Hacker News with Generative AI: Consumer Rights

Which? launches £3B action against Apple over competition law breaches (which.co.uk)
Which? is today launching a landmark £3 billion legal claim against Apple, claiming the tech giant breached competition law, effectively locking millions of consumers into its iCloud service at rip-off prices

Competition Law, Apple, Legal Action, Consumer Rights, Technology

5 points by OptionOfT 6 days ago | 0 comments

Apple accused of trapping and ripping off 40M iCloud customers (bbc.com)
Apple is facing a legal claim accusing it of effectively locking 40 million British customers into its iCloud service and charging them "rip off prices."

Apple, Lawsuits, Consumer Rights, Technology, Business

17 points by vinni2 7 days ago | 1 comments

Ticketmaster’s attempt to game arbitration services fails (ericgoldman.org)
In an effort to curb mass arbitration, Ticketmaster sought to switch arbitration service providers to New Era ADR, including for past ticket purchases. New Era incorporated some defense-favorable provisions to its mass arbitration provision. The Ninth Circuit holds those provisions go too far and are procedurally and substantively unconscionable.

Legal, Arbitration, Business, Consumer Rights

308 points by hn_acker 16 days ago | 146 comments

Ask HN: Impossible to get a refund from Pieter Levels? (ycombinator.com)
I am a resident of Germany. Which means according to the EU’s Consumer Rights Directive (Directive 2011/83/EU) I have the right to a refund within 14 days of the purchase of digital goods and services.

Legal Issues, Consumer Rights, Germany

20 points by Holzlappen 19 days ago | 12 comments

T-Mobile, AT&T oppose unlocking rule, claim locked phones are good for users (arstechnica.com)
Carriers fight plan to require unlocking of phones 60 days after activation.

Telecommunications, Mobile Phones, Consumer Rights, Legislation, Regulation

204 points by LorenDB 31 days ago | 209 comments

Ask HN: Should it be illegal for ISP's to crackdown on third-party routers? (ycombinator.com)
where I live, my ISP does not allow using any third party routers for broadband use. Additionally, other devices like STB and other IOT devices sold by the ISP now refuse to work entirely if it detects any other routers being used. Somehow this feels wrong to me. I wonder how bad the situation is elsewhere?

Networking, ISPs, Consumer Rights, Routers

10 points by dj0k3r 31 days ago | 5 comments

The feds are coming for John Deere over the right to repair (gizmodo.com)
The Federal Trade Commission is investigating tractor manufacturer John Deere over long standing allegations that Deere makes its farm equipment hard to repair.

Agriculture, Law, Business, Consumer Rights

576 points by rntn 34 days ago | 244 comments

FCC launches a formal inquiry into why broadband data caps are terrible (engadget.com)
The Federal Communications Commission announced that it will open a renewed investigation into broadband data caps and how they impact both consumer experience and company competition.

Broadband, FCC, Regulation, Consumer Rights, Internet

10 points by jayantbhawal 36 days ago | 0 comments

Mazda Annoys Owners by Making Remote Start a Subscription (techdirt.com)
One foundational belief of the “right to repair” movement is that consumers should actually own the technology they pay for. Unfortunately that’s increasingly not the case when it comes to carmakers, who are utterly insistent on not only charging people a flat retail price for a vehicle — but are also increasingly charging you additional fees or subscriptions for tech you already paid for that already exists in the vehicle.

Consumer Rights, Automotive Industry, Subscriptions

15 points by speckx 41 days ago | 0 comments

Cox slows Internet speeds in entire neighborhoods to punish any heavy users (2020) (arstechnica.com)
Cox Communications is lowering Internet upload speeds in entire neighborhoods to stop what it considers "excessive usage," in a decision that punishes both heavy Internet users and their neighbors.

Consumer Rights, Network Management, Internet Speed

245 points by RadixDLT 48 days ago | 191 comments

Uber beats crash victims' attempt to try case in court instead of arbitration (arstechnica.com)
A married couple can't sue Uber over severe injuries they suffered in a 2022 car accident because of a mandatory arbitration provision in the ride-sharing company's terms of use, according to a ruling issued by the New Jersey Superior Court appellate division.

Lawsuits, Arbitration, Uber, Transportation, Consumer Rights

5 points by greyface- 51 days ago | 0 comments

Steam doesn't want to pay arbitration fees, tells gamers to sue instead (arstechnica.com)
Valve Corporation, tired of paying arbitration fees, has removed a mandatory arbitration clause from Steam's subscriber agreement.

Gaming, Lawsuits, Business, Consumer Rights, Valve

5 points by OptionOfT 54 days ago | 1 comments

CA law means stores can't say you're buying a game if you're merely licensing it (polygon.com)
A new California bill (AB 2426), signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, is an attempt to bring transparency to the buying and selling of digital goods like movies, e-books, and, yes, video games.

Video Games, California Law, Digital Goods, Consumer Rights

263 points by sxp 55 days ago | 125 comments

New California law requires one-click subscription cancellations (thedesk.net)
A new law in California will make it easier for consumers to cancel their streaming subscriptions and similar products when they enroll in automatic renewal of those services.

Consumer Rights, Legislation, California, Streaming Services

145 points by thunderbong 57 days ago | 72 comments

FCC wants all phones unlocked in sixty days, AT&T and T-Mobile aren't so keen (androidauthority.com)
The FCC wants to unlock all phones in the US within 60 days of activation.

Telecommunications, Regulations, Consumer Rights, Mobile Devices, AT&T, T-Mobile

412 points by miles 61 days ago | 274 comments

FTC Pushed to Crack Down on Companies That Ruin Hardware via Software Updates (techdirt.com)
We’ve noted for years how you no longer really own the things you buy. Whether it’s smart home hardware that becomes useless paperweights when the manufacturer implodes, or post-purchase firmware updates that actively make your device less useful, you simply never know if the product you bought yesterday will be the same product tomorrow.

Consumer Rights, Software Updates, Hardware, Planned Obsolescence, FTC

493 points by lg_rocket 73 days ago | 218 comments

Companies Are Simply Ignoring Many New State 'Right to Repair' Laws (techdirt.com)

Consumer Rights, Law, Technology, Business

11 points by hn_acker 79 days ago | 0 comments

Disney's not alone in saying your clicks means you can't sue (cnn.com)

Disney, Lawsuits, Clickwrap Agreements, Consumer Rights

74 points by rntn 97 days ago | 67 comments

MacBook Owners with Faulty Butterfly Keyboards Begin Receiving Payouts (macrumors.com)

MacBook, Lawsuits, Consumer Rights

20 points by tosh 108 days ago | 8 comments

New EU rules promoting repair of goods enter into force (europa.eu)