This ConsumerGram examines how the shift from purchasing to the Internet is not only influencing retailers, but also positively affecting the environment by reducing energy and decreasing air pollutants, hazardous waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  Cyber Monday can now be looked upon as Green Monday in more ways than one.  Click here to read [...]

On December 7, 2011, The Hill’s Congress Blog published Steve Pociask’s blog — “Another Opportunity to Question Google’s Practices.” 

The letter is available here —  Goodlatte Letter

Should Legislation Protect Consumers or Cons and Ticket Scalpers? Everyone knows someone that has gone to a concert or a sporting event, having paid far beyond the ticket’s face value.  Many of us have also heard the horror stories of a fan going to concert only to find someone else sitting in their seat – [...]

SURVEY RESULTS 1. The explosive growth in Internet is raising privacy concerns among consumers who worry about the collection and use of their personal information by some technology companies like Google, Facebook and others.  To what extend do you trust online companies with your personal information? A.    Completely trust (2%) B.     Somewhat trust (33%) C.     [...]

A national consumer survey conducted by the American Consumer Institute finds that the majority of consumers support stronger privacy protections.  Consumers expressed concerns about the collection and use of their personal information by tech companies like Google and Facebook, with 62% not trusting these companies with their information.  Of the 800 consumers surveyed, 33% said [...]

1. Artists, authors, manufacturers, and inventors use copyrights, trademarks and patents to protect their products from copycats.  Do you agree or disagree that these protections are a good way to encourage innovation and creativity? A. Strongly agree (58%) B. Agree somewhat (25%) C. Neutral, neither agree nor disagree (3%) D. Disagree somewhat (5%) E. Strongly disagree (5%) F. DK/Other [...]

A national consumer survey conducted by the American Consumer Institute (ACI) finds that the vast majority of consumers support stronger intellectual property protections against trafficking of counterfeit goods.  The survey of 800 consumers found 82% of consumers agreed that counterfeit goods, such as knock-off products, pirated software and imitation pharmacy drugs hurt the economy, with [...]

WIRELESS TAXATION  SURVEY RESULTS    1. Should consumer cell phone tax rates be higher, lower or the same as the sales tax rates on other goods and services?             A. Higher (2%)             B. Lower (34%)             C. The same (49%)             D. DK/Refused (15%)   2. Would it be fair or unfair to require [...]

A national consumer survey conducted by the American Consumer Institute finds 89% of consumers oppose the imposition of higher tax rates on wireless services compared to what is levied on other goods and services.  When consumers were asked what the tax rate should be, 49% said wireless tax rate should be the same as the [...]