Arizona PIRG

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News Release: Dark patterns: Your apps know too much about you, so what can you do?

Consumer alerts

News Release: Dark patterns: Your apps know too much about you, so what can you do?

When National Consumer Protection Week began in the late 1990s, many Americans still didn’t have internet access at home, let alone on mobile devices. Now, according to the Arizona PIRG Education Fund, infringement on our online privacy is a huge threat, even when you just have apps running in the background. A new tips guide from the Arizona PIRG Education Fund can help consumers control access to their private information and what companies can do with your data if they get it.

Media Releases ● 

‘Failing the Fix’ scorecard grades Apple, Google, Dell, others on how fixable their devices are

Right to repair

‘Failing the Fix’ scorecard grades Apple, Google, Dell, others on how fixable their devices are

According to the Arizona PIRG Education Fund, consumers often don’t know which products will last and they’ll be able to fix, or which manufacturers make fixable devices and support Right to Repair. A new scorecard by the organization, “Failing the Fix,” ranks the most popular cell phone and laptop makers for consumers who seek to purchase easily repairable products – especially those from companies who do not fight to prevent Right to Repair.

Media Releases ● 

Arizona PIRG Education Fund releases Top 10 list of financial complaints to CFPB in 2021

Consumer alerts

Arizona PIRG Education Fund releases Top 10 list of financial complaints to CFPB in 2021

According to the Arizona PIRG Education Fund, in 2021, a record number of people from across the country filed complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Public Consumer Complaint Database. Here in Arizona, close to 7,900 complaints were filed, likely representing a sliver of the scope as not all Arizonans are aware of or may choose to file a complaint with the CPFB.

Media Releases ● 

‘Hog-tied’ and fed up: New report shows dealership consolidation makes farmers’ lives harder

Right to repair

‘Hog-tied’ and fed up: New report shows dealership consolidation makes farmers’ lives harder

According to the Arizona PIRG Education Fund, many farm equipment manufacturers prevent farmers from accessing the software tools they need to fix their modern tractors. The organization states that this “forces farmers to turn to corporate-authorized dealers for many problems, which can lead to high repair bills and delays that can put their crops—and their livelihoods—at risk”. While farmers have always relied on local dealerships for help, more and more those dealerships have been bought up by large chain networks, further reducing competition and exacerbating the problems farmers already face due to repair restrictions.

Media Releases ● 

Predatory Loans for Puppies Must be Stopped, Say Consumer and Animal Welfare Advocates

Consumer alerts

Predatory Loans for Puppies Must be Stopped, Say Consumer and Animal Welfare Advocates

In advance of National Love Your Pet Day on February 20, U.S. PIRG and other members of the Stop the Debt Trap coalition are teaming up with animal welfare advocates to launch a campaign to stop TAB Bank from making predatory puppy loans, many of which go to buy puppies from puppy mills.

Media Releases ● 

Best Buy urged to protect consumer health with gas stoves labeling

Consumer alerts

Best Buy urged to protect consumer health with gas stoves labeling

The typical gas stove, when not properly vented, can produce air pollution levels indoors that exceed outdoor air standards. Yet millions across the country rely on gas stoves for cooking. The Arizona PIRG Education Fund has joined with other State PIRG Education Funds to launch a new campaign calling on Best Buy to take a leadership role in the industry, and better educate consumers shopping for new stoves. 

Media Releases ● 

ACC Rejects Energy Rules; Puts an End to Crucial Consumer Protections to Eliminate Waste, Save Billions

Utility watchdog

ACC Rejects Energy Rules; Puts an End to Crucial Consumer Protections to Eliminate Waste, Save Billions

The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) and Arizona PIRG Education Fund denounced today’s action by the Arizona Corporation Commission to put an end to Energy Rules that would have ramped up energy-saving measures and saved Arizonans billions of dollars on their utility bills.

Media Releases ● 

Se Insta a Best Buy a proteger la salud del consumidor colocando etiquetas de advertencia en las estufas de gas

Consumer alerts

Se Insta a Best Buy a proteger la salud del consumidor colocando etiquetas de advertencia en las estufas de gas

Cuando una estufa de gas típica no se ventila adecuadamente, puede producir niveles de contaminación del aire en interiores que exceden los estándares del aire exterior. Sin embargo, millones de personas en todo el país dependen de las estufas de gas para cocinar. Los estudios muestran que muchos hogares no cuentan con campanas de escape o no las usan regularmente, lo que significa que sus estufas no se ventilan adecuadamente. Según la organización Arizona PIRG Education Fund, parte del problema es que los comerciantes no proporcionan advertencias adecuadas para informar a los consumidores de los peligros o la necesidad de ventilación.

Media Releases ● 

Holiday cooking safety guide offers tips on avoiding indoor air pollution from gas stoves

Consumer alerts

Holiday cooking safety guide offers tips on avoiding indoor air pollution from gas stoves

The holiday season often entails spending a lot of hours in the kitchen cooking. As millions of Americans prepare holiday meals to share with their families, a guide by the Arizona PIRG Education Fund offers tips on how to minimize unhealthy air pollution from cooking with gas in your home. Without proper precautions, too much exposure to a gas stove can lead to an unnecessary and invisible health risk, since gas stoves can cause elevated levels of indoor pollution that would exceed legal limits for outdoor air.

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