James R. Hood, an editor and consumer-affairs journalist with more than five decades of experience, has held senior editorial leadership roles at The Associated Press, United Press International, Zapnews and ConsumerAffairs.
* AI chatbots are increasingly being built into dolls, stuffed animals and robots marketed as children’s companions * Consumer advocates warn the toys can collect intimate data, give inappropriate answers and encourage children to form emotional attachments * Existing toy-safety rules largely address physical hazards, while privacy law covers only part
Consumer Protection
The FTC is reportedly going after another social media platform. This time it's YouTube.
Recalls
Loss of power, windshield wipers among the problems the recalls address
Consumer Protection
Those "recommendations" on Amazon are sometimes ads, not independent recommendations. Don't take them as gospel.
Recalls
Serious side effects could results from taking the supplement, the FDA says.
Consumer Protection
Amazon isn’t just selling ads; those ads increasingly determine what shoppers see first.
* A large Danish study found that people who started statins within a year after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes had a 15% lower relative risk of dementia over 10 years than those who didn't start statins. * Starting treatment later was also associated with a benefit, but it
Money
Hot water might not be on your mind right now, but it will be if your present heater conks out.
Consumer Protection
An end-of-summer bleat about things in general and journalism in particular
The consumer story on Friday is not one headline but five pressure points moving through everyday life: a landmark settlement that could change how teenagers use social media, a labor market that is still producing few layoffs while hiring remains cautious, health insurance costs that are set to rise again,
Today brings a large CPSC recall batch, and two items stand out immediately: an expanded recall covering more than 3.6 million Cuisinart wire grill brushes, and a warning about magnetic building blocks after a child swallowed about 50 magnets and required surgery. Cuisinart grill-brush recall expands to 3.
Money
The tariff tournament adds to consumers' heartburn, aggravating pressure from energy, interest rates and inflation.