AI bots move from the pedestal to the whipping post as fears of economic disaster and even extinction take hold
Top AI executives cast themselves as canaries in the cage, warn that their creation may prove deadly.
Latest
National Safety Recalls, Sept. 12
It's a good idea for parents to look around the house and see if any of these recalled products are lurking there.
From Ma Bell to the $2,000 iPhone: How the telephone went from regulated utility to luxury product
$1,999 and up for the iPhone Duo? How did telephones get this expensive?
Affordability Watch: What did telephone service actually cost?
Telephones have really gotten expensive -- or have they?
National Safety Recall - Sept. 9
Chicken salad sandwiches and Chryslers sit atop the recall pyramid today.
Five consumer pressure points - from record gas to a new Jeep recall
Gas prices, tariffs up, consumer confidence down, recalls surging
National Safety Recall - Sept. 8
Sleep apnea machines, dog supplements and RAM trucks lead the recall list.
Has Amazon lost its mind? Customers say grocery delivery is a mess
Amazon grocery customers say the system seems to be having a nervous breakdown.
Online grocery delivery: How the major options compare
Amazon's not the only game in town. Here are some other grocery delivery options.
AI chatbots may tell patients what they want to hear — even when it’s dangerous
AI can sometimes be a bit too eager to please, researchers caution.
How to ask an AI bot a health question without talking it into reassuring you
Facts are one thing, opinions are another. Make sure you know what you're getting.
Social media warning labels may actually get young people’s attention
The labels raise awareness but whether they actually discourage usage isn't known.
Recalls
Daily safety recalls: 6.3 million cleaners, Elmo teethers, water-bead toys and dangerous furniture
Children's products, cleaning liquids and replacement airbags lead the recall roster.
Recalls
Deadly replacement airbags have killed 11 — and a recall search may not tell you if your car has one
Replacement airbags may be dangerous even if the car isn't on the recall list.
AI/Privacy
ChatGPT is getting safer for teens. But who is checking OpenAI’s work?
OpenAI says it's making its ChatGPT safer for teens, but is it really?
AI teddy bears are coming for children. Consumer advocates say the safety rules aren’t ready
* 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
Recalls
National Safety Recall - Sept. 3
Today brings a substantial CPSC recall batch plus an important Walmart frozen-fruit recall from FDA.
Recalls
National Safety Roundup - Sept. 2
The important new activity is at NHTSA, where several vehicle recalls have surfaced since the last roundup. The largest covers nearly 149,000 Ford Mustangs that can lose drive power, headlights or windshield-washer operation.
Consumer Protection
FTC turns from Amazon's ad auctions to YouTube's rules: Did Big Tech deliver what it promised?
The FTC is reportedly going after another social media platform. This time it's YouTube.
Recalls
National Safety Recall - Sept. 1
It's a little early for this but watch out for these scary Halloween candies.
Recalls
Ford, Lucid recalls spotlight safety issues in newer models
Loss of power, windshield wipers among the problems the recalls address
Consumer Protection
Why the first Amazon search result may not be the best one
Those "recommendations" on Amazon are sometimes ads, not independent recommendations. Don't take them as gospel.
Recalls
National Safety Recalls - Aug. 31
Serious side effects could results from taking the supplement, the FDA says.
Consumer Protection
FTC sues Amazon, accuses it of secretly inflating ad prices
Amazon isn’t just selling ads; those ads increasingly determine what shoppers see first.