Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

MediaWiki:Ipbreason-dropdown

2025-02-24T10:15:09Z

Raidarr: ergonomics

*Common block reasons
** Spammer
** Inserting false information
** Removing content from pages
** Spamming links to external sites
** Inserting nonsense/gibberish into pages
** Intimidating behavior/harassment
** Abusing multiple accounts
** Unacceptable username
** Spammer

MediaWiki:Ipbreason-dropdown

2025-02-24T09:52:07Z

Raidarr: Created page with "*Common block reasons ** Spammer ** Inserting false information ** Removing content from pages ** Spamming links to external sites ** Inserting nonsense/gibberish into pages ** Intimidating behavior/harassment ** Abusing multiple accounts ** Unacceptable username"

Talk:GameStop

2025-02-09T10:24:54Z

Raidarr: botched it

==Cancellation policy==
The cancellation policy does not appear to be correct, at least according to their TOS (here: https://www.gamestop.com/TermsConditions.html ). Would anyone happen to have any additional sources/info on the claimed inability to cancel except through phone call? -[[User:ArborisArch|ArborisArch]]

Talk:GameStop

2025-02-09T10:24:41Z

Raidarr: titling so the discussion system is not confused / attributing author (remember to sign with ~~~~)

User talk:Anonimo

2025-02-09T10:22:41Z

Raidarr: Raidarr moved page Consumer Action Taskforce talk:Anonimo to User talk:Anonimo without leaving a redirect: Misspelled title: this seems like the most suitable place

'''Google Play removes "all files" access to competitor app Nextcloud, hindering it's capabilities'''

Since around December 18 2024 Google Play has removed the "all files" permissions from Nextcloud, this permissions allowed the app to not only sync your photos and videos, but any other files or directories you desired. Since the forced change the app has not been working as before and even failing to backup photos and videos. Developers have their hands tied because the restrictions came directly from Google.

Sources:

<nowiki>https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/14409</nowiki>

<nowiki>https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/14135</nowiki>

Chromium

2025-02-01T10:53:05Z

Raidarr: may have gone slightly overboard on sourcing but thought I'd try to do this bit more justice

{{StubNotice}}

'''Chromium''' is a [[Free and open-source software|free and open-source]] web browser project primarily maintained by [[Google]]. It is in use for various major browsers, such as [[Google Chrome]], [[Microsoft Edge]], [[Opera]]/[[Opera GX]], and [[Brave Browser|Brave]].

==Controversies==

===Manifest V3===
Manifest V3 is an update to the manifest structure used by extensions across most of the browser market, presented as an upgrade to security, privacy and performance.<ref>https://developer.chrome.com/blog/resuming-the-transition-to-mv3/</ref><ref>https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/extensions-chromium/developer-guide/manifest-v3</ref> Manifest V3's changes restrict the access extensions can have, presenting a security benefit by not allowing them to load remote resources on the fly or alter rendered content as deeply, but by doing so neutering the effectiveness of the browser market's most effective adblockers.<ref>https://www.androidauthority.com/google-chrome-manifest-v3-changes-3386506/</ref> Workarounds and updated versions have been made but are less effective since, for example, blocked domains cannot be updated as conveniently.<ref>https://www.neowin.net/news/ublock-origin-developer-recommends-switching-to-ublock-lite-as-chrome-flags-the-extension/</ref> This manifest change is backed by leading Chromium browsers, making it difficult for other browsers to match previous adblocking abilities without committing to sustaining Manifest V2 (such as Firefox which also uses chromium-sourced manifests<ref>https://blog.mozilla.org/addons/2024/03/13/manifest-v3-manifest-v2-march-2024-update/</ref>) or sustaining their own adblocking solutions<ref>https://brave.com/blog/brave-shields-manifest-v3/</ref> of varied effectiveness.<ref>https://vivaldi.com/blog/manifest-v3-update-vivaldi-is-future-proofed-with-its-built-in-functionality/</ref>

=References=
<references />

Red Sky Labs Muzio Player Premium post-purchase terms change

2025-02-01T10:36:24Z

Raidarr: "my web browser" doesn't cut it (wikis should not be written first person like this in any case); ideally something more sustainable is done but at least wikifying the language until we have better

[[File:Muzio customer review.png|alt=A review from a muzio paid customer who has been affected by red sky labs changing the terms of the sale. this is a screenshot from the google play store reviews section viewed in my desktop web browser on 01/28/2025, 1:02 PM Central time|thumb|A review from a Muzio paid customer who has been affected by Red Sky Labs changing the terms of the sale. This is a screenshot from the Google Play Store reviews section retrieved on 01/28/2025, 1:02 PM Central time]]
Red Sky Labs changed the Muzio Player android app to invalidate previously sold "lifetime" ad-free memberships, using a software update in January 2025 that forced users into a new subscription model.

==Overview==
Since at least May 2020, Red Sky Labs sold "Lifetime pro membership" packages for their Muzio Player app, advertising permanent removal of advertisements for a one-time payment. Through a January 2025 update, they [[Retroactively amended purchase|retroactively invalidated these purchases]] by reintroducing advertisements to users and requiring a subscription for ad-free functionality.<ref>Google Play Store, January 25, 2025, LACKY BRACKY review: "The ad removal used to be a one-time purchase, a too-high $10, but now it's an infinitely expensive subscription."</ref>

==Details of the change==

Prior to January 2025:
*A one-time purchase permanently removed ads
*The app worked offline with minimal internet requirements
*User data was stored locally with an optional cloud backup
*No subscription model was required

After the January 2025 update:
*Previously paid lifetime memberships were no longer honored<ref>Google Play Store, January 23, 2025, Robert Hawley review: "Used to love this music player. I used it every day for years. Free, simple, cool features, and most importantly: no obnoxious ads. Suddenly it started bombarding me with ads unless I pay."</ref>
*Multiple ads played before music playback<ref>Google Play Store, January 25, 2025, Chris Wells review: "Three interruptions just to access my music - First, there's an ad to close, followed by another promotion for their offers, & yet another ad to close."</ref>
*A forced-subscription model was introduced
*No refund options were available for previous purchasers

==Consumer Impact==
The change hurt users in many ways:

*Previous purchasers lost functionality they paid for
*Customer support emails about the change went unanswered<ref>Email documentation from affected customer to Muzio Player support: "Hello! I've been getting ads, Is this a bug? are others also experiencing this? I'm willing to provide app logs and my purchase receipt if this was a bug"</ref>
*Users report getting advertisements even with active subscriptions<ref>Google Play Store, January 23, 2025, Kyle Sargent review: "Even when you spend money, you still get ads. You can't restore your account because the link does nothing."</ref>
*Playlists and user data affected by update<ref>Google Play Store, January 23, 2025, Kyle Sargent review: "It erases playlists randomly. It plays ads with sound, over your music."</ref>

==Systemic nature: changing the terms of the sale==
This shows a pattern of modern consumer exploitation through several issues:

#Using software updates to modify previously purchased features
#Converting one-time purchases into recurring subscriptions without customer consent
#No communication or recourse provided for affected customers
#Many users report identical issues across review platforms<ref>Google Play Store, January 26, 2025, Jessie Jn Baptiste review: "As of 2025, ads appear when I open the app or try to go back to the app after having it open the background. At times, i need to exit the app to get back in without ads when I first open it."</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Products]]
[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]
<references />

Template:DeletionRequest

2025-01-30T17:10:24Z

Raidarr: seems more appropriate as a generic delete request; should be protected perhaps?

<div class="deletion-alert" style="displey:flex;width:fit-content;background-color: #e2e2e2;border: 0.2rem solid #ea1616; padding: 0.5rem 0; margin: 10px 0;">
<div class="alert-box-header" style="font-size:1rem;text-align:center;">
<span style="margin-right:8px;">⚠️</span> ''' A deletion request has been made for this article'''
</div>
<div class="alert-box-body" style="background-color: #f6f6f6;padding:1rem 1rem">
There has been a deletion request for this page for the following reason:
<blockquote>{{{1|}}}{{{message|}}}</blockquote>
----
'''This request will be reviewed and acted upon by the wiki moderation team.'''

<small>Do not delete this page before removing all references to it:

{{Special:WhatLinksHere/{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}</small>
</div>
</div>
<includeonly>[[Category:Articles with deletion requests]]</includeonly>

<noinclude>
== Usage ==
Use this template display a deletion request alert and place the place the page in the corresponding category.

<pre>
{{DeletionRequest|Your reasoning here}}
</pre>

[[Category:Article notice templates]]
<templatedata>
{
"params": {
"1": {
"description": "Your reason for this deletion request.",
"type": "string",
"required": true
}
}
}
</templatedata>
</noinclude>

User:Raidarr

2025-01-30T17:08:44Z

Raidarr: + article notice templates for review

I am Raidarr. I really hate spam and I know a thing or two about wikis.

==Wiki Maintenance==
[[:Category:Maintenance]]?

Psst, hey you. Want to farm easy edits that still help out?

List,
* [[Special:DoubleRedirects]] (commonly populated when people move pages)
* [[Special:BrokenRedirects]]
* [[Special:Wanted categories]] (+ [[:Special:UnusedCategories]])

If there are categories, redirects etc especially that are just rather dumb, consider applying <nowiki>{{DeletionRequest}}</nowiki>. If deletions are done, keep in mind things that might link to them ([[Special:WhatLinksHere]]).

Categories,
* [[:Category:Pages with broken file links]]
* [[:Category:Pages with script errors]]
*[[:Category:Article notice templates]] (articles with particular issues, mostly admin related)

Special pages lists can sometimes take a while to populate or update after edits have been made.

==Tips and stuff==
Useful things to know about:
*'''PrivacyGuides''': The definitive resource directing you to more secure/privacy friendly software and behaviors. One day mr rossmann should sponsor this
*'''wiki.futo.org''': big ass guide for setting up your own infrastructure written by the big man himself.

Extensions for this wiki's consideration:
*'''WikiSE...''': Improve search ranking of the wiki with literally no extra work.
*'''Thanks''': In case you want to be nice I guess.

Other changes:
*'''Interwiki''': have [[futo:]] link to wiki.futo.org, and on wiki.futo.org, [[cat:]] link to here.
* Standardize templates for quoting emails if this does not exist, referring to the correspondence posted at [[BROTHER]]

In time it will be good to move away from using special pages, like AllPages or Categories for organization. The wiki's just getting started of course, but good search optimization will become relevant soon if the project is to grow.

More tips and tricks:
* Append ?action=purge to the URL if a page is not refreshing correctly.
* Append ?uselang=qqx to view interface messages, for admins+ who want to know these quickly.
* Learn to source edit sooner than later. It is more reliable than visualeditor.
* Find a stressball so you can handle garbage ai captchas that presume to judge if you are a human or not.

User:Raidarr

2025-01-30T17:05:31Z

Raidarr: header reached the eyes it needed to

I am Raidarr. I really hate spam and I know a thing or two about wikis.

==Wiki Maintenance==
[[:Category:Maintenance]]?

Psst, hey you. Want to farm easy edits that still help out?

List,
* [[Special:DoubleRedirects]] (commonly populated when people move pages)
* [[Special:BrokenRedirects]]
* [[Special:Wanted categories]] (+ [[:Special:UnusedCategories]])

If there are categories, redirects etc especially that are just rather dumb, consider applying <nowiki>{{DeletionRequest}}</nowiki>. If deletions are done, keep in mind things that might link to them ([[Special:WhatLinksHere]]).

Categories,
* [[:Category:Pages with broken file links]]
* [[:Category:Pages with script errors]]

Special pages lists can sometimes take a while to populate or update after edits have been made.

==Tips and stuff==
Useful things to know about:
*'''PrivacyGuides''': The definitive resource directing you to more secure/privacy friendly software and behaviors. One day mr rossmann should sponsor this
*'''wiki.futo.org''': big ass guide for setting up your own infrastructure written by the big man himself.

Extensions for this wiki's consideration:
*'''WikiSE...''': Improve search ranking of the wiki with literally no extra work.
*'''Thanks''': In case you want to be nice I guess.

Other changes:
*'''Interwiki''': have [[futo:]] link to wiki.futo.org, and on wiki.futo.org, [[cat:]] link to here.
* Standardize templates for quoting emails if this does not exist, referring to the correspondence posted at [[BROTHER]]

In time it will be good to move away from using special pages, like AllPages or Categories for organization. The wiki's just getting started of course, but good search optimization will become relevant soon if the project is to grow.

More tips and tricks:
* Append ?action=purge to the URL if a page is not refreshing correctly.
* Append ?uselang=qqx to view interface messages, for admins+ who want to know these quickly.
* Learn to source edit sooner than later. It is more reliable than visualeditor.
* Find a stressball so you can handle garbage ai captchas that presume to judge if you are a human or not.

Consumer Protection Format (Unofficial)

2025-01-30T17:01:48Z

Raidarr: dunno if this is in consideration, but updating category in case

__NOTOC__
{{Alert|message=
'''⚠️ UNOFFICIAL DRAFT DOCUMENTATION ⚠️'''

This page is currently an unofficial draft under discussion with the admin team. It has not been approved for use.

* For official mission and guidelines, please see: [[Mission statement]]
* For information about contributing, please see: [[How to help]]

Please do not treat this as authoritative documentation until officially approved.
}}

'''The following format should be used for [[:Category:Company|Companies]] (manufacturers):'''
<div class="cat-mw-box"><div class="cat-mw-box-body">
= Title of Page =
{{ManufacturerCompanyPage
|infobox_logo=Placeholder_Logo.png
|infobox_founded=2025
|infobox_company_type=Public
|infobox_industry=Example
|infobox_website=https://example.com

|description=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed nisl risus, interdum nec pellentesque a, volutpat non lacus. Curabitur vel tempus ex, ac ornare sapien. Donec mollis enim ut mi egestas, ut convallis risus rhoncus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Aenean varius quam sed eros sodales, eu varius elit gravida.

|summary_1_1=How they monetize customers
|summary_1_2=Required customer commitments
|summary_1_3=Product dependencies
|summary_1_4=Ongoing costs/subscriptions
|summary_1_5=Service requirements

|summary_2_1=Industry dominance/power
|summary_2_2=Standard-setting ability
|summary_2_3=Platform control
|summary_2_4=Supply chain control
|summary_2_5=Technology lock-in

|incidents_1_title=Example Incident One
|incidents_1_date=Jan. 2025
|incidents_1_text=Text for incidents should be at least 3-4 sentences and contain a comprehensive yet readable summary of the incident. There is no limit on length. Ensure that all information is cited.

|incidents_2_title=Example Incident Two
|incidents_2_date=Dec. 2024
|incidents_2_text=This is an example incident to show that incidents should be sorted in reverse-chronological order.
}}{{ReferencesUsage}}
</div></div>

'''The following format should be used for [[:Category:Company|Companies]] (platforms):'''
<div class="cat-mw-box"><div class="cat-mw-box-body">
= Title of Page =
{{PlatformCompanyPage
|infobox_logo=Placeholder_Logo.png
|infobox_founded=2025
|infobox_company_type=Public
|infobox_industry=Example
|infobox_website=https://example.com

|description=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed nisl risus, interdum nec pellentesque a, volutpat non lacus. Curabitur vel tempus ex, ac ornare sapien. Donec mollis enim ut mi egestas, ut convallis risus rhoncus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Aenean varius quam sed eros sodales, eu varius elit gravida.

|summary_1_1=What you can/cannot modify
|summary_1_2=What you can/cannot control
|summary_1_3=What you truly own
|summary_1_4=How you can use it
|summary_1_5=What requires permission
|summary_1_6=What can be revoked

|summary_2_1=What data is collected
|summary_2_2=How data is used
|summary_2_3=Who gets your data
|summary_2_4=What is monitored
|summary_2_5=What is tracked
|summary_2_6=Required connections

|incidents_1_title=Example Incident One
|incidents_1_date=Jan. 2025
|incidents_1_text=Text for incidents should be at least 3-4 sentences and contain a comprehensive yet readable summary of the incident. There is no limit on length. Ensure that all information is cited.

|incidents_2_title=Example Incident Two
|incidents_2_date=Dec. 2024
|incidents_2_text=This is an example incident to show that incidents should be sorted in reverse-chronological order.
}}{{ReferencesUsage}}
</div></div>

'''The following format should be used for [[:Category:Product|Products]]:'''
<div class="cat-mw-box"><div class="cat-mw-box-body">
= Title of Page =
{{SecondProductPage
|infobox_logo=Placeholder_Logo.png
|infobox_release_year=2025
|infobox_product_type=Example
|infobox_in_production=Yes
|infobox_website=https://example.com

|description=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed nisl risus, interdum nec pellentesque a, volutpat non lacus. Curabitur vel tempus ex, ac ornare sapien. Donec mollis enim ut mi egestas, ut convallis risus rhoncus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Aenean varius quam sed eros sodales, eu varius elit gravida.

|summary_1_1=What you can/cannot modify
|summary_1_2=What you can/cannot control
|summary_1_3=What you truly own
|summary_1_4=How you can use it
|summary_1_5=What requires permission
|summary_1_6=What can be revoked

|summary_2_1=What data is collected
|summary_2_2=How data is used
|summary_2_3=Who gets your data
|summary_2_4=What is monitored
|summary_2_5=What is tracked
|summary_2_6=Required connections

|incidents_1_title=Example Incident One
|incidents_1_date=Jan. 2025
|incidents_1_text=Text for incidents should be at least 3-4 sentences and contain a comprehensive yet readable summary of the incident. There is no limit on length. Ensure that all information is cited.

|incidents_2_title=Example Incident Two
|incidents_2_date=Dec. 2024
|incidents_2_text=This is an example incident to show that incidents should be sorted in reverse-chronological order.
}}{{ReferencesUsage}}
</div></div>

'''The following format should be used for [[:Category:Individuals|Individuals]]:'''
<div class="cat-mw-box"><div class="cat-mw-box-body">
= Title of Page =
{{IndividualPage
|infobox_portrait=Placeholder_Logo.png
|infobox_role=Wiki Contributor
|infobox_company=Example Company
|infobox_since=2025
|infobox_impact_area=Right to Repair

|description=Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed nisl risus, interdum nec pellentesque a, volutpat non lacus. Curabitur vel tempus ex, ac ornare sapien. Donec mollis enim ut mi egestas, ut convallis risus rhoncus. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia curae; Aenean varius quam sed eros sodales, eu varius elit gravida.

|summary_1_1=Documented stances
|summary_1_2=Public statements
|summary_1_3=Policy decisions
|summary_1_4=Strategic choices

|summary_2_1=What they control
|summary_2_2=Who they influence
|summary_2_3=Which consumers affected
|summary_2_4=Scale of impact

|incidents_1_title=Example Incident One
|incidents_1_date=Jan. 2025
|incidents_1_text=Text for incidents should be at least 3-4 sentences and contain a comprehensive yet readable summary of the incident. There is no limit on length. Ensure that all information is cited.

|incidents_2_title=Example Incident Two
|incidents_2_date=Dec. 2024
|incidents_2_text=This is an example incident to show that incidents should be sorted in reverse-chronological order.
}}{{ReferencesUsage}}
</div></div>

Arity's alleged unauthorized driver data collection through mobile apps

2025-01-30T16:58:42Z

Raidarr: upd to proper link

{{ToneWarning}}

==Introduction==
Arity, established in 2016 as a subsidiary of Allstate Corporation, positions itself as a leader in mobility data analytics. According to their mission statement:
<blockquote>''...collect{s} and analyze{s} trillions of miles of driving data to create a greater understanding of how people move. With the world's largest driving dataset tied to insurance claims collected through mobile devices, in-car devices, and vehicles themselves''<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20250114015047/https://arity.com/solutions/vehicle-miles-traveled/</ref></blockquote>

[[File:Screenshot of arity.com as of January 15, 2025.png|alt=screenshot of arity.com as of January 15, 2025|thumb|screenshot of arity.com demonstrating their claim of having 40 million active mobile connections]]

According to their website, Arity maintains over 40 million active mobile connections, capturing data at intervals of 15 seconds or less.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20241217184520/https://arity.com/solutions/real-time-insights/</ref> The Texas Attorney General's office has initiated legal proceedings against Allstate Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Arity, asserting that this data collection occurred without proper driver consent.<ref>https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Allstate%20and%20Arity%20Petition%20Filed.pdf. [https://web.archive.org/web/20250114165226/https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Allstate%20and%20Arity%20Petition%20Filed.pdf Archived] from the original on 14 January, 2025. Retrieved 17 January, 2025.</ref>

The State of Texas, under the direction of Attorney General Ken Paxton, has filed a lawsuit naming Allstate, Arity, and their subsidiaries as defendants, alleging multiple violations of data privacy regulations.

==Claims made by the suit==

===Laws broken===
The legal action alleges violations of multiple state regulations, including the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act<ref>https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB00004F.htm. [https://web.archive.org/web/20241230075523/https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB00004F.htm Archived] from the original on 30 December, 2024. Retrieved 17 January, 2025.</ref>, the Data Broker Law<ref>https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/BC/htm/BC.509.htm. [https://web.archive.org/web/20241223161307/https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/BC/htm/BC.509.htm Archived] from the original on 23 December, 2024. Retrieved 17 January, 2025.</ref>, and the Texas Insurance Code<ref>https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/IN/htm/IN.541.htm. [https://web.archive.org/web/20250111144543/https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/IN/htm/IN.541.htm Archived] from the original on 11 January, 2025. Retrieved 17 January, 2025.</ref>. The scope of the alleged data collection, implemented through mobile app software integration, extends beyond Texas residents to affect millions of Americans nationwide.

===Claims made===
Several assertions in this lawsuit require additional substantiation, as '''the source documentation provides insufficient information to verify their origins.''' For more information on this topic, please refer to [[anonymity and vagueness in citations]].

====Claims with evidence====

=====What data Arity collects=====
According to the lawsuit and confirmed by Arity's privacy policy<ref name=":0" />, the company collects:

*Geolocation data
*Accelerometer data
*Magnetometer data
*Gyroscopic data
*Trip attributes:
**Start/end locations
**Distances
**Durations
**Times of these movements
*GPS points
*Derived events:
**Acceleration
**Speeding
**Distracted driving
**Crashes

=====Arity's claims regarding their massive data collection=====

======This is technically true======
Arity's website makes the following verifiable claims:

#Possession of the largest driving data collection
#Data collection intervals of 15 seconds
#Access to trillions of miles of driving data

======Evidence of data collection vs. evidence of ''improper'' data collection======
The lawsuit's citations primarily reference Arity's public statements, which alone do not establish wrongdoing. For comparison, Geico's smartphone application implements driver-monitoring data collection with explicit user consent, offering potential insurance rate reductions.<ref>https://www.geico.com/driveeasy/. [https://web.archive.org/web/20241211081848/https://www.geico.com/driveeasy/ Archived] from the original on 11 December, 2024. Retrieved 18 January, 2025.</ref> While such data collection may raise privacy concerns, the transparency of choice differentiates it from alleged improper practices. The mere existence of driving data collection does not inherently indicate privacy violations.

The lawsuit's core allegations focus on the undisclosed collection and monetization of insured drivers' behavioral data without proper consent, though concrete evidence supporting these claims remains pending.

=====Arity's lack of easy opt-out=====
{{Important|Consumers utilizing applications with integrated Arity SDK encountered systematic barriers to opting out of data collection.}}
The company's privacy policy<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20241217050443/https://arity.com/privacy/</ref> provides inadequate guidance regarding data collection opt-out procedures. Their website redirects users to external resources, such as the Apple support center, which offer limited practical assistance in restricting Arity's data collection capabilities.

=====Defendants worked to Integrate the Arity SDK into mobile apps=====
The Texas Attorney General's lawsuit asserts that Arity and Allstate established financial arrangements with applications including Routely, Life360, GasBuddy, and Fuel Rewards to incorporate their SDK. While direct evidence of these arrangements is not presented in the legal documentation, the following economic factors support this business model:

#The substantial market value of driving behavior data
#Financial incentives for app developers to participate in data monetization
#Arity's strategic interest in expanding their driver data collection network

Arity actively markets their SDK integration services to businesses and developers.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20240716070042/https://arity.com/article/leveraging-a-telematics-sdk-for-mobile-apps/</ref> Documentation of Arity's app integration exists through:

#Public confirmation of the GasBuddy partnership through Arity's press releases<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20241213031839/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gasbuddy-partners-with-arity-to-bring-personalized-experiences-to-drivers-looking-to-save-even-more-money-on-fuel-301321800.html</ref>
#Detailed case study documentation of Life360's implementation of Arity's technology<ref>https://arity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/arity_case-study_moapps_Life360.pdf. [https://web.archive.org/web/20240804011729/https://arity.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/arity_case-study_moapps_Life360.pdf Archived] from the original on 4 August, 2024. Retrieved 18 January, 2025.</ref><ref>[[:File:Arity case-study moapps Life360.pdf]]</ref>

=====Arity's claims about usage of data=====
The lawsuit references Arity's terms of service regarding data utilization, specifically citing their privacy policy<ref name=":0">https://web.archive.org/web/20241217050443/https://arity.com/privacy/</ref>:

<blockquote>Arity shares your information with its business clients as part of your purchase, or use, of services from those business clients. Those business clients include, but are not limited to, insurance companies as well as mobile app providers who track the location of members of a defined group or who provide weather related information. If you have purchased an insurance product offered by an Arity business client, then your information may also be used by that business client to calculate insurance rates or rewards provided under the product or service. Our insurance company business clients may also use your information to update their pricing and underwriting models. All such use of your personal information by our business clients is subject to their privacy policies and not this Privacy Statement.</blockquote>

=====Drivers not knowingly consenting to these terms=====
The terms of service present significant consent issues:

======"Arity shares your information with its business clients as part of your purchase, or use, of services from those business clients."<ref name=":0" />======
This arrangement presents substantial privacy concerns, illustrated through the following scenario:

#A user (James) engages with an Arity business client's application
#James lacks awareness of Arity's existence
#The business client omits disclosure of Arity's data handling practices
#This creates an inherent impossibility of informed consent to Arity's privacy policy

======"If you have purchased an insurance product offered by an Arity business client, then your information may also be used by that business client to calculate insurance rates or rewards provided under the product or service."<ref name=":0" />======
{{Important|The distinction between insurance and non-insurance business clients creates a critical privacy concern: '''Non-insurance entities may collect data that influences insurance rates without user awareness or consent.'''}}

This structure potentially enables non-disclosed data collection to impact insurance premiums, exemplifying the problematic nature of what can be termed a [[Game of Telephone privacy policy|telephone privacy policy]].

====Claims without evidence====
The following allegations rely on the legal principle of ''information and belief,'' indicating that supporting evidence is anticipated through the [[wikipedia:Discovery_(law)|discovery]] process rather than currently available.

{{Important|Substantial allegations regarding automotive industry practices require corresponding evidence beyond [[Trust me bro|trust me bro]] assertions.}}

=====Arity purchased information from automakers to complement their own data=====
[[File:Facebook screenshot of insurance app.png|alt=Facebook screenshot of insurance app|thumb|Facebook screenshot of insurance app]]
The smartphone-based data collection methodology presents inherent accuracy limitations. For example, recreational activities like roller coaster rides might erroneously register as dangerous driving behavior.<ref>https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2024/10/08/insurance-cuts-driving-score-man-riding-the-beast-kings-island/75554987007/. [https://web.archive.org/web/20250114231210/https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2024/10/08/insurance-cuts-driving-score-man-riding-the-beast-kings-island/75554987007/ Archived] from the original on 14 January, 2025. Retrieved 18 January, 2025.</ref><ref>https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=8578211025555918&set=gm.8485090164900182&idorvanity=121958981213384</ref>

However, the lawsuit's assertion regarding automotive manufacturer data sales remains unsubstantiated.

<blockquote>To potentially account for the Arity SDK Data's limitations, Defendants sought to combine the SDK Data with data collected directly from vehicles. As a result, Defendants began purchasing consumers' driving-related data from car manufacturers, such as Toyota, Lexus, Mazda, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, and Ram. On information and belief, consumers did not consent, nor were otherwise aware that, Defendants purchased their driving-related data from these car manufacturers</blockquote>

=====Arity's bonus incentives to developers for bundling data collection into their apps=====
The lawsuit states: <blockquote>"To encourage developers to adopt Defendants' software, Defendants paid app developers millions of dollars to integrate Defendants' software into their apps. Defendants further incentivized developer participation by creating generous bonus incentives for increasing the size of their dataset."</blockquote>This claim lacks supporting documentation.

{{Important|While economic incentives for such arrangements are theoretically plausible - with potential profits from data sales exceeding developer incentive costs - '''the lawsuit presents no concrete evidence of these financial arrangements.'''}}

=====Automakers who sold data=====
The lawsuit names Toyota, Lexus, Mazda, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, and Ram as participants in data sales to Arity, without providing supporting evidence for these assertions.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Lawsuits]]
[[Category:Privacy]]
[[Category:Data Collection]]
[[Category:Allstate]]

BowFlex, Inc.

2025-01-30T16:55:23Z

Raidarr: upd to more professional term

[[wikipedia:Bowflex|'''BowFlex, Inc.''']] is a fitness-equipment manufacturer headquartered in Vancouver, Washington.

==JRNY service==
JRNY is an "adaptive fitness membership" provided by BowFlex that is facilitated by their [[Android]]-equipped fitness hardware.<ref>https://www.bowflex.com/jrny.html</ref>

{{ConsumerImpactSection
|privacy subsection=
* The BowFlex [[privacy policy]] includes a [[post-purchase EULA modification]] where the user must opt out of the sale of their data.
* {{Template:HoverImportant}} BowFlex collects biometric information and will disclose it to "third parties who may acquire your information as a result of a merger, acquisition or other ownership transition".<ref>https://www.bowflex.com/global-assets/legal/privacy-policy.html#info-collected, Accessed 21 January 2025. Archived: https://archive.ph/ZFcsh</ref>
|freedom subsection=
* JRNY service includes [[digital rights management]], which restricts access to stock Android features, like installing apps.
* Even with a JRNY subscription, you are limited to a small subset of streaming platform applications.
* BowFlex includes [[forced arbitration]] in its [[end-user license agreement]]<ref>https://www.bowflex.com/global-assets/legal/terms-of-use.html, Accessed 21 January 2025. Archived: https://archive.ph/wip/fewi6</ref>

}}
<references />

Dark pattern

2025-01-30T16:54:28Z

Raidarr: upd to more professional term

{{Incomplete}}

'''Dark patterns''' refer to deceptive design practices used in websites, applications, or digital interfaces to manipulate users into making decisions that benefit the organization implementing them, often at the expense of the user’s best interests. Coined by user-experience (UX) specialist Harry Brignull in 2010, the term has since become a critical focus in consumer advocacy, as these practices undermine transparency and user autonomy.

===Types and examples of dark patterns===
Dark patterns can be found across multiple industries and platforms. While some examples overlap or share common tactics, all rely on manipulation and deception to achieve their goals. Listed below are notable types:

*'''[[Post-purchase EULA modification]]''': Critical [[End-user license agreement|end-user license agreements]] (EULAs) are hidden or presented only after purchase, making it difficult for users to review terms before committing. These agreements may be located inside packaging, under a lid, or displayed upon initial activation, limiting informed consent. This tactic overlaps with "forced continuity" and "roach motel" practices.

*'''Forced continuity''': Users are charged for a subscription or service after a free trial without adequate warning or an easy cancellation option.

*'''Roach motel''': Users can easily sign up for a service or subscription but will find it extremely difficult to cancel.

*'''Hidden costs''': Additional charges are revealed only at the final stages of a transaction, after users have already invested significant time.

*'''Sneak into basket''': Items or services are automatically added to a shopping cart without explicit consent.

*'''Confirmshaming''': Users are guilt-tripped into taking a particular action by framing alternative options unfavorably (e.g., "No, I don’t want to save money").

*'''Privacy Zuckering''': Tricking users into sharing more personal information than intended, often through misleading privacy settings or pre-checked consent boxes.

*'''Disguised ads''': Ads are designed to look like native content or legitimate interface elements, tricking users into clicking.

*'''Trick questions''': Questions are confusingly or misleadingly phrasing to elicit unintended responses from users.

*'''[[Fear of missing out]] (FOMO)''': The use of time-limited availability to instill a sense of urgency in users, causing them to devote more time or money in order to acquire a product, service, or digital item. This tactic overlaps with "misleading scarcity message" practices.

*'''Misleading scarcity messages''': Phrases like "Only 3 left in stock!" or "Offer expires in 10 minutes" are displayed to create a false sense of urgency, even when the product is widely available.

*'''Friend spam''': Users are encouraged to share personal information about their friends or contacts, which is then used for unsolicited marketing.

*'''Default-settings exploitation''': Options that benefit the company are pre-selected, such as extensive data sharing or auto-renewal of subscriptions.

*'''Obstruction''': Simple tasks are made unnecessarily complicated, such as requiring users to navigate multiple steps to cancel a subscription or delete an account.

===Why dark patterns are problematic===
Dark patterns are more than just unethical design choices. They have real-world consequences for consumers and society. Key concerns include:

*'''Erosion of trust''': Users lose confidence in platforms that manipulate their choices, undermining long-term loyalty.
*'''Financial loss''': Consumers often incur unexpected charges or fees, because of deceptive practices.
*'''Privacy violations''': Trickery in consent-gathering leads to the misuse or overcollection of personal data.
*'''Exploitation of vulnerability''': Vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected, such as children or those with limited digital literacy.

===Regulatory efforts===
Governments and consumer-protection organizations are increasingly scrutinizing dark patterns. Key developments include:

*'''[[California Privacy Rights Act]] (CPRA)''': Prohibits the use of deceptive designs to obtain consent for data collection.
*'''[[EU General Data Protection Regulation]] (GDPR)''': Mandates that consent be informed and freely given, effectively targeting privacy zuckering.
*'''[[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC)''': In the U.S., the FTC has taken action against companies employing dark patterns, including fines and enforcement actions.

===Combating dark patterns===
Consumers and designers can take steps to identify and combat dark patterns by:

*'''Raising awareness''': Educating users about common dark patterns helps them make informed decisions.
*'''Transparent design principles''': Advocating for ethical design practices that prioritize user autonomy and clarity.
*'''Policy advocacy''': Supporting stronger regulatory frameworks to hold organizations accountable for deceptive practices.
*'''Third-party tools''': Using browser extensions and tools designed to block or highlight manipulative elements.

===Conclusion===
Dark patterns undermine the principles of fair commerce and user empowerment, exploiting human psychology for profit. As awareness grows, collaboration among consumers, designers, and regulators will be essential to curb their prevalence and ensure digital spaces remain transparent and trustworthy.

[[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]]
[[Category:Common terms]]

X Corp

2025-01-30T16:52:56Z

Raidarr: upd to proper casing

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = X Corp.
| Type = Private
| Founded = 2006, renamed in 2023
| Industry = Social Media
| Official Website = https://x.com
| Logo = X black.png
}}

[[File:Twitter.svg.png|thumb|Old logo of Twitter.]]
'''X''', formerly known as '''Twitter''', is a global social-media platform that facilitates real-time communication and the sharing of short messages, known as "tweets". Founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams, Twitter quickly became a key platform for public discourse, news, and social interaction. Known for its character-limited posts and use of hashtags (#), Twitter played a pivotal role in shaping online communication, politics, and social movements.

In 2023, Twitter underwent a significant rebranding, adopting the name X, after being acquired by Elon Musk in a high-profile deal in the previous year. Elon Musk took the company private and underwent a large sweep of leadership changes including layoffs and policy shifts. X has faced scrutiny over various issues, including content-moderation practices, the de-prioritization of accessibility features, data-privacy concerns, and its handling of user-generated content.

==Consumer-protection profile==

===Privacy===

*X can read private messages sent through the platform.
*X uses personal data collected from its website for third-part advertisements.
*Personal data collected include:
**Location data,
**What web page refers you to X,
**Content posted (tweets),
**Replies, and
**Interactions such as likes and follows.

===Transparency===
Since the X's acquisition in 2022, X has faced a number of transparency concerns:
*In alignment with the downsizing of X, the communications department was unofficially disbanded.
*X has come under scrutiny for its unclear content-moderation policies including what content is prohibited on the service. This stems partially from the inconsistent enforcement of platform rules.
*With the introduction of Twitter Blue, users were able to obtain a badge resembling one of an account verified to belong to a person or organization of importance. This incident blurred the lines between organic content and paid promotions.
*As of February 2, 2023, X has discontinued free access to its Application Programming Interface (API). This was replaced with paid plans.

===Freedom===

*X has the ability to delete content without prior notice and without a formal reason.
*X has a binding [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] clause in its [[terms of service]]. This includes prevention against [[Class action|class-action lawsuits.]]

==Consumer-protection incidents==

===Terms of service allows use of user content to training AI (Nov. 2024)===
[[File:Screenshot 2024 07 26 at 8.38.12 AM.webp|thumb|527x527px]]
On November 15, 2024, X issued new [[Terms of Service]] (TOS) to allow artificial intelligence (AI) to train on user content:<ref>https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/21/tech/x-twitter-terms-of-service/index.html</ref><ref>https://x.com/en/tos#current</ref><blockquote>"By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display, upload, download, and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods now known or later developed, for any purpose. For clarity, these rights include, for example, curating, transforming, and translating. This license authorizes us to make your Content available to the rest of the world and to let others do the same. You agree that this license includes the right for us to (i) analyze text and other information you provide and to otherwise provide, promote, and improve the Services, including, for example, for use with and '''training of our machine learning and artificial intelligence models, whether generative or another type'''…"</blockquote>This development raises concerns over the user's right to his own intellectual data posted on X. There is also concern over the privacy implications of private conversations being used to train a public AI. This AI may use work by content creators, artists, and writers without compensation. [[EULA roofie|Being buried in a large TOS]], this is a clear example of taking away the consumer's right of ownership and not obtaining adequate disclosure.

As a response to the increased backlash, X has released a feature to opt out of sharing data by navigating 4 different menus (Settings⇒Privacy and Safety⇒Data Sharing and Personalization⇒Grok⇒Allow your posts as well as your interactions, inputs, and results with Grok to be used for training and fine-tuning).<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/26/24206904/x-grok-ai-train-turn-off</ref> This setting being on by default is an example of a [[dark pattern]].

===Data hack affecting millions of users (Jan. 2023)===
In January 2023, X underwent a data breach, causing millions of account emails to be leaked.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64153381</ref> X, under the new ownership of Elon Musk, did not take the precautionary steps to prevent this incident. Before the data hack, X underwent significant layoffs, including ones which affected the trust, safety, and security teams. This is directly linked to the weakening of security before the breach, as these teams were essential for identifying vulnerabilities and patching them. Moreover, the media communications team was disbanded, leading to a lack of transparency surrounding the issue.

===Reduction in accessibility features (Nov. 2022)===
Throughout the later half of 2022, Twitter laid off much of its staff. Among these layoffs was the accessibility team, created in 2020 to improve the use of Twitter for disabled consumers. Of the many features introduced by the team, "alt-text" was added to allow visually impaired users to hear a description of an image.<ref name=":0">https://www.wired.com/story/twitter-layoffs-accessibility/</ref>

As a result of the de-prioritization of accessibility in Twitter, alt-text badges were removed, making it more challenging for visually impaired users to identity accessible content.<ref name=":0" />

===Twitter illegally uses collected data (May. 2022)===
In May 2022, the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) fined Twitter $150 million dollars for using data collected for targeted advertisements. In 2011, Twitter made an agreement with regulators in which it vowed not to share information gathered for security purposes with third-parties for targeted advertisements.<ref>https://www.npr.org/2022/05/25/1101275323/twitter-privacy-settlement-doj-ftc</ref>

Information that was illegally used for targeted advertisements includes phone numbers and email addresses. The user agreed that this information will be used for services such as [[two-factor authentication]] (2FA), account recovery, and account safeguarding.<ref>https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/05/twitter-pay-150-million-penalty-allegedly-breaking-its-privacy-promises-again</ref>

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Social media companies]]

Post-purchase EULA modification

2025-01-30T16:52:07Z

Raidarr: upd to proper casing

Post-purchase [[end-user license agreement]] (EULA) modification, colloquially referred to as the ‘[[EULA roofie]]’, is an increasingly common practice whereby the terms that govern a customer’s use of a product are modified after the customer’s purchase of the product. Such changes are frequently impossible for a customer to reject without either losing access to the product they paid for or losing substantial functionality. In some cases, no ‘reject’ option is given, other than to power off the product and never use it again, such as in the case of the Roku smart TV{{Citation needed}}.

Such a modification can work in the consumer’s favor (such as in the case of [[Valve]] [[Valve Removes Arbitration Requirement From Steam Subscriber Agreement|changing the terms]] of the [[Steam]] subscriber agreement to remove [[forced arbitration]]), or simply serve to clarify or correct specific terms in a way which both is reasonable and does not adversely affect the consumer.

A problem exists, however, when such a change is made in order to reduce the rights, or increase the obligations, of the consumer.

====The ‘EULA roofie’====
The use of the colloquial term ‘[[EULA roofie]]’ stems from comparisons between the practice of post-purchase EULA modification, and the practice of spiking a drink – where consent is sought and given for the consumption of the drink, but not for the consumption of whatever it has been spiked with.

==Responses to, and defences used for, post-purchase EULA modification==
Many arguments intended to defend post-purchase EULA modification cite the legitimate reasons for such an action, as described above. They argue that it would not be practical to maintain a long-running service without being able to occasionally change or clarify their terms. Others will attempt to defend their actions by deflecting from the issue, such as in [this] case, where Repairshopr defended their decision to alter their EULA to allow them to collect user interaction logs for AI training by simply pretending that they would never do such a thing, and acting as if there were no substantial changes to their EULA which would allow them to collect and process data in that way (of course, this was done without explicitly stating that no such change had occurred).

<p>A common argument against the importance of this issue is that any user still needs to accept the changes{{Citation needed}} in order to be bound by the new EULA, and that the previous EULA may have included language stating that the company may alter the terms of the EULA after purchase. This argument, however, fails to account for the situation the user will typically find themselves in. In most cases, users are given a simple ‘tickbox’, without proper summarisation of the changes contained in the EULA update. If the user does not accept this change, they will be unable to use the product which they purchased. As is common knowledge, 99% of users in such a situation will simply accept the EULA changes in order to regain access to their product, as they have neither the inclination nor the mental bandwidth necessary to read through a lengthy contract every time such an update is issued.</p>

In extreme cases, companies may take a ''lack'' of action as consent, as was the case in this incident [link to that sock company thing], where non-response to an email was considered by the company to be appropriate consent for a change to the EULA.

Particularly insidious examples of this practice include [[Adobe]]’s EULA changes, which [[Adobe's AI Policy|required users to accept]] the use of their art and media for the training of AI, or face the loss of access to Adobe products [https://wiki.rossmanngroup.com/wiki/Adobe%27s_AI_Policy]. It was felt by a number of prominent creative professionals that this amounted to a substantial changing of the ‘deal’ they were offered at the time of purchase, effectively amounting to the theft of their creative efforts. Many creative professionals are deeply entrenched in the Adobe ecosystem, and would suffer substantial financial harm if they were to stop using Adobe products, as the time taken to learn alternative tools would directly correlate to lost work and payment. Combined with Adobe’s practice of charging a premium for the privilege of early subscription cancellation, users who did not want their art used for AI training were unethically forced into choosing between their livelihood and their integrity.

Because of the nature of the agreements, legal professionals[who?] have argued that many cases of such contract changes are unenforceable, when the users have not been properly informed of contractual changes, and those changes are beyond what would be expected in a typical contract of this type{{Citation needed}}. The reality for the average user, however, is that they cannot realistically challenge such a change, because of the costs involved with litigation, and instead must accept the poisoned choice they are offered: suck it up and deal with the new terms, or lose access to a product they paid for.

==Legislative action==
Situations involving post-purchase EULA modification have been taken to court on a number of occasions, including...

Legislative proposals to counteract this trend include...

[[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]]
[[Category:Common terms]]
[[Category:Rights Stripping]]

Template:CompanyPreload

2025-01-30T16:40:39Z

Raidarr: /* Consumer impact summary */ a spacebar

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = {{PAGENAME}}
| Type =
| Founded =
| Industry =
| Official Website =
| Logo =
}}

'''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a ...<ref name":0">ref goes here</ref>

==Consumer impact summary==
Overview of concerns that arise form the companies conduct regarding (if applicable):
*User Freedom
*User Privacy
*Business Model
*Market Control

==Incidents==
List of all consumer protection incidents this company is involved in.
*[[Example Incident One]] (date): Short summary of the incident (could be the same as the summary preceding the article).
*[[Example Incident Two]] (date):

==See also==
Link to relevant theme articles or companies with similar incidents.

==References==
{{reflist}}

<noinclude>
[[Category:Article sample templates]]</noinclude>

User:Raidarr

2025-01-30T16:34:10Z

Raidarr: /* Tips and stuff */ installed

I am Raidarr. I really hate spam and I know a thing or two about wikis.
==needs doing==
Title/redirect guide notes:
*Avoid/remove titles That Work Like This, prefer lower case including for redirects unless discussing proper nouns
*Keep [[Special:DoubleRedirects]] in mind when moving pages
*Have a non-hyphen version of a title for people who are looking for 'non hyphen version'

==Wiki Maintenance==
[[:Category:Maintenance]]?

Psst, hey you. Want to farm easy edits that still help out?

List,
* [[Special:DoubleRedirects]] (commonly populated when people move pages)
* [[Special:BrokenRedirects]]
* [[Special:Wanted categories]] (+ [[:Special:UnusedCategories]])

If there are categories, redirects etc especially that are just rather dumb, consider applying <nowiki>{{DeletionRequest}}</nowiki>. If deletions are done, keep in mind things that might link to them ([[Special:WhatLinksHere]]).

Categories,
* [[:Category:Pages with broken file links]]
* [[:Category:Pages with script errors]]

Special pages lists can sometimes take a while to populate or update after edits have been made.

==Tips and stuff==
Useful things to know about:
*'''PrivacyGuides''': The definitive resource directing you to more secure/privacy friendly software and behaviors. One day mr rossmann should sponsor this
*'''wiki.futo.org''': big ass guide for setting up your own infrastructure written by the big man himself.

Extensions for this wiki's consideration:
*'''WikiSE...''': Improve search ranking of the wiki with literally no extra work.
*'''Thanks''': In case you want to be nice I guess.

Other changes:
*'''Interwiki''': have [[futo:]] link to wiki.futo.org, and on wiki.futo.org, [[cat:]] link to here.
* Standardize templates for quoting emails if this does not exist, referring to the correspondence posted at [[BROTHER]]

In time it will be good to move away from using special pages, like AllPages or Categories for organization. The wiki's just getting started of course, but good search optimization will become relevant soon if the project is to grow.

More tips and tricks:
* Append ?action=purge to the URL if a page is not refreshing correctly.
* Append ?uselang=qqx to view interface messages, for admins+ who want to know these quickly.
* Learn to source edit sooner than later. It is more reliable than visualeditor.
* Find a stressball so you can handle garbage ai captchas that presume to judge if you are a human or not.

User:Raidarr

2025-01-30T15:35:17Z

Raidarr: add some maint related stuff

I am Raidarr. I really hate spam and I know a thing or two about wikis.
==needs doing==
Title/redirect guide notes:
*Avoid/remove titles That Work Like This, prefer lower case including for redirects unless discussing proper nouns
*Keep [[Special:DoubleRedirects]] in mind when moving pages
*Have a non-hyphen version of a title for people who are looking for 'non hyphen version'

==Wiki Maintenance==
[[:Category:Maintenance]]?

Psst, hey you. Want to farm easy edits that still help out?

List,
* [[Special:DoubleRedirects]] (commonly populated when people move pages)
* [[Special:BrokenRedirects]]
* [[Special:Wanted categories]] (+ [[:Special:UnusedCategories]])

If there are categories, redirects etc especially that are just rather dumb, consider applying <nowiki>{{DeletionRequest}}</nowiki>. If deletions are done, keep in mind things that might link to them ([[Special:WhatLinksHere]]).

Categories,
* [[:Category:Pages with broken file links]]
* [[:Category:Pages with script errors]]

Special pages lists can sometimes take a while to populate or update after edits have been made.

==Tips and stuff==
Useful things to know about:
*'''PrivacyGuides''': The definitive resource directing you to more secure/privacy friendly software and behaviors. One day mr rossmann should sponsor this
*'''wiki.futo.org''': big ass guide for setting up your own infrastructure written by the big man himself.

Extensions for this wiki's consideration:
*'''WikiSE...''': Improve search ranking of the wiki with literally no extra work.
*'''DiscussionTools''': A way to spruce up the talk page/discussion tabs.
*'''Thanks''': In case you want to be nice I guess.

Other changes:
*'''Interwiki''': have [[futo:]] link to wiki.futo.org, and on wiki.futo.org, [[cat:]] link to here.
* Standardize templates for quoting emails if this does not exist, referring to the correspondence posted at [[BROTHER]]

In time it will be good to move away from using special pages, like AllPages or Categories for organization. The wiki's just getting started of course, but good search optimization will become relevant soon if the project is to grow.

More tips and tricks:
* Append ?action=purge to the URL if a page is not refreshing correctly.
* Append ?uselang=qqx to view interface messages, for admins+ who want to know these quickly.
* Learn to source edit sooner than later. It is more reliable than visualeditor.
* Find a stressball so you can handle garbage ai captchas that presume to judge if you are a human or not.

Category:Positive practices

2025-01-30T15:01:45Z

Raidarr: if a category for this is not desired, note that there are three pages which link to it that would need to be updated too

Examples of positive consumer practices to encourage. Learn more at [[positive practices]]

User:Raidarr

2025-01-30T15:01:15Z

Raidarr: is addressed

Discontinuation bricking

2025-01-30T14:58:19Z

Raidarr: still a red link but a proper one at least

{{StubNotice}}

'''Discontinuation bricking''' occurs when a product is renderered no longer functional ("bricked") because the manufacturer has decided to discontinue it. Discontinuation bricking almost exclusively occurs in products that require a connection to a remote server hosted by the producer. The product may become bricked if the company decides to shut down services or if the company goes out of business entirely, while not allowing the consumer to substiture those services with alternative and/or [[self-hosted]] solutions. End-of-life for a produt does not require the product be bricked.

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="margin: auto;
|+ End-of-Life compared to bricking
!
!EOL
!Soft brick
!Discontinuation bricking
|-
|Device boots
|yes
|yes
|sometimes
|-
|Basic functionality
|yes
|sometimes
|no
|-
|Software updates
|sometimes
|no
|no
|}

==Impact to consumer rights==
Discontinuation bricking, similarly to [[planned obsolescence]], harms the consumer by making a product they paid for stop functioning, resulting to loss of ownership of said product, as functionality is stripped from it.

===Dependence on third-party bypasses===
After a product has been bricked, a consumer may wish to repair their product and return it back to a functioning state. De-bricking a product is not impossible but can be difficult depending on the severity of the problem. Consumers will inevitably look to third-parties for methods to bypass the bricking which may open the user to [[security]] and [[safety]] risks. Bypasses may end up being expensive, with more complicated server-dependent products needing potentially complicated server infrastructure.

===Resale falsification===
Products are often resold on the internet, and may be put on sale before a discontinuation bricking occurs with valid information but become invalidated afterwards causing [[false advertising]]. This has many implications:

#Sellers may be completely unaware of the discontinuation bricking and will continue selling their product, hurting seller reputation once the product becomes bricked and no longer functions afterwards.
#Buyers may be completely unaware of the discontinuation bricking and will buy the product, only to have it not function and harming the buyer.
#Customers may learn about the discontinuation and decide to sell the product without providing adequate details, even without any malicious intent.

==Environmental impact==
Discontinuation bricking will inevitably generate waste given that the product is no longer functional, and consumers will be forced to discard the product.

==Warning signs of discontinuation bricking==
Discontinuation bricking is usually a consequence of a remote service shutting down that the product depends on for complete functionality. The risk of discontinuation bricking occurring can be assessed beforehand by observing warning signs, such as:

<ol>
<li>'''Product requires an internet connection to a remote server:'''</li>if a product requires connection to a remote server for functionality, there is a risk that the company may shut down the server and brick some function, if not all functions of the product. These connections may be necessary because:
<ul>
<li>'''Product requires remote authorization:'''</li> product only works if you can receive authorization from an authorization server. If the authorization server shuts down, login will become impossible. An unusual example being the Spotify Car Thing which stopped functioning after Spotify unauthorized the Car Thing from interacting with the Spotify App API.
<li>'''Product has features dependent on remote sources:'''</li> product may brick if it is unable to access remote information because of server outages.
</ul>

<li>'''Product depends on a phone application to work:'''</li> updates to the app may remove support for the discontinued product. An example being the [[Spotify Car Thing]] which stopped functioning after Spotify unauthorized the Car Thing from interacting with the Spotify App API.<ref>[https://www.motortrend.com/news/spotify-car-thing-music-streaming-device-discontinued/ "Spotify's Oddball In-Car Music Device Is Getting Bricked. Turns Out There's an App For That."] - motortrend.com - accessed 2025-01-25</ref>
<li>'''Product requires physical input on a regular basis:'''</li> as an example, [[HP Inc.]] printer ink has a [[Digital rights management|DRM]] that forces consumers to exclusively use HP ink, and does not allow third-party cartridges. If HP goes out of business or decides to stop producing their ink cartridges, any printer depending upon it will become bricked, effectively discontinuing the printer even if not explicitly stated.</li>
</ol>
== Examples ==
[[Spotify Car Thing]]

[[Sonos]]

[[wikipedia:Orphaned_technology|Orphaned technology]] on wikipedia.org

[[Logitech Harmony Link hub]]<ref>https://support.logi.com/hc/en-us#!?return_to=%2Fhc%2Fen-us%23!%2Fs%2Fquestion%2F0D55A0000745EkC%2Fharmony-link-eos-or-eol</ref><ref>https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/11/8/16623076/logitech-harmony-link-discontinued-bricked</ref>

[[Nest Revolv Hub]]<ref>https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/04/nest-reminds-customers-ownership-isnt-what-it-used-be</ref><ref>https://www.zdnet.com/article/revolv-is-dead-google-killed-it-long-live-innovation/</ref>

[[Astro Amazons security robot|Astro Amazons security robot.]]<ref>https://www.inc.com/amazon-bricking-its-astro-for-business-robots.html</ref> <ref>https://press.aboutamazon.com/2023/11/introducing-astro-for-business-a-customizable-security-solution-bringing-peace-of-mind-to-owners-of-small-and-medium-sized-businesses</ref>

== Also see ==

* '''[[Planned obsolescence]]'''
* '''[[Software degradation and lock-out]]'''
* [[End of life product|EOL - end-of-life product]]
*

==References==
[[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]]
[[Category:Common terms]]
[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]
[[Category:Articles under development]]
<references />

User:Raidarr

2025-01-30T14:52:00Z

Raidarr: upd

I am Raidarr. I really hate spam and I know a thing or two about wikis.
==needs doing==
* [[Article Types]] redirect to Consumer Action Taskforce:Article types
* [[Living Persons Policy]] redirect to Consumer Action Taskforce:Living persons policy
* [[Moderator Guidelines]] redirect to Consumer Action Taskforce:Moderator guidelines
* [[Tools for Writing Articles]] redirect to [[Consumer Action Taskforce:Tools for writing articles]]
* [[Wiki Content Policies]] redirect to Consumer Action Taskforce:Wiki content policies
* [[Consumer Action Taskforce:Wiki Content Policies]]: nobody needs this, pls delete
Or just delete them, they're in the wrong casing anyway. In that case (already fixed redirect) consider [[Wiki Principles]]

Title/redirect guide notes:
*Avoid/remove titles That Work Like This, prefer lower case including for redirects unless discussing proper nouns
*Keep [[Special:DoubleRedirects]] in mind when moving pages
*Have a non-hyphen version of a title for people who are looking for 'non hyphen version'

==Tips and stuff==
Useful things to know about:
*'''PrivacyGuides''': The definitive resource directing you to more secure/privacy friendly software and behaviors. One day mr rossmann should sponsor this
*'''wiki.futo.org''': big ass guide for setting up your own infrastructure written by the big man himself.

Extensions for this wiki's consideration:
*'''WikiSE...''': Improve search ranking of the wiki with literally no extra work.
*'''DiscussionTools''': A way to spruce up the talk page/discussion tabs.
*'''Thanks''': In case you want to be nice I guess.

Other changes:
*'''Interwiki''': have [[futo:]] link to wiki.futo.org, and on wiki.futo.org, [[cat:]] link to here.

In time it will be good to move away from using special pages, like AllPages or Categories for organization. The wiki's just getting started of course, but good search optimization will become relevant soon if the project is to grow.

More tips and tricks:
* Append ?action=purge to the URL if a page is not refreshing correctly.
* Append ?uselang=qqx to view interface messages, for admins+ who want to know these quickly.
* Learn to source edit sooner than later. It is more reliable than visualeditor.
* Find a stressball so you can handle garbage ai captchas that presume to judge if you are a human or not.

End user license agreement

2025-01-30T14:46:45Z

Raidarr: discussed; account for people who forget hyphen

#REDIRECT [[End-user license agreement]]

Wiki Principles

2025-01-30T14:40:42Z

Raidarr: resolve double redirect

#REDIRECT [[Consumer Action Taskforce:Wiki content policies]]

BLP

2025-01-30T14:38:25Z

Raidarr: resolve double redirect

#REDIRECT [[Consumer Action Taskforce:Living persons policy]]

X (social media company)

2025-01-30T14:33:07Z

Raidarr: resolve double redirect

#REDIRECT [[X Corp]]

EULA

2025-01-30T14:24:10Z

Raidarr: resolve double redirect

#REDIRECT [[End-user license agreement]]

Twitter

2025-01-30T14:22:08Z

Raidarr: resolve double redirect

#REDIRECT [[X Corp]]

About

2025-01-30T14:16:43Z

Raidarr: resolve double redirect

#REDIRECT [[Mission statement]]

Talk:X Corp

2025-01-30T14:11:46Z

Raidarr: Raidarr moved page Talk:X Corp. to Talk:X Corp: punctuation should not append the title like this

== Resource for finding data ==
So, back when I used to maintain the Kialo discussion covering Musk's actions during his time commanding Twitter (now x...), I put in work documenting some of his errors which can help people out if they are interested. https://www.kialo.com/is-elon-musks-takeover-of-twitter-good-for-the-public-58092

X Corp

2025-01-30T14:11:46Z

Raidarr: Raidarr moved page X Corp. to X Corp: punctuation should not append the title like this

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = X Corp.
| Type = Private
| Founded = 2006, renamed in 2023
| Industry = Social Media
| Official Website = https://x.com
| Logo = X black.png
}}

[[File:Twitter.svg.png|thumb|Old logo of Twitter.]]
'''X''', formerly known as '''Twitter''', is a global social-media platform that facilitates real-time communication and the sharing of short messages, known as "tweets". Founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams, Twitter quickly became a key platform for public discourse, news, and social interaction. Known for its character-limited posts and use of hashtags (#), Twitter played a pivotal role in shaping online communication, politics, and social movements.

In 2023, Twitter underwent a significant rebranding, adopting the name X, after being acquired by Elon Musk in a high-profile deal in the previous year. Elon Musk took the company private and underwent a large sweep of leadership changes including layoffs and policy shifts. X has faced scrutiny over various issues, including content-moderation practices, the de-prioritization of accessibility features, data-privacy concerns, and its handling of user-generated content.

==Consumer-protection profile==

===Privacy===

*X can read private messages sent through the platform.
*X uses personal data collected from its website for third-part advertisements.
*Personal data collected include:
**Location data,
**What web page refers you to X,
**Content posted (tweets),
**Replies, and
**Interactions such as likes and follows.

===Transparency===
Since the X's acquisition in 2022, X has faced a number of transparency concerns:
*In alignment with the downsizing of X, the communications department was unofficially disbanded.
*X has come under scrutiny for its unclear content-moderation policies including what content is prohibited on the service. This stems partially from the inconsistent enforcement of platform rules.
*With the introduction of Twitter Blue, users were able to obtain a badge resembling one of an account verified to belong to a person or organization of importance. This incident blurred the lines between organic content and paid promotions.
*As of February 2, 2023, X has discontinued free access to its Application Programming Interface (API). This was replaced with paid plans.

===Freedom===

*X has the ability to delete content without prior notice and without a formal reason.
*X has a binding [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] clause in its [[terms of service]]. This includes prevention against [[Class action|class-action lawsuits.]]

==Consumer-protection incidents==

===Terms of service allows use of user content to training AI (Nov. 2024)===
[[File:Screenshot 2024 07 26 at 8.38.12 AM.webp|thumb|527x527px]]
On November 15, 2024, X issued new [[Terms of Service]] (TOS) to allow artificial intelligence (AI) to train on user content:<ref>https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/21/tech/x-twitter-terms-of-service/index.html</ref><ref>https://x.com/en/tos#current</ref><blockquote>"By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display, upload, download, and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods now known or later developed, for any purpose. For clarity, these rights include, for example, curating, transforming, and translating. This license authorizes us to make your Content available to the rest of the world and to let others do the same. You agree that this license includes the right for us to (i) analyze text and other information you provide and to otherwise provide, promote, and improve the Services, including, for example, for use with and '''training of our machine learning and artificial intelligence models, whether generative or another type'''…"</blockquote>This development raises concerns over the user's right to his own intellectual data posted on X. There is also concern over the privacy implications of private conversations being used to train a public AI. This AI may use work by content creators, artists, and writers without compensation. [[EULA Roofie|Being buried in a large TOS]], this is a clear example of taking away the consumer's right of ownership and not obtaining adequate disclosure.

As a response to the increased backlash, X has released a feature to opt out of sharing data by navigating 4 different menus (Settings⇒Privacy and Safety⇒Data Sharing and Personalization⇒Grok⇒Allow your posts as well as your interactions, inputs, and results with Grok to be used for training and fine-tuning).<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/7/26/24206904/x-grok-ai-train-turn-off</ref> This setting being on by default is an example of a [[dark pattern]].

===Data hack affecting millions of users (Jan. 2023)===
In January 2023, X underwent a data breach, causing millions of account emails to be leaked.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64153381</ref> X, under the new ownership of Elon Musk, did not take the precautionary steps to prevent this incident. Before the data hack, X underwent significant layoffs, including ones which affected the trust, safety, and security teams. This is directly linked to the weakening of security before the breach, as these teams were essential for identifying vulnerabilities and patching them. Moreover, the media communications team was disbanded, leading to a lack of transparency surrounding the issue.

===Reduction in accessibility features (Nov. 2022)===
Throughout the later half of 2022, Twitter laid off much of its staff. Among these layoffs was the accessibility team, created in 2020 to improve the use of Twitter for disabled consumers. Of the many features introduced by the team, "alt-text" was added to allow visually impaired users to hear a description of an image.<ref name=":0">https://www.wired.com/story/twitter-layoffs-accessibility/</ref>

As a result of the de-prioritization of accessibility in Twitter, alt-text badges were removed, making it more challenging for visually impaired users to identity accessible content.<ref name=":0" />

===Twitter illegally uses collected data (May. 2022)===
In May 2022, the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) fined Twitter $150 million dollars for using data collected for targeted advertisements. In 2011, Twitter made an agreement with regulators in which it vowed not to share information gathered for security purposes with third-parties for targeted advertisements.<ref>https://www.npr.org/2022/05/25/1101275323/twitter-privacy-settlement-doj-ftc</ref>

Information that was illegally used for targeted advertisements includes phone numbers and email addresses. The user agreed that this information will be used for services such as [[two-factor authentication]] (2FA), account recovery, and account safeguarding.<ref>https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/05/twitter-pay-150-million-penalty-allegedly-breaking-its-privacy-promises-again</ref>

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Social media companies]]

Wiki Principles

2025-01-30T14:05:54Z

Raidarr: resolve double redirect

#REDIRECT [[Consumer Action Taskforce:Wiki Content Policies]]

BLP

2025-01-30T14:05:04Z

Raidarr: resolve double redirect

#REDIRECT [[Consumer Action Taskforce:Living Persons Policy]]

BMW

2025-01-30T13:55:49Z

Raidarr: resolve the double redirect at least

#redirect [[BMW feature lockout scandal]]
{{irrelevant}}
'''[[Wikipedia:BMW|Bayerische Motoren Werke AG]]''' (usually abbreviated '''BMW''', sometimes anglicized as '''Bavarian Motor Works''') is a German car company.

[[Category:Car manufacturers]]
[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]]

Talk:CAT:Documentation/Talk Page Guidelines

2025-01-18T09:44:54Z

Raidarr: 2c

== Thank You! ==

Hi [[User:Travis|@Travis]] - as you might have guessed from our interaction earlier, I'm not too familiar with the way MediaWiki talk pages work, so thank you for making this! it'll be a very useful reference [[User:Keith|Keith]] ([[User talk:Keith|talk]]) 19:41, 17 January 2025 (UTC)
:Better use of talk pages is why I recommend adding the DiscussionTools extension, as it mildly blunts the edge of this otherwise not very intuitive discussion format but also does not get in the way as other talk-related MediaWiki extensions. --'''[[User:Raidarr|raidarr]]''' '''('''[[User_talk:Raidarr|💬]]''')''' 09:44, 18 January 2025 (UTC)

User:Raidarr

2025-01-16T20:18:30Z

Raidarr: a userpage

I am Raidarr. It's possible you've heard of me from the wiki farm space.

I will be around every so often with thoughts, 'gnome edits' and possibly something more to add. For now I'd just like to share some of my observations and experience in the wiki space where they might be useful.

==Tips and stuff==
Useful things to know about:
*'''archive.org and archive.is''' - leading options to archive pages. Both have addons to make archiving easier.
*'''tosdr.org''' - a neat website to summarize the gist of terms of service.
I'm forgetting a lot of things and will hopefully have more to offer later.

Extensions for this wiki's consideration:
*'''WikiSE...''': Improve search ranking of the wiki with literally no extra work. The filter doesn't like me saying the name so fill in the blank or ask on discord.
*'''DiscussionTools''': A way to spruce up the talk page/discussion tabs without entering bloated or deprecated tools like StructuredDiscussions which is unfortunately on its way out. It's good to keep the non-discord audience in mind and it may be worth having some minimal community building on the wiki itself.
*'''Gadgets''': chiefly to have tools like HotCat.
*'''Thanks''': In case you want to be nice I guess.
*'''DynamicSidebar''': only if it would be useful for admins or specific groups to have extra quick-access buttons that aren't necessary for 'the plebs' to view.

A native summary of how to MediaWiki might be helpful. The "Help about MediaWiki" page is vast and potentially overwhelming to the casual editor.

In time it will be good to move away from using special pages, like AllPages or Categories for organization. The wiki's just getting started of course, but good search optimization will become relevant very soon if the project is to grow.

More tips and tricks:
* Append ?action=purge to the URL if a page is not refreshing correctly.
* Append ?uselang=qqx to view interface messages, for admins+ who want to know these quickly.
* Learn to source edit sooner than later. It is more reliable than visualeditor.
* Find a stressball so you can handle garbage ai captchas that presume to judge if you are a human or not.