The check might be in the mail. Yep, Ring is settling a class-action lawsuit.
Amazon makes it so tricky to cancel that the FTC sued - Here’s how to do it
Ever thought about everything Amazon knows about you? I don’t just mean your favorite shampoo and what food your dog eats. Use this link to get a copy of everything Amazon knows.
Amazon Clinic is a whole different level of data collection. Is it safe to use? Prepare to be shocked. Here’s my take.
Then there’s Prime. If trying to cancel your Amazon Prime membership feels like taking the SATs, it’s not just you. The Big Tech behemoth set it up like that on purpose. Let’s look at what you get, whether it’s worth it and how to cancel if it’s not right for you.
Operation … what now?
A Federal Trade Commission lawsuit claims Amazon hid its schemes from federal investigators. Regulators say Amazon execs delayed or rejected user experience changes that would’ve simplified the cancellation process.
It’s no wonder they did. Because of the confusing maze of instructions, Amazon reduced cancellations by 14%. The runaround includes four pages of deals, offers, snooze alarms and several other distractions.
Amazon codenamed its scheme “Iliad Flow,” a nod to Homer’s legendary epic about the Trojan War.
Is Prime worth your money?
Is Prime’s $139 yearly (or $14.99 monthly) fee worth it? Here are some of the top features that keep customers hooked:
- Free two-day delivery on over 10 million items.
- Free one-day or same-day shipping on some orders over $25.
- Exclusive access to Prime Day deals.
- Two-hour grocery delivery from Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh.
- Access to stream music, movies and TV shows through Prime Music and Prime Video.
Prime probably isn’t worth it if you shop less than a few times a month and don’t care about extras like Prime Video. Chances are, the free shipping won’t outweigh the cost of your membership. Without Prime, shipping fees typically cost between $4 and $10.
Did you know: You can buy packages from Amazon that the buyer never claimed? Get shopping!
Canceling your Amazon Prime membership is a total maze
If trying to cancel your Amazon Prime membership feels like taking the SATs, it’s not just you. According to new leaked internal documents, they set it up like that on purpose.
Because of the confusing maze of instructions, Amazon reduced cancellations by 14%. So, what did they do? And is Prime even really worth it?
Yesterday's Supreme Court ruling on social media
The Supreme Court made a surprising decision on a social media censorship case involving Missouri and Louisiana. Find out why their lawsuit didn’t go as planned.
🔍 The “private” mode that wasn’t: Google is deleting $5 billion worth of browsing data illegally collected in Incognito mode. Not because they felt like it — as part of a class-action lawsuit. They kept it under the radar that in Incognito mode, internet providers, website hosts and companies can still see what you’re doing online.
$170 million lawsuit
Over the hit Netflix series “Baby Reindeer.” The drama-thriller is based on comedian Richard Gadd’s one-man show about being stalked. Martha Scott says Netflix never fact-checked his story, and the show has exposed her identity and ruined her life.
Facebook may owe you money — here's how to claim it
Last year, Facebook settled a $650 million lawsuit with Illinois residents for storing and collecting their biometric data without consent. Here’s how much money people received.
The social media juggernaut just agreed to another settlement. This one’s for $725 million following numerous lawsuits claiming the platform violated users’ privacy. Here’s what you need to know and how to get paid.
If you bought one of these defective laptops, Apple might owe you money
Consumer products and vehicles get recalled often, but it’s rare to get anything of value in return. When a car has a defective component, manufacturers usually repair it for free. Tap or click here for details on 160K vehicles recently recalled.
🛑 Been saying this for years: A new lawsuit claims Chinese app Temu is essentially malware that accesses everything on your phone, from texts to emails, and sells your data to third parties. Temu says they’re “surprised” by the lawsuit and blame misinformation. If you still have the app, delete it ASAP.
I’m no lawyer, but …: Docs in a lawsuit against OpenAI show the company destroyed two massive datasets used to train its GPT-3 AI model. The Authors Guild (paywall link) says they likely contained thousands of copyrighted books. Oh, and the “researchers” responsible for creating the datasets no longer work there. How convenient.
Where was the testing? Philips just settled a $1.1 billion lawsuit over faulty DreamStation CPAP machines because the internal foam can crumble, causing people to breathe in tiny particles in their sleep. With 561 deaths linked to these devices, they got off easy.
Your old photos are worth money to AI
Big tech will pay top dollar for your cringey Myspace pics. Plus, how to file a claim in Walmart’s $45 million lawsuit (you could get $500), phony AI image generators run wild on Facebook, and Disney+ stops password sharing. And all the weird stuff you can gamble on online!
💰 Hefty cashback: Walmart is coughing up $45 million to settle a class-action lawsuit for allegedly overcharging us on weighted goods and bagged citrus from October 2018 to January 2024. Got squeezed? You could get up to $500 if you file a claim by June 5, 2024 — no receipt is needed, but proof of your purchase might fatten your check.
AI-generated nudes for sale online, Opera brings free VPN to iOS & how to post on Instagram for a big impact
Plus, PC sales are plummeting. I tell you what that means for the economy. Also, I give the lowdown on ChatGPT’s first slander lawsuit. That’s not all – Silicon Valley employees get a taste of the real world and they’re not liking it. Also, order something online but it didn’t arrive? I share what to do. And does Facebook have your secret info? I have a way to find out. I also talk to a guy who needs a good app to monitor older folks with serious health issues.
The first ChatGPT slander lawsuit
What happens when the AI chatbot gets the facts wrong? I share the legal consequences, in one minute.
Lawsuit against social media you should know about
Why are Seattle’s public schools suing social media giants? The answer might surprise you. Here’s the full story, in one minute.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google is paying out an $85M settlement - See if you qualify
Big Tech can make money by tracking your location history. Some companies are so hungry for that lucrative data that they’ll circumvent your privacy settings. Google is currently facing accusations of illegal location data tracking. In other words, certain Android users may have been tracked even after they opted out.
Crypto tip: Don't fall for celebrity crypto pitches
Cryptocurrency is a risky choice of investment. There are thousands of digital currencies out there, and they all share one thing in common: volatility. Your profits can soar or crash at any given moment due to supply and demand, competition, governance and even social media hype.
Zoom could secretly be recording your audio - Update your computer now
Video meetings have been around for some time, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that it gained tremendous traction. With millions of people working from home, many looked at services like Skype, Microsoft Teams and Zoom for virtual gatherings.
If you connected your bank account to Venmo, Robinhood or another financial app, you may be entitled to a settlement
App users are often blissfully unaware of just how much technology is involved in making an application work correctly. For every function, there are heaps of coding. Want to know more? This hands-on training can help.