Consumer Affairs follows the story of TJ Maxx vs Consumers as they get sued for losing data due to “failing to maintain adequate computer data security of customer credit and debit card data”. Well good. For those who work for companies like this who are destined to be hurt again and again by data loss suits (as they should), maybe you should start pressuring congress to create a good credit freeze bill. Tags: Public Confidence

Consumeraffairs writes that congress may take a look at the credit card industry and how it’s been hurting consumers for years. They talk about the practice of assessing fees for anything and everything, but don’t forget about those difficult to understand agreements:

“Anyone who has ever tried to read a credit card agreement knows that the terms are simply incomprehensible,” Warren said. “The inserts sent along with monthly bills to amend the card agreements are filled with language even a lawyer would have difficulty parsing.”

It’s as this point that some would say “well, if you don’t understand it, then don’t sign it”. That’s great in theory, but how many things in life actually work that way? Do you completely understand all the terms and conditions when you bought your car? Bought your house? Signed up for your last web service? People have a right to simple to understand terms and conditions for everything they do. Not everyone is a lawyer and even they don’t want to read pages and pages of crap just to open an account with a retailer.

Most of all, the expert witnesses emphasized the willingness of banks to lend to just about anyone as a prime reason for the explosion in consumer credit card debt.

This is called “Predatory Lending” and is similar to sending wine-of-the-month brochures to a list of Alcoholics Anonymous attendees.

“To make the assumption of debt more attractive to these households — and to entice them into carrying debt for longer periods — creditors lowered minimum payment balances from around five percent of principal to just over two percent,” Manning said.

And this is called “Modern Slavery”. Are you getting that I think the credit industry is in serious need of alteration? Tags: Money

Another neat nugget from Public Citizen: A consumer’s translation of the Bush’s Speech.

After seven years of State of the Union addresses from the Bush administration, the American public has learned that President Bush’s policy recommendations are often based on misinformation. As such, Public Citizen has prepared the following guide to the 2007 speech so consumers can get complete and accurate information about the issues.

Ha ha! Love that. Tags: Bushiness

Public Citizen reports one of their recent victories against American Airlines on behalf of John Cerqueira, who was denied the right to ly after airline authorities thought he might be “Arab, Middle Eastern or South Asian descent”. $400,000 dollars is a small price to pay for taking away an American’s freedoms. The airlines and the TSA better figure that out in a hurry. Tags: Bushiness, Security Theater

A group of passengers was treated like livestock by being trapped on a grounded plane for 9 hours. I can’t imagine what I would have done after even an hour like that. The airline industry is in need of a major shakeup and maybe this will be the catalyst that does it. Tags: Public Confidence

Apparently, Vista will not let you install on an empty hard drive with the “upgrade version” as previous versions of Windows did. This is a problem only for some, but it’s significant. What Microsoft is trying to do is convert their software market into a licensing market. This way, no one owns software, only licenses. As an analogy, assume you’ve purchased the ever so expensive xbox 360, but you’re moving accross town next month. When you hook up the game system in the new place, it refuses to play games stating that you need to call Microsoft to purchase a new site license. You call and demand to know what happened and the foreigner who answers says that the original purchase price of the xbox allows for only one site so you need to purchase the right to use it elsewhere. Consumers who want to be in control of their own computers should stay away from Vista. Tags: Microsoft, Public Confidence

Slashdot points to an article about companies who have figured out a way to send commercials to nearby bluetooth devices. So now if you’re walking near a fast food spot, you get a instant message on your phone offering a lunchtime special. According to the article, the Netherlands (where the practice is widespread) has refused to classify it as Spam giving advertisers the legal green light to start jumping unsuspecting bluetooth phone users. Coming soon to America. Tags: Public Confidence

Security theater is the tem Bruce Schneier uses to describe a secruity measure that doesn’t actually improve security as much as it makes us feel more secure. While he disagrees with most uses, he allows that sometimes, feeling better is a good thing. For example, hospitals that put RFID bracelets on newborns that will trigger an alarm if they go through the wrong doors helps reassure new mothers when the babies are out of their sight. Granted, this is only harmless because there’s no real security problem that is being covered up like in the case of offering credit monitoring services as a way to fight ID theft (which does not work). Tags: RFID, Security Theater

As reported by Privacy.org:

The Maine House and Senate registered nearly unanimous opposition Thursday to the federal Real ID Act, which requires states to change their drivers’ licenses into national IDs linked to a central database. The resolution is not binding on Congress, but says the Legislature refuses to implement the Real ID Act. It asks Congress to repeal the law.

I feel so warm and fuzzy inside € Go Maine! Tags: Big Brother, Security Theater, Utter Failure

Slashdot pointed to this article about a Microsoft press release stating that 22% of Windows Installations are pirated. Their basis for this conclusion? Failure rate of the Windows Genuine Advantage tool. Self-absorbed boobs. I’ve never used any priated software, but I have been greatly tempted to get a hacked version of the software I DO own, just so I didn’t have to deal with their invasive and unecessary activation scheme. There are so many times it’s failed on me and I’ve had to call in to beg for them to let me use my OWN SOFTWARE, that I came very close to getting hacked copies…. Oh yes… very close. Of course, you can’t now because they force you to install an anti-piracy tool before letting you isntall any kind of security updates. And because Windows is rife with flaws and insecurity, not getting updates is like running through the streets late at night with a scrap of paper in your hand shouting, “I won, I won, Powerball millions woooooo!” Microsoft needs to stop harassing every user for the sake of a few. They present it as if they’re losing 20% revenue when that 20% is made up of pirates who won’t buy the software ever. If you succeed in making Windows such a screwed up system that even the pirates won’t touch it, chances are, neither will the rest of your market. Tags: Microsoft, Public Confidence