimilarWeb extension applied no obfuscation to the exfiltrated requests at all.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> WhatRuns, in Arnott's words, ''"exfiltrates every URL you visit, alongside AI chats. No exceptions here, they don't even bother to obfuscate the requests."''<ref name="aibp-wall" />

The Capability extensions are gated server-side, which is why a one-shot sandbox check does not see them firing. Arnott documented the Stylish-published Poper Blocker case in detail: the AI-chat scraping code path & endpoint were present, but the exfiltration only began after the sandbox's user identifier had aged for roughly a day. In his words: ''"We initially did not see AI chat scraping in our sandbox, but after leaving the user ID to age for a day, the scraping kicked in, confirming the server-side timer gated on user-ID age."''<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott documented StayFocusd's behaviour as the same pattern with a different trigger: the AI-chat scraping path was present behind a remote configuration flag that was off in initial testing & on by the time of his May 2026 post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> The category covers ChatGPT, Claude & Character.AI; Arnott names those three providers as the targets exfiltrated by Stylish.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

== Owning companies ==

=== SimilarWeb ===

SimilarWeb is the publisher of both the Stylish extension & an extension named after the company itself. Arnott documented both as Confirmed AI-chat exfiltrators, with the SimilarWeb-branded extension sending AI chats & full URLs even when the user is not interacting with it.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Stylish has carried SimilarWeb's name as publisher since the company acquired the extension in January 2017; Robert Heaton documented in July 2018 that the post-acquisition version recorded every URL Stylish's two million users visited & sent those URLs to SimilarWeb's servers with a unique identifier.<ref name="heaton">{{Cite web |url=https://robertheaton.com/2018/07/02/stylish-browser-extension-steals-your-internet-history/ |title='Stylish' browser extension steals all your internet history |last=Heaton |first=Robert |date=July 2, 2018 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Arnott separately observed a contradiction between the Stylish privacy policy, which he says explicitly states the company sells personal data, & the Chrome Web Store listing's larger-font claim on the home page that it does not.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> As of May 2026 the Stylish Chrome Web Store listing names ''"Similarweb LTD"'' as the publisher, reports two million users & shows the Featured badge.<ref name="cws-stylish">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/stylish-custom-themes-for/fjnbnpbmkenffdnngjfgmeleoegfcffe |title=Stylish - Custom themes for any website |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

=== Sensor Tower ===

Sensor Tower is the publisher of StayFocusd & StayFree, both classified by Arnott as Capability for AI-chat exfiltration & both observed exfiltrating most URLs the user visits, with a US-centric whitelist for adult sites, US health sites & regex filters for US social security numbers & ZIP codes that does not protect users in other countries.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> StayFocusd's Chrome Web Store listing as of May 2026 names ''"Sensor Tower"'' as publisher, reports 700,000 users, shows the Featured badge & describes ''"Gen AI Analytics: Track and analyze your usage of AI chat platforms directly from the StayFocusd"'' as a feature while separately stating ''"StayFocusd does not collect personal data from the web pages you visit."''<ref name="cws-stayfocusd">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/stayfocusd-website-blocker-focus-timer-shorts-blocker/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji |title=StayFocusd - Website Blocker & Focus Timer & Shorts Blocker |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

=== Big Star Labs LP ===

Big Star Labs LP is the publisher of Poper Blocker & CrxMouse. Arnott observed Poper Blocker exfiltrating URLs with character-mapping obfuscation & gated AI-chat scraping that activated after a 24-hour user-ID age, & observed CrxMouse exfiltrating URLs with base64 obfuscation & carrying the same remote-config infrastructure.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> A name match exists with a 2018 AdGuard investigation by Andrey Meshkov, which documented a Delaware-registered ''"Big Star Labs"'' entity whose Chrome extensions & mobile apps were collecting browsing histories from more than 11 million users; AdGuard noted that ''"Every document that contains the company name is an image (in other words, you cannot simply Google their name), they use different accounts in extension stores, and the domain owners aren't publicized."''<ref name="adguard">{{Cite web |url=https://adguard.com/en/blog/big-star-labs-spyware.html |title=Big Star Labs Spyware Campaign |last=Meshkov |first=Andrey |work=AdGuard Blog |date=July 24, 2018 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Whether the 2026 ''"Big Star Labs LP"'' is the same legal entity is not established in cited sources; only the name match is.

=== Owned it Ltd ===

Owned it Ltd is the publisher of WhatRuns, which Arnott documented as Confirmed for AI-chat exfiltration with no obfuscation applied to the outbound requests.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> The Chrome Web Store listing for WhatRuns as of May 2026 names ''"Ownedit Ltd"'' as the publisher, reports 400,000 users, shows the Featured badge & lists a developer address at 11 Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2LP, United Kingdom.<ref name="cws-whatruns">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/whatruns/cmkdbmfndkfgebldhnkbfhlneefdaaip |title=WhatRuns |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Historical precedent ==

Stylish was an open-source browser extension before SimilarWeb acquired it in January 2017. Robert Heaton's July 2, 2018 disclosure documented that the post-acquisition Stylish recorded every URL its users visited & sent that history to SimilarWeb together with a unique identifier; for users who had created a userstyles.org account, that identifier could be linked to a login cookie & through it to a real identity.<ref name="heaton" /> Heaton found the exfiltrated payloads in Burp Suite as ''"a large number of strange-looking requests going to api.userstyles.org"'' carrying base64-encoded blobs.<ref name="heaton" /> Heaton's post updated to note that ''"2 days after publication of this post, Stylish was removed from the Chrome and Firefox stores. 3 weeks later, a new version is back in the Firefox store."''<ref name="heaton" /> Arnott's February 2026 follow-up confirms that Stylish has returned to the Chrome Web Store carrying the Featured badge & is again exfiltrating the same categories of data.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> The community-maintained open-source fork of the original Stylish codebase, named '''Stylus''', has roughly 900,000 users, does not phone home & caches styles on the user's local machine; Arnott recommends it as the direct replacement.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

== Related contemporaneous cases ==

=== Urban VPN Proxy ===

In December 2025, Koi Security disclosed that Urban VPN Proxy, a Chrome & Edge extension with more than seven million users, had been logging users' conversations with eight AI assistants since a July 9, 2025 version 5.5.0 update; the platforms intercepted were ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Grok (xAI) & Meta AI.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> Malwarebytes Labs corroborated the finding & noted that the extension sat in the Chrome Web Store with a 4.7-star rating & Google's Featured badge.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> The captured conversations were forwarded to Urban Cybersecurity's parent company, BiScience (B.I Science (2009) Ltd), which Malwarebytes characterised as a data broker collecting browsing history & device identifiers from millions of users.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> Malwarebytes reported that as of the date of its post, ''"Urban Proxy VPN and Urban Cybersecurity's other apps appeared to have been removed from the Chrome Web Store."''<ref name="malwarebytes" />

=== AITOPIA-impersonating extensions ===

On December 30, 2025, OX Security researcher Moshe Siman Tov Bustan disclosed two extensions impersonating the legitimate AITOPIA extension with a combined 900,000 users. The two extensions, ''Chat GPT for Chrome with GPT-5, Claude Sonnet & DeepSeek AI'' & ''AI Sidebar with Deepseek, ChatGPT, Claude and more'', were ''"found exfiltrating user conversations and all Chrome tab URLs to a remote C2 server every 30 minutes."''<ref name="ox">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ox.security/blog/malicious-chrome-extensions-steal-chatgpt-conversations/ |title=Malicious Chrome Extensions Steal ChatGPT Conversations |last=Siman Tov Bustan |first=Moshe |work=OX Security |date=December 30, 2025 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> One of the two, the ChatGPT-named extension with more than 600,000 users, carried Google's Featured badge at the time of the disclosure.<ref name="ox" /> Ravie Lakshmanan of The Hacker News reported on January 6, 2026 that the extensions were still available for download as of writing but that the ChatGPT-named one ''"has since been stripped of its 'Featured' badge."''<ref name="hackernews" /> The Hacker News also reported that John Tuckner of Secure Annex had coined the term ''"Prompt Poaching"'' for the broader pattern of using browser extensions to capture AI conversations covertly, & had separately identified the SimilarWeb extension & SensorTower's StayFocusd as legitimate analytics-company extensions engaged in the same conduct.<ref name="hackernews" /> By January 7, 2026, SecurityWeek reported that both AITOPIA-impersonating extensions were no longer available in the Chrome Web Store.<ref name="securityweek">{{Cite web |url=https://www.securityweek.com/chrome-extensions-with-900000-downloads-caught-stealing-ai-chats/ |title=Chrome Extensions With 900,000 Downloads Caught Stealing AI Chats |last=Arghire |first=Ionut |work=SecurityWeek |date=January 7, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Chrome Web Store response & policy gap ==

Google introduced the Chrome Web Store Featured badge in April 2022, telling users that the badge marks extensions that ''"follow our technical best practices and meet a high standard of user experience and design"'' & that ''"Chrome team members manually evaluate each extension before it receives the badge."''<ref name="google-badge">{{Cite web |url=https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/chrome/find-great-extensions-new-chrome-web-store-badges/ |title=Find great extensions with new Chrome Web Store badges |work=The Keyword (Google) |date=April 20, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Every extension in Arnott's May 2026 list carried Featured, Verified or both at the time of his post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott's published conclusion was that badges in practice correlate with public attention rather than with audited compliance. In the section ''The Chrome Web Store badge problem'' he wrote:

<blockquote>''In our experience, Chrome only takes away badges when there's a public outcry. Which is why investigations like this matter.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

In the ''What can users do?'' section, he added:

<blockquote>''Don't treat "Featured" or "Verified" as a safety signal. Every extension on this list has at least one.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

Arnott also documented a direct contradiction between the privacy disclosures of the Stylish extension & its Chrome Web Store listing. The Stylish privacy policy, per his reading, explicitly states the publisher sells personal data; the Chrome Web Store listing's larger-font homepage text states that the publisher does not sell personal data; & the Chrome Web Store's approved-use-cases policy itself prohibits the sale of user data.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

== Consumer impact & mitigation ==

The data leaving the browser in these cases falls into three categories: the text of the user's AI chatbot conversations (the prompts the user typed & the chatbot's replies), the full URL of every page the user visits including search queries & any tokens embedded in URLs, & a persistent unique identifier that lets the receiving company link those records across sessions.<ref name="aibp-wall" /><ref name="aibp-stylish" /> Heaton's 2018 analysis of the same data category at SimilarWeb gave the worked examples that still apply: single-use password-reset links, time-limited authentication tokens for medical records & Google search-result URLs are all captured because they live inside the URL the extension sees.<ref name="heaton" /> Arnott extends the harm analysis to AI chat content, with the worked example of a user typing search terms about something covered by a non-disclosure agreement or a corporate spearphishing target list being built from a captured record of which web-based software a target uses.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

For non-technical users, the practical mitigations documented in the cited sources are: audit installed extensions & remove anything not actively used, since the permissions persist after install; do not treat the Chrome Web Store ''"Featured"'' or ''"Verified"'' badges as safety signals;<ref name="aibp-wall" /> & for users of Stylish specifically, switch to the open-source fork Stylus, which caches styles locally on the user's machine & does not phone home.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> For organisations, Tuckner's summary in The Hacker News is the operational frame: ''"It is clear prompt poaching has arrived to capture your most sensitive conversations and browser extensions are the exploit vector."''<ref name="hackernews" />

== See also ==

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Topics]]
[[Category:Browser extensions]]
[[Category:Data brokers]]
[[Category:Privacy]]
[[Category:Chrome Web Store]]

Browser extension AI chat exfiltration

2026-05-29T12:27:13Z

Keith:

'''Browser extension AI chat exfiltration''' is the practice of browser extensions, primarily distributed through the [[Chrome]] Web Store, reading the content of users' conversations with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, Character.AI & DeepSeek along with the user's full URL history & shipping that data to remote servers controlled by the extension's publisher or its parent data-broker company. A May 11, 2026 investigation by security researcher James Arnott of amibeingpwned.com identified seven Chrome extensions with a combined install base of more than seven million users that were either actively exfiltrating AI chat content or carried the server-controlled infrastructure to begin doing so on command; most of the seven carried Google's Featured or Verified badges at the time of disclosure.<ref name="aibp-wall">{{Cite web |url=https://amibeingpwned.com/blog/ai-chat-scraper-wall-of-shame |title=The AI Chat Scraping Extension Wall of Shame |last=Arnott |first=James |work=Am I Being Pwned |date=May 11, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> The pattern follows a December 2025 disclosure by Koi Security that the Urban VPN Proxy extension, with more than seven million users across Chrome & Edge, had been logging conversations with eight separate AI assistants since a July 9, 2025 update,<ref name="malwarebytes">{{Cite web |url=https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/12/chrome-extension-slurps-up-ai-chats-after-users-installed-it-for-privacy |title=Chrome extension slurps up AI chats after users installed it for privacy |work=Malwarebytes Labs |date=December 18, 2025 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> & a January 2026 OX Security disclosure of two ChatGPT-impersonating extensions with a combined 900,000 users that posted users' chats to attacker-controlled servers every 30 minutes.<ref name="hackernews">{{Cite web |url=https://thehackernews.com/2026/01/two-chrome-extensions-caught-stealing.html |title=Two Chrome Extensions Caught Stealing ChatGPT and DeepSeek Chats from 900,000 Users |last=Lakshmanan |first=Ravie |work=The Hacker News |date=January 6, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Background ==

A browser extension is a small program a user installs into Chrome, Edge or Firefox to add a feature such as blocking pop-ups, changing how a site looks, or telling the user what software a website is built on. Once installed, an extension runs alongside every page the user opens. If the extension was given the read-your-browsing-history permission or the broader permission to read & modify any web page, it can see every URL the user visits & it can read the text of any page the browser displays, including a user's typed prompts to an AI chatbot & the chatbot's replies.

Technically, the read-the-page capability is delivered through a content script: a piece of extension code injected into the page's document model that reads the rendered HTML directly. Because the content script runs inside the browser after the TLS connection to ChatGPT or Claude has already been decrypted, the encryption between the user & the AI provider does not protect the chat from the extension. A separate background service worker in the extension can take what the content script reads & post it to a remote server the publisher controls.<ref name="aibp-stylish">{{Cite web |url=https://amibeingpwned.com/blog/stylish-is-back-back-again |title=Stylish is Back, Back again! |last=Arnott |first=James |work=Am I Being Pwned |date=February 26, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Google's own Chrome Web Store Limited Use policy states that ''"Collection and use of web browsing activity is prohibited, except to the extent required for a user-facing feature described prominently in the Product's Chrome Web Store page and in the Product's user interface."''<ref name="cws-limited">{{Cite web |url=https://developer.chrome.com/docs/webstore/program-policies/limited-use |title=Limited Use |work=Chrome for Developers |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> The cases below indicate that this policy is not consistently enforced.

== The May 2026 amibeingpwned.com investigation ==

On May 11, 2026, James Arnott published ''The AI Chat Scraping Extension Wall of Shame'' on amibeingpwned.com, a project of Bay Area Labs Inc. Arnott's methodology combined static & dynamic analysis in the AIBP sandbox with manual packet capture; for each Confirmed entry, he watched the AI chat content leave the browser in network traffic in his own sandboxed browser & decoded the obfuscated payloads before classification.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott divided his findings into two categories: ''Confirmed'', meaning he observed chat content leaving the browser during testing, & ''Capability'', meaning the exfiltration code path & remote endpoint were present & wired up but did not fire in the observation window, which he attributed to server-side gating through remote configuration.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

Arnott explained the Capability category as follows:

<blockquote>''Remote config lets an extension fetch instructions from a server at runtime, changing behaviour after install without an update. It's also a convenient way to dodge sandbox detection, which is what we think we're looking at in the Capability entries below.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

The seven extensions Arnott named, with the install counts, owner attributions, status & obfuscation type he documented, are summarised below.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Extension !! Users !! Owner !! Status !! Obfuscation
|-
| Stylish || 2,000,000 || SimilarWeb || Confirmed || Extensive (five-stage chain)
|-
| Poper Blocker || 2,000,000 || Big Star Labs LP || Confirmed || Character mapping
|-
| SimilarWeb || 1,000,000 || SimilarWeb || Confirmed || None
|-
| StayFocusd || 700,000 || SensorTower || Capability || LZ-String
|-
| CrxMouse || 700,000 || Big Star Labs LP || Capability || Base64
|-
| WhatRuns || 400,000 || Owned it Ltd || Confirmed || None
|-
| StayFree || 200,000 || SensorTower || Capability || LZ-String
|}

Arnott separately listed the Urban VPN Proxy extension, with more than eight million users, as an ''"honourable mention"'' because it had been caught & had ceased AI-chat scraping after the December 2025 Koi Security disclosure, although it continued to exfiltrate URLs with LZ-String compression at the time of his post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott also published primary video evidence of two of the Confirmed entries on the amibeingpwned YouTube channel, demonstrating WhatRuns exfiltration<ref name="yt-whatruns">{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYwUmaVohQk |title=WhatRuns caught scraping AI chats |author=amibeingpwned |work=YouTube |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> & the StayFocusd infrastructure analysis.<ref name="yt-stayfocusd">{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOdGJEky1SU |title=StayFocusd, is this productivity tool acting like Spyware? |author=amibeingpwned |work=YouTube |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== How the exfiltration works ==

For a non-technical reader: the Stylish extension wraps every URL the user visits in five layers of encoding before sending it to its servers, which makes it harder for a casual reviewer or an automated Chrome Web Store check to see what is being sent. The encoded request leaves the browser every time the user opens a new page, whether or not the user is doing anything with the extension at that moment.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Arnott reverse-engineered the Stylish payload & published the structure in a February 26, 2026 post. The JSON payload the extension builds in its background service worker contains, among other fields, ''gp'' (the current URL), ''klm'' (the previous URL) & ''pxe'' (a unique identifier for the user).<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> Arnott documented the obfuscation chain applied to that payload before it is posted:

<blockquote>''URL encoding to a query string ... Double base64 encoded JSON stringified, then base64 again ... Columnar transposition cipher, the base64 string is split into 48-character rows, then read column-by-column instead of row-by-row, scrambling the text ... AES-256-CBC encrypted using a symmetric key hardcoded in the extension source code ... Base64 encoded one final time.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Arnott observed that the AES-256-CBC step uses a symmetric key compiled into the extension's source code, which means anyone willing to read the extension's JavaScript can decrypt the traffic; he published a working JavaScript decoder using the recovered key.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> His commentary on the design choice was direct:

<blockquote>''I do like the use of a hardcoded encryption key as it makes my life so much easier, although I do wonder if they've heard of this revolutionary "asymmetric encryption" where they can avoid having this hardcoded key for encryption and decryption.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-stylish" />

Other extensions in Arnott's list applied lighter obfuscation or none at all. Poper Blocker used a character-mapping scheme; CrxMouse used base64; StayFocusd & StayFree used the LZ-String library, which Arnott characterised as compression; WhatRuns & the SimilarWeb extension applied no obfuscation to the exfiltrated requests at all.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> WhatRuns, in Arnott's words, ''"exfiltrates every URL you visit, alongside AI chats. No exceptions here, they don't even bother to obfuscate the requests."''<ref name="aibp-wall" />

The Capability extensions are gated server-side, which is why a one-shot sandbox check does not see them firing. Arnott documented the Stylish-published Poper Blocker case in detail: the AI-chat scraping code path & endpoint were present, but the exfiltration only began after the sandbox's user identifier had aged for roughly a day. In his words: ''"We initially did not see AI chat scraping in our sandbox, but after leaving the user ID to age for a day, the scraping kicked in, confirming the server-side timer gated on user-ID age."''<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott documented StayFocusd's behaviour as the same pattern with a different trigger: the AI-chat scraping path was present behind a remote configuration flag that was off in initial testing & on by the time of his May 2026 post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> The category covers ChatGPT, Claude & Character.AI; Arnott names those three providers as the targets exfiltrated by Stylish.<ref name="aibp-wall" />

== Owning companies ==

=== SimilarWeb ===

SimilarWeb is the publisher of both the Stylish extension & an extension named after the company itself. Arnott documented both as Confirmed AI-chat exfiltrators, with the SimilarWeb-branded extension sending AI chats & full URLs even when the user is not interacting with it.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Stylish has carried SimilarWeb's name as publisher since the company acquired the extension in January 2017; Robert Heaton documented in July 2018 that the post-acquisition version recorded every URL Stylish's two million users visited & sent those URLs to SimilarWeb's servers with a unique identifier.<ref name="heaton">{{Cite web |url=https://robertheaton.com/2018/07/02/stylish-browser-extension-steals-your-internet-history/ |title='Stylish' browser extension steals all your internet history |last=Heaton |first=Robert |date=July 2, 2018 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Arnott separately observed a contradiction between the Stylish privacy policy, which he says explicitly states the company sells personal data, & the Chrome Web Store listing's larger-font claim on the home page that it does not.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> As of May 2026 the Stylish Chrome Web Store listing names ''"Similarweb LTD"'' as the publisher, reports two million users & shows the Featured badge.<ref name="cws-stylish">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/stylish-custom-themes-for/fjnbnpbmkenffdnngjfgmeleoegfcffe |title=Stylish - Custom themes for any website |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

=== Sensor Tower ===

Sensor Tower is the publisher of StayFocusd & StayFree, both classified by Arnott as Capability for AI-chat exfiltration & both observed exfiltrating most URLs the user visits, with a US-centric whitelist for adult sites, US health sites & regex filters for US social security numbers & ZIP codes that does not protect users in other countries.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> StayFocusd's Chrome Web Store listing as of May 2026 names ''"Sensor Tower"'' as publisher, reports 700,000 users, shows the Featured badge & describes ''"Gen AI Analytics: Track and analyze your usage of AI chat platforms directly from the StayFocusd"'' as a feature while separately stating ''"StayFocusd does not collect personal data from the web pages you visit."''<ref name="cws-stayfocusd">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/stayfocusd-website-blocker-focus-timer-shorts-blocker/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji |title=StayFocusd - Website Blocker & Focus Timer & Shorts Blocker |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

=== Big Star Labs LP ===

Big Star Labs LP is the publisher of Poper Blocker & CrxMouse. Arnott observed Poper Blocker exfiltrating URLs with character-mapping obfuscation & gated AI-chat scraping that activated after a 24-hour user-ID age, & observed CrxMouse exfiltrating URLs with base64 obfuscation & carrying the same remote-config infrastructure.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> A name match exists with a 2018 AdGuard investigation by Andrey Meshkov, which documented a Delaware-registered ''"Big Star Labs"'' entity whose Chrome extensions & mobile apps were collecting browsing histories from more than 11 million users; AdGuard noted that ''"Every document that contains the company name is an image (in other words, you cannot simply Google their name), they use different accounts in extension stores, and the domain owners aren't publicized."''<ref name="adguard">{{Cite web |url=https://adguard.com/en/blog/big-star-labs-spyware.html |title=Big Star Labs Spyware Campaign |last=Meshkov |first=Andrey |work=AdGuard Blog |date=July 24, 2018 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Whether the 2026 ''"Big Star Labs LP"'' is the same legal entity is not established in cited sources; only the name match is.

=== Owned it Ltd ===

Owned it Ltd is the publisher of WhatRuns, which Arnott documented as Confirmed for AI-chat exfiltration with no obfuscation applied to the outbound requests.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> The Chrome Web Store listing for WhatRuns as of May 2026 names ''"Ownedit Ltd"'' as the publisher, reports 400,000 users, shows the Featured badge & lists a developer address at 11 Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2LP, United Kingdom.<ref name="cws-whatruns">{{Cite web |url=https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/whatruns/cmkdbmfndkfgebldhnkbfhlneefdaaip |title=WhatRuns |work=Chrome Web Store |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Historical precedent ==

Stylish was an open-source browser extension before SimilarWeb acquired it in January 2017. Robert Heaton's July 2, 2018 disclosure documented that the post-acquisition Stylish recorded every URL its users visited & sent that history to SimilarWeb together with a unique identifier; for users who had created a userstyles.org account, that identifier could be linked to a login cookie & through it to a real identity.<ref name="heaton" /> Heaton found the exfiltrated payloads in Burp Suite as ''"a large number of strange-looking requests going to api.userstyles.org"'' carrying base64-encoded blobs.<ref name="heaton" /> Heaton's post updated to note that ''"2 days after publication of this post, Stylish was removed from the Chrome and Firefox stores. 3 weeks later, a new version is back in the Firefox store."''<ref name="heaton" /> Arnott's February 2026 follow-up confirms that Stylish has returned to the Chrome Web Store carrying the Featured badge & is again exfiltrating the same categories of data.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> The community-maintained open-source fork of the original Stylish codebase, named '''Stylus''', has roughly 900,000 users, does not phone home & caches styles on the user's local machine; Arnott recommends it as the direct replacement.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

== Related contemporaneous cases ==

=== Urban VPN Proxy ===

In December 2025, Koi Security disclosed that Urban VPN Proxy, a Chrome & Edge extension with more than seven million users, had been logging users' conversations with eight AI assistants since a July 9, 2025 version 5.5.0 update; the platforms intercepted were ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity, DeepSeek, Grok (xAI) & Meta AI.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> Malwarebytes Labs corroborated the finding & noted that the extension sat in the Chrome Web Store with a 4.7-star rating & Google's Featured badge.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> The captured conversations were forwarded to Urban Cybersecurity's parent company, BiScience (B.I Science (2009) Ltd), which Malwarebytes characterised as a data broker collecting browsing history & device identifiers from millions of users.<ref name="malwarebytes" /> Malwarebytes reported that as of the date of its post, ''"Urban Proxy VPN and Urban Cybersecurity's other apps appeared to have been removed from the Chrome Web Store."''<ref name="malwarebytes" />

=== AITOPIA-impersonating extensions ===

On December 30, 2025, OX Security researcher Moshe Siman Tov Bustan disclosed two extensions impersonating the legitimate AITOPIA extension with a combined 900,000 users. The two extensions, ''Chat GPT for Chrome with GPT-5, Claude Sonnet & DeepSeek AI'' & ''AI Sidebar with Deepseek, ChatGPT, Claude and more'', were ''"found exfiltrating user conversations and all Chrome tab URLs to a remote C2 server every 30 minutes."''<ref name="ox">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ox.security/blog/malicious-chrome-extensions-steal-chatgpt-conversations/ |title=Malicious Chrome Extensions Steal ChatGPT Conversations |last=Siman Tov Bustan |first=Moshe |work=OX Security |date=December 30, 2025 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> One of the two, the ChatGPT-named extension with more than 600,000 users, carried Google's Featured badge at the time of the disclosure.<ref name="ox" /> Ravie Lakshmanan of The Hacker News reported on January 6, 2026 that the extensions were still available for download as of writing but that the ChatGPT-named one ''"has since been stripped of its 'Featured' badge."''<ref name="hackernews" /> The Hacker News also reported that John Tuckner of Secure Annex had coined the term ''"Prompt Poaching"'' for the broader pattern of using browser extensions to capture AI conversations covertly, & had separately identified the SimilarWeb extension & SensorTower's StayFocusd as legitimate analytics-company extensions engaged in the same conduct.<ref name="hackernews" /> By January 7, 2026, SecurityWeek reported that both AITOPIA-impersonating extensions were no longer available in the Chrome Web Store.<ref name="securityweek">{{Cite web |url=https://www.securityweek.com/chrome-extensions-with-900000-downloads-caught-stealing-ai-chats/ |title=Chrome Extensions With 900,000 Downloads Caught Stealing AI Chats |last=Arghire |first=Ionut |work=SecurityWeek |date=January 7, 2026 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref>

== Chrome Web Store response & policy gap ==

Google introduced the Chrome Web Store Featured badge in April 2022, telling users that the badge marks extensions that ''"follow our technical best practices and meet a high standard of user experience and design"'' & that ''"Chrome team members manually evaluate each extension before it receives the badge."''<ref name="google-badge">{{Cite web |url=https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/chrome/find-great-extensions-new-chrome-web-store-badges/ |title=Find great extensions with new Chrome Web Store badges |work=The Keyword (Google) |date=April 20, 2022 |access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> Every extension in Arnott's May 2026 list carried Featured, Verified or both at the time of his post.<ref name="aibp-wall" /> Arnott's published conclusion was that badges in practice correlate with public attention rather than with audited compliance. In the section ''The Chrome Web Store badge problem'' he wrote:

<blockquote>''In our experience, Chrome only takes away badges when there's a public outcry. Which is why investigations like this matter.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

In the ''What can users do?'' section, he added:

<blockquote>''Don't treat "Featured" or "Verified" as a safety signal. Every extension on this list has at least one.''</blockquote><ref name="aibp-wall" />

Arnott also documented a direct contradiction between the privacy disclosures of the Stylish extension & its Chrome Web Store listing. The Stylish privacy policy, per his reading, explicitly states the publisher sells personal data; the Chrome Web Store listing's larger-font homepage text states that the publisher does not sell personal data; & the Chrome Web Store's approved-use-cases policy itself prohibits the sale of user data.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

== Consumer impact & mitigation ==

The data leaving the browser in these cases falls into three categories: the text of the user's AI chatbot conversations (the prompts the user typed & the chatbot's replies), the full URL of every page the user visits including search queries & any tokens embedded in URLs, & a persistent unique identifier that lets the receiving company link those records across sessions.<ref name="aibp-wall" /><ref name="aibp-stylish" /> Heaton's 2018 analysis of the same data category at SimilarWeb gave the worked examples that still apply: single-use password-reset links, time-limited authentication tokens for medical records & Google search-result URLs are all captured because they live inside the URL the extension sees.<ref name="heaton" /> Arnott extends the harm analysis to AI chat content, with the worked example of a user typing search terms about something covered by a non-disclosure agreement or a corporate spearphishing target list being built from a captured record of which web-based software a target uses.<ref name="aibp-stylish" />

For non-technical users, the practical mitigations documented in the cited sources are: audit installed extensions & remove anything not actively used, since the permissions persist after install; do not treat the Chrome Web Store ''"Featured"'' or ''"Verified"'' badges as safety signals;<ref name="aibp-wall" /> & for users of Stylish specifically, switch to the open-source fork Stylus, which caches styles locally on the user's machine & does not phone home.<ref name="aibp-stylish" /> For organisations, Tuckner's summary in The Hacker News is the operational frame: ''"It is clear prompt poaching has arrived to capture your most sensitive conversations and browser extensions are the exploit vector."''<ref name="hackernews" />

== See also ==

* [[Chrome Web Store]]
* [[Data broker]]
* [[Right to repair]]
* [[Sensor Tower]]
* [[SimilarWeb]]
* [[Browser extension data harvesting]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Topics]]
[[Category:Browser extensions]]
[[Category:Data brokers]]
[[Category:Privacy]]
[[Category:Chrome Web Store]]

Talk:Anthropic's Claude Code source leak

2026-05-28T01:52:00Z

Keith: /* Relevance discussion */ new section

== Relevance discussion ==

Just starting this discussion for people to talk about whether or not this page is relevant @[[User:Tracerneo|Tracerneo]] @[[User:Linka|Linka]]

In general it's best practice to start a relevancy discussion when marking a page as irrelevant, so that previous contributors have an opportunity to understand and respond to the reasons why it has been marked as such. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 01:52, 28 May 2026 (UTC)

Talk:SUPERHOT VR update removes key story elements involving self-harm

2026-05-28T01:51:00Z

Keith: /* Relevance? */ Reply

==Relevance?==

hi there, I'm curious to know how this article is supposed to be relevant to the wiki, it just feels like a long shot to be included considering you didn't document what content was exactly removed. If it's a minimal thing like getting rid of flags that require the player to do XYZ instead of removing massive amounts of content, it's not exactly something that can be covered on the wiki. [[User:JamesTDG|JamesTDG]] ([[User talk:JamesTDG|talk]]) 19:38, 27 May 2026 (UTC)

:Seeing as they removed the toggle, and assuming there are no Steam betas or other legitimate ways of getting a hold of an earlier version, I think the basic premise here fits for the wiki. It's a bit like the situation where Amazon changed e-books in people's libraries.
:The article certainly needs to be expanded on with sources covering the controversy and the stances of external commentators though. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 01:42, 28 May 2026 (UTC)
::Quite an interesting retrospective piece on the situation: https://blog.giovanh.com/blog/2025/05/14/superhot-vrs-story-was-removed-what/ [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 01:51, 28 May 2026 (UTC)

SUPERHOT VR update removes key story elements involving self-harm

2026-05-28T01:44:30Z

Keith:

{{StubNotice}}
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Superhot Team
|StartDate=2021-07-21
|Status=Resolved
|Product=SUPERHOT VR
|ArticleType=Product
|Description=On July 21, 2021, SUPERHOT VR received a patch that removed all scenes in which the player committing suicide. These scenes were key plot elements.
}}On July 21, 2021, [https://store.steampowered.com/app/617830/SUPERHOT_VR/ SUPERHOT VR] received a patch<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-07-21 |title=Important Update (1.0.22.1) |url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/617830/announcements/detail/2992063678829322337 |url-status=live |website=Steam}}</ref> that removed all scenes in which the player commits suicide, despite those scenes being key story elements. This change was received poorly by the players, and the game was review-bombed on [[Steam]].

==Background==
[https://store.steampowered.com/app/617830/SUPERHOT_VR/ SUPERHOT VR] is a VR First-Person Shooter released on May 25, 2017, developed and published by Superhot Team.{{Ph-I-B}}

==The "Important Update"==
The update labeled '''"Important Update (1.0.22.1)"''' removed all scenes in which the player is instructed to commit suicide, which are a big part of the game's story. Understandably, some players may want to avoid these scenes, which is why the developers added a "Skip disturbing scenes" option in a previous update. This approach is common in games, going back as far as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's controversial "No Russian" mission.

In the patch notes<ref name=":0" />, Superhot Team wrote:<blockquote>Considering [the] sensitive time we’re living in, we can do better than that. You deserve better. All scenes alluding to self harm are now completely removed from the game. These scenes have no place in SUPERHOT virtual reality. We regret it took us so long.

We’re committed to shipping this update to all VR platforms.</blockquote>As a result of this update, the game was review-bombed on [[Steam]], and the update was never reverted.{{Ph-I-I}}
==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Ph-I-C}}

Talk:SUPERHOT VR update removes key story elements involving self-harm

2026-05-28T01:42:02Z

Keith: /* Relevance? */ Reply

Dangerous Syneco 100kg 3 Step Domestic Lite Aluminium Ladder

2026-05-26T18:48:13Z

Keith: fixed stubnotice

{{StubNotice}}
The Syneco 100kg 3 Step Domestic Lite Aluminium Ladder will brake of metal fatige after some time of normal use, because of the way it is constructet. In theory and in short test the ladder seem safe but afer normal use, the screws that hold the stepps fail of fatige, because they are not resistant to shear and bending forces.
The Youtuber Artisan Makes show his fail ladder and explains, how and why it failed and shows rewiews of other customers, where the ladder failed in the same way.
<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wqodPGId-8</ref>
<references />

Matterport May 2025 subscription pricing restructure

2026-05-26T14:32:34Z

Keith: added incomplete notice - tl;dr needs better sources and notability has not been established. Leaving it up since I suspect Louis will probably make a video about it later today, which will then establish notability.

{{Incomplete|Issue 1 = the article has no sources other than the matterport website, and one AI SEO blog which does not indicate or accuse matterport of any anti-consumer behaviour}}
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Matterport
|StartDate=2025-05-20
|EndDate=
|Status=Active
|ProductLine=
|Product=
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Software as a Service,Planned Obsolescence,Data Access
|Description=Matterport raised subscription prices May 2025; Pro-camera owners must pay $69+/month to keep existing 3D tours online or lose access
}}

'''Matterport May 2025 subscription pricing restructure''' refers to a pricing change that Matterport, Inc. announced on May 20, 2025, under which owners of the company's Pro-series cameras cannot host the scans those cameras produce on the Free plan, and Pro2 and Pro3 scans require a Professional plan or higher, starting at $69 per month.<ref name="pricelist" /><ref name="plans" /><ref name="blog" /> The change took effect immediately for new customers and applies to existing customers at their next renewal on or after June 24, 2025.<ref name="blog" /> Under Matterport's Platform Subscription Agreement, a customer who stops paying loses access to every previously created tour and loses the ability to export the underlying files.<ref name="psa" />

== Background ==

Matterport sells 3D-capture cameras and hosts the [[Software as a service|cloud-hosted]] tours those cameras produce. The hardware is not cheap: the company's price list shows the Pro3 camera at $5,995 in the United States.<ref name="pricelist">{{Cite web |url=https://support.matterport.com/s/article/Matterport-Price-List?language=en_US |title=Matterport Price List |publisher=Matterport |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref> An archived July 2021 price list listed the earlier Pro2 camera at $3,395.<ref name="legacy2021">{{Cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728062430/https://support.matterport.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000296927-Matterport-Price-List |title=Matterport Price List (archived July 28, 2021) |publisher=Matterport |via=Internet Archive |date=2021-07-28 |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref> A camera owner cannot view a tour in interactive 3D without an active hosting subscription; once hosting lapses, the tour is archived and stops being accessible inside Matterport's cloud.<ref name="perspective3d">{{Cite web |url=https://perspective3-d.com/matterport-hosting-costs-explained/ |title=Matterport Hosting Explained: Costs, Archiving, Reactivation & What It Means for You |last=Rennick |first=Sherry |work=Perspective 3D |date=2025-12-22 |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref>

On February 28, 2025, CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP) completed its acquisition of Matterport (NASDAQ: MTTR).<ref name="costar">{{Cite web |url=https://matterport.com/news/costar-group-completes-acquisition-of-matterport-ushering-in-a-new-era-of-3d |title=CoStar Group Completes Acquisition of Matterport, Ushering in a New Era of 3D Digital Twins and AI-Powered Real Estate Innovation |publisher=Matterport |date=2025-02-28 |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref> RJ Pittman, identified in that announcement as Matterport's Chairman and CEO, authored the May 20 pricing-update blog post three months later.<ref name="costar" /><ref name="blog" />

A snapshot of Matterport's plans page captured on January 26, 2025, before the restructure, shows the tier ladder defined by Active Space counts rather than dollar figures: the Free plan offered 1 Active Space and 2 users with ''"Limited camera support"''; Starter offered 5 to 20 Active Spaces, also with ''"Limited camera support"''; Professional offered 20 to 150 Active Spaces and was ''"Compatible with all supported cameras"''; and Business offered 100 to 300 Active Spaces.<ref name="wayback2025">{{Cite web |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126113210/https://matterport.com/plans |title=Matterport Subscription Plan Pricing (archived January 26, 2025) |publisher=Matterport |via=Internet Archive |date=2025-01-26 |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref> The same archived July 2021 price list put the Starter plan at $9.99 per month and the Business plan at $309 per month; those are 2021 figures, not the prices in effect immediately before May 2025, which Matterport's site loaded through scripting that the archive did not capture.<ref name="legacy2021" />

== The pricing restructure ==

Matterport announced the change in a blog post titled ''"Subscription Pricing Update: What You Need to Know,"'' published May 20, 2025, and signed by Pittman.<ref name="blog">{{Cite web |url=https://matterport.com/blog/subscription-pricing-update |title=Subscription Pricing Update: What You Need to Know |last=Pittman |first=RJ |publisher=Matterport |date=2025-05-20 |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref> The post named two distinct effective dates. New customers paid the new rates immediately; existing customers were moved to the new rates at renewal. Pittman wrote:

<blockquote>''Effective today, May 20, 2025, our updated pricing goes into effect for new customers. For existing customers, new rates begin on your next renewal date on or after June 24, 2025. For annual plans, this automatic change will occur on the next annual renewal billing date between June 24, 2025 - June 23, 2026.''</blockquote><ref name="blog" />

The post told existing customers they could keep the lower rates for a year by moving to annual billing first:

<blockquote>''...you can lock in lower prices for 12 months by switching from a monthly to annual plan, or upgrading an annual plan before June 23, 2025.''</blockquote><ref name="blog" />

Matterport framed the increase as paying for new AI features, listing Property Intelligence, Defurnish, Merge, Field Tags, and integrations with Autodesk, AWS, and Procore.<ref name="blog" /> The blog listed no dollar amounts and linked to the price page.<ref name="blog" />

The current price list bills subscriptions by the number of Active Spaces a tier allows. Starter 5 costs $14 per month ($144 per year); Professional 20 costs $69 per month ($696 per year); and Business 100 costs $355 per month.<ref name="pricelist" /> Spaces larger than 200 scan points count as more than one Active Space, so a single large building can consume multiple slots of a tier's allowance, and the Free plan does not support large spaces at all.<ref name="plans">{{Cite web |url=https://support.matterport.com/s/article/Subscription-Plans?language=en_US |title=Subscription Plans |publisher=Matterport |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref>

== Pro-camera hosting restrictions ==

The restriction at the center of the change concerns who can host scans from Matterport's own hardware. The price list states that spaces created with the Pro3, Pro2, Pro2 Lite, and Pro1 cameras ''"cannot be uploaded to Free Plans"'' and ''"cannot be uploaded to Starter Plans."''<ref name="pricelist" /> Pro-camera scans can be uploaded only to Professional, Business, or Enterprise plans, and the price list states directly that ''"You need to have a Professional plan or higher to use Pro3 or Pro2."''<ref name="pricelist" /> The Subscription Plans article confirms the same matrix in its camera-compatibility table: Pro3, Pro2, and Pro2 Lite all show an X under Free and Starter and a checkmark under Professional, Business, and Enterprise.<ref name="plans" />

The cheapest plan that accepts a Pro-camera scan is therefore Professional 20 at $69 per month.<ref name="pricelist" /> A buyer who paid $5,995 for a Pro3, or $3,395 for the earlier Pro2, cannot host that camera's output on the no-cost tier and cannot reach a paid plan below Professional.<ref name="pricelist" /><ref name="legacy2021" />

There is no documented downgrade path back out of the $69-per-month Professional 20 tier or higher. The price list states that ''"You cannot downgrade from a paid plan to a Free plan"'' and that ''"Professional, Business, and Enterprise Plans cannot downgrade to a Free or Starter Plan."''<ref name="pricelist" /> A customer who lets a paid plan lapse cannot reactivate it to Free; the price list says a canceled paying account ''"will not be able to reactivate to Free"'' and must create a new Free account under a different email address, which would not carry the old tours.<ref name="pricelist" /> Free plans also cannot reactivate archived spaces at all without upgrading to a paid plan.<ref name="plans" />

== Data ownership and access on lapse ==

Paragraph 9.2 of the Platform Subscription Agreement assigns ownership of each Matterport Space to the customer ''"by way of a present assignment of a future right."''<ref name="psa">{{Cite web |url=https://matterport.com/legal/platform-subscription-agreement |title=Matterport Platform Subscription Agreement |publisher=Matterport |date=2026-03-01 |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref> Paragraph 9.3 grants Matterport a ''"non-exclusive, irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free, sub-licensable licence"'' to use each Space for its own business, during the term and afterward.<ref name="psa" />

Paragraph 11.2 sets out what happens to that ownership on cancellation or expiry:

<blockquote>''Upon the termination or expiry of Customer's Platform Subscription, Customer's access to the Platform Services (and the access of every Authorized User) will be deactivated and Customer will cease to have any ability to export any previously purchased Matterport Digital Assets or Customer Image Data in Customer's Platform account in file formats available through functionality in Customer's Platform account.''</blockquote><ref name="psa" />

Paragraph 11.2 then releases Matterport from any obligation, after termination or expiry, to provide the customer with the technology used to display a Space or with access for exporting digital assets.<ref name="psa" /> Once a subscription lapses, the tours go dark and the export tools that could have produced an offline copy stop working.<ref name="psa" />

Matterport's support FAQ adds that all Spaces are owned by the Account Owner of the account that hosts them, so a homeowner who hires a photographer owns the service of having the scan made, not the Space itself, unless it is transferred.<ref name="faq">{{Cite web |url=https://support.matterport.com/s/article/FAQ-Digital-Twin-Ownership?language=en_US |title=FAQ: Matterport Space Ownership |publisher=Matterport |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref> When a hosting account is canceled, the FAQ describes a 30-day process in which a person who can prove a legal right to the property may claim a Space, and it requires that any account transferring a Space be ''"in good standing with no past due balance."''<ref name="faq" />

The only export Matterport documents are paid add-ons, and the price list places them above the Free tier. The MatterPak Bundle, which packages a colorized point cloud (.XYZ), a 3D mesh (.OBJ) with texture maps, and floor-plan images, costs $59 ($49 on Business) and is unavailable on Free plans.<ref name="matterpak">{{Cite web |url=https://support.matterport.com/s/article/Download-the-MatterPak-Bundle?language=en_US |title=Download the MatterPak Bundle |publisher=Matterport |access-date=2026-05-26}}</ref><ref name="pricelist" /> The E57 point-cloud file costs $109 and requires a Professional plan or higher.<ref name="pricelist" /> Because Paragraph 11.2 disables export the moment a subscription ends, a customer who wants an offline copy must buy these files while still paying for the plan that the restructure made more expensive.<ref name="psa" /><ref name="pricelist" />

== Hosting dependency for service providers ==

Perspective 3D, a Matterport service provider, published a December 22, 2025 explainer describing the hosting dependency for its own clients. It states that ''"Without active hosting, a Matterport tour cannot be viewed in its interactive 3D format"'' and that a tour is archived if hosting is not renewed.<ref name="perspective3d" /> The same provider notes that ''"Matterport tours cannot be downloaded as standalone interactive files"'' because the tour relies on Matterport's proprietary software, and offers clients individual 360-degree image files as the alternative to an offline interactive copy.<ref name="perspective3d" />

== See also ==

* [[Planned obsolescence]]
* [[Right to repair]]
* [[End-user license agreement]]
* [[Ngenic forces subscription on previously “lifetime” Tune customers]]
* [[Anova oven app subscription model]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:Software as a service]]
[[Category:2025 incidents]]

Talk:Google uses full load of CPU in Google search tabs left unattended

2026-05-26T01:30:26Z

Keith: /* Relevancy discussion */ new section

== Relevancy discussion ==

I didn't place the relevancy notice on this article, but since there's no discussion on its relevancy as of yet, I'll start one. Having read the article, I am in agreement with the person who placed the notice that the article is probably not relevant to the wiki.

At present, no sources in the article support the idea that this issue is as a result of malice by Google, rather than a technical issue. Software bugs are not inherently relevant to the wiki, even if they occur on a large scale. It is also not appropriate to speculate on causes. If we are to present any speculation, then it should be cited and attributed speculation from a notable source - not the speculation of the article's author, or an anonymous commenter. In this case the article is repeating *and endorsing* something which is, without proper evidence, basically just a conspiracy theory (I have since removed the relevant text, but initially it quoted in full a Reddit comment with 3 upvotes saying that Google was probably using people's browsers to perform AI text generation on behalf of other users and, in the voice of the wiki, said that this explanation was what was "most likely happening").

The article also fails to reach the wiki's notability criteria, as all cited sources are essentially just bug reports in reddit threads, and the issue has no proper coverage aside from those. [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 01:30, 26 May 2026 (UTC)

User talk:Louis/FlashForge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout

2026-05-25T13:15:25Z

Keith: Keith moved page User talk:Louis/FlashForge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout to Talk:FlashForge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout: article now has enough coveraje to justify notability

#REDIRECT [[Talk:FlashForge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout]]

Talk:Flashforge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout

2026-05-25T13:15:25Z

== Adx5 Klipper zmod ==

The AD5X firmware is also a clipper fork which has a gnu license. There's a kind Russian coder who has created a software patch called zmod which restores some functionality to the printer. [[User:Dev123123123|Dev123123123]] ([[User talk:Dev123123123|talk]]) 00:12, 23 May 2026 (UTC)

User:Louis/FlashForge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout

2026-05-25T13:15:25Z

Keith: Keith moved page User:Louis/FlashForge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout to FlashForge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout over redirect: article now has enough coveraje to justify notability

#REDIRECT [[FlashForge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout]]