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?
December 21st, 2024
Drones over New Jersey and a wild nuclear theory. Plus, a Secret Santa scam, LG’s pricey see-through TV, and a lawsuit hitting Amazon’s One Medical.
🔍 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.
$0.00
For non-dairy milk in your coffee at Dunkin. Starting March 5, swapping almond or oat milk comes at no extra charge. In queso missed it, about a year ago, they paid out a class-action lawsuit for discriminating against lactose-intolerant customers. No whey!
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.
When your expert witness uses an AI chatbot
In a recent real estate lawsuit, one expert had to admit they used Microsoft’s CoPilot chatbot to come up with their numbers — and it all fell apart.
🛑 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.
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.
$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.
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.
January 14th, 2023
In this week’s show, Microsoft is spending $10 billion to make game-changing AI even smarter, and there’s a social media lawsuit you need to know about. Plus, a nasty scam targeting widows, signs your phone or computer is infected with a keylogger, and five things you need to stop buying in 2023. And a secret way to get ahold of someone whose phone is on Do Not Disturb. That and much more, plus all your calls and questions.
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.
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