Gun Safe Widespread Deceptive Advertising: Difference between revisions

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|Type=Deceptive Advertising
|Type=Deceptive Advertising
|Description="Safes" are not real safes, self-certification, deceptive language, performative security features, exaggerating capacity by technicality, etc.
|Description="Safes" are not real safes, self-certification, deceptive language, performative security features, exaggerating capacity by technicality, etc.
}}Products usually referred to as "gun safes" are usually not real safes<ref>https://webstore.ansi.org/standards/ul/ul687ed152011?utm_source=chatgpt.com</ref>, but "residential security containers" (Standard UL 1037).<ref>https://gunsafereviewsguy.com/articles/myths-about-gun-safe-theft-protection/2/#security-ratings</ref><ref>https://americansecuritysafes.com/testing-process-for-ul-rated-safes/</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20151029154039/http://ulstandards.ul.com/standard/?id=1037</ref> The distinction comes from the certification/rating system established by Underwriter’s Laboratories, an independent testing company.<ref name=":0">https://www.ul.com/services/anti-theft-device-testing-and-certification</ref> This is just one of the multiple deceptive advertising practices used in the residential gun safe industry.
}}Products referred to as "gun safes" are usually not "true safes" (UL 687)<ref>https://webstore.ansi.org/standards/ul/ul687ed152011?utm_source=chatgpt.com</ref>, but "residential security containers" (UL 1037).<ref>https://webstore.ansi.org/standards/ul/ul1037ed2016</ref> The distinction comes from the certification/rating system established by Underwriter’s Laboratories, an independent testing company.<ref name=":0">https://www.ul.com/services/anti-theft-device-testing-and-certification</ref> This misleading language is just one of the multiple deceptive advertising practices used in the residential gun safe industry.


==Background==
==Background==
{{Ph-I-B}}Underwriter's Laboratories certifications available include (in ascending order of security levels):  UL RSC Level I, UL RSC Level II, UL TL-15, UL TL-30, and UL TL-30x6. TLTR-variant ratings are also available. UL testing involves one or more people using specific sets of tools to gain physical access to a safe in a certain amount of time.
{{Ph-I-B}}Underwriter's Laboratories certifications available include (in ascending order of security levels):  UL RSC Level I, UL RSC Level II, UL TL-15, UL TL-30, and UL TL-30x6. TLTR-variant ratings are also available. UL testing involves one or more people using specific sets of tools to gain physical access to a safe in a certain amount of time.<ref>https://gunsafereviewsguy.com/articles/myths-about-gun-safe-theft-protection/2/#security-ratings</ref><ref>https://americansecuritysafes.com/testing-process-for-ul-rated-safes/</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20151029154039/http://ulstandards.ul.com/standard/?id=1037</ref>


Other security ratings may be seen on products such as AmSec's B-Class and C-Class<ref>https://americansecuritysafes.com/burglary-ratings-explained/</ref>. AmSec claims the standards are set by the "insurance industry" but does not provide links to any published documentation that the consumer could use to verify what B-Class and C-Class actually mean. Additionally, unknown security ratings could be based on factors that do not have bearing in real-life scenarios that the consumer expects their product to perform. (Example: AmSec's product NARCO3824 is B-Class and the product description uses phrases like "it’s extremely difficult to break in or tamper with". However, NARCO3824 is 11 gauge steel which can be cut with handheld tools.<ref>https://youtu.be/NEeS5nCh5e8?si=OZs1R56HNGLp1T5S&t=195</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMXa1QImM54&t=134s</ref>)
Other security ratings may be seen on products such as AmSec's B-Class and C-Class<ref>https://americansecuritysafes.com/burglary-ratings-explained/</ref>. AmSec claims the standards are set by the "insurance industry" but does not provide links to any published documentation that the consumer could use to verify what B-Class and C-Class actually mean. Additionally, unknown security ratings could be based on factors that do not have bearing in real-life scenarios that the consumer expects their product to perform. (Example: AmSec's product NARCO3824 is B-Class and the product description uses phrases like "it’s extremely difficult to break in or tamper with". However, NARCO3824 is 11 gauge steel which can be cut with handheld tools.<ref>https://youtu.be/NEeS5nCh5e8?si=OZs1R56HNGLp1T5S&t=195</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMXa1QImM54&t=134s</ref>)
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*Fire rating (self-certification, fire-safe does not mean heat/steam/firehose safe)
*Fire rating (self-certification, fire-safe does not mean heat/steam/firehose safe)
*Performative features (internal hinges, showy linkage)<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7X8crrn0Kg</ref>
*Performative features (internal hinges, showy linkage, fancy descriptions of bad locks)<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7X8crrn0Kg</ref>
*Detrimental features (door gaps, handle location, electronics, moisture-absorbing material, etc.)
*Detrimental features (door gaps, handle location, electronics, moisture-absorbing material, etc.)
*Made in America=assembled in America which obfuscates the quality of parts (usually the locks)
*Made in America=assembled in America which obfuscates the quality of parts (usually the locks)
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*Create a guide about how to navigate the above incidents?
*Create a guide about how to navigate the above incidents?


== Further Reading ==
== Key Takeaway ==
The original author of this article recommends this web-guide for tips on gun safes including theft protection, fire protection, information security, home hardening, and common myths.
Industry-wide advertising practices mislead the consumer into thinking safes perform better than they actually do.


* ([https://gunsafereviewsguy.com Honest Gun Safe Reviews])  
==Further Reading==
The original author of the article above recommends the following web-guide for more thorough reading into the above article's subject matter (physical asset security through theft protection, fire protection, information security, home hardening, common myths, etc.):
 
*([https://gunsafereviewsguy.com Honest Gun Safe Reviews])




Videos of people breaking into safes:
Videos of people breaking into safes:


* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JmnG9R9S_k
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JmnG9R9S_k
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_WCg0KEiyI
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_WCg0KEiyI




Related consumerrights.wiki articles:
Related consumerrights.wiki articles:


* [[Liberty Safe]]
*[[Liberty Safe]]
* [[Ring]]
*[[Ring]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}<ref name=":0" />{{Ph-I-C}}
{{reflist}}<ref name=":0" />{{Ph-I-C}}
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