Projects:Archive everything
[to anyone looking at this, I'm working on making a project page for the wiki. Assuming you're allowed to edit it, feel free to have a go at fixing/implementing things!]
Project Archive
Everywhere on the internet, you get link rot - where linked pages either get taken offline, or changed, and the link is no longer useful for its original purpose. Link rot is a doubly serious issue for the Consumer Rights Wiki, as fairly substantial points of fact about companies or incidents may hang on our references. The best available way to counter link rot is through archival, and this page serves as a hub for making sure every wiki article has its references archived.
Of particular importance are any links to central pieces of evidence used to support a claim of fact related to something a company has said or done, especially if it is on the website of a company, and can be taken down by them at any time. A reference supporting a more commonly available and frequently changing fact like 'Apple's market cap is $x' is not as important to archive as a , but it certainly won't hurt to do so.
Certain webpages are un-usable when archived, typically due to paywalls or reliance on video content (e.g. Youtube videos), and archival may not be appropriate for links leading to this kind of page.
What you need to do
[add a step by step guide of how to archive a webpage, which archive tools to use, etc.] [information about how citation formatting works, and what needs to be changed when editing a citation. recommend use of source editor, but support both.]
The list
Below is a table of all pages on the wiki (hopefully sortable), and the current status of their references. [making this both able to dynamically adapt to new pages being added to the wiki, and also allow contributors to add in their name when they sort out an article, and change the status of that article]
| Page | Company | Start Date | End Date | Status | Product | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Datacolor "sunsetting" older Spyder monitor calibrators | Datacolor | 2026-07-19 | Active | Spyder2 • Spyder3 • Spyder4 • Spyder5 | Planned Obsolescence | Older Spyder devices will not be receiving software updates. Older Spyder software will no longer support new installations or activations. | |
| ADDW car systems legislated in the EU | European Union | 2026-07-07 | yet to start | Privacy Concern | EU passed legislation that mandates installation of cameras monitoring driver behaviour in its plan to reduce road accidents, it is supposed to warn drivers if distracted, while it is stated that this data should be contained within a loop, it is limited to EU's ability of its enforcement | ||
| Amazon Luna revocation of third-party games | Amazon | 2026-06-10 | Unresolved | Amazon removed the ability to stream previously purchased third-party games on its Luna cloud gaming platform without offering refunds, revoking the cloud access consumers paid for. | |||
| Amazon selling AI generated "copies" of small author books | Amazon | 2026-06-02 | Pending Resolution | Books | Copyright | Is Amazon doing enough against plagiarism? | |
| Amazon Prime Music ad insertion and download removal (2026) | Amazon | 2026-06-02 | Active | Amazon Prime Music | Post-purchase terms change • Post-purchase performance reduction | On July 2, 2026 Amazon will add ads & drop offline downloads from the Prime music benefit, steering members to paid Music Unlimited | |
| Grinding Gear Games changes Path of Exile II product during sale period | Grinding Gear Games | 2026-05-29 | Active | Path of Exile II Path Early Access Supporter Pack (Special) | Grinding Gear Games reduced the price of the "Path of Exile II: Early Access Supporter Pack" on Steam by 50% as part of a sale — but also halved the amount of the included contents, resulting in customers paying regular price dressed up as a "discount". | ||
| Volkswagen Carnet API shutdown | Volkswagen | 2026-05-27 | Active | Right to Repair • Subscription • Data Access | VW silently disabled third-party API access on May 27, 2026, breaking Home Assistant & EVCC integrations owners used to read & control their own vehicles. | ||
| Airzone Cloud moves to a subscription-based model | Airzone | 2026-05-26 | Active | Airzone Cloud has switched to a €48 annual subscription, sparking heavy backlash in the HVAC and smart home community. | |||
| ASRA cease and desist against CoagRef | American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine | 2026-05-15 | Free physician-built iOS reference app CoagRef was removed in May 2026 after legal demands from a large anesthesiology organization over guideline content. | ||||
| Microsoft Office 2019 and 2021 for Mac view-only conversion (2026) | Microsoft | 2026-05-14 | Scheduled | Office 2019 for Mac; Office 2021 for Mac | July 13, 2026 certificate expiry converts perpetual Office 2019 & 2021 for Mac to view-only after Microsoft's 2023 'continue to function' promise. | ||
| Synology Active Insight 2026 paid-subscription conversion and removal of free licenses | Synology | 2026-05-08 | Active | Subscription lock-in • Post-sale feature removal | Synology paywalls Active Insight at $29.99/host/year, revokes 3 free licenses advertised on its marketing pages, and reserves the right to delete customer data without further notice on expiration | ||
| Motorola Smart Feed Amazon affiliate hijacking | Motorola | May 2026 | 2026-05-27 | Preinstalled Motorola Smart Feed app silently rerouted Amazon Shopping launches through an affiliate tracker, capturing commission on organic purchases. | |||
| Anthropic Claude Code HERMES.md billing flaw | Anthropic | 2026-04-25 | 2026-04-26 | Resolved | Claude Code | A flaw in Claude Code triggered by the string "HERMES.md" in Git commit messages bypassed subscriptions and charged direct API fees. | |
| Bambu Lab | Bambu Lab | 2026-04-23 | Active | Legal threat against open-source contributor | April 2026 private cease-and-desist against AGPL fork maintainer Paweł Jarczak, who restored direct printer control removed by Bambu Lab's Authorization Control System. | ||
| Bambu Lab cease and desist against OrcaSlicer fork developer | Bambu Lab | 2026-04-23 | Active | Legal threat against open-source contributor | April 2026 private cease-and-desist against AGPL fork maintainer Paweł Jarczak, who restored direct printer control removed by Bambu Lab's Authorization Control System. | ||
| Poland | Bambu Lab | 2026-04-23 | Active | Legal threat against open-source contributor | April 2026 private cease-and-desist against AGPL fork maintainer Paweł Jarczak, who restored direct printer control removed by Bambu Lab's Authorization Control System. | ||
| Testo disables free Saveris Cloud and forces paid subscription on existing customers | Testo | 2026-04-22 | 2026 | Active | Testo Saveris 2 T2 Temperature Data Logger | Forced Migration | Testo shuts down Saveris 2 Basic Cloud and retroactively forces paid subscriptions on existing hardware to keep monitoring functional. |
| Tesla remote FSD removal over third-party accessories | Tesla | 2026-04-08 | Ongoing | Forced Obsolescence | Tesla remotely revoked Full Self-Driving entitlements on vehicles in Europe and other markets after detecting third-party CAN bus devices, in some cases removing features that owners had paid for. | ||
| Amazon Kindle discontinues support for pre-2013 devices | Amazon | 2026-04-07 | Active | Planned Obsolescence • Digital Ownership • Right to Repair | Amazon will disable Kindle Store access on 13 pre-2013 Kindle devices on May 20, 2026; factory reset becomes a one-way brick. | ||
| LinkedIn browser extension scanning | LinkedIn • Microsoft | 2026-04-03 | Active | Privacy • Data Collection | LinkedIn's site scans Chromium browsers for thousands of installed extensions and harvests device data; two 2026 class actions | ||
| Schibsted "Pay or Okay" | Schibsted | 2026-04-01 | Active | Privacy | Schibsted charges a monthly fee to decline behavioral ad tracking on its news sites | ||
| Sony PlayStation 30-day license check controversy (2026) | Sony | April 2026 | 9999 | Active | PlayStation 5; PlayStation 4 | Ownership Restriction | Reports in 2026 indicated Sony added a 30-day license validity display for some newly purchased PlayStation digital games, raising concerns over offline access and ownership. Sony later clarified that the system required a one-time online license check, not recurring 30-day check-ins. |
| Anthropic's Claude Code source leak | Anthropic | 2026-03-31 | Resolved | Claude Code | Source Code • Artificial Intelligence | Source code leak | |
| Anthropic | Anthropic | 2026-03-31 | Resolved | Claude Code | Source Code • Artificial Intelligence | Source code leak | |
| Vizio Walmart account requirement for smart TV features | Vizio • Walmart | 2026-03-23 | Active | Privacy • Subscription | Walmart locks Vizio smart TV features behind a Walmart account, linking TV viewing data with retail purchase history | ||
| Linktree changes Terms of Service to allow collection of user content to train AI | Linktree | 2026-03-19 | URL Sharing | Artificial Intelligence • Privacy Concern | Effective July 5th 2026, Linktree's Terms of Service allows the collection of user content to train AI. | ||
| Instagram removes end-to-end encryption for direct messages | Meta | 2026-03-13 | Active | Privacy • Security | Instagram announced on 13 March 2026 that it would no longer support end-to-end encryption for direct messages after 8 May 2026. | ||
| Canadian Bill C-22: Lawful Access Act | Government of Canada | 2026-03-12 | Active | Privacy • Privacy Concern | On March 12, the Canadian government began readings of Bill C-22, The Lawful Access Act. The bill has been widely criticized by privacy advocates over concerns of the retention of metadata and potential for government backdoor access. | ||
| Revolut verify ID email spam | Revolut | 2026-03-11 | 2026 | Active | Revolut | Revolut sends mass automated emails to accounts that did not complete setup | |
| Airtel Axis Credit Card devaluation | Axis Bank | 2026-03-10 | Active | Airtel Axis credit card | |||
| Apple introduces OS-level age verification | Apple | 2026-02-25 | Active | IOS • IPhone | Surveillance • Privacy • Anti-consumer Behavior | Apple introduces mandatory age verification on iOS on Beta 26.4 | |
| Ars Technica fake AI article on AI accusations | Ars Tecnica | 2026-02-13 | 2026-02-16 | Resolved | Article | Misinformation | Ars Tecnica published a poorly AI written article, on a guy being bullied by an AI Agent. Later they pulled the article and clarified the situation. |
| Discord's mandatory age verification | Discord | 2026-02-09 | Active | Privacy • Privacy Concern | Discord's Feb 2026 teen-by-default policy: restricted by default. Forced Face/ID verification sparks privacy & consumer rights concerns after 2025 breach. | ||
| Perplexity throttles PRO subscribers without prior notice | Perplexity AI | 2026-02-05 | Active | Perplexity Deep Research • Perplexity Labs | Post-purchase terms change | Without prior notice, Research queries for Pro users have been reduced from 600/day to 20/month, and Labs queries from 50/month to 25/month. | |
| Verizon demo phone MDM data wipe | Verizon | February 2026 | Active | Privacy • Data Security | Verizon sent a customer a demo phone with active MDM that remotely wiped his data; the carrier demanded a legal order to disclose what it did | ||
| Hisense adds unskippable ads to its GUI on the Spanish models | HiSense • Nexxen | February 2026 | March 2026 | Resolved | Advertising • Annoying • Artificial Intelligence | In Spain, Hisense began to place non-skippable and personalized ads with artificial intelligence every time you changed the channel, the HDMI source, | |
| DJI Romo robot vacuum vulnerability | DJI | 2026-01-25 | 2026-02-10 | Resolved | DJI Romo P • DJI Romo A • DJI Romo S • DJI Power | Security Vulnerability | A vulnerability in DJI's MQTT message broker exposed live camera feeds and 2D floor plans from over 10,000 devices to unauthorized remote access. |
| AlienRides LLC tries and bans all importation of Electric Unicycles using patent law unless licensing fee is paid. | Alien Rides | 2026-01-21 | Active | Anti-competitive Behavior • Monopoly | Inventist and Alien Rides filed an ITC complaint to ban all major EUC brands from the US market unless manufacturers pay licensing fees. | ||
| Wegmans collects customers' biometric data | 2026-01-03 | Active | Surveillance • Privacy | Wegmans is collecting their customers' biometric data in New York City. | |||
| Poste Italiane turned a free identification service into a subscription | Poste Italiane | 2026-01-02 | Active | SPID | Rent-seeking • Subscription | The Italian postal service is now charging for a previously-free government ID service. | |
| Malaysia Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) | N/A | 2026-01-01 | Active | Privacy • censorship • digital rights • content moderation | Malaysian law requiring platforms with 8M+ users to remove harmful content. Critics cite censorship concerns; government says it targets platforms, no | ||
| Oneplus phone update introduces hardware anti-rollback | OnePlus • OPPO • BBK Electronics | January 2026 | Ongoing | OnePlus 13 • OnePlus 13T • OnePlus 15 | Bricking • Firmware Restriction • Right to Repair • Planned Obsolescence | OnePlus firmware update introduces permanent hardware-level anti-rollback mechanism that bricks devices attempting to downgrade | |
| Hotelgiftcard creates surprising expenses for consumers | Expedia | 2026 | Active | Giftcards | Deceptive Advertising • Dynamic Pricing | Using a giftcard from Hotelgiftcard was found to create surprisingly expensive hotel prices than not using any giftcard for consumers using them. | |
| Ford Connected Built-In Navigation trial and removal of service | Ford | 2026 | 2026 | Active | Ford | Connected Built-In Navigation. Trial only without being informed. Removal of service unless agree to pay subscription. | |
| Texas Attorney General sues multiple TV makers over ACR user data collection | Samsung • TCL • Hisense • Sony • LG | 2025-12-15 | Active | Smart TVs | Privacy | The Texas Attorney General filed lawsuits against five major smart TV manufacturers alleging inadequate disclosure of Automatic Content Recognition data collection practices. | |
| BMW proprietary screws | BMW | 2025-12-11 | Active | Repairability • Anti-consumer Behavior | BMW patented a roundel-shaped screw that blocks standard tools, restricting vehicle owners and independent shops from basic maintenance | ||
| Micron retires Crucial products from consumer business | Micron | 2025-12-03 | Active | DRAM • SSDs | Micron announces the exit of Crucial from consumer business to focus on artificial intelligence and data centers. | ||
| Texas Instruments changes NE5532 part without updating the part number | TI | December 2025 | Active | Post-purchase performance reduction | Change in component key specs without changing PN, making component more susceptible to fail in existing consumer and industrial electronics. | ||
| Hauptwerk expiration of perpetual license download | Milan Digital Audio | 2025-11-02 | Active | Hauptwerk | Service Termination • Planned Obsolescence | Perpetual license software not offered for download in spite of link saying "NEVER" expires | |
| Bambu Lab | Bambu Lab | 2025-11-01 | Active | Safety | NTC thermistor on A1 AC boards overheats to 140 to 160 C, melting plastic and causing fires; Bambu Lab silently revised hardware but issued no recall | ||
| Bambu Lab A1 NTC thermistor fire and meltdown hazard | Bambu Lab | 2025-11-01 | Active | Safety | NTC thermistor on A1 AC boards overheats to 140 to 160 C, melting plastic and causing fires; Bambu Lab silently revised hardware but issued no recall | ||
| Tapo P115 firmware update breaks Home Assistant integration | Tapo • TP-Link | November 2025 | Active | P115 | Regression caused by a firmware update | Updating the device's firmware to version 1.4.0 introduces regressions that break Home Assistant integrations. | |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 N brake pad repair restrictions | Hyundai | 2025-10-30 | Active | Hyundai Ioniq 5 N • Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Repairability | Hyundai does not allow the DIY repair of rear brake pads on the Ioniq 5 N without access to proprietary software not readily available to consumers | |
| Razer Corp. ends software degrading consumer devices | Razer | 2025-10-28 | Active | Synapses 2.0 • Orbweaver Chroma | Abandonware • Forced Migration | Razer Synapse 2.0 Discontinuation (2025) | |
| Molekule did not disclose air purifier data vulnerability | Molekule | 2025-10-26 | 2026-01-30 | Pending Resolution | Molekule Air Pro | Security | Molekule had a major user data vulnerability in its smart air purifier network, and refused to inform customers of the vulnerability |
| Google Nest thermostat smart features disabled | Google • Nest | 2025-10-25 | Active | 1st generation 2011 • 2nd generation 2012 • 2nd generation Europe version 2014 | Abandonware • Service Termination | Google is ending support for 1st/2nd generation Nest thermostats October 2025, removing app control and safety features despite working hardware. | |
| Warcraft III legacy CD keys no longer redeemable on Battle.net | Activision Blizzard | 2025-10-21 | Unresolved | Warcraft III | Broken Promise | ''Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos'', released in 2002, came with physical media that included an activation key for the CD-ROM. These legacy CD keys were redeemable on Battle.net until 21 November 2025. | |
| Bose SoundTouch end of life treatment | Bose | 2025-10-09 | 2026-01-07 | Resolved | Bose SoundTouch | Cloud Lockout • Service Termination • Planned Obsolesence • Abandonware | Bose announces end of cloud support for SoundTouch products, but releases API documentation and promises to leave non-cloud features intact. |
| Neato cloud shutdown | Neato • Vorwerk | 2025-10-06 | Active | Neato D10 • Neato D9 • Neato D8 • Neato D7 • Botvac D3 • Botvac D5 Connected | Cloud lockout • Product Termination | In October 2025, Neato announced the closure of the cloud. Only manual mode can be used on branded robot vacuums with no local API access. | |
| Discord / 5CA Data Breach | 5CA • Discord | 2025-10-03 | Discord | Data • ID • Privacy | |||
| RAM shortage | OpenAI • Samsung • Micron | 2025-10-01 | Active | Price Fixing • Supply Shortage | OpenAI has made large RAM purchasing deals with major manufacturers for its Stargate project, leading to a consumer shortage of RAM globally. | ||
| Proposed Ring-Flock partnership (2025-2026) | Amazon • Ring • Flock Safety | October 2025 | 2026-02-12 | Resolved | Privacy | Ring intended to form a close partnership with Flock Safety, a private surveillance company with close ties to law enforcement, but withdrew before launch. | |
| Stellantis customer data breach | Stellantis | 2025-09-22 | Resolved | Security • Third Party | Stellantis customer data was exposed in a breach through a third-party platform. | ||
| Nvidia buys stake in Intel | Nvidia • Intel | 2025-09-18 | Active | Anti-competitive Behavior | Nvidia invests into their competitor Intel, rising doubts on the future of Intel's GPU offerings | ||
| Samsung ads in refrigerators | Samsung | 2025-09-16 | Active | Family Hub Refrigerators | Terms of Service • Advertising | Samsung rolled out mandatory advertisements to Family Hub refrigerators through over-the-network software updates. | |
| Crave app refuses televisions based on production date | Bell Media • Samsung | 2025-09-15 | Active | Crave | Digital restrictions • Planned Obsolescence | Crave drops app from Samsung TVs made before 2018; subscribers told to buy a newer TV or use an external device | |
| Restaurant Brands International caught training AI models using customer voices | Restaurant Brands International | 2025-09-06 | 2025-09-06 | Resolved | Privacy • Surveillance | One of Restaurant Brands International's companies, Burger King, was hacked, which revealed 100 million customer voice recordings are used for AI training. | |
| PsychonautWiki Journal locks drug & interaction tracking behind Paywall | Isaak Hanimann | 2025-09-05 | Active | PsychonautWiki Journal | Firmware lockout • Exploitative pricing • Unprompted Risk to Users • Health Risk to Users | PsychonautWiki Journal has locked drug tracking behind a premium tier with the exception of only the user's three most-used drugs. | |
| Instacart uses algorithmic pricing | Instacart • Eversight • Albertsons • Costco • Kroger • Safeway • Sprouts Farmers Market • Target | 2025-09-04 | Resolved | Instacart App | Price Discrimination • Surveillance Pricing • Algorithmic Pricing | Instacart offered different prices to customers buying the same things at the same time and place due to price experimentation. | |
| PETKIT Pura Max 2 — Region-Lock | Petkit | 2025-09-01 | 2025-10-24 | Active | Pura Max 2 | Product Termination | PETKIT Pura Max 2 – beware of regional lock scam |
| Revolut blocking Lyca Mobile automated payment blocking | Revolut • LycaMobile | September 2025 | September 2025 | Active | Automated payments | Fraud | Revolut colludes with LycaMobile disabling the "Block future payments" button for LycaMobile "auto-renewal" |
| Molekule threatens to remotely shut down their app if purifiers used with third party air filters | Molekule | September 2025 | Active | Air Pro • Air Mini + | DRM enforcement • Remote shutdown | Molekule enacted a policy of remotely permanently shutting down air filters caught using third party filters | |
| United Chargers Inc puts Open Source interface access behind paywall on Grizzl-E car chargers | United Chargers Inc. | September 2025 | Active | Grizzl-E Ultimate | Exploitative pricing • Firmware lockout • Repairability & Ownership Restriction • Digital restrictions | United Chargers Inc. paywalls access to OCPP interface configuration on Grizzl-E brand car chargers. | |
| BMW API restrictions | BMW | 2025-08-30 | Active | Vehicles • Cars • Automobiles | Digital restrictions | BMW destroys home assistant integration for customers of BMW's online services subscriptions | |
| Audible class action lawsuit | Amazon | 2025-08-28 | Pending Resolution | Audible | Digital Ownership • Licensing Controversy | Audible allegedly misleads consumers into thinking they own the audiobooks they purchase. | |
| MyFitnessPal regressive upgrade | MyFitnessPal | 2025-08-27 | Active | MyFitnessPal mobile app | Digital restrictions | MyFitnessPal updated its app, removing core features and paywalling others in spite of poor feedback during beta. | |
| Sony Xperia turns camera monitor into subscription | Sony | 2025-08-26 | Active | Xperia 1 • Xperia 5 • Xperia PRO series | Ownership | Sony converted the External Monitor feature from a free, built-in function to a paid subscription service requiring $4.99/month, affecting phones already sold to customers | |
| Android Developer Verification | 2025-08-25 | Active | Google-certified Android devices | Anti-competitive behavior • Digital restrictions • Privacy | A planned restriction that forces developers to submit their identity to Google and pay a fee for their apps to be installable onto Android devices. | ||
| Google Android restrict app sideloading | 2025-08-25 | Active | Privacy • Third-party | Google is planning to block Android app installation from sources not vetted by Google in 2026. | |||
| Indeed forced arbitration and bundling of consent | Indeed | 2025-08-22 | Active, Pending Resolution, Resolved, Unresolved | Indeed | Terms of Service | ||
| Bloomberg DMCA strikes GamersNexus video | Bloomberg | 2025-08-20 | DMCA Abuse | ||||
| LA Fitness makes it purposely difficult to cancel memberships | LA Fitness | 2025-08-20 | Active | Gym membership | Misleading Subscription • Difficult to Cancel • Hotel California subscription?? lmao | LA Fitness goes out of their way to make it as difficult as possible to cancel gym memberships by placing intentional barriers in the path of customers. | |
| CF Moto puts previously included features behind paywall | CFMoto | 2025-08-15 | Active | CFMOTO Ride | Cloud lockout | CFMoto moved to a subscription model for their CFMOTO Ride app, charging users for features they previously received with their purchase | |
| Starlink replaces subscription pause with $5/mo low speeds | Starlink | 2025-08-13 | Active | Terms of Service | Starlink disabled their "Pause" feature for their internet plans, launching an alternative "Standby mode" costing $5 USD/month with speeds of 500kb/s. | ||
| Unnecessary retirement of Microsoft Office Lens | Microsoft | 2025-08-08 | 2026-03-09 | Resolved | Microsoft Lens | Digital Ownership • Digital Restriction • Discontinued | Microsoft disabled Microsoft Lens and forced users to use OneDrive to scan documents which does not support local storage of said documents |
| SecuRam installs backdoor on ProLogic series safe locks | SecuRam • Liberty Safe | 2025-08-08 | Pending Resolution | Unprompted Risk to Users | Researchers demonstrate that SecuRam ProLogic safe locks can be opened by unauthorized users with OEM installed backdoor. | ||
| Creality forces update that removes features from their 3D scanners | Creality | 2025-08-07 | Active | Otter • Raptor • Ferret* | Firmware lockout | Creality's forced update mandate and removing a big feature of their scanners that allows the use of Mobile APP is now locked behind proprietary hardware. | |
| Click Adventure | Valve | 2025-08-06 | 2025-09-12 | Resolved | Steam | Scam • Security | Fake Steam game used to launder stolen wallet funds from ~25 pre-compromised accounts; Valve refused refunds |
| EA requires Battlefield 6 players to change motherboard settings | EA | 2025-08-01 | Active | Battlefield 6 | Forced Migration | The Battlefield 6 beta requires Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, and GPT formatted storage for its proprietary anti-cheat. | |
| Universal Music Group has a team dedicated to eroding fair use rights | Universal Music Group • YouTube | August 2025 | Active | Erosion of Rights • Copyright Abuse | Universal Media Group violates fair use doctrine on YouTube by filing excessive content ID claims against creators. | ||
| Fisher-Price discontinues Smart Connect app | Fisher-Price | August 2025 | Pending Resolution | Smart Connect enabled toys | Service Termination | Certain app-controlled toys are no longer controllable due to cloud service shutdown. | |
| Amazon revokes access to their Appstore on non-Amazon devices | Amazon | August 2025 | Active | Amazon App Store | Ownership • Digital restrictions • Forced Migration • Service Termination | Amazon revoked access to the Amazon App Store on all non-Amazon Android devices. Users must now use Amazon hardware to download their paid content. | |
| Samsung Frame TV asks for subscription to view photos | Samsung | 2025-07-31 | Pending Resolution | Samsung Frame TV | Digital restrictions | Samsung Frame TVs suddenly told users after an update they would require a subscription to display a slideshow on their TV | |
| YouTube age verification | YouTube • Google | 2025-07-30 | Active | YouTube | Digital Restrictions • Privacy | YouTube now uses AI to estimate user age. Users deemed underage are required to upload their government ID to bypass age-based restrictions. | |
| Whistle pet tracker shutdown IoT fail | Tractive • Mars Petcare • Whistle Labs | 2025-07-28 | Active | Planned Obsolescence • Service Termination | Whistle pet trackers will cease functioning on 31 August 2025, following Tractive's acquisition of the company from Mars Petcare. | ||
| European Consumer Centre on the Lack of Quality Standards for Exalted Skins | Riot Games • Tencent | 2025-07-25 | Pending Resolution | Spirit Blossom Morgana Exalted Skin | Knowingly selling defective product | Riot Games sold a €250 “Exalted” skin missing key features, despite prior feedback, leading to legal complaints over deceptive digital goods. | |
| Good2Go Mobile (Canada) phases out 3G network, Merges with LuckyMobile | Good2Go Mobile • LuckyMobile | 2025-07-25 | 2025-07-31 | Active | Cellphone Network | Good2Go Mobile is a cellphone network company who prides itself on selling no contract prepaid sim cards. Calls will only cost per minute plus the 911 fees. | |
| Samsung One UI 8 bootloader restriction | Samsung | 2025-07-18 | Active | One UI 8 | Planned Obsolescence • Digital Restriction • Firmware Restriction • Anti-consumer Behavior | Samsung quietly disables bootloader in One UI 8 worldwide where previously it only affected the U.S.. | |
| Dictionary.com shuts down premium app after selling lifetime subscriptions | Dictionary.com | 2025-07-18 | Active | Dictionary.com Premium | Lifetime subscription revocation | Dictionary.com suddenly ended the premium ad-free version of its app despite having sold lifetime subscriptions to customers, while leaving up the free ad-supported version. | |
| Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam | Valve | 2025-07-11 | Active | Steam | Censorship | Following external pressures from financial companies and ISPs, Valve delisted controversial games on Steam. | |
| Wemo | Belkin | 2025-07-10 | |||||
| Wemo discontinuation of service | Belkin | 2025-07-10 | |||||
| Belkin | Belkin | 2025-07-10 | |||||
| PlayStation Network Account Requirement for PC Games | Sony • PlayStation | 2025-07-10 | PlayStation | Digital Restriction • Forced Account | Sony requires a PlayStation Network (PSN) account to play some PC games, including single-player only games. | ||
| Maxon Forger discontinuation and subscription file lockout | Maxon | 2025-07-04 | 2025-09-10 | Resolved | Forger | Planned Obsolescence • Data Access Restriction | Maxon discontinued its iPad sculpting app Forger and stopped subscription renewals, causing subscribers who lost export and save access to project files stored in a native format unsupported by any other application |
| Anthem server shutdown | Electronic Arts • BioWare | 2025-07-03 | Active | Anthem (game) | Service Termination | EA plans to shut down Anthem's always-online servers on January 12, 2026, rendering the game completely unplayable for all owners. | |
| Google Pixel 6a Battery Performance Program | 2025-07-02 | Active | Pixel 6a | Forced Migration | |||
| Nintendo third-party dock restrictions | Nintendo | 2025-07-02 | Active | Nintendo Switch 2 | Anticompetitive Behavior • Firmware Lockout • Third Party | The Nintendo Switch 2 uses an encrypted USB C handshake protocol, reducing third party compatibility. | |
| Echelon fitness firmware lockout | Echelon Fitness | July 2025 | Active | Exercise equipment | Firmware lockout | Echelon pushed firmware updates blocking third-party apps, requiring server authentication & breaking QZ compatibility for users | |
| Goodlife now requires app to access gyms | Goodlife Health Clubs - Australia | July 2025 | Pending Resolution | Goodlife App | Forced Migration | Goodlife has recently forced its members to use the Goodlife App to access its Gyms, and made the existing RF issued cards stop working. | |
| Walmart's Onn devices bricked after update | Walmart | 2025-06-13 | 2025-07-25 | Active | Onn 4K Box • Onn 4K Pro • Onn HD Stick • Chromecast 4K • Chromecast HD | Firmware lockout | Walmart refuses to replace bricked Onn devices after a forced Android update bricked devices, with devices over a year old being ineligible for refund |
| Google forces your device to join their "Find Hub" network, hard to opt out | 2025-06-09 | Active | Android | Privacy • Surveillance | Google added some Android devices to their "Find Hub" network without consent, only informing via email. | ||
| TikTok and AI-powered ad tracking | TikTok Inc. | 2025-06-03 | Active | Privacy | In 2025, TikTok unveiled new AI-driven tools like Insight Spotlight and Content Suite that are AI-powered trackers for the purpose of advertisement. | ||
| CursorAI adds rate limits to unlimited plans | Anysphere | June 2025 | CursorAI | Artificial Intelligence • Rent-seeking | |||
| Google LSA terms of service change | June 2025 | Advertising • Surveillance | |||||
| Sevenhugs Smart Remote products discontinuation | Sevenhugs • Qorvo | 2025-06-01 | Active | Smart Remote • Smart Remote X • Smart Remote U | Product Termination | Sevenhugs discontinues cloud-connected Smart Remote products after being acquired by Qorvo | |
| TeamViewer terminates perpetual licenses | TeamViewer | 2025-05-26 | Active | TeamViewer 11 • TeamViewer 12 | Broken Promise | TeamViewer kills internet connectivity for perpetual license holders by shutting relay servers for v11 & v12 on Dec 31, 2025 | |
| Markiza and Joy ad-skipping disabling | TV Markíza • TV Joj | 2025-05-21 | Active | Anti-competitive practice | Slovak broadcasters Markíza and Joj disabled ad-skipping in IPTV archive and catch-up services, removing a feature subscribers paid for | ||
| Matterport May 2025 subscription pricing restructure | Matterport | 2025-05-20 | Active | Software as a Service • Planned Obsolescence • Data Access | Matterport raised subscription prices May 2025; Pro-camera owners must pay $69+/month to keep existing 3D tours online or lose access | ||
| Verizon handset unlocking waiver | Verizon | 2025-05-19 | 2026-01-12 | Resolved | Carrier Lock-in • Right to Repair • Anti-competitive | FCC let Verizon stop unlocking phones after 60 days; prepaid devices now stay locked a full year, making it harder to switch carriers | |
| Nvidia threatens GamersNexus | Nvidia | 2025-05-18 | Censorship • Manipulation | ||||
| T-Mobile T-Life app screen recording controversy | T-Mobile | 2025-05-17 | Active | T-Life App | Privacy | T-Mobile T-Life app discovered to include a default-on, in-app only, screen recording feature on some devices, raising concerns about transparency and privacy. | |
| Flock Safety Nova uses dark web data for surveillance | Flock Safety | 2025-05-14 | Pending Resolution | Surveillance • Privacy | Flock Safety's Nova platform planned to ingest data breach records for police surveillance; code analysis found dark web data fields present | ||
| Ngenic forces subscription on previously “lifetime” Tune customers | Ngenic | 2025-05-14 | Active | Ngenic Tune | Broken Promise • Rent-seeking | After bankruptcy, new owners forced all Ngenic Tune customers onto mandatory subscriptions; "lifetime" one-time purchasers lost smart features | |
| Nintendo's May 2025 Policy Updates | Nintendo | 2025-05-08 | Nintendo Switch | ||||
| Nitro PDF license deactivating | Nitro Software | 2025-05-07 | 2025-05-07 | Active | Nitro PDF | Service Termination • Planned Obsolescence | Nitro Software, Inc. is remotely deactivating perpetual paid licenses. |
| Tidal updates terms without explanation or opportunity to decline | Tidal | May 2025 | Tidala | Forced Migration • Terms of Service | |||
| User:FoulerTripod363/ User testing for mandatory paid subscription into Tado Smart Thermostat app | Tado | May 2025 | Tado Smart Thermostat app | Paywall | Tado locked previously free mobile app services behind a monthly subscription, and closed their community discussion page. | ||
| Sandisk disables IXpand drive app | Sandisk | 2025-04-30 | Pending Resolution | IXpand Drive Go • IXpand Drive Luxe • IXpand Flash Drive flip | Functionality of old drives | Forced change from "iXpand Flash Drive" app to "SANDISK Memory zone" breaks compatability with older iXpand drives | |
| BlueDriver OBD2 scanner now requires account login and collects data | BlueDriver • Repairify • Root Four Imagination • Lemur Vehicle Monitors | 2025-04-25 | 2025-10-14 | Resolved | BlueDriver OBDII Scan Tool | Cloud lockout • Forced Migration • Privacy | iOS and Android apps required login for any functionality |
| Philips shuts down Smart TV service of a lot models sold between 2009 and 2013 | Philips | 2025-04-25 | Active | Philips Smart TV | Remote shutdown | TP Vision shut down Smart TV services on 2009-2013 Philips TVs, removing apps, browser & dashboard with no compensation | |
| Ubisoft in-game data collection GDPR complaint (2025) | Ubisoft | 2025-04-24 | Active | Far Cry Primal | Privacy | Ubisoft forces single-player games online to collect player data; NOYB filed GDPR complaint after user found 150 DNS packages sent in 10 minutes during a single player game. | |
| EBay opts-in users for AI training | Ebay | 2025-04-21 | Ebay | Data • Privacy | |||
| Synology requiring proprietary-branded drives to be used with its NAS | Synology | 2025-04-16 | 2025-10-08 | Resolved | Third-party | Synology's new Plus Series NAS devices only support pre-approved storage devices for several months before being partially reverted. | |
| QIDI 3D printer house fire | QIDI Tech | 2025-03-31 | Unresolved | Tech Plus 4 | Quality • Safety • Silencing | A 3D printer allegedly caused a house fire, and in response, QIDI Tech banned the customer from their subreddit. | |
| Microsoft ends use of bypassnro.cmd for Windows 11 | Microsoft | 2025-03-28 | Windows 11 | Data • Privacy | Microsoft no longer lets users use 'bypassnro.cmd' to skip the Microsoft account creation step in the Windows 11 setup. | ||
| Google Nest Protect forced to use Google app | Google • Nest | 2025-03-28 | Active | Nest Protect Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm (all generations) | Forced Migration | Google forcing Nest Protect users to migrate from Nest app to Google Home app with expanded data collection terms to maintain functionality. | |
| Flashforge Flash Studio mandatory slicer advertising and third-party slicer lockout | Flashforge | 2025-03-26 | Active | Adventurer 5M • Adventurer 5M Pro • AD5X • Creator 5 • Guider 3 Ultra | Vendor lock-in via firmware update; in-app advertising; software license dispute | Flashforge firmware updates broke mainline OrcaSlicer network printing on Adventurer 5M and AD5X printers; replacement Flash Studio slicer carries banner ads. | |
| Yahoo! | Yahoo | 2025-03-14 | Active | Yahoo Mail | Data • Privacy | Yahoo's ToS mandates sharing email & account data with AI providers; only opt-out is deleting your account | |
| Yahoo! mandatory use of AI on all consumer services and content | Yahoo | 2025-03-14 | Active | Yahoo Mail | Data • Privacy | Yahoo's ToS mandates sharing email & account data with AI providers; only opt-out is deleting your account | |
| Texas Senate Bill 2420 (2025) | Texas House of Representatives | 2025-03-13 | Active | Privacy | New Texas law requiring photos of gov't ID to be uploaded for age verification before a user is allowed to use the App Store or Google Play store. | ||
| BlackVue mandatory app registration | BlackVue | 2025-03-13 | Active | Privacy • Subscription lock-in | BlackVue requires account registration to use the companion app, removing local Wi-Fi access without internet login; second try after 2023 reversal | ||
| Veo paywalls camera features | Veo Technologies ApS | 2025-03-13 | Active | Veo Camera 1 • Veo Camera 2 • Veo Camera 3 • Veo GO | Ownership | Veo patched a workaround on Mar 13, 2025, now blocking all video access without a subscription, reducing camera ownership value. | |
| Google Chrome automatically disables uBlock Origin | 2025-03-04 | Active | Google Chrome | Advertising • Privacy | Google's Google Chrome web browser deactivates the popular content blocker uBlock Origin by default as part of the extension manifest MV3. | ||
| Amazon Echo changes terms of voice usage | Amazon | March 2025 | Active | Amazon Echo | Privacy | Amazon removed an opt out option from amazon echo client device series for the amazon alexa, citing the need to collect data for generative AI training | |
| Amazon to charge non-Prime consumers to use Alexa | Amazon | 2025-02-26 | Active | Alexa | Subscription • Privacy | Amazon charges $19.99/mo for Alexa+ AI features; free for Prime. Classic Alexa features degraded after infrastructure shift. | |
| Firefox introduces TOS | Mozilla | 2025-02-26 | 2025-06-10 | Resolved | Firefox | Advertising • Privacy • Terms of Service | Mozilla introduced a vague terms of service, arousing concerns over the privacy of data and the use of data in advertising. |
| HP adds 15 minutes to all customer service phone calls | HP | 2025-02-20 | 2025-02-21 | Resolved | Evil • Poor Support | HP added a phony 15 minute hold for all calls to their support line. | |
| Sassy Saints review copyright claim | Sassy Saints | 2025-02-06 | Censorship • Legal Intimidation | ||||
| Creality K2 series GPLv3 violation | Creality | 2025-02-03 | Active | Creality K2 SE • K2 • K2 Pro • K2 Plus | Repairability • Software Licensing | Creality K2 firmware ships Cython-compiled binary blobs inside GPLv3 Klipper without source; developers allege a GPLv3 violation | |
| Pluralsight revokes lifetime licenses | Pluralsight | 2025-02-01 | Active | A Cloud Guru | Broken Promise • Terms of Service • Rent-seeking | A Pluralsight course's lifetime license is no longer being honored. | |
| Pluralsight | Pluralsight | 2025-02-01 | Active | A Cloud Guru | Broken Promise • Terms of Service • Rent-seeking | A Pluralsight course's lifetime license is no longer being honored. | |
| HBO Max downgrades lifetime subscription | HBO Max | February 2025 | Active | HBO Max | Broken Promise • Lifetime Subscription | Early adopters promised 50% lifetime discount lost 4K, HDR, and Dolby Atmos unless they paid more | |
| Bitly QR Code preview page advertising | Bitly | February 2025 | Active | QR-Code-Generator.com • Bitly links | Terms of Service | Bitly has introduced "preview pages" for QR Codes and Bitly links, which may contain advertising, before directing users to the destination link. | |
| Crunchyroll | Crunchyroll | 2025-01-30 | Unresolved | Crunchyroll | Terms of Service | Crunchyroll added a forced arbitration clause to its terms of service. | |
| Inclusion of forced arbitration in Crunchyroll January 2025 TOS update | Crunchyroll | 2025-01-30 | Unresolved | Crunchyroll | Terms of Service | Crunchyroll added a forced arbitration clause to its terms of service. | |
| SunStrong Management LLC puts solar monitoring app behind paywall | SunStrong Management | 2025-01-29 | SunPower | Rent-seeking | |||
| Epic Games forces third party account creation in Rocket League | Epic Games | 2025-01-29 | Rocket League | Forced Migration | |||
| Bambu Lab Authorization Control System | Bambu Lab | 2025-01-16 | Active | Post-purchase terms change | January 2025 firmware change restricted third-party slicers and gated printer control behind Bambu-issued authentication. | ||
| Final Draft software activation | Final Draft | 2025-01-15 | Unresolved | Final Draft 10 | Forced Migration • Forced Obsolescence • Ownership | Owners of Final Draft 10 are unable to use their lifetime license as activation servers have been shutdown, with the alternative being a paid migration to Final Draft 13. | |
| Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program | 2025-01-06 | Active | Pixel 4a | Quality | The Pixel 4a received a mandatory software update that reduces battery performance for safety, alongside an appeasement offer. | ||
| Amazon Fire TV Stick sideloading lockdown | Amazon | 2025 | 2026 | Active | Fire TV Stick 4K Select (2025+) • Fire TV Stick HD (2025 Vega model) | Ecosystem lockdown | Since 2025 amazon has been releasing fire TV stick models running their new "Vega OS" which disables APK sideloading. |
| Minecraft LAN gameplay paywall | Microsoft • Mojang | 2025 | 2025 | Active | Minecraft • Xbox | Digital restrictions | Minecraft on Xbox now blocks LAN play behind Game Pass, stripping a paid feature and sparking major consumer rights concerns. |
| Enequi Core Industry subscription lockout | Enequi | 2025 | Active | ENEQUI QuiPower Core Industry • ENEQUI QuiPower Core | Planned Obsolescence • Subscription Lockout | ENEQUI Core hardware requires 69 SEK/month Smart Saver subscription to function; unsubscribed devices lose most features | |
| Derrimut Gym revokes 24/7 access after running sale promoting 24/7 access gym | Derrimut Gym | 2025 | |||||
| HealthEquity difficult login | 2025 | Active | Cloud Lockout | HealthEquity, a health savings management service prevents simple logins. Instead using device passkeys which fail and lockout users. | |||
| Red Sky Labs Muzio Player Premium post-purchase terms change | Red Sky Labs | 2025 | Active | Muzio Player | Advertising • Broken Promise • Subscription | Red Sky Labs acquired an app and stopped honoring the previous no-ads promise for premium users. | |
| Futurehome Smarthub mandatory subscription fee | Futurehome | 2025 | Futurehome went bankrupt and then began charging $117/year for services previously free, not advertised as a possibility at time of sale. | ||||
| Google Play Integrity API | 2025 | Android • Google Play | Anti-competitive • Security | ||||
| Europe-based news sites enact consent-or-pay for data tracking | The Mirror • The Independent • Mail Online • Express • Daily Mirror • The Sun • Reach | 2025 | Active | Privacy • Rent-seeking | News sites in the UK restrict users from opting out of cookies without paying, directly putting a price on data privacy. | ||
| Smartaira Plume Wi-Fi motion detection | Smartaira • Plume | 2025 | Active | Privacy • Surveillance | Tenants living in buildings serviced by Smartaira have Plume Wi-Fi routers capable of motion detection in their home, raising privacy concerns. | ||
| Chuwi - 7430U product false advertisement | Chuwi | 2025 | Pending Resolution | Chuwi Corebook X 7430U | Fase advertising | Chuwi sold the affected models with 7430U in the name, however, these chips were actually 5500U processors with firmware/OS reporting as a 7430U. | |
| Google password manager overrides third-party autofill | 2025 | Google Chrome | Anti-competitive • Security | Users of the [[Google Chrome]] Android app have reported that [[Google|Google's]] password manager has blocked alternate password managers to be used on Chrome. | |||
| Skoda Citigo Move&Fun app discontinuation | Skoda • Volkswagen | 2025-01-01 | Active | Planned Obsolescence • Software Discontinuation | Skoda discontinued the free Bluetooth Move&Fun app for Citigo-e iV, forcing owners to a paid cloud-based replacement with reduced functionality. | ||
| Sketchfab | Epic Games | 2025 | Sketchfab | ||||
| Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription | Volkswagen | 2025 | Active | ID.3 | Firmware Lockout • Ownership • Rent-Seeking | The ID.3 ships with a 228 bhp engine but can only utilize up to 201 bhp of power unless the user pays a one-time fee or buys a subscription. | |
| Disney+ ad policy change | Disney | 2025 | Active | Disney+ | Advertising • False Advertising • Subscription • Terms of Service | Disney introduced ads to paid tiers of Disney+, changing the terms of the deal. | |
| Booking.com Post-Payment Terms Disclosure | Booking.com | 2025 | Active | Contract Transparency • Material Omission | Hosts impose terms after payment; platform disclaims responsibility and defends chargebacks citing "non-refundable" status. | ||
| F1TV concurrent streams limit | F1TV | 2025 | F1TV Pro | ||||
| Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 Battery Performance Program | Fitbit • Google | 2025 | Active | Sense • Versa 3 | Forced Migration | ||
| Autodesk Fusion EOL on Intel based MacOS systems running OpenCore legacy | Autodesk | 2025 | |||||
| Proven Industries v. Trevor McNally | Proven Industries | 2025 | Censorship • Legal Intimidation | ||||
| User testing for mandatory paid subscription into Tado Smart Thermostat app | Tado | 2025 | 2025 | Resolved | Cloud Lockout • Evil • Ownership • Rent-seeking | Tado conducted a test on its users to see if users would sign up for a phony offer to subscribe for access to previously free features. | |
| EA releases source code of classic command and conquer titles | Electronic Arts | 2025 | Resolved | Open Source | |||
| MinIO Object Browser: removal of management features | MinIO | 2025 | Active, Pending Resolution, Resolved, Unresolved | Object Browser | Poor Quality • Rent-seeking | Previously free features were paywalled in Object Browser 2.0 or removed entirely. | |
| OtO Lawn discontinues solutions program | OtO Lawn | 2025 | |||||
| NZ eRUC all-cars 24/7 GPS Surveillance proposal | Eroad and others | 2025 | Active | Eruc | Privacy | NZ Government planning to require installation of commercial vehicle trackers in every car that can't report location in real time itself. | |
| Stångåstaden kickbacks and hidden rent | Stångåstaden | 2025 | Active | Kickbacks • Hidden rent • Attempts to silence | Hiding a part of the rent in ISP fees. | ||
| Creative Fabrica licensing risks and ownership verification concerns | Creative Fabrica | January 2025 | Active | All Access Subscription | Terms of Service | Community reports raised concerns that Creative Fabrica users risk infringement claims from assets uploaded by non-owners, though no confirmed lawsuits exist. | |
| Bandicam perpetual license invalidation | Bandicam | 2025 | Bandicam • Bandicut | ||||
| Humble Bundle alters terms of sale | IGN | 2024-12-24 | Active | Humble Bundle | Planned Obsolescence • Terms of Service | Humble Bundle changed their terms of service and unredeemed product keys are set to expire in three years now. | |
| VitalSource "Lifetime" false advertising | VitalSource | 2024-12-18 | Active | Broken Promise • Deception • Ownership | Five-year textbook licenses are misleadingly advertised as "lifetime" licenses. | ||
| EINSTAR VEGA hidden activation requirement before file transfer is enabled | Shining 3D | 2024-12-02 | Active | EINSTAR VEGA handheld 3D scanner | Repairability • Ownership Restriction | Mandatory online activation blocks local file transfer functionality, undisclosed in marketing materials. | |
| Netflix Games deactivated | Netflix | December 2024 | Ongoing | Netflix Games | Service Termination | ||
| LaLiga forces Spanish ISPs to mass-block Cloudflare IPs during Soccer Games | LaLiga • Cloudflare | December 2024 | Active | Digital restrictions • IP Blocking | A Spanish court allowed LaLiga to mandate mass IP blocks, mostly Cloudflare, which serves millions of legitimate websites via shared IPs. | ||
| Bricks and Minifigs accused of theft of over $200,000 dollars worth of Lego sets | Bricks and Minifigs | 2024-11-14 | Active | Lego | Consignment • Retail | Family says a Lego collection consigned to a Bricks & Minifigs store went missing after a corporate seizure; the company denies any theft. | |
| Tom Evans Audio copyright strike | Tom Evans Audio | November 2024 | Censorship • Legal Intimidation | ||||
| Revolut blocked access for users with custom OS | Revolut | 2024-10-31 12:00:00 AM | Active | Revolut | Digital Restrictions | Revolut blocks required app functionality on custom operating systems. | |
| Delisting and shut down of Age of Empires 3 | Microsoft • Microsoft Game Studios | 2024-10-30 | Active | Age of Empires 3 | Planned Obsolescence | ||
| VOIPO overbills customers and denys refunds | VOIPO | October 2024 | Unresolved | Business Practices | |||
| Kemper guitar amplifer modeler puts features behind paywall after firmware update | Kemper Amps | 2024-09-27 | Active | PROFILER Player | Firmware lockout • Digital restrictions | Kemper has put certain features behind a paywall, most notably on the Kemper PROFILER Player. Even ones that were included at launch. | |
| GTA 5 moves to kernel-level anti-cheat on PC after purchase | Rockstar Games | 2024-09-17 | Grand Theft Auto V | Anti-cheat • Forced Migration • Privacy | |||
| Anova oven app subscription model | Anova Culinary | 2024-08-21 | Active | Service Siphoning • Planned Obsolescence | Anova added a $1.99/month fee in August 2024 for app features that had been free since 2014; new buyers of any Anova device must now pay to use remote control and recipes | ||
| Nike Adapt | Nike | 2024-08-06 | Active | Adept | Service Termination | Nike discontinued their app, removing the core features of their expensive smart shoes. | |
| Kroger Grocery store electronic shelf labels & facial recognition | Kroger | 2024-08-05 | Active | Algorithmic Pricing • Privacy • Surveillance | Kroger uses technologies that allow for price discrimination, intrusive advertising and surveillance. | ||
| Gaia GPS adds "feature" that opts all users into social media profile and location/activity sharing | Outside | August 2024 | Active | Gaia GPS | Data • Privacy | August 2024 update auto-created public OutsideOnline.com profiles for all Gaia GPS users, sharing location and activity data publicly by default | |
| Milwaukee battery DRM | Milwaukee • TTI | August 2024 | Active | M18 batteries | Digital Restrictions • Planned Obsolescence | Undisclosed digital rights management (DRM) and diagnostic tracking in Milwaukee M18 batteries allegedly used in warranty claim denials. | |
| Intel CPUs stability issue | Intel | 2024-07-22 | Resolved | Defects • Poor Quality | Intel's 13th and 14th generation CPUs are unstable, requiring a microcode update. | ||
| Formlabs acquisition of Micronics | Formlabs | 2024-07-11 | Resolved | Anti-competitive practices | Formlabs acquired Micronics mid-Kickstarter, canceled the $2,999 Micron SLS printer, eliminating the cheapest turnkey SLS option from the market | ||
| Volkswagen protection of car diagnosis | Volkswagen | 2024-07-01 | Right to Repair | ||||
| Adobe sued by FTC over hidden fees in subscription plans | Adobe | 2024-06-17 | Pending Resolution | Adobe Creative Cloud | Difficult to Cancel • Fees • Subscription | The FTC is suing Adobe over deceptive practices regarding its subscription services. | |
| MitID | 2024-06-12 | Active | Identification and person verification | Digital restrictions • Privacy • Ownership • Forced Migration | MitID on Android forces the use of Google Play Integrity API to access banking or digital signatures in public and private self-service solutions | ||
| Microsoft Copilot's recall feature | Microsoft | June 2024 | Active | Microsoft Copilot | Privacy | Microsoft Recall collects screenshots of the user's computer every few seconds to be used by Copilot, Microsoft's AI. | |
| Frontier Airlines obfuscates web check-in form | Frontier Airlines | 2024-06-01 | Active | Dark Patterns • Hidden Fees | Frontier charges $5 for website check-in while hiding the form behind multiple navigation layers; app check-in is free | ||
| Adobe ToS update gives the company rights over consumers' works | Adobe | June 2024 | Active | Ownership • Terms of Service | Adobe's 2024 ToS update forced users to grant broad content licenses with no opt-out; users couldn't access files or uninstall software without accepting. | ||
| Airthings ASA app release | Airthings | 2024-05-21 | Unresolved | Forced Migration | |||
| ChatGPT-4o | OpenAI | 2024-05-13 | Active | ChatGPT | Artificial Intelligence • Paywall • Health Risk to Users | ChatGPT-4o is a language model of OpenAI known by several incidents that include user harm, product deprecation and false claims from OpenAI | |
| DCS sues small YouTuber for accurate review | Deep Cycle Systems | 2024-05-02 | 2025-03-11 | Pending Resolution | Deep cycle lithium batteries | Speech | Deep Cycle Systems sued a small YouTuber for defamation over accurate battery reviews; court ruled DCS had no standing, DCS refuses to pay costs. |
| ASUS voids warranty of devices sent for repair over minor damages and performs unrelated repairs | ASUS | 2024-04-19 | 2024-05-01 | Resolved | Broken promise • Terms of Service | ASUS voids warranty and does not fix devices with minor damages and attempts to get away with it by calling it "Customer Induced Damage" and by performing unrequested and unrelated repairs. | |
| Funimation "Forever" content license revocation | Funimation • Sony | 2024-04-02 | Unresolved | Funimation | |||
| Nissan EVconnect application shutdowns (UK) | Nissan | 2024-04-01 | Active | Nissan Leaf • Nissan e-NV200 | App Discontinuation • Planned Obsolescence | Nissan discontinues NissanConnect EV app, removing remote climate and charging control from vehicles sold with those features | |
| Nissan shuts 2G car service in UK | Nissan | April 2024 | |||||
| Smartwool adds forced arbitration to EULA | Smartwool | 2024-03-29 | Active | EULA • Terms of Service | Smartwool is retroactively opting their customers into a EULA in order to add forced arbitration clauses to their clothing. | ||
| Activision Blizzard account lock and forced arbitration | Activision Blizzard | 2024-03-21 | Active | Battle.net | EULA • Terms of Service | A Battle.net update required users to accept forced arbitration terms or lose access to their account and game library. | |
| Sony Alpha Wi-Fi and Bluetooth unit malfunction | Sony | 2024-03-01 | Active | Repairability • Planned Obsolescence • Warranty | After a Sony firmware update, Alpha cameras show a hardware Wi-Fi/Bluetooth malfunction error; Sony's only fix is paid inspection and repair | ||
| NOOK 1st gen devices end of life | Barnes & Noble | March 2024 | End of Life | ||||
| Tekken 8 retroactively introducing micro transactions | Bandai Namco | 2024-02-29 | Tekken 8 | ||||
| LG refrigerator warranty scandal | LG | 2024-02-27 | Active | Broken Promise • Poor Quality • Terms of Service | LG refrigerators have failed much earlier than reasonably expected, but warranties are not being honored due to a forced arbitration clause. | ||
| Stellantis in-car advertisements | Stellantis | 2024-02-07 | Advertising | ||||
| Peloton used-equipment activation fee | Peloton | 2024 | Active | Bike • Bike+ | Ownership • Rent-seeking | An activation fee applied on second activation siphons money from customers who want to use Peloton's cloud features. | |
| FestingerVault/ GrootMade | Groot Made B.V. | 2024 | 2026 | Active | GPL Wordpress Plugins | Service Termination • DMCA Abuse • Copyright Abuse • Attempts to silence • Unauthorized Charges | FestingerVault/GrootMade faces allegations of unauthorized charges, denied refunds, unpaid affiliate fees, and IP theft u |
| Google Pixel Buds "Touch and Hold" discontinuation | 2024 | Active, Pending Resolution, Resolved, Unresolved | Google Pixel Buds | Accessibility | With an update, Google removed an accessibility feature from the Pixel Buds. | ||
| Volkswagen car-location data-exposure incident | Volkswagen | 2024 | Active | Privacy • Surveillance | Volkswagen suffered a large databreach, revealing customer's location data, battery statistics, and sensitive personal information. | ||
| Mojang shuts down community-run Minecraft servers | Mojang | 2024 | Active | Minecraft Java Edition servers | EULA • Ownership • Third-party | ||
| Kerbal Space Program 2 still sold despite remaining unfinished | Take Two • Private Division | 2024 | Active | Kerbal Space Program 2 | Product Termination • Abandonware | Kerbal Space Program 2 is an early-access video game sold at full price ($49.99) on both Epic Games Store and Steam. It is considered abandonware due to Take-Two having closed the game developer studio, Intercept Games, on 28 June 2024. The last update for KSP2 is listed as 11 June 2024 on Steam. | |
| Coles 'Down Down' price manipulation | Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd | 2024 | Pending Resolution | Price Manipulation | The ACCC has claimed that Coles supermarkets have used misleading pricing in its down down promotion | ||
| AEG Power Tools 58V product line discontinuation | AEG Powertools | 2024 | Active | Planned Obsolescence | AEG discontinued its 58V battery platform, stranding customers with tools that have no replacement batteries available. | ||
| FreePhoneLine revokes Lifetime VoIP service for monthly subscription model | FreePhoneLine | 2024 | Broken Promise • Rent-seeking | ||||
| Commonwealth Bank collection of biometric data | Commonwealth Bank | 2024 | |||||
| Tesla locks battery range behind paywall | Tesla | 2024 | Active | Digital Restrictions • Firmware • Ownership • Rent-seeking | Pre-2024 RWD Model Y electric cars require a $1,600 payment to unlock the full battery range. | ||
| Valve removes arbitration requirement from Steam Subscriber Agreement | Valve | 2024 | Steam | Arbitration | |||
| Sonos forces post-purchase privacy policy change | Sonos | 2024 | Active | Broken Promise • EULA • Privacy • Terms of Service | Sonos changed the privacy policy for their smart products in 2024, and users must agree to the new terms to continue using smart features. The change was made to allow the company to sell users' personal information and data to third parties. | ||
| DIW7022 mandatory wireless operation | KPN | January 2024 | Active | Accessibility • Health • Privacy | DIW7022 TV box requires mandatory Wi-Fi/Bluetooth operation; no wired/IR-only alternative available | ||
| KPN mandatory SMS authentication | KPN | January 2024 | Active | Accessibility • Security | SMS two-step verification; no landline or alternative 2FA option available | ||
| Samsung self-repair program restrictions | Samsung | 2024 | Active | Privacy • Repairability • Third-party • Wolf in Sheep's Clothing | Samsung gouges the price of parts sold to third party repair shops and requires data collection, complying with the word of the law but not the spirit. | ||
| Amazon sued for enrolling and charging customers into Audible without consent | Amazon • Audible | 2024 | 2025 | Active | Amazon Prime | Service Termination | Audible enrolled Amazon customers in Audible memberships without their knowledge or consent |
| RepairShopr data privacy | Synchro | 2024 | Active | RepairShopr | Privacy • Quality • Rent-seeking • Subscription • Terms of Service | RepairShopr was acquired by Synchro and began to misuse user data, hike up in price, and decrease in quality. | |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro camera bar separates from phone body | 2024 | 2025 | Active | Google Pixel 9 Pro | Knowingly selling defective product | Camera bar on Google Pixel 9 Pro devices is prone to separating from the body. Google would not replace device. A case is suggested. | |
| Tesla blames drivers for part failures it admits were defective | Tesla | 2023-12-20 | 2024 | Resolved | Tesla Model S • Tesla Model 3 • Tesla Model X • Tesla Model Y | Knowingly selling defective product | Wheels falling off at speed and other safety incidents caused by defective parts where the blame and cost was placed on the consumer. |
| LG Television sale of personal data | LG | 2023-12-12 | Active | LG G3 OLED | Advertising • Opt-out • Privacy | Despite being priced at $3600+, The LG G3 OLED sells and monitors your activity on the device by default, and the opt out process is deliberately inconvenient. | |
| Electronic Arts | Electronic Arts | December 2023 | Catalyst | Online service shutdown | In December 2023, all servers for Mirror's Edge Catalyst were shut down by EA, leaving all multiplayer game features inoperable and some achievements unobtainable. | ||
| VMware licensing change since acquisition by Broadcom | Broadcom Inc. | 2023-11-22 | Active | VMware | Terms of Service | Broadcom ended perpetual VMware licenses and changed to a subscription based model. | |
| Verizon administrative fee settlement | Verizon | 2023-11-10 | 2024-04-26 | Resolved | Billing • Deceptive Pricing | Verizon added a monthly Administrative Charge it never put in advertised plan prices; a $100M settlement paid many customers a few dollars | |
| Chamberlain removes API access from new and existing garage door openers | Chamberlain Group | November 2023 | March 2024 | Active | Cloud • Privacy • Ownership | Chamberlain Group removed third party API access to new and existing garage door openers (forcing cloud connection and data collection). | |
| Jones v. Ford Motor Co. | Ford • Honda • Toyota • Volkswagen • General Motors | 2023-10-27 | 2023-11-07 | Resolved | Privacy | Ford, Honda, Toyota, VW & GM infotainment systems download & store all texts & call logs from connected phones; 9th Circuit affirmed dismissal | |
| UK Online Safety Act | 2023-10-26 | Active | Digital restrictions | On 26 October 2023, the UK Online Safety Act passed and became law. This act restricts the freedom of UK users of the internet and increases censorship. | |||
| Elgato forces Stream Deck users to sign up | Elgato | 2023-10-24 | Stream Deck | Cloud | |||
| Mazda DMCA takedown of open source Home Assistant app | Mazda | 2023-10-10 | Active | MyMazda | DMCA • Subscription | Mazda issued a DMCA takedown against an open-source Home Assistant integration; began charging $10/month for the same features | |
| Costco's collection and sharing of data through Meta's tracking pixel | Costco | 2023-10-06 | Pending Resolution | Costco pharmacy website | HIPAA Privacy • Privacy | Costco's pharmacy website allegedly shared patients' private information with Meta and other unauthorized third parties via tracking tools such as Meta Pixel. | |
| Philips Hue starts requiring an account for the Hue app | Philips | 2023-09-22 | Active | Cloud Lockout • Ownership • Privacy | The official Philips Hue app now requires account creation to control smart lights. | ||
| Miku charges subscription for previously free features | Miku | 2023-09-15 | Active | Miku Pro Smart Baby Monitor | Digital Restriction • Terms of Service • Cloud Lockout | Miku revoked previously free baby monitor features, now selling them for $9.99/mo under the "Care+" subscription. | |
| Unity Engine runtime fee | Unity | 2023-09-12 | Unity Engine | Rent-seeking | |||
| Honda requires connection of the car to the internet and creating an account to be able to download offline map updates. | Honda | September 2023 | Active | Forced Account Creation • Privacy | Requires car internet connection and account creation to download offline map updates despite already having the VIN | ||
| Reddit made it impossible for blind Redditors to moderate | 2023-07-01 | Accessibility | |||||
| Amazon locks home owner out of Amazon account over allegation by Amazon delivery driver | Amazon | 2023-05-25 | 2023-05-31 | Resolved | Amazon | Digital Restrictions | After an amazon worker severely misunderstood an automated Eufy doorbell message, Amazon proceeded to lock the homeowner out of their account for 6 days. |
| ASUS charges for previously free bootloader unlocking tool | ASUS | May 2023 | Active | Digital Restrictions • False Advertising • Firmware Lockout | On May 2023, without giving a notice to the users, ASUS removed the ability for owners of the Zenfone and ROG Android phones to access the bootloader tools. As a follow-up, in Early 2024, ASUS began charging 185 euros for bootloader unlocking. | ||
| Zoom changed Terms of Service for Data Collection and Force Arbitration | Zoom Communications | 2023-04-01 | 2023-08-11 | Resolved | Zoom (Product) | Arbitration • Anti-consumer Behavior • Artificial Intelligence | |
| Mercedes-Benz locks horsepower behind paid subscription | Mercedes-Benz | April 2023 | EQE 350 • EQS 450 | Firmware Lockout • Rent-seeking | |||
| Anker Battery Bank Recall | Anker | 2023-03-09 | Active | Defective • Poor Quality • Safety | Over 1.68M Anker power banks recalled for fire/explosion risk; 90+ incidents, 9+ burn injuries across four recalls, no cash refund on largest recall | ||
| Ford repossession patent | Ford | 2023-02-23 | Ownership • Security | ||||
| Ford ad patent | Ford | 2023-02-23 | Advertising | ||||
| Dyson ends relationship with third-party repair centers | Dyson | February 2023 | Active | Repairability • Third-party | Dyson terminated all third-party authorized repair centers in 2023, forcing customers into centralized mail-in service with restricted spare parts | ||
| Meta Oculus Quest 1 deprecation | Meta | 2023-01-31 | 2025-01-31 | Unresolved | Quest 1 | End of Life | Quest 1 entered end-of-life support in 2023, with the final support update issued in August 2024. |
| SumUp blocks card readers | SumUp | 2023 | 2025 | Active | SumUp Solo • SumUp 3G+ • SumUp Air • SumUp Solo Lite | Repairability | SumUp blocks their Card Readers after purchase, refusing to let their own customers' repair them, under the "prevent manipulation/tampering" premise. |
| Fairphone 5 bricked by faulty Android 15 update | Fairphone • Cordon Group | 2023 | Active | Fairphone 5 | Repairability | Android 15 update reportedly bricked some Fairphone 5 devices with faulty fingerprint sensors; restricted parts sales and EDL access limited self-repair options. | |
| GoIt changing its warranty conditions post-sale | GoIt | 2023 | Broken Promise • Warranty | ||||
| EA moves to in-house kernel-level anti-cheat on PC after purchase | Electronic Arts | 2023 | EA SPORTS WRC • Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare 2 | Anti-cheat • Forced Migration • Privacy | |||
| Amazon PhotosPlus discontinuation | Amazon | 2023 | Active | Amazon Echo Show | Advertising • Cloud Lockout • Service Termination • Planned Obsolescence | Amazon canceled their cloud service for showing photos across devices despite launching a product based on this service a year prior. | |
| IFTTT discontinued Legacy plan | IFTTT | 2023 | Unresolved | Broken Promise • Subscription | IFTTT changed the deal on their lifetime subscription plan. | ||
| Qantas sale of tickets for cancelled services (ghost flights) | Qantas | 2023 | Resolved | Broken Promise • Quality | Qantas sold a large volume of tickets for flights that were inevitably canceled. | ||
| Meta AI permanent account suspensions | Meta | 2023 | 2025 | Active | Service Termination • Digital restrictions | Considerable amounts of people wrongfully permanently banned by Meta's AI content moderation. Permanent ban with no human involvement. | |
| Amazon alters the content of purchased ebooks | Amazon | 2023 | Active | Amazon Kindle | Digital restrictions | Amazon allows publishers to retroactively make editorial changes to already purchased ebooks in users' Kindle library without their knowledge | |
| Dead Space 2 activation limit lockout | Electronic Arts | 2022-12-09 | Ongoing | Dead Space 2 | Electronic Arts continues to sell Dead Space 2 on Steam while EA Support has "sunset" the activation tool, locking out legitimate owners after hardware changes. | ||
| National Grid USA smart meter data collection in New York and Massachusetts | National Grid | 2022-11-30 | Active | Privacy • Forced Migration | National Grid installs smart meters with embedded software that identifies household appliances without disclosing this capability to customers | ||
| Requirement for Canon EOS Webcam Utility subscription to enable webcam features on cameras | Canon | 2022-11-09 | Active | Subscription | Canon charges $4.99/mo to unlock webcam software features that Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm & Panasonic provide for free | ||
| Kroger merger deal with Albertson | Kroger • Albertson | 2022-10-14 | 2024-12-10 | Resolved | Security | ||
| BlackVue firmware security vulnerabilities | BlackVue | 2022-07-30 | Active | Privacy • Repairability | Seven CVEs across DR750 & DR590X allow firmware backdooring, unauthenticated recording access, & hardcoded API secrets; DR750 unpatched since 2022 | ||
| Sony's attempted removal of "purchased" content | Sony | 2022-07-08 | 2023-12-21 | Resolved | Playstation Video | Ownership • Terms of Service | Sony was planning to remove purchased Discovery TV shows from user's libraries due to licensing issues, but later updated their licensing agreements. |
| BMW's heated seat subscription | BMW | July 2022 | Rent-seeking | ||||
| ConnectedLife SmartDry discontinuation | ConnectedLife | 2022-06-17 | SmartDry | ||||
| Audi basic HVAC "Sync" function paywalled | Audi | April 2022 | Active | Audi Q4 E-Tron | Digital Restrictions • Firmware Lockout • Ownership | Audi charges $758 for an HVAC “Sync” button, which is physically present within the vehicle, but disabled until a payment is made. | |
| FTC Lawsuit against Turbo Tax free software | Intuit Inc. | 2022-03-28 | 2024-06-14 | Resolved | Turbo Tax | False advertising | FTC file against Intuit inc. on the basis of deceptive advertising regarding its free filing software TurboTax. |
| Paragon NTFS software license invalidation | Paragon Software | 2022 | Active | NTFS for Mac | Broken Promise • Forced Migration • Rent-seeking | The perpetual licenses for NTFS for Mac are no longer being honored, and users are directed to purchase newer versions. | |
| MSI motherboard CMOS battery obsolescence | MSI | 2022 | Ongoing | Motherboards | |||
| Dyson covers circuit board in glue | Dyson | 2022 | Active | Repairability • Planned Obsolescence | |||
| Samsung sued over S22 performance throttle | Samsung | 2022 | 2022 | Resolved | Samsung Galaxy S22 series | Digital restrictions | samsung sued over samsung throttling on purpose |
| LG Bootloader incident | LG | 2021-12-31 | Pending Resolution | Service Termination | After exiting mobile, LG ends bootloader unlock services, preventing users from installing custom ROMs on their devices. | ||
| Canon ink DRM | Canon | December 2021 | Active | DRM • Third-party | Canon uses authentication chips in toner cartridges to block third-party use; a chip shortage forced Canon to bypass its own DRM in 2022 | ||
| Bitly QRCodeGenerator.com QR code lockout | Bitly | 2021-12-01 | Active | Qr-code-generator.com | Terms of Service | Bitly's QR-Code-Generator.com markets "free" QR codes that break after a 14-day trial unless users pay $119/year, destroying printed materials. | |
| Canon printers disable scanning when ink is low | Canon | 2021-10-12 | 2023-03-07 | Resolved | Planned Obsolescence • Repairability | Canon disables scanning & faxing on all-in-one printers when ink is low; scanning uses no ink | |
| PlayOn Desktop discontinued | MediaMall | 2021-10-07 | 2021-11-24 | Resolved | PlayOn Desktop | Broken Promise • License revocation • Rent-seeking | MediaMall sold PlayOn Desktop "Lifetime License" at $69.99, then ended updates in October 2021 and pushed lifetime holders to a subscription |
| Proton Mail discloses activist IP address to police | Proton | 2021-09-06 | Resolved | Proton Mail | Privacy • Legal Intimidation | ProtonMail logged and disclosed a user's IP under Swiss court order in Sept 2021, prompting policy clarifications and criticism | |
| SUPERHOT VR update removes key story elements involving self-harm | Superhot Team | 2021-07-21 | Resolved | SUPERHOT VR | 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. | ||
| User:YoshiRulz/Draft/Intrusive "Sign in with Google" pop-ups | 2021-07-19 | Active | Anti-consumer Behavior • Monopoly • Privacy • Surveillance | TODO | |||
| Peloton removes Just Run feature | Peloton | 2021-05-05 | 2021-08-10 | Resolved | Tread • Tread+ | Cloud Lockout • Subscription | Peloton removed a feature that allowed using their treadmills without using their cloud services during a recall, and then reverted the change. |
| John Deere | John Deere | 2021-04-22 | Resolved | Privacy • Security | John Deere allegedly lied about the severity of publicized vulnerabilities in their software. | ||
| John Deere security flaws exposed sensitive customer information | John Deere | 2021-04-22 | Resolved | Privacy • Security | John Deere allegedly lied about the severity of publicized vulnerabilities in their software. | ||
| L.A. Noire "Patch" mandates use Rockstar Games Launcher and Social Club account | Rockstar Games • Valve | 2021-04-19 | Active | L.A. Noire • Steam | Anti-consumer Behavior • Ownership Restriction • Digital Restriction • DRM enforcement • Erosion of rights | In April 2021, Rockstar released update v2663.1.0.0 for the Steam version of L.A. Noire that mandated use of Rockstar Games Launcher & Social Account. | |
| PlayStation restricts how developers can give upgrades to "PS5" editions | Sony | 2021-03-28 | Ongoing | PlayStation 4 • PlayStation 5 | Digital Restrictions | PlayStation restricts how developers can give upgrades to "PS5" editions | |
| 2021 WhatsApp privacy policy updates | Facebook • WhatsApp | 2021-02-08 | Active | Privacy | WhatsApp updated its privacy policy, key changes are: Clarifying how WhatsApp processes user data. Detailing how WhatsApp works with businesses. | ||
| Chat Control | 2021 | Active | Surveillance • Privacy | ||||
| Vizio sued over unfairly appropriated software for their SmartCast system | Vizio | 2021 | SmartCast | Source Code • Right to Repair | |||
| John Deere | John Deere | 2021-01-01 | Active | Broken Promise • Ownership • Repairability | ... | ||
| GameStop Short Squeeze | Citadel Securities • Robinhood Financial | 2021 | |||||
| Mercedes-Benz EQS rear-wheel steering requires subscription | Mercedes-Benz | 2021 | Active | Firmware Lockout • Rent-seeking • Ownership | Mercedes-Benz EQS vehicles have restricted rear-wheel steering unless customers unlock the full range of motion with a subscription. | ||
| BlueCruise hands-free driving | Ford | 2021 | Active | Subscription • Planned Obsolescence | Ford charges up to $495/year to unlock BlueCruise hands-free driving on hardware already installed in the vehicle at purchase | ||
| Mazda remote-start subscription | Mazda | 2021 | Active | Cloud • Ownership • Rent-seeking | Mazda began charging a subscription fee for remote starting, a previously-free cloud feature. | ||
| John Deere fails to uphold right to repair agreement | John Deere | 2021-01-01 | Active | Broken Promise • Ownership • Repairability | ... | ||
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3's camera gets artificially blocked after unlocking the bootloader | Samsung | 2021 | 2022 | Resolved | Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 | Firmware lockout | Front and rear cameras on the Galaxy Z Fold 3 get artifically disabled when the user unlocks the bootloader. |
| Polestar paywalls performance update | Polestar | 2021 | Active | Polestar 2 | Digital restrictions | Polestar locks horsepower upgrade behind a paywall | |
| Accellion data breach | Accellion • Kroger • Shell • Trillium • Qualys • Singtel • CSX | December 2020 | February 2021 | Resolved | Security | A cybersecurity breach affecting over 25 companies, medical institutions and schools. | |
| Minecraft account migration | Microsoft • Mojang | 2020-10-21 | 2023-12-18 | Unresolved | Minecraft Java Edition | Forced Migration • Service Termination | Minecraft players were forced to migrate their Mojang accounts to Microsoft accounts or lose access to their account. |
| Bose QuietComfort Sleepbuds doesn't allow purchasing new case | Bose | 2020-09-29 | Active | Bose QuietComfort Earbuds | Repairability • Planned Obsolescence | Bose firmware-locked QC Earbuds (2020) to their charging case; losing the case bricks functional earbuds with no replacement sold | |
| Samsung Gear 360 software and services discontinued | Samsung | 2020-08-01 | Resolved | Gear 360 2017 • Gear 360 2016 | Planned Obsolescence • Digital restrictions | Samsung discontinued updates and servers for the Gear 360 without prior notice, limiting its features through digital restrictions. | |
| Brave puts affiliated links in the address bar | Brave Software | 2020-06-06 | 2020-06-08 | Resolved | Brave browser | False Advertising • Privacy | Brave silently injected affiliate referral codes into address bar URL suggestions without user consent |
| Linea Sketch revokes lifetime licenses | The Iconfactory | 2020-04-07 | Linea Sketch | Broken Promise • Rent-seeking | |||
| Facebook account recovery requires mobile phone verification with limited non-SMS alternatives | Meta Platforms | 2020 | Active | Accessibility • Security • Privacy | Facebook account recovery requires mobile phone verification with limited non-SMS alternatives | ||
| Tesla locks heated rear seats behind paywall | Tesla | 2020 | 2022 | Resolved | Model 3 | Digital Restrictions • Firmware • Ownership • Rent-seeking | Tesla charged $300 to unlock heated seats through software in Model 3 variants. |
| John Deere dealerships lobby against right to repair | John Deere | 2020 | Active | Lobbying • Ownership • Repairability | |||
| Tesla asks customers to vote against Right to Repair | Tesla • Inc. | 2020 | Corporate Activism • Evil | ||||
| Best Buy discontinuation of Insignia Connect | Best Buy | 2019-11-06 | Active | Insignia Connect | |||
| BMW's high beam assistant (HBA) | BMW | August 2019 | Active | Rent-Seeking | BMW charges a subscription to unlock High Beam Assistant, a pre-installed safety feature that prevents blinding other road users | ||
| Tim Hortons app collects user data without consent | Radar • Tim Hortons | May 2019 | August 2020 | Resolved | Tim Hortons App | Data • Privacy | |
| Verizon 5G advertising rulings | Verizon | 2019-03-01 | 2020-09-02 | Resolved | Advertising • Telecommunications | NAD and NARB ruled that Verizon's 5G ads overstated availability and capability its network did not yet deliver to most customers | |
| Chrome OS ends support for school Chromebooks | Lenovo • Google | 2019-02-27 | 2026-01-01 | Pending Resolution | Laptop | Service Termination | The end of millions of Chromebooks as Chrome OS support is discontinued, impacting schools and students worldwide. |
| Apple removes apps aiding protests | Apple | 2019 | Active | Apple App Store | Censorship | Apple has removed various apps that aid protestors due to various goverments' threats | |
| BlackVue GPS location broadcasting | BlackVue | 2018-09-18 | Active | Privacy | BlackVue Cloud broadcasts users' real-time GPS, video, and audio to anyone with a free app account; BlackVue calls it a feature | ||
| Verizon firefighter data throttling | Verizon | 2018-08-01 | 2018-08-24 | Resolved | Data Caps • Net Neutrality | Verizon throttled a fire department's "unlimited" data to 1/200 speed during a wildfire and required a pricier plan to restore it | |
| Verizon location data sale | Verizon | 2018-05-01 | 2024-04-29 | Resolved | Privacy | Verizon sold access to customers' real-time location to aggregators who resold it downstream; the FCC fined it $46.9 million in 2024 | |
| Brother DCP-L3550CDW aftermarket toner failure | Brother Industries Ltd. | 2018 | Active | DCP-L3550CDW and MFC-L3770CDW printers • TN-760 cartridges | Anticompetitive Behavior • Planned Obsolescence • Third Party | Brother toner cartridges contain chips for authentication. Firmware updates have actively suppressed aftermarket toner. | |
| Red Shell tracker | 2018 | Active | Advertising • Privacy • Surveillance | ||||
| Cambridge Analytica Scandal | Cambridge Analytica • Meta | 2018 | 2019 | Resolved | Advertising • Privacy | The personal data of Facebook users was misused for targeted political advertising. | |
| Panera's failure to disclose a known security breach | Panera Bread | 2017-08-02 | 2018 | Resolved | Security | Company ignored security risks for 8 months, affecting 37 million users. | |
| Vizio fined by the FTC for collecting and selling user data without consumer consent | Federal Trade Commission • Vizio | 2017-02-17 | 2017-02-17 | Resolved | Privacy | VIZIO tracks Smart Television owners without consent. | |
| McDonald's 2017 India Leak | McDonald's • McDonald's | 2017-02-17 | 2017-03-20 | Resolved | McDelivery | Privacy • Security | |
| Covert web-to-app tracking by Meta and Yandex | Meta • Yandex | February 2017 | January 2025 | Resolved | Facebook • Instagram • Yandex Maps • Yandex Browser | Privacy • Surveillance • Unprompted Risk to Users | Meta & Yandex apps on Android track users by listening on localhost ports, linking web activity to app identities, bypassing privacy measures. |
| GoodRX sells health information to advertisers | GoodRX | 2017 | 2020 | Resolved | HIPAA Privacy • Privacy | Since 2017, GoodRx shared users' sensitive health data with Facebook, Google, and other advertisers until reveal in 2020. | |
| Discontinuation of Ikawa Home Roasters | Ikawa Coffee | 2017 | 2026 | Active | Ikawa Home Coffee R | Repairability • Service Termination | Transfer to service that isn't compatible with older devices and lack of replacement parts. |
| GoPro Karma | GoPro | 2016-11-08 | Active | GoPro Karma | Planned Obsolescence • Poor Quality | ||
| User:Awambawamb/Sandbox | DeLonghi | 2016-11-01 | 2023-07-12 | Resolved | Magnifica S ECAM 23.125.B | Coffee machine • Espresso Machine | Espresso coffee machine with integrated coffee bean grinder. |
| Dead star server shutdown | Armature Studio | 2016-11-01 | Pending Resolution | Dead Star | Service Termination | Armature Studios shut down its servers for Dead Star 7 months after launch. | |
| Blu-Ray Ultra-HD DRM | AACS LA | 2016-02-14 | Active | Digital rights management • Right to own | UHD Blu-ray requires internet-connected DRM; if AACS servers shut down, legally purchased discs become unplayable | ||
| IPhone 6 error 53 fingerprint sensor incident | Apple | 2016-02-05 | 2016-02-18 | Resolved | IPhone 6 | Bricking • Firmware Lockout • Right to Repair | |
| Elsagate | YouTube • TikTok | 2016 | YouTube • TikTok | Safety | |||
| Cisco anti-competitive practices lawsuits | Cisco Systems • Inc. | 2015 | Active | SmartNet | Monopolistic Practice | Cisco has been the subject of multiple antitrust lawsuits alleging that it uses its dominant position in the after-market for services on its networking equipment to suppress competition from independent resellers. | |
| LG G4 malfunctions | LG | 2015 | G4 | Poor Quality | |||
| Voluntary Recall of NVIDIA Shield K1 Tablets | NVIDIA | 2015 | 2015 | Resolved | SHIELD K1 | Firmware Lockout • Quality • Safety | NVIDIA recalled SHIELD K1 tablets that had defective batteries and pushed firmware updates to disable affected devices. |
| Verizon App Manager | Verizon | 2014-12-02 | Active | Privacy • Ownership • Bloatware | Verizon App Manager silently installs apps on phones it ships on, and a device update re-enables it after the owner disables it | ||
| GameSpy server shutdown | GameSpy • Glu Mobile | 2014-05-31 | Planned Obsolescence | ||||
| Unlocking Technology Act of 2013 | 2013-05-08 | Resolved | Digital Ownership | This was a proposed law to restrict DMCA Section 1201 to only apply to copyright infringement, but it died in committee. | |||
| Cisco Requiring a service contract to download in-support device firmware | Cisco Systems Inc. | 2013-02-11 | Active | Right to Repair • Ownership • Anti-consumer Behavior | Cisco requires a service contract and account to download currently supported services and devices. | ||
| Verizon supercookie | Verizon | 2012-12-01 | 2016-03-07 | Resolved | Privacy | Verizon injected an undeletable tracking ID into customers' web traffic at the network level; the FCC fined it $1.35 million in 2016 | |
| Jagex revokes grandfathered RuneScape monthly subscription pricing after purchasing yearly subscription | Jagex Limited | 2012 | 2026 | Active | RuneScape • Old School RuneScape | Post-purchase terms change | |
| JB Hi-Fi Group Proceeding (Class Action) | JB Hi-Fi | 2011-01-01 | 2023-12-08 | Pending Resolution | Anti-consumer Behavior | In 2025, a class action was brought against JB Hi-Fi alleging that they sold extended warranties to consumers which had with little to no value over w | |
| Sony Playstation hardware bans from online services | Sony • PlayStation | 2011 | 2025 | Active | Playstation • Playstation 4 • Plastation 5 • PS Vita | Service Termination • Digital restrictions | Sony is permanently banning consoles from accessing online services permanently. This practice is in place since launch of PS Vita for sure. |
| Activision discontinues Blur video game | Activision Blizzard | 2011 | Active | Blur | Service Termination | The game Blur cannot be legitimately purchased for no apparent reason. | |
| Wacom legacy tablet driver abandonment | Wacom | 2010-11-22 | Active | Planned Obsolescence | Wacom drops driver support for functional tablets; users on modern macOS or Windows can't use hardware they own | ||
| Reflexive Arcade discontinuation | Reflexive Entertainment • Amazon | 2010-03-31 | 2010-07-31 | Digital rights management • Digital Ownership | In 2010, the Reflexive Arcade store for downloadable casual games was shut down, making it impossible to activate previous purchases. | ||
| Minecraft post-purchase ownership rights changes | Mojang • Microsoft | 2009-05-19 12:00:00 AM | Active | Minecraft Java Edition | Terms of Service | A game first sold as a DRM-fee product, slowly became a license to a service. | |
| PlayStation 3 "Yellow Light of Death" | Sony • PlayStation | November 2006 | Unresolved | Playstation 3 | Repairability • Knowingly selling defective product • Defects | Due to a likely defect in the 90nm graphic processing units (GPUs) of early PlayStation 3s,these models are extremely prone to GPU failure | |
| Bumpgate | AMD • Nvidia | 2006 | 2010 | Resolved | Poor Quality | ||
| Canadian bread price fixing | Canada Bread • Weston Foods • Walmart Canada • Giant Tiger • Sobeys • Metro | 2001 | 2015 | Resolved | Bread • Bagels • Naan | Price Fixing | From 2001 to 2015, many companies colluded in what can be described as a cartel, fixing bread prices in Canada. |
| JetBlue Travel Credits | JetBlue | 2000 | Active | JetBlue Travel Credits | Anti-consumer Behavior | JetBlue issues "travel credits" that only work at JetBlue as refunds instead of the currency that the ticket was purchased in. | |
| Roblox's problematic moderation | Roblox | Roblox | Child Safety • Safety | ||||
| Rosetta Stone bricks legacy CD-based and downloadable software | Rosetta Stone | Language Learning Software | Bricking | Rosetta Stone is bricking legacy CD-based and downloadable software by blocking activation, despite perpetual license, to force paid subscriptions | |||
| Canva Affinity Studio adds arbitration clause | Canva | ||||||
| Excessive data collection by cars | Suzuki • Hyundai | Active | Car | Terms of Service • Privacy | Car is forcing you to agree to spying on you by locking you out of some features. | ||
| First Press Games not producing goods paid for | First Press Games | Active | Scam | First Press Games rarely delivers pre-orders and will not respond to refund requests. | |||
| Minecraft Chat Reporting and Restriction | Microsoft | Active | Minecraft | Privacy | Multiplayer access can be restricted due to user behavior. Chat messages in Minecraft are moderated and subject to UK age verification laws. | ||
| Washington house bill 2321 regarding 3d printers | 3D printers | Washington State bill mandating firearm detection algorithms in 3D printers; first law of its kind, with Class C felony penalties. | |||||
| Glasswire | GlassWire | Broken Promise • Subscription | |||||
| Google asserts the right to seize phones during repairs | |||||||
| Google Pixel Watches do not come with repair options | |||||||
| Battery Health Assistance | Planned Obsolescence | ||||||
| Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) discontinuation | Microsoft | Windows Mixed Reality | Discontinued | ||||
| Serato DJ Pro / DJM-S11 | Serato | Serato DJ | |||||
| Subway footlong pass ineligibility | Subway | ||||||
| Life360 Terms of Service forced arbitration agreement | Life360 | Active | Life360 | Terms of Service • Arbitration | Life360's Terms of Service includes an arbitration clause requiring users of the service to waive their right to a jury trial. | ||
| Brother printers causing issues with third party inks | Brother Industries Ltd. | Third-party | |||||
| Gigantti pressured additional subscriptions | Gigantti | Subscription | |||||
| Bosch cloud dishwasher incident | Bosch | Cloud | |||||
| Fake memory still being sold on eBay and Amazon | Amazon • EBay | Unresolved | False Advertising | Counterfeit flash memory, such as USB flash drives, SD Cards and Solid State Drives, are a prevalent problem on popular online marketplaces. | |||
| PCIe power connector design linked to melting GPU cables | Nvidia. PSI-SIG | Poor Quality | |||||
| Arity's alleged unauthorized driver data collection through mobile apps | Allstate • Arity | Active | Privacy | Arity collects data around every 15 seconds with no easy opt-out for the users. | |||
| Filmora lifetime licenses terminated | Wondershare | ||||||
| Netflix stream-quality controversy | Netflix | Netflix | |||||
| Canon legacy scanner driver abandonment | Canon | Active | Planned Obsolescence | Canon stops driver updates for functional scanners; users on Windows 10/11 or modern macOS can't use hardware they own | |||
| Systemd adds age indication ahead of schedule | Active | Linux | Privacy | Systemd added age bracket ahead of schedule, the merge was quickly done while the revert attempt was blocked, with possible influence from Microsoft | |||
| The Italian digital identity wallet only supports Google-certified Android devices | |||||||
| Android data collection | Unresolved | Android • Google Pixel | Privacy | Google and Android phones alike deliberately collect user information, even when they choose to opt-out. | |||
| Nothing Phone (1) | Nothing | Phone (1) | Poor Quality • Warranty | ||||
| Netatmo Zigbee devices refuse to connect to third-party gateways | Legrand • BTicino • Netatmo | Active | Anticompetitive Behavior | Devices from Legrand and its subsidiaries refuse to connect unless they receive a special code during pairing to confirm it's a Legrand gateway | |||
| Adobe Digital Editions' ebook DRM | Adobe | Active | Adobe Digital Editions | Ownership • False Advertising | Adobe limits downloads of bought books through their apps despite unlimited downloads advertised | ||
| Apps deliberately refusing to work on modded devices | Digital Restrictions | Many apps on any kind of device can deliberately refuse to work if the device has been suspected to be modified. | |||||
| Ola Electric disables vehicle riding modes without MoveOS+ subscription | Ola Electric | Rent-seeking | |||||
| Nintendo Switch bans | Nintendo | ||||||
| Broadband choice reduction by Brendan Carr's FCC | Federal Communications Commission | ||||||
| Mandatory data collection on PlayStation's PC ports | Sony • PlayStation | Active | Privacy | On a fresh start of most PlayStation titles on PC, a pop-up appears asking the user to consent for data collection, with no way to reject. | |||
| Apple's planned obsolescence incidents | Apple | Active | Planned Obsolescence | ||||
| PayPal requests ID post-purchase for cryptocurrency | PayPal | Active | PayPal | Surveillance • Privacy • Anti-consumer Behavior | Paypal Crypto Features | ||
| HP systemic DRM and firmware lockouts | HP | DRM • Firmware Lockout • Ownership | |||||
| HP Printers locking functionality behind ink availability | HP | Rent-seeking | |||||
| Happy Bar & Grill biometric surveillance tool development | Happy Bar & Grill • IP Biometrix | ||||||
| Disney requires an active subscription to delete a Disney+ account | Disney | Disney+ | Data • Privacy • Right to Vanish | ||||
| AWS Lightsail won't cancel | Amazon | AWS Lightsail | |||||
| HelloSimply.com: easy to subscribe, difficult to unsubscribe | HelloSimply.com | Active | Service Termination | The service is trivially easy to subscribe to, but makes it prohibitively difficult to unsubscribe. | |||
| Tesla locks horsepower behind paywall | Tesla | Active | Digital Restrictions • Firmware • Ownership • Rent-seeking | Tesla charges $2,000 to allow full power from the motors in Model Y and Model 3 cars. | |||
| Cisco Removing access to critical downloads for products that are end-of-support | Cisco Systems Inc. | Active | Ownership • Right to Repair | Cisco removes all downloads for products that are past their end-of-support date, which leaves no official way to acquire updates. | |||
| Figma threatens companies using "Dev Mode" | Figma | Copyright Troll | |||||
| General Motors data collection and sharing controversy | General Motors | ||||||
| EU enforcement actions against Shein for consumer rights violations | Shein | ||||||
| Dyson V10/V11 trigger design | Dyson | V10 • V11 | Poor Quality • Right to Repair | ||||
| Sony PlayStation Vita proprietary memory card ban | Sony | Playstation Vita | |||||
| Samsung Bothersome visual and audible pop up every 2 hours on certain TV models | Samsung | Annoying • Data | |||||
| Vital Proteins sells products with terms and conditions inside the container | Vital Proteins | ||||||
| Razer account “Human Verification” promotes World ID biometric verification | Razer • World ID • Tools for Humanity | Active | Rewards Points | Privacy | |||
| Gun Safe Widespread Deceptive Advertising | Liberty Safe • Winchester • Browning • Tractor Supply • Cannon • Remington | Active | Safes • Home Safes • Gun Safes • Residential Security Containers | Deceptive Advertising | "Safes" are not real safes, self-certification, deceptive language, performative security features, exaggerating capacity by technicality, etc. | ||
| HP Dynamic Security | HP | Firmware Lockout • Third-party Lockout | |||||
| Audible subsidizes its streaming plan via premium credits | Amazon | Audible | |||||
| The US undermines the Transatlantic Data Privacy Framework with the EU by firing PCLOB staff | US government? | Active | |||||
| Uber EULA precludes jury trial | Uber | Resolved | EULA • Terms of Service | Uber's arbitration clause was upheld in court in a case where Uber riders involved in a car crash attempted to sue for damages. | |||
| Tesla Cybertruck voids warranty if Powershare feature is used | Tesla • Inc. | Cybertruck | |||||
| Swiggy and Zomato refuse to refund customers for cancelled orders | Swiggy • Zomato | ||||||
| Seagate sells old hard drives as new | Seagate | Deceptive Advertising • Poor Quality | |||||
| HNGRYnsite Camera: From smart kitchen aid to e-waste | HNGRYnsite | ||||||
| GoPro advertises waterproof cameras despite design flaw and lack of warranty | GoPro | HERO12 Black | |||||
| Clip Studio Paint changes perpetual license to subscription model | Celsys | Clip Studio Paint | Broken Promise • Subscription | ||||
| Epson printer waste ink counter restrictions | Epson | ||||||
| BMW feature lockout scandal | BMW | Active | Hardware Lockout • Ownership • Subscription | BMW is charging for activation of hardware features built into their vehicles. | |||
| Dyson battery lifespan reduced by design and difficult to repair | Dyson | Unresolved | V6 • V7 • V10 • V11 | Ownership • Repairability • Third-party | Dyson battery packs do not work as intended. Third party solutions are prevented from charging through Dyson's Battery Management System. | ||
| Cerberus Phone Security Login with ad blocker no longer possible | Cerberus | Advertising • Privacy | |||||
| Minecraft Beta pre-1.8's lack of authentication | Microsoft • Mojang | ||||||
| Commercial weather apps lose summary proceedings | |||||||
| PolarBackup - Cloud Storage | PolarBackup | Broken Promise • Rent-seeking | |||||
| MinestoreCMS converting your license without approval | Minestore | MinestoreCMS | Broken Promise • Rent-seeking | ||||
| MikroTik ignoring WiFi disconnecting after firmware upgrade on hAP ax3 / ax2 / cAP ax | MikroTik | HAP ax3 | Poor Quality • Security | ||||
| Meetup.com account creation | Deceptive Advertising | ||||||
| Amazon allows fraudulent product page after manual review | Amazon | Amazon | False Advertising | ||||
| Help:Templates | |||||||
| Miku Terms of Service and Arbitration | Miku | ||||||
| VRS Sim Racing Wheel Base full torque locked behind paywall | VRS | Active | UDFP20 Wheel Base | Firmware lockout | You buy a 20 Nm (newton meters) capable sim racing wheel base, but the 20 Nm is locked behind an additional software purchase. |
| Article title | References archived? | Archived by |
|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo account fraud scandal | yes | TestUser |
| Volkswagen emissions scandal | no |
unrelated note to self
proposed left sidebar changes: replace recent changes with a section that shows off the last few changes like is done here https://oldschool.runescape.wiki/ move switch to old look down to the bottom move join the discord up into the main bit