Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Tinder

2025-01-31T06:45:54Z

HeavenPiercerYama: grammar fix

{{Incomplete}}

{{InfoboxProductLine
| Title = Tinder
| Release Year = 2012
| Product Type = Online Dating
| In Production = Yes
| Official Website = https://tinder.com/
| Logo = Tinder.png
}}

[[wikipedia:Tinder_(app)|'''Tinder''']], created in 2012, is a dating app that allows you to find other people to form relationships.

==Subscription service==
While Tinder offers its base service for free, several subscription tiers are available to gain benefits and advantages on the platform.

===Subscription Tiers===
Tinder has three paid subscription plans that give users various benefits depending on their chosen plan. Each tier includes the benefits from the lower tiers:<ref>https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004487406-Tinder-subscriptions</ref>

*'''Free:''' Users get a limited amount of likes they can give per day, and can chat with matches.
*'''Plus:''' Users get unlimited likes and "rewinds", as well as no advertisements and extra features.

*'''Gold:''' Users get extra features, including seeing who has liked them, "boosts" and "super likes".

*'''Platinum:''' Users are able to message others before matching, get "prioritized likes", and are able to see a week-long history of likes.

====Pricing====
The price of Tinder subscriptions differ based on location and currency. When paying monthly, the cost ranges from $24.99/mo to $49.99/mo in the United States, and $26.99/mo to $53.99/mo in Canada.<ref>https://www.androidauthority.com/tinder-plus-gold-platinum-3236244/</ref>

In Europe, Tinder has faced scrutiny over the use of personalized pricing. A 2022 study in Sweden concluded that Tinder applied 36 different pricing levels, ranging from the equivalent of $3/mo to $36/mo. This reportedly included pricing differences based on the age of the user.<ref>https://www.thelocal.com/20240308/tinder-to-explain-why-some-eu-users-have-to-pay-more-for-the-app</ref>

===Cancellation===
A Tinder subscription can be cancelled, and is done either from within the app, website, Google Play Store, or Apple App Store, depending on which platform and payment method was used. Regardless, in all cases the subscription is click-to-cancel. However, a subscription does not get cancelled automatically when deleting the user's account.<ref>https://www.help.tinder.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003554466-Cancel-your-subscription-or-membership</ref>

==References==
[[Category:Match Group]]
[[Category:Products]]
<references />

Verisk Analytics, Inc.

2025-01-31T02:34:57Z

HeavenPiercerYama: oopsie

{{Incomplete}}{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Verisk Analytics
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1971
| Industry = Data Analytics
| Official Website = https://verisk.com/
| Logo = Verisk.svg
}}
[[wikipedia:Verisk|'''Verisk Analytics, Inc.''']], is a American corporation that collects data and provides it to third parties that use the data for risk assessment.

In a letter to the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC), Senators Wyden and Markey write:<ref>https://www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/wyden-markey_auto_privacy_letter_to_ftc.pdf</ref><blockquote>
"We write to urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate automakers’ disclosure of millions of Americans’ driving data to data brokers, and to share new details about the practice uncovered in a recent oversight investigation. … Senator Wyden’s office conducted follow-up oversight into three auto manufacturers — GM, Honda, and Hyundai — that shared data with the data broker Verisk Analytics. Each of these three automakers confirmed their disclosure of drivers’ data to Verisk, such as acceleration and braking data."</blockquote>The letter alleges that Verisk acquires data from auto manufacturers and sells that data to insurance companies in the form of risk-assessment data. The ''New York Times'' reported on this allegation in March 2024,<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html</ref> right before Verisk shut down the service in April 2024.

==References==

https://www.hyundai-forums.com/threads/are-you-aware-that-hyundai-is-sharing-your-personal-and-driving-data-with-insurance-companies-via-verisk.712760/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a61711288/automakers-sold-customer-data-for-small-profits/

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a60175396/connected-cars-driver-data-tracking-insurance/

Probably need an article on LexisNexis and their involvement with insurance companies as a "driver score" company.

[[Category:Financial services companies]]
<references />

Verisk Analytics, Inc.

2025-01-31T02:34:41Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{Incomplete}}{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Verisk Analytics
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1971
| Industry = Data Analytics
| Official Website = https://verisk.com/
| Logo = Verisk.svg
}}
[[wikipedia:Verisk|'''Verisk Analytics, Inc.''']], is a American corporation that collects data and provides it to third parties that use the data for risk assessment.

In a letter to the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC), Senators Wyden and Markey write:<ref>https://www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/wyden-markey_auto_privacy_letter_to_ftc.pdf</ref><blockquote>
"We write to urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate automakers’ disclosure of millions of Americans’ driving data to data brokers, and to share new details about the practice uncovered in a recent oversight investigation. … Senator Wyden’s office conducted follow-up oversight into three auto manufacturers — GM, Honda, and Hyundai — that shared data with the data broker Verisk Analytics. Each of these three automakers confirmed their disclosure of drivers’ data to Verisk, such as acceleration and braking data."</blockquote>The letter alleges that Verisk acquires data from auto manufacturers and sells that data to insurance companies in the form of risk-assessment data. The ''New York Times'' reported on this allegation in March 2024,<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html</ref> right before Verisk shut down the service in April 2024.

=References=

https://www.hyundai-forums.com/threads/are-you-aware-that-hyundai-is-sharing-your-personal-and-driving-data-with-insurance-companies-via-verisk.712760/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a61711288/automakers-sold-customer-data-for-small-profits/

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a60175396/connected-cars-driver-data-tracking-insurance/

Probably need an article on LexisNexis and their involvement with insurance companies as a "driver score" company.

[[Category:Financial services companies]]
<references />

Bandai Namco EULA

2025-01-31T01:59:49Z

HeavenPiercerYama: added a singular apostrophe

After purchasing a Bandai Namco game, installing it and trying to use it for the first time, you are greeted by an EULA that you have to accept.

This EULA indicates that:

#You have not purchased the game or a copy of the game.
#You have no ownership of the copy of the game.
#You have been granted a license to use the game, in the dedicated hardware.
#You don't have the right to any refund in any case.
#This license can be revoked in any time by any of the parties.
#You are obligated by law to destroy any copy of the game you purchased if the license is revoked.

Bandai Namco EULA

2025-01-31T01:58:19Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting again because my change looked ugly

After purchasing a Bandai Namco game, installing it and trying to use it for the first time, you are greeted by an EULA that you have to accept.

This EULA indicates that:

#You have not purchased the game or a copy of the game.
#You have no ownership of the copy of the game.
#You have been granted a license to use the game, in the dedicated hardware.
#You don t have the right to any refund in any case.
#This license can be revoked in any time by any of the parties.
#You are obligated by law to destroy any copy of the game you purchased if the license is revoked.

Talk:Bandai Namco EULA

2025-01-31T01:57:21Z

HeavenPiercerYama: /* EULAs */ new section

== EULAs ==

This kind of thing is sadly ubiquitous in most games and software that have a EULA, which again, are everywhere.

If the company has not abused this EULA, does is still hold place on the wiki? I'm genuinely asking because if so we would have to include basically every AAA company that has clauses such as these.

No offense intended, I genuinely want to know [[User:HeavenPiercerYama|HeavenPiercerYama]] ([[User talk:HeavenPiercerYama|talk]]) 01:57, 31 January 2025 (UTC)

Bandai Namco EULA

2025-01-31T01:56:01Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting and grammar

==Intro==

After purchasing a Bandai Namco game, installing it and trying to use it for the first time, you are greeted by an EULA that you have to accept.

This EULA indicates that:

# You have not purchased the game or a copy of the game.
# You have no ownership of the copy of the game.
# You have been granted a license to use the game, in the dedicated hardware.
# You don t have the right to any refund in any case.
# This license can be revoked in any time by any of the parties.
# You are obligated by law to destroy any copy of the game you purchased if the license is revoked.

Red Sky Labs Muzio Player Premium post-purchase terms change

2025-01-31T01:51:24Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Removed irrelevant sections

[[File:Muzio customer review.png|alt=A review from a muzio paid customer who has been affected by red sky labs changing the terms of the sale. this is a screenshot from the google play store reviews section viewed in my desktop web browser on 01/28/2025, 1:02 PM Central time|thumb|A review from a Muzio paid customer who has been affected by Red Sky Labs changing the terms of the sale. This is a screenshot from the Google Play Store reviews section viewed in my desktop web browser on 01/28/2025, 1:02 PM Central time]]
Red Sky Labs changed the Muzio Player android app to invalidate previously sold "lifetime" ad-free memberships, using a software update in January 2025 that forced users into a new subscription model.

==Overview==
Since at least May 2020, Red Sky Labs sold "Lifetime pro membership" packages for their Muzio Player app, advertising permanent removal of advertisements for a one-time payment. Through a January 2025 update, they [[Retroactively amended purchase|retroactively invalidated these purchases]] by reintroducing advertisements to users and requiring a subscription for ad-free functionality.<ref>Google Play Store, January 25, 2025, LACKY BRACKY review: "The ad removal used to be a one-time purchase, a too-high $10, but now it's an infinitely expensive subscription."</ref>

==Details of the change==

Prior to January 2025:
*A one-time purchase permanently removed ads
*The app worked offline with minimal internet requirements
*User data was stored locally with an optional cloud backup
*No subscription model was required

After the January 2025 update:
*Previously paid lifetime memberships were no longer honored<ref>Google Play Store, January 23, 2025, Robert Hawley review: "Used to love this music player. I used it every day for years. Free, simple, cool features, and most importantly: no obnoxious ads. Suddenly it started bombarding me with ads unless I pay."</ref>
*Multiple ads played before music playback<ref>Google Play Store, January 25, 2025, Chris Wells review: "Three interruptions just to access my music - First, there's an ad to close, followed by another promotion for their offers, & yet another ad to close."</ref>
*A forced-subscription model was introduced
*No refund options were available for previous purchasers

==Consumer Impact==
The change hurt users in many ways:

*Previous purchasers lost functionality they paid for
*Customer support emails about the change went unanswered<ref>Email documentation from affected customer to Muzio Player support: "Hello! I've been getting ads, Is this a bug? are others also experiencing this? I'm willing to provide app logs and my purchase receipt if this was a bug"</ref>
*Users report getting advertisements even with active subscriptions<ref>Google Play Store, January 23, 2025, Kyle Sargent review: "Even when you spend money, you still get ads. You can't restore your account because the link does nothing."</ref>
*Playlists and user data affected by update<ref>Google Play Store, January 23, 2025, Kyle Sargent review: "It erases playlists randomly. It plays ads with sound, over your music."</ref>

==Systemic nature: changing the terms of the sale==
This shows a pattern of modern consumer exploitation through several issues:

#Using software updates to modify previously purchased features
#Converting one-time purchases into recurring subscriptions without customer consent
#No communication or recourse provided for affected customers
#Many users report identical issues across review platforms<ref>Google Play Store, January 26, 2025, Jessie Jn Baptiste review: "As of 2025, ads appear when I open the app or try to go back to the app after having it open the background. At times, i need to exit the app to get back in without ads when I first open it."</ref>
==References==
[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:Organizations]]
[[Category:Products]]
[[Category:Anti-Consumer Practices]]
<references />

Talk:Red Sky Labs Muzio Player Premium post-purchase terms change

2025-01-31T01:50:48Z

HeavenPiercerYama: /* i don't think other apps should be part of this */ Reply

Writing here because of the great random comment filter YouTube imposes on us all.

Anyway, this is an article on an Android app, not an iOS app. This is relevant since I doubt iOS allows for something like Lucky Patcher to exist. That being said, this would make sense to criticize Apple for, but not Android/Google for. Since you can get a basic app like VLC or any other billion apps that do the exact same functions this one does from or outside of the Google Play Store. Going back to Lucky Patcher, it's not hard to install and use it on rooted devices or install it on a VM and simply side-load the modified app with at least ads removed. Speaking of side-loading apk mods exist where you can basically get pre-modified premium versions of these apps by Google searching. I did a look up of this app on Google and the few top results were mods. I don't mean to do the entire "you're stupid for buying" thing, but like you literally have a cheeto in the door lock to not waste money on a stupid app like this. Just sounds like bad decision making. Also why is it even worth buying? The article at the time of writing lacks any mention of what makes it even worth buying.

==i don't think other apps should be part of this==

the other applications mentioned in the addition to this article are not applications where there is evidence that they turned a lifetime license into a subscription. having a subscription is annoying, but it is not, in and of itself, worthy of inclusion [[User:Louis|Louis]] ([[User talk:Louis|talk]]) 01:27, 31 January 2025 (UTC)

:I'll go ahead and remove those sections because I concurr if the moderation team changes its mind on the subject they can readd
:I'll also remove the QR code section as I don't think it's a good idea to include allegations of credit card theft without extraordinary evidence, please readd it if you see fit [[User:HeavenPiercerYama|HeavenPiercerYama]] ([[User talk:HeavenPiercerYama|talk]]) 01:50, 31 January 2025 (UTC)

Walmart

2025-01-31T01:47:22Z

HeavenPiercerYama:

{{StubNotice}}

{{ToneWarning}}

[[wikipedia:Walmart|'''Walmart''']] is an American company known for its chain of retail stores and ubiquitous presence across many states and even countries.

==Relation to anti-consumer practices==

When you use their app on the iPhone and iPad, a sizable (90%) of the screen popup with a very large button to one-click signup for Walmart+ with a small ‘x’ in the corner to close the popup and continue to the app proper.

==See Also==
[[Click-to-cancel]]

[[The death of click to cancel & what we can do about it: CAT disapproves]]

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2lFIc1nDcA YouTube video about click to cancel]

Walmart

2025-01-31T01:46:46Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{StubNotice}}

{{ToneWarning}}

[[wikipedia:Walmart|'''Walmart''']] is an American company known for its chain of retail stores and ubiquitous presence across many states and even countries.

==Relation to anti-consumer practices==

When you use their app on the iPhone and iPad, a sizable (90%) of the screen popup with a very large button to one-click signup for Walmart+ with a small ‘x’ in the corner to close the popup and continue to the app proper.

==See Also==
[[Click-to-cancel]]
[[The death of click to cancel & what we can do about it: CAT disapproves|Wiki]]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2lFIc1nDcA YouTube video about click to cancel]

Nanoleaf

2025-01-31T01:40:11Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{StubNotice}}

Nanoleaf is a company that specializes in LED lighting, it was founded in 2012 and launched its first products with Kickstarter funding.<ref>https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2014/09/48447-nanoleaf-bloom-dimming-bulbs-over-160000-during-final-days-on-kickstarter/</ref> Nanoleaf products are highly popular with many YouTubers using them in their backdrop.

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Nanoleaf
| Type = Private
| Founded = 2012
| Industry = Consumer Electronics
| Official Website = https://nanoleaf.me/
| Logo = Nanoleaf logo.png
}}

==Anti-consumer practices==
Nanoleaf is using GPL software in their smart home products based on OpenWrt and do not contribute back the GPL source code, or allow users to run their own software on their hardware.<ref>https://forum.nanoleaf.me/forum/community-support/usage-of-openwrt-and-its-copyright-license</ref><ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Nanoleaf/comments/mbhudb/nanoleaf_aurora_run_linux_openwrt_and_nanoleaf_is/</ref><ref>https://forum.openwrt.org/t/nanoleaf-light-panels/81748</ref>

==References==

<references />

File:Nanoleaf logo.png

2025-01-31T01:38:48Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Nanolead logo

== Summary ==
Nanolead logo

Medical equipment

2025-01-30T14:11:04Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{StubNotice}}

Various medical equipment and the companies that produce them have come into scrutiny due to anti-consumer practices.

== Examples ==

=== Echographs ===

=== MRI ===

=== CT-Scanners ===

==== Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ====
[[Terumo Cardiovascular]] blocks 3rd party repair of the Advanced Perfusion System 1 Heart Lung Machine<ref>https://gizmodo.com/medical-device-company-stops-hospitals-from-fixing-machines-themselves-2000554096</ref>

=== Ventilators ===
Ventilators were affected by lack of a right to repair, notably during the Covid 19 pandemic<ref>https://www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/wyden-markey_auto_privacy_letter_to_ftc.pdf</ref>

=== Software ===
A study was conducted in Cambridge in relation to software-dependent medical devices and how they would benefit from right to repair<ref>https://doi.org/10.1017/jme.2023.28</ref>

[[Category:Echographs]]
==References==
<references />

Medical equipment

2025-01-30T14:09:15Z

HeavenPiercerYama: expanded page a bit and added citations

{{StubNotice}}

Various medical equipment and the companies that produce them have come into scrutiny due to anti-consumer practices.

=Examples=

Echographs

MRI

CT-Scanners

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

#[[Terumo Cardiovascular]] blocks 3rd party repair of the Advanced Perfusion System 1 Heart Lung Machine<ref>https://gizmodo.com/medical-device-company-stops-hospitals-from-fixing-machines-themselves-2000554096</ref>
#

Ventilators

#Ventilators were affected by lack of a right to repair, notably during the Covid 19 pandemic<ref>https://www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/wyden-markey_auto_privacy_letter_to_ftc.pdf</ref>
#

Software

A study was conducted in Cambridge in relation to software-dependent medical devices and how they would benefit from right to repair<ref>https://doi.org/10.1017/jme.2023.28</ref>

[[Category:Echographs]]
== References ==
<references />

Honda

2025-01-30T14:01:49Z

HeavenPiercerYama: added citation

{{StubNotice}}

'''[[wikipedia:Honda|Honda Motor Co., Ltd.]]''' is a Japanese auto manufacturer that has assembly plants in multiple nations, including the subsidiary American Honda Motor Company, Inc. in the United States of America.

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1946
| Industry = Manufacturing
| Official Website = https://global.honda
| Logo = Honda logo.png
}}

=Summary=

Honda was named in the July 2024 [[Senators Wyden and Markey's letter]] to the FTC accusing them of selling customer data to third party [[Verisk]], who then resold the data in the form of "driver reports", which insurance companies used to increase customer's insurance premiums.<ref>https://www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/wyden-markey_auto_privacy_letter_to_ftc.pdf</ref>

As of January 2025, Honda has a Memorandum of Understanding to merge with Nissan.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20241223105115/https://cnbc.com/2024/12/23/honda-and-nissan-merger-talks.html/</ref>

==References==

<references />

Honda

2025-01-30T13:59:58Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{StubNotice}}

'''[[wikipedia:Honda|Honda Motor Co., Ltd.]]''' is a Japanese auto manufacturer that has assembly plants in multiple nations, including the subsidiary American Honda Motor Company, Inc. in the United States of America.

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1946
| Industry = Manufacturing
| Official Website = https://global.honda
| Logo = Honda logo.png
}}

=Summary=

Honda was named in the July 2024 [[Senators Wyden and Markey's letter]] to the FTC accusing them of selling customer data to third party [[Verisk]], who then resold the data in the form of "driver reports", which insurance companies used to increase customer's insurance premiums.{{Citation needed}}

As of January 2025, Honda has a Memorandum of Understanding to merge with Nissan.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20241223105115/https://cnbc.com/2024/12/23/honda-and-nissan-merger-talks.html/</ref>

==References==

<references />

Google

2025-01-30T13:56:16Z

HeavenPiercerYama: removed extra citation

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Google
| Type = Subsidiary
| Founded = 1998
| Industry = Technology
| Official Website = https://google.com/
| Logo = Google.webp
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Google|Google LLC]]''', founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, is one of the most influential and dominant technology companies in the world.<ref>https://companiesmarketcap.com/tech/largest-tech-companies-by-market-cap/</ref>{{Citation needed}} Originally developed as a search engine to organize and index the growing amount of information on the internet, Google has since expanded into a wide range of services and products, becoming a central player in digital advertising, software, hardware, and cloud computing.{{Citation needed}}

Google's search engine remains its most well-known service, but the company has significantly diversified its offerings.{{Citation needed}} Key products include the [[Android]] operating system, the [[Google Chrome]] web browser, Google Drive for cloud storage, Google Maps, [[YouTube]], and Google Play.<ref>https://about.google/intl/ALL_us/products/</ref>{{Citation needed}} Additionally, the company provides digital advertising services through Google Ads, generating the majority of its revenue.{{Citation needed}} In recent years, Google has also developed hardware products such as the Pixel smartphone and Nest smart home devices.{{Citation needed}}

Google has faced ongoing scrutiny related to data privacy, competition, and its dominant position in the market, such concerns have stretched as far back as 2012<ref>https://ideas.time.com/2012/03/05/will-we-ever-get-strong-internet-privacy-rules/</ref>{{Citation needed}} The company has been the subject of various legal and regulatory challenges, particularly concerning antitrust issues, the use of personal data, and its impact on consumer choice.{{Citation needed}}

===Google Play Music shutdown===
[[wikipedia:Google_Play_Music|Google Play Music]] was a service that allowed you to purchase music, and listen to it through streaming or downloading locally on your computer, alternatively you could pay for a subscription to listen to all music available through streaming.<ref name=":0">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Play_Music</ref> It was publicly launched on the 16th November 2011<ref name=":0" /> and later shutdown in December 2020.<ref>https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/thread/62843644/google-play-music-music-play-store-music-manager-are-going-away-%E2%80%93-everything-you-need-to-know?hl=en</ref> Google Play Music further allowed users to upload their own songs to listen on all their devices, with a limit of up to 50,000.<ref>https://www.howtogeek.com/288231/how-to-upload-your-music-library-to-google-play-music/</ref> Users were able to purchase songs individually or buy whole albums that they could then download and listen to, or stream through the internet.<ref>https://www.technobezz.com/buy-music-google-play/</ref>

In October 2020, Google announced that they would be shutting down Google Play Music, with it being fully shut down by December.<ref>https://9to5google.com/2020/12/03/google-play-music-dead/</ref> This went ahead with a warning to their users to begin migrating to YouTube Music, and that they would be losing access to their bought songs, they further said that users should download their purchased songs before the service would shut down.<ref>https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-music-will-replace-google-play-music-end-2020/</ref>

After the service shut down, everyone has lost access to all the music they paid for, with no way to download them; Google justified this by transferring all playlists and purchase history to YouTube Music, and only refunding songs that were not directly available.<ref>https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/</ref><ref>https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/</ref> And further, with no guarantee that the songs will stay up, users who purchased songs are no longer able to stream at 320kbps on YouTube Music compared to Google Play Music unless they pay for the monthly subscription.<ref>https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176</ref><ref>https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html</ref> If you failed to transfer your music library or download your songs until 24th February 2021, then you lost all access and all data associated with Google Play Music.<ref>https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609</ref> And you cannot download songs from YouTube Music as MP3s, with local downloads requiring an internet connection every 30 days to stay up.<ref>https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid</ref>

===Google Stadia shutdown===
In January 2023, Google announced the shutdown of its cloud gaming service, Stadia, which was launched in November 2019.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/23380140/google-stadia-ending-shutdown-latest-news-gaming-tech/archives/2</ref> Stadia required users to purchase games individually, unlike other gaming platforms that offer subscription-based access. Upon the service's closure, Google promised to refund consumers for their purchases, including both games and hardware. The refunds for games and software were issued automatically, and if the refund failed to transfer, then you would've needed to contact your bank.<ref>https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-get-your-google-stadia-refund/</ref>

Stadia users were effectively renting access to games, as the platform did not allow for traditional ownership or offline play. With the service discontinued, consumers were left without access to the content they had purchased. Stadia users who had bought controllers and other peripherals for the service were also impacted by the shutdown. While Google offered refunds to customers, many Stadia consumers were left with equipment that no longer performs the advertised functions and limited recourse for repurposing or reselling their devices.<ref>https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/852697-stadia-shut-down-how-to-use-controller-chromecast-without-app</ref>

Google Stadia controllers were limited to Wi-Fi connectivity, however upon shut down they started offering an update to allow them to connect through Bluetooth, the update service website was scheduled to shut down on the 31st December 2023.<ref>https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/bluetooth-support-for-google-stadia-controller-arrives-heres-how-to-enable-it-and-play-pc-games</ref>

=References=

[[Category:Artificial intelligence companies]]
[[Category:Cloud computing providers]]
[[Category:Computer companies]]
[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Computer systems companies]]
[[Category:Defense companies]]
[[Category:Mobile phone manufacturers]]
[[Category:Technology companies]]
[[Category:Virtual reality companies]]
[[Category:Web service providers]]
<references />
[[Category:Google]]

Google

2025-01-30T13:55:38Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Attempted to add some citations, please remove if improper

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Google
| Type = Subsidiary
| Founded = 1998
| Industry = Technology
| Official Website = https://google.com/
| Logo = Google.webp
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Google|Google LLC]]''', founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, is one of the most influential and dominant technology companies in the world.<ref>https://companiesmarketcap.com/tech/largest-tech-companies-by-market-cap/</ref>{{Citation needed}} Originally developed as a search engine to organize and index the growing amount of information on the internet, Google has since expanded into a wide range of services and products, becoming a central player in digital advertising, software, hardware, and cloud computing.<ref>https://about.google/intl/ALL_us/products/</ref>{{Citation needed}}

Google's search engine remains its most well-known service, but the company has significantly diversified its offerings.{{Citation needed}} Key products include the [[Android]] operating system, the [[Google Chrome]] web browser, Google Drive for cloud storage, Google Maps, [[YouTube]], and Google Play.<ref>https://about.google/intl/ALL_us/products/</ref>{{Citation needed}} Additionally, the company provides digital advertising services through Google Ads, generating the majority of its revenue.{{Citation needed}} In recent years, Google has also developed hardware products such as the Pixel smartphone and Nest smart home devices.{{Citation needed}}

Google has faced ongoing scrutiny related to data privacy, competition, and its dominant position in the market, such concerns have stretched as far back as 2012<ref>https://ideas.time.com/2012/03/05/will-we-ever-get-strong-internet-privacy-rules/</ref>{{Citation needed}} The company has been the subject of various legal and regulatory challenges, particularly concerning antitrust issues, the use of personal data, and its impact on consumer choice.{{Citation needed}}

===Google Play Music shutdown===
[[wikipedia:Google_Play_Music|Google Play Music]] was a service that allowed you to purchase music, and listen to it through streaming or downloading locally on your computer, alternatively you could pay for a subscription to listen to all music available through streaming.<ref name=":0">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Play_Music</ref> It was publicly launched on the 16th November 2011<ref name=":0" /> and later shutdown in December 2020.<ref>https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/thread/62843644/google-play-music-music-play-store-music-manager-are-going-away-%E2%80%93-everything-you-need-to-know?hl=en</ref> Google Play Music further allowed users to upload their own songs to listen on all their devices, with a limit of up to 50,000.<ref>https://www.howtogeek.com/288231/how-to-upload-your-music-library-to-google-play-music/</ref> Users were able to purchase songs individually or buy whole albums that they could then download and listen to, or stream through the internet.<ref>https://www.technobezz.com/buy-music-google-play/</ref>

In October 2020, Google announced that they would be shutting down Google Play Music, with it being fully shut down by December.<ref>https://9to5google.com/2020/12/03/google-play-music-dead/</ref> This went ahead with a warning to their users to begin migrating to YouTube Music, and that they would be losing access to their bought songs, they further said that users should download their purchased songs before the service would shut down.<ref>https://blog.youtube/news-and-events/youtube-music-will-replace-google-play-music-end-2020/</ref>

After the service shut down, everyone has lost access to all the music they paid for, with no way to download them; Google justified this by transferring all playlists and purchase history to YouTube Music, and only refunding songs that were not directly available.<ref>https://darwinsdata.com/what-happened-to-my-songs-on-google-music/</ref><ref>https://www.makeuseof.com/what-happened-to-google-play-music/</ref> And further, with no guarantee that the songs will stay up, users who purchased songs are no longer able to stream at 320kbps on YouTube Music compared to Google Play Music unless they pay for the monthly subscription.<ref>https://www.techradar.com/news/software/google-music-uk-everything-you-need-to-know-1120176</ref><ref>https://www.noteburner.com/youtube-music-tips/youtube-music-audio-quality.html</ref> If you failed to transfer your music library or download your songs until 24th February 2021, then you lost all access and all data associated with Google Play Music.<ref>https://www.gadgets360.com/how-to/news/google-play-music-data-deleted-february-24-youtube-how-to-transfer-files-playlists-billing-information-2365609</ref> And you cannot download songs from YouTube Music as MP3s, with local downloads requiring an internet connection every 30 days to stay up.<ref>https://support.google.com/youtubemusic/answer/6313535?hl=en-GB&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid</ref>

===Google Stadia shutdown===
In January 2023, Google announced the shutdown of its cloud gaming service, Stadia, which was launched in November 2019.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/23380140/google-stadia-ending-shutdown-latest-news-gaming-tech/archives/2</ref> Stadia required users to purchase games individually, unlike other gaming platforms that offer subscription-based access. Upon the service's closure, Google promised to refund consumers for their purchases, including both games and hardware. The refunds for games and software were issued automatically, and if the refund failed to transfer, then you would've needed to contact your bank.<ref>https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-get-your-google-stadia-refund/</ref>

Stadia users were effectively renting access to games, as the platform did not allow for traditional ownership or offline play. With the service discontinued, consumers were left without access to the content they had purchased. Stadia users who had bought controllers and other peripherals for the service were also impacted by the shutdown. While Google offered refunds to customers, many Stadia consumers were left with equipment that no longer performs the advertised functions and limited recourse for repurposing or reselling their devices.<ref>https://www.gamerevolution.com/guides/852697-stadia-shut-down-how-to-use-controller-chromecast-without-app</ref>

Google Stadia controllers were limited to Wi-Fi connectivity, however upon shut down they started offering an update to allow them to connect through Bluetooth, the update service website was scheduled to shut down on the 31st December 2023.<ref>https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/pc-gaming/bluetooth-support-for-google-stadia-controller-arrives-heres-how-to-enable-it-and-play-pc-games</ref>

=References=

[[Category:Artificial intelligence companies]]
[[Category:Cloud computing providers]]
[[Category:Computer companies]]
[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Computer systems companies]]
[[Category:Defense companies]]
[[Category:Mobile phone manufacturers]]
[[Category:Technology companies]]
[[Category:Virtual reality companies]]
[[Category:Web service providers]]
<references />
[[Category:Google]]

Spectrum

2025-01-30T13:46:45Z

HeavenPiercerYama: smol grammar edit

{{StubNotice}}
{{incomplete}}

Spectrum is a retailer that offers internet as well as a variety of electronic devices.

=Anti-consumer practices=

The business requires you to call an agent to cancel subscriptions.<ref>https://www.spectrum.net/support/account-and-billing/change-or-cancel-service</ref>

=References=
<references />

MakerBot

2025-01-30T13:45:21Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting, also added small preamble and fixed grammar

{{StubNotice}}{{clear}}{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = MakerBot
| Type = Subsidiary
| Founded = 2009
| Industry = Technology
| Official Website = https://makerbot.com/
| Logo = MakerBot_Logo.png

}}'''[[wikipedia:MakerBot|MakerBot Industries, LLC]]''' was an American technology company specializing in the design and manufacture of 3D printing peripherals and accessories. Originally on offshoot of the [[wikipedia:RepRap|RepRap]] project, MakerBot initially produced open-source kit printers and operated the public project repository: Thingiverse - which MakerBot's founders created in 2008. In 2012 with the launch of it's Replicator 2 3D printer, MakerBot fully pivoted to closed-source consumer and enterprise machines. It was acquired by [[Stratasys]] in June 2013.<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/06/19/3d-printing-company-makerbot-acquired-in-604-million-deal/#4f6d94091ef8</ref>

MakerBot was at one point, the market leader in desktop FDM 3D printers, but its market dominance was steadily eroded by an explosion in popularity of less-expensive, open-source competitors.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20171027020235/https://fortune.com/2015/11/27/why-makerbot-and-3d-systems-are-losing-the-desktop-3d-market/</ref> Its closed-source machines and business practices proved to be unpopular with the largely DIY-focused maker community. Starting in 2015, MakerBot began to focus more on the enterprise and education markets, ultimately abandoning the consumer market by 2017. It also laid off hundreds of employees during this time.<ref>https://www.vice.com/en/article/makerbot-just-laid-off-20-percent-of-its-staff/</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20170702132043/https://fortune.com/2017/02/15/makerbot-3d-printing-layoffs/</ref>

On August 31, 2022, Stratasys finalized a merger between MakerBot and its long-time market competitor Ultimaker.<ref>https://investors.stratasys.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/793/stratasys-completes-merger-of-makerbot-with-ultimaker</ref> The merged company is known as Ultimaker, with the MakerBot branding only retained for its Sketch line of education-focused 3D printers.
{{Clear}}
==Controversies==
The company has been involved in a number of controversies dating as far back as 2012, spanning a variety of issues and subjects.
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Switch to closed-source
|2012
|MakerBot abandoned its original open-source business practices in favor of developing closed-source machines with proprietary components and software.<ref>https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/pulling-back-from-open-source-hardware-makerbot-angers-some-adherents/</ref>
|The move was unpopular with consumers, and MakerBot began to lose its market share to less-expensive, open-source 3D printers over the course of the next decade.
|
|
|-
|Thingiverse terms of use
|2012
|MakerBot updated the Thingiverse [[terms of use]], appearing to assert ownership over anything uploaded to the site, despite users being allowed to dictate their own usage terms under Creative Commons.<ref>https://hackaday.com/2012/09/20/makerbot-occupy-thingiverse-and-the-reality-of-selling-open-hardware/</ref>
|Ongoing, even after the absorption of MakerBot by Ultimaker in 2022.
|
|-
|Accusations of IP theft
|2014
|MakerBot was accused of stealing and patenting user-uploaded designs from its public design repository, Thingiverse.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20160501050442/http://3dprintingindustry.com/2014/05/28/makerbot-become-takerbot/</ref>
|MakerBot denied wrongdoing and showed its patents were filed before the contested designs were shared, but the accusation highlighted ongoing concerns with Thingiverse's terms of use.<ref>https://techcrunch.com/2014/05/28/makerbot-responds-to-critics-who-claim-it-is-stealing-community-ip/</ref>
|
|
|-
|Smart Extruder unreliability
|2015
|Makerbot was hit with a [[class-action lawsuit]], claiming the Smart Extruder for its fifth-generation printers was deliberately engineered to fail in order to boost sales for replacement components.<ref>https://makezine.com/article/digital-fabrication/3d-printing-workshop/makerbot-faces-class-action-lawsuit-over-faulty-extruders/</ref>
|The suit was dismissed by the court, which decided that MakerBot did not mislead customers.<ref>https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/class-action-makerbot-dismissed-85388/</ref> MakerBot would later release a more reliable, albeit more expensive Smart Extruder+.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/4/10677740/new-makerbot-smart-extruder-plus-3d-printer-ces-2016</ref>
|
|
|}

== References ==
<references />
<references group="Video References" />

[[Category:3D printer companies]]

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro

2025-01-30T13:41:14Z

HeavenPiercerYama: changed wording slightly

{{StubNotice}}

The Osmo Action 5 Pro is an action camera developed by SZ DJI Co, Ltd.<ref>https://www.dji.com/global/osmo-action-5-pro</ref>

==Anti-consumer issues ==
Osmo Action 5 Pro action camera requires the owner to use the DJI Mimo smartphone app. Action camera can only be used 5 times without using the app for "activation". After 5 times the usage of the camera is impossible unless the DJI Mimo app is installed and used to "activate" the camera.<ref>https://support.dji.com/help/content?customId=en-us03400011286&spaceId=34&re=US&lang=en</ref>

This is an anti-consumer practice that forces users to install and use proprietary software on their mobile devices.

==References==
<references />

Happiest Baby

2025-01-30T13:40:45Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{Incomplete}}{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Happiest Baby
| Type = Private
| Founded = 2001
| Industry = Electronics
| Official Website = https://happiestbaby.com/
| Logo = Happiest baby logo.png
}}
'''Happiest Baby''' is a smart-technology company based in Los Angeles, CA, founded in 2001 by Dr. Harvey Karp and Nina Montée-Karp. Its stated mission is to use technology to "[help] parents… [raise] happy, healthy children."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20250130023159/https://www.happiestbaby.com/pages/our-mission "Happiest Baby - Our Mission"] - archive.org - archived 2025-01-30</ref>

'''Notable products''':

*Released the '''SNOO Smart Baby Sleeper''' in 2016.

== Summary of anti-consumer practices ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Features "Paywalled"
|2025
|The SNOO Smart Baby Sleeper is a product with a price tag of 1695.00 USD. The purchasing page was not updated to have a "subscription plan" until June 11, 2024. The wording was changed on July 15, 2024 to add a limit to the free premium subscription of nine months.
|Unknown
|
|
|}

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Technology companies]]

Consumer Technology Association

2025-01-30T13:35:34Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{StubNotice}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Consumer Protection Association
| Type = Trade Organization
| Founded = 1924
| Industry = Electronics
| Official Website = https://www.cta.tech/
| Logo = Ctalogo.svg
}}The '''Consumer Technology Association'''<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Technology_Association</ref> ('''CTA''') is a standard and [[wikipedia:Trade_organization|trade organization]]. Their mission statement<ref>https://www.cta.tech/</ref> is "to help innovators of all sizes grow their business." They are active lobbyists for a wide variety of issues<ref>https://www.cta.tech/Advocacy</ref> but often do this by representing large tech companies in legal battles against the right to repair. While the American consumer may have various feelings about their trade policy, immigration, or patent reform stances, all of us are harmed by their consistent defense of restrictive licensing and built-in blocks for independent repair.

==Lobbying==

==History of Deception==

==Testimonies==

====Right to Repair in Maine (LD1977 SP679 "An Act To Ensure a Consumer's Right To Repair Certain Electronic Products")====
The CTA's VP of Environmental Affairs and Industry Sustainability testified that "[the] issue that's been raised about e-waste and concern about how not passing legislation like this might increase e-waste, I would remind the committee that Maine has a robust e-waste law and program in place<ref>https://www.maine.gov/dep/waste/ewaste/index.html</ref>... ...we are not looking at a situation where e-waste in Maine [is] going into landfills." While these laws are on the books in Maine, e-waste recycling faces serious issues perpetuated by many of the same industry practices which make repair difficult, and is less complete of a solution than the legislation would suggest. "Smartphones are becoming lighter and slimmer, and ''their batteries are no longer removable'', making recycling much more difficult and labour-intensive. Manual sorting requires workers to be constantly exposed to toxic substances, albeit at a low level, over a long period, while these ''difficult-to-recycle electronic devices require facilities to constantly upgrade their machines to keep up with the changing technology'', lowering the incentive for businesses to recycle e-waste that is already difficult to disassemble."<ref>https://earth.org/what-is-e-waste-recycling/</ref> Additionally, outsourcing of e-waste recycling represents an environmental health disaster to less developed countries, leading to China banning the import of many categories of waste.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_National_Sword</ref> Right to Repair stands to greatly reduce the generation of e-waste and make it's recycling much more cost effective, at the expense of reducing the number of new devices purchased as replacements. Reduce, then Reuse (repair or salvage parts) and then Recycle.

More than a year after this testimony and the allegation that investments and lobbying for e-waste recycling more than makes up for anti-repair practices (and the death of the bill in committee), the Maine Monitor published [https://themainemonitor.org/there-are-more-devices-in-mainers-lives-than-ever-no-one-knows-where-they-end-up/ this report].<ref>https://themainemonitor.org/there-are-more-devices-in-mainers-lives-than-ever-no-one-knows-where-they-end-up/</ref> To quote the article, "Mainers are generating more electronic waste than ever. And no one knows what percentage of that waste is sent for recycling." He also includes statistics for sold phones, trade-ins, and phones given to friends or relatives to give a false view that only 2% of phones are thrown into the trash when looking at phones at end of life.

== References ==
<references />

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro

2025-01-30T13:33:18Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{StubNotice}}

The Osmo Action 5 Pro is an action camera developed by SZ DJI Co, Ltd.<ref>https://www.dji.com/global/osmo-action-5-pro</ref>

== Anti-consumer practices ==
Osmo Action 5 Pro action camera requires the owner to use the DJI Mimo smartphone app. Action camera can only be used 5 times without using the app for "activation". After 5 times the usage of the camera is impossible unless the DJI Mimo app is installed and used to "activate" the camera.<ref>https://support.dji.com/help/content?customId=en-us03400011286&spaceId=34&re=US&lang=en</ref>

This is an anti-consumer practice that forces users to install and use proprietary software on their mobile devices.

== References ==
<references />

Roborock

2025-01-30T13:32:53Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{Incomplete}}

Roborock, a prominent manufacturer of robotic vacuum cleaners offers users the an app to control and monitor their devices.

== Anti-consumer practices ==

=== Spam ===
Some users have reported receiving unsolicited promotional notifications through the app, which they consider spam.

=== User Experiences with Promotional Notifications ===
Several users have expressed frustration over receiving promotional content via the Roborock app. For instance, a discussion on Reddit highlighted concerns about notification ad spam, with users debating the implications of disabling certain notification settings. One user noted that turning off the "Allow Roborock Product and Service Updates" setting might prevent both promotional messages and important service updates.
REDDIT

Another user shared their annoyance with the app's notifications, stating that while they want alerts for issues like the vacuum getting stuck, they find the promotional messages intrusive. They expressed disappointment that disabling these ads also meant losing essential notifications. <ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Roborock/comments/1cn367g/seriously_notification_ad_spam/ REDDIT</ref>

=== Roborock's Response and User Actions ===
In response to these concerns, some users have suggested reaching out directly to Roborock's support team to report the issue. One user recommended emailing support@roborock.com to express dissatisfaction with the promotional notifications, hoping that a collective effort might lead to a change in the company's approach. <ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Roborock/comments/1cn32ke/advertisement_in_app_now/ REDDIT</ref>

=== Steps to Manage Notifications ===
To manage or disable promotional notifications in the Roborock app, users can navigate to the app's settings:

Open the Roborock app.
Go to "Message Settings."
Select "Device Notifications."
Adjust the settings to disable promotional messages while retaining essential device alerts.
It's important to note that some users have reported that disabling certain notifications might also prevent important updates about the device's status or maintenance needs. Therefore, users should carefully consider which notifications to disable to ensure they continue receiving critical information about their device's performance.

In summary, while the Roborock app provides valuable functionalities for device management, the inclusion of promotional notifications has been a point of contention among users. By adjusting notification settings and communicating feedback to the company, users can work towards a more tailored and satisfactory experience.

[[Category:Electronics companies]]
[[Category:Retail companies]]
[[Category:Technology companies]]

=References=

<references />

Winston-Salem Journal

2025-01-30T13:30:44Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{Incomplete}}

[[File:Screenshot 2025-01-22 at 6.49.12 AM.png|thumb|WS Journal Cancelation Page]]
Winston-Salem Journal is an American daily newspaper primarily serving the eponymous area. It is owned by Lee Enterprises.<ref>https://investors.lee.net/static-files/d97194ec-e9c5-4e1c-8c74-a05e37542331</ref>

== Anti-consumer practices ==
The paper's subscription is $1 per month subscription for 3 months. After 3 months the subscription is $20 per month. Unsubscribing is only available by calling a customer service phone number.

==References==
[[Category:Services]]

<references />

Cerberus

2025-01-30T13:30:18Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{Incomplete}}
Cerberus Phone Antitheft is an app designed to be a suite of services centered on security.

== Anti-consumer practices ==
Recently the application has faced controversy over expiring licenses that were sold as being "lifetime", and are alleged to delete complaints from forum. The company started by cancelling free subscriptions, but complaints of it cancelling paid lifetime subscriptions have recently been reported.<ref>https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/12/21/cerberus-paid-lifetime-license-expiration.</ref>

== References ==
<references />

Wink

2025-01-30T13:29:49Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{StubNotice}}
{{Incomplete}}

Wink is a company that produces various smart home products than can be remotely operated via phone<ref>https://www.wink.com/</ref>

== Anti-consumer practices ==
On [https://blog.wink.com/wink-blog/2020/5/6/introducing-wink-subscription July 27, 2020], Wink started charging a subscription of $4.99 a month for their previously subscription free Smarthome Hub, rendering the $100 hub useless unless the subscription fee was paid.

== References ==
<references />

Xiaomi

2025-01-30T13:28:34Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Fixed formatting oopsie i did

Xiaomi is a China-based manufacturer and designer of consumer electronics and software. As of 2021 it is the second largest phone manufacturer in the world<ref>https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/xiaomi-overtakes-apple-as-the-worlds-number-two-smartphone-maker/</ref>
{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Xiaomi
| Type = Public
| Founded = 2010
| Industry = Technology
| Official Website = https://www.mi.com/us/
| Logo = Xiaomi logo (2021-).png
}}

==Relevance==

===Kernel disclosure issues===
''Main Article: [[Xiaomi's disclosure of kernel sources]]''

Although Xiaomi's devices run on an operating system based on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux Linux] kernel, which is licensed under [https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.en.html GPLv2], the company does not disclose all of their operating system source code on GitHub, as required by GPL terms.

===Unlocking restrictions===
''Main article: [[Xiaomi Phone unlock requirements and procedure]]''

Phones manufactured come with an unlockable bootloader, however the unlocking process is heavily restricted

=References=
<references />

Tesla

2025-01-30T13:27:28Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Fixed formatting and duplication oopsie i did

{{Incomplete}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Tesla
| Type = Public
| Founded = 2003
| Industry = Automotive
| Official Website = https://tesla.com/
| Logo = Tesla.png
}}

'''[[Wikipedia:Tesla, Inc.|Tesla, Inc.]]''' (formerly '''Tesla Motors''') is a company founded by [[Martin Eberhard]] and [[Marc Tarpenning]] in 2003. In 2008, it was funded and taken over by [[Elon Musk]], when both original founders left their positions.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/money/Tesla-Motors</ref><ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2022/09/29/tesla-a-history-of-innovation-and-headaches/?sh=279647518735</ref>

== Controversies ==
After the company was bought by Elon Musk it has been involved in a number of controversies such as requiring subscriptions or requiring a Tesla technician to fix 2012's Model S,<ref>https://www.slotcar-today.com/problems/tesla/model-s/2012</ref> With cases such as the continued denial of adding [[Apple Carplay]] or [[Android Auto]] to their vehicles, putting an expiry date on their cars, and making a $100,000 utility vehicle whose warranty is void by a car wash.

=== Artificially disabling functionality ===
Tesla was early in holding functionality hostage that the car owner had already bought and paid for, when Tesla decided to "offer an acceleration boost" that made the car accelerate faster once the "acceleration boost" software change was bought.<ref>https://www.autoevolution.com/news/refreshed-tesla-model-3-gets-acceleration-boost-in-certain-markets-us-still-waiting-243025.html</ref><ref>https://www.teslaoracle.com/2024/11/22/tesla-starts-offering-acceleration-boost-for-the-model-3-highland-long-range-variant/</ref>

Tesla advertised how good and useful it was that their Tesla Model 3 cars had a hardware radar installed. A few years later Tesla would no longer include the radar hardware in their Tesla Model 3 cars they build from then on. However Tesla kept including the radar hardware in their more expensive Model S (and maybe also Model X?) cars. Shortly thereafter Tesla released a forced Over The Air (OTA) software update that disabled the radar hardware in all older Tesla Model 3 cars as well.<ref>https://www.edge-ai-vision.com/2024/01/teslas-relationship-with-radar/</ref><ref>https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-disables-radar-model-3-model-y-service-visits/</ref><ref>https://insideevs.com/news/658439/elon-musk-overruled-tesla-autopilot-engineers-radar-removal/</ref> One consequence of disabling the already bought radar was that the older cars now also had a forced Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) following distance interval reduced from 1-7 to 2-7. Another consequence was that those cars now also had a lot worse ability to be aware of traffic around them which made their autopilot decisions much worse, such as panic braking for no apparent reason.<ref>https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/unfortunate-new-panic-braking-behavior-from-tacc.331045/</ref>

Tesla regularly removes car features that everyone takes for granted nowadays eg. their Ultrasonic Sensors (parking sensors) presumably to save Tesla money,<ref>https://www.tesla.com/support/transitioning-tesla-vision</ref> most of these changes are done silently with no public or media announcements.Tesla also has removed their hardware rain sensors for similar reasons and similar consequences.<ref>https://www.torquenews.com/14335/are-softening-tesla-model-y-sales-europe-really-due-119-sensor-removal</ref>

=== Wrongful legal threats ===
Tesla once sent a legal threat to a Swedish car repair company called "[[Grufman Bil AB]]" to take down a YouTube video that they had posted that showed them smashing a car component that was supposed to hold up a wheel with a big hammer, showing how that component was made of metal that was a lot weaker than one could reasonably expect. Grufman Bil decided to quickly take down that video and when someone asked them why, Grufman Bil said "because it's not worth getting sued over," which indicates that Tesla was possibly threatening to sue people who show important car defects.


==Resale restrictions==
Tesla has recently started disallowing resale of vehicles if done within a period of a year, charging fines up to $50 000 for engaging in the practice.<ref>https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/tesla-cybertruck-owner-cannot-sell-ev-parking-space-1235638981/</ref> This is done without regard for situation that may necessitate resale, and appears to be in line with the practice being put forth by other companies <ref>https://fordauthority.com/2022/01/2022-ford-f-150-lightning-will-come-with-one-year-no-sale-provision/</ref>

==See also==

*[[:Category:Tesla]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Car manufacturers]]
[[Category:Battery electric vehicle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Sports car manufacturers]]
[[Category:Electric motor manufacturers]]
[[Category:Electric vehicle battery manufacturers]]
[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]

Photobucket

2025-01-30T13:21:46Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Created page addressing biometric data fiasco

Photobucket is an image and video hosting website founded in 2003. It is estimated that around 2% of American internet traffic passes through the website.<ref>https://techcrunch.com/2006/04/19/2-of-us-internet-traffic-through-photobucket/</ref>

==Anti-consumer practices==

===Biometric data selling===
On July 22nd, 2024, Photobucket updates its terms of service to allow user biometric data such as facial features, iris, retina, finger or handprints and voice to be sold to third parties for the purpose of AI training. The policy is opt-in by default, meaning users are automatically included in the policy unless they state they manually choose to opt-out.<ref>https://photobucket.com/legal/biometric-information-privacy-policy</ref>

== References ==

<references />

Consumer Technology Association

2025-01-30T12:36:27Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Added references section

Tesla

2025-01-30T12:06:20Z

HeavenPiercerYama: hid note from public view, said note can still be viewed easily when editing

{{Incomplete}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Tesla
| Type = Public
| Founded = 2003
| Industry = Automotive
| Official Website = https://tesla.com/
| Logo = Tesla.png
}}

'''[[Wikipedia:Tesla, Inc.|Tesla, Inc.]]''' (formerly '''Tesla Motors''') is a company founded by [[Martin Eberhard]] and [[Marc Tarpenning]] in 2003. In 2008, it was funded and taken over by [[Elon Musk]], when both original founders left their positions.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/money/Tesla-Motors</ref><ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2022/09/29/tesla-a-history-of-innovation-and-headaches/?sh=279647518735</ref>
=Controversies=
After the company was bought by Elon Musk it has been involved in a number of controversies such as requiring subscriptions or requiring a Tesla technician to fix 2012's Model S,<ref>https://www.slotcar-today.com/problems/tesla/model-s/2012</ref> With cases such as the continued denial of adding [[Apple Carplay]] or [[Android Auto]] to their vehicles, putting an expiry date on their cars, and making a $100,000 utility vehicle whose warranty is void by a car wash.

==Artificially disabling functionality==
Tesla was early in holding functionality hostage that the car owner had already bought and paid for, when Tesla decided to "offer an acceleration boost" that made the car accelerate faster once the "acceleration boost" software change was bought.<ref>https://www.autoevolution.com/news/refreshed-tesla-model-3-gets-acceleration-boost-in-certain-markets-us-still-waiting-243025.html</ref><ref>https://www.teslaoracle.com/2024/11/22/tesla-starts-offering-acceleration-boost-for-the-model-3-highland-long-range-variant/</ref>

Tesla advertised how good and useful it was that their Tesla Model 3 cars had a hardware radar installed. A few years later Tesla would no longer include the radar hardware in their Tesla Model 3 cars they build from then on. However Tesla kept including the radar hardware in their more expensive Model S (and maybe also Model X?) cars. Shortly thereafter Tesla released a forced Over The Air (OTA) software update that disabled the radar hardware in all older Tesla Model 3 cars as well.<ref>https://www.edge-ai-vision.com/2024/01/teslas-relationship-with-radar/</ref><ref>https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-disables-radar-model-3-model-y-service-visits/</ref><ref>https://insideevs.com/news/658439/elon-musk-overruled-tesla-autopilot-engineers-radar-removal/</ref> One consequence of disabling the already bought radar was that the older cars now also had a forced Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) following distance interval reduced from 1-7 to 2-7. Another consequence was that those cars now also had a lot worse ability to be aware of traffic around them which made their autopilot decisions much worse, such as panic braking for no apparent reason.<ref>https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/unfortunate-new-panic-braking-behavior-from-tacc.331045/</ref>

Tesla regularly removes car features that everyone takes for granted nowadays eg. their Ultrasonic Sensors (parking sensors) presumably to save Tesla money,<ref>https://www.tesla.com/support/transitioning-tesla-vision</ref> most of these changes are done silently with no public or media announcements.Tesla also has removed their hardware rain sensors for similar reasons and similar consequences.<ref>https://www.torquenews.com/14335/are-softening-tesla-model-y-sales-europe-really-due-119-sensor-removal</ref>

==Wrongful legal threats==
Tesla once sent a legal threat to a Swedish car repair company called "[[Grufman Bil AB]]" to take down a YouTube video that they had posted that showed them smashing a car component that was supposed to hold up a wheel with a big hammer, showing how that component was made of metal that was a lot weaker than one could reasonably expect. Grufman Bil decided to quickly take down that video and when someone asked them why, Grufman Bil said "because it's not worth getting sued over," which indicates that Tesla was possibly threatening to sue people who show important car defects.


==Resale restrictions==
Tesla has recently started disallowing resale of vehicles if done within a period of a year, charging fines up to $50 000 for engaging in the practice.<ref>https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/tesla-cybertruck-owner-cannot-sell-ev-parking-space-1235638981/</ref> This is done without regard for situation that may necessitate resale, and appears to be in line with the practice being put forth by other companies <ref>https://fordauthority.com/2022/01/2022-ford-f-150-lightning-will-come-with-one-year-no-sale-provision/</ref>

==See also==

*[[:Category:Tesla]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Car manufacturers]]
[[Category:Battery electric vehicle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Sports car manufacturers]]
[[Category:Electric motor manufacturers]]
[[Category:Electric vehicle battery manufacturers]]
[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]
-->
<references />

Microsoft

2025-01-30T12:03:23Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{incomplete}}
{{ToneWarning}}
----{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Microsoft
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1975
| Industry = Information Technology
| Official Website = https://www.microsoft.com/
| Logo = Microsoft logo.png
}}
'''[[Wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft Corporation]]''' is a large American technology company founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Initially focused on developing BASIC interpreters, the company rose to prominence through its MS-DOS and Windows operating systems, which became fundamental to the personal computer revolution. Under successive CEOs Steve Ballmer and Satya Nadella, Microsoft expanded beyond operating systems into diverse technology sectors, including cloud computing, gaming, and hardware. Notable acquisitions include Skype, LinkedIn, and GitHub. Microsoft's recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion made it the third-largest gaming company globally.

As one of the Big Five American tech companies, Microsoft maintains market dominance in PC operating systems and office software, while offering a wide range of products and services, including the Azure cloud platform, Xbox gaming consoles, Surface computers, and enterprise solutions. The company has faced criticism for monopolistic practices and software security issues.
==Controversies==

===Court cases up to the early 2000s===
In a major antitrust case brought by the US Department of Justice, ''U.S. v. Microsoft Corp.,'' 253 F.3d 34 (D.C. Cir. 2001),<ref>[https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/253/34/576095/ "U.S. v. Microsoft Corp., 253 F.3d 34 (D.C. Cir. 2001)"] - law.justia.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Microsoft argued that there was no barrier to entry in the market they were in. A central issue at that time was whether Microsoft could bundle the web browser Internet Explorer with the Microsoft Windows operating system. The District Court stated the following in the court case: "The District Court condemned a number of provisions in Microsoft's agreements licensing Windows to OEMs, because it found that Microsoft's imposition of those provisions (like many of Microsoft's other actions at issue in this case) serves to reduce usage share of Netscape's browser and, hence, protect Microsoft's operating system monopoly."

The court specifically identified three main license restrictions for [[Original Equipment Manufacturers]] (OEMs) that were considered problematic:

#The prohibition upon the removal of desktop icons, folders, and Start menu entries
#The prohibition for modifying the initial boot sequence
#The prohibition of otherwise altering the appearance of the Windows desktop

The case was eventually settled,<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/file/503541/dl "Final judgment of US v. Microsoft"] - justice.gov - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/373/1199/474311/ "Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Ex Rel., Appellant, v. Microsoft Corporation"] - law.justia.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> and did not result in a company breakup.<ref>[https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/long-antitrust-saga-ends-for-microsoft/ "Long antitrust saga ends for Microsoft"] - seattletimes.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>

Section III.H of the Consent Decree<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/atr/microsoft-consent-decree-compliance-advisory-august-1-2003-us-v-microsoft "Microsoft Consent Decree Compliance Advisory - August 1, 2003 : U.S. V. Microsoft"] - justice.gov - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> required Microsoft to "allow end users and OEMs to enable or remove access to all middleware products, including web browsers, e-mail clients, and media players through a readily accessible, centralized mechanism." End users and OEMs should be able "to specify a non-Microsoft middleware product as the default middleware product to be launched in place of the corresponding Microsoft middleware product."

In the case ''United States v. Microsoft Corp.,'' 87 F. Supp. 2d 30 (D.D.C. 2000),<ref>[https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp2/87/30/2307082/ "United States v. Microsoft Corp., 87 F. Supp. 2d 30 (D.D.C. 2000)"] - law.justia.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Microsoft's conduct taken as a whole was described as a "deliberate assault upon entrepreneurial efforts that, could well have enabled the introduction of competition into the market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems". Further, "Microsoft's anti-competitive actions trammeled the competitive process through which the computer software industry generally stimulates innovation and conduces to the optimum benefit of consumers."

===Windows===
====Forced Updates====
Beginning with [[Windows]] 10, end users can no longer selectively choose updates. Instead, updates are automatically scheduled when a computer is inactive, or before the system is shut down.<ref>[https://www.crn.com/news/applications-os/300077576/did-microsoft-just-backtrack-on-forced-updates-for-windows-10 "Did Microsoft Just Backtrack On Forced Updates For Windows 10?"] - crn.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> This has also led to some systems being rendered unusable because of bugged updates that cannot be avoided.<ref>[https://www.tomsguide.com/news/windows-10-update-is-bricking-pcs-uninstall-this-right-now "Windows 10 update is 'breaking' PCs — what to do now"] - tomsguide.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-update-bricked-my-bios-thought-to-be/a1f0ebc7-d20d-459f-9956-72a3f98ca432 "Windows update bricked my bios ?? Thought to be impossible ?"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29 </ref> Some users have resorted to disabling updates in Window's registry editor,<ref>[https://www.minitool.com/backup-tips/how-to-stop-win10-update.html "How to Stop Windows 10 Update Permanently – 7 Ways"] - minitool.com - accessed 2025-01-29
</ref> though this prevents them from receiving security updates, which can make their systems vulnerable to attacks.

====Resetting preferences during updates====
During some Windows updates, the preferences users have set on applications that they have installed, will end up being reset to their default settings.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/n1hoz0/windows_please_stop_changing_my_settings_with/ "Windows: PLEASE STOP CHANGING MY SETTINGS WITH UPDATES"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-updated-and-reset-all-of-my-settings/529ffb03-edd4-4be2-9412-50e3271fa8fe "Windows 10 updated and reset all of my settings and preferences."] - answers.microsoft.com - 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://www.minitool.com/news/windows-settings-are-reset-after-reboot.html "Windows Settings Are Reset After Reboot? Best Fixes Here!"] - minitool.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Users have reported this to go as far as resetting permissions for apps,<ref name=":1">[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-update-reset-my-computer-settings/e58bcee8-f4c9-40ef-a452-1dc5db7c45d9 "Windows 10 Update Reset my Computer Settings."] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/y0ksm0/why_are_my_settings_changed_after_every_update/ "Why are my settings changed after every update?"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/why-do-updates-remove-personalization-settings/0f1badb2-7486-4d31-b687-39913795aa8f "Why do Updates Remove Personalization Settings"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> which can be extremely risky for insecure software. 

===Edge===
[[Microsoft Edge]] is a [[Chromium]]-based [[web browser]] that comes preinstalled with Windows 10 and later. It is the successor to [[Internet Explorer]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year started - Year Ended
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
|-
|Inability to delete
|2018 – Present
|During major updates for Windows, users have been reporting their installations of Edge being reinstalled to their devices without their consent.<ref>[https://www.windowscentral.com/how-prevent-microsoft-edge-chromium-installing-automatically-windows-10 "How to prevent new Microsoft Edge from installing automatically on Windows 10"] - windowscentral.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>
|No change
|
|-
|Importing content from other browsers without consent
|2020 – ?
|Users have reported on frequent occasions that Edge has imported user data from browsers such as Chrome and Firefox without first requesting consent from the user.<ref>[https://www.komando.com/news/microsoft-edge-caught-importing-data/ "Microsoft caught importing data before you give the OK"] - komando.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>
|Unknown if it still occurs
|
|-
|Resetting primary browser
|2017 – Present
|Windows has frequently been resetting the default browser to Edge<ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/default-browser-keeps-changing-to-edge/25e2939d-4674-40ab-b05a-6161e2297976 "Default Browser Keeps Changing to Edge"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> without consent.<ref name=":1" /> While there are methods to disable this,<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/15zbjar/default_browser_keeps_changing_to_microsoft_edge/ "Default browser keeps changing to Microsoft Edge after every PC restart. Win 11, tried everything"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> it is tedious to achieve, especially for users who are not tech-savvy.
|Continues to happen
|
|}

===Windows 11===

====TPM 2.0 chip requirements====
While reasonably circumventable,<ref>[https://www.starwindsoftware.com/blog/bypass-tpm-and-install-windows-11-on-unsupported-hardware/ "Bypass TPM and Install Windows 11 on Unsupported Hardware"] - starwindsoftware.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Microsoft's decision to lock down Windows 11 to computers with Trusted Platform Module 2.0 chips (TPMs) has forced the hands of both consumers and companies alike to dispose of hardware that would otherwise be perfectly acceptable to use.<ref>[https://securityonline.info/windows-11s-tpm-2-0-free-software-foundation-fights-forced-upgrades-and-e-waste/ "Windows 11’s TPM 2.0: Free Software Foundation Fights Forced Upgrades and E-Waste"] - securityonline.info - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> This has also caused Microsoft to frequently remind Windows 10 users to upgrade their hardware to be compatible with Windows 11,<ref>[https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-revives-pop-ups-in-windows-10-to-push-windows-11-upgrades "Microsoft Revives Pop-Ups in Windows 10 to Push Windows 11 Upgrades"] - pcmag.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-embarrasses-itself-with-windows-10-pop-up-that-hogs-the-desktop-urging-an-upgrade-to-windows-11-then-promptly-crashes "Microsoft embarrasses itself with Windows 10 pop-up that hogs the desktop urging an upgrade to Windows 11 – then promptly crashes"] - techradar.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> which has caused many users frequent agitation.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoft/comments/19dvs9k/any_way_to_disable_the_upgrade_to_windows_11_ads/ "Any way to disable the "upgrade to Windows 11" ads?"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>

====Recall====
In 2024, Microsoft unveiled Recall,<ref name=":0">[https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-reveals-ai-powered-recall-feature-to-transform-windows-11s-searchability-while-confirming-hardware-requirements "Microsoft reveals AI-powered ‘Recall’ feature to transform Windows 11’s searchability, while confirming hardware requirements"] - techradar.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> marketed as a way to search through what you have done on your computer by recording your screen. This sparked controversy,<ref>[https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsofts-controversial-recall-feature-for-windows-11-could-already-be-in-legal-hot-water "Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature for Windows 11 could already be in legal hot water"] - techradar.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> especially among security experts<ref>[https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Privacy-and-security-risks-surrounding-Microsoft-Recall "Privacy and security risks surrounding Microsoft Recall"] - techtarget.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> who worried about the security of screenshots,<ref>[https://news.sky.com/story/microsoft-ai-feature-investigated-by-uk-watchdog-over-screenshots-13141171 "Microsoft AI feature investigated by UK watchdog over screenshots"] - news.sky.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> since it could easily document private information like social-security numbers, bank-account information, and passwords, as well as user browsing behavior. A Python script was developed, called "TotalRecall", that collects the screenshots and descriptions of these recordings,<ref>[https://github.com/xaitax/TotalRecall "TotalRecall - a 'privacy nightmare'?"] - github.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> proving the danger of Recall.<ref name=":0" /> This feature was delayed after backlash from users.<ref>[https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/06/microsoft-recall-delayed-after-privacy-and-security-concerns "Microsoft Recall delayed after privacy and security concerns"] - malwarebytes.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>

===Microsoft account dark patterns when installing Windows===
[[File:MSInstall.png|thumb|An image of a Windows 10 installation, to illustrate the effort required to make an account unattached to a Microsoft account.]]
Numerous [[dark patterns]] have been implemented in the form of vague language and a confusing user interface, which hides the option to create an account without a Microsoft account under sub-menus and small text. The dark patterns in the Windows installation menu have been in place since Windows 10 was launched in 2015, and continue into the Windows 11 installation process.

===Removal of games===
In early September 2016, Microsoft shut down Xbox Live Indie Games,<ref>[https://www.polygon.com/2015/9/9/9297959/xbox-live-indie-games-shutting-down "After seven years, Xbox Live Indie Games is closing down for good"] - polygon.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> and in late July 2024, Microsoft shut down its storefront for Xbox 360 games.<ref>[https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/08/17/xbox-360-store-will-close-july-2024/ "The Xbox 360 Store Will Close July 2024, But You Can Keep Playing Your Favorite Games"] - news.xbox.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> These shutdowns have made it impossible to obtain new copies of, or in some cases, even play, hundreds of games.

===Office 365 Suite issues===
''Main article: [[Microsoft Office 365]]''

The Office 365 program has been facing a number of issues in recent years, with allegations of forced upsell and forced implementation of OneDrive

===Minecraft account migration===
''Main article: [[Minecraft account migration]]''

Following Microsoft's acquisition of Minecraft, they have started forcing account migration to users who already had a Mojang account to a Microsoft account. The company gave users a grace period for account migration, after which users would have to purchase Minecraft again if the Mojang account was not migrated.<ref>https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/19633473939981-I-Missed-My-Chance-to-Migrate-What-Happens-to-My-Account</ref>

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Artificial intelligence companies]]
[[Category:Business software companies]]
[[Category:Cloud computing providers]]
[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Computer systems companies]]
[[Category:Defense companies]]
[[Category:Electronics companies]]
[[Category:Mobile phone manufacturers]]
[[Category:Software companies]]
[[Category:Web service providers]]

Microsoft

2025-01-30T12:02:59Z

HeavenPiercerYama: indentation

{{incomplete}}
{{ToneWarning}}
----{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Microsoft
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1975
| Industry = Information Technology
| Official Website = https://www.microsoft.com/
| Logo = Microsoft logo.png
}}
'''[[Wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft Corporation]]''' is a large American technology company founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Initially focused on developing BASIC interpreters, the company rose to prominence through its MS-DOS and Windows operating systems, which became fundamental to the personal computer revolution. Under successive CEOs Steve Ballmer and Satya Nadella, Microsoft expanded beyond operating systems into diverse technology sectors, including cloud computing, gaming, and hardware. Notable acquisitions include Skype, LinkedIn, and GitHub. Microsoft's recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion made it the third-largest gaming company globally.

As one of the Big Five American tech companies, Microsoft maintains market dominance in PC operating systems and office software, while offering a wide range of products and services, including the Azure cloud platform, Xbox gaming consoles, Surface computers, and enterprise solutions. The company has faced criticism for monopolistic practices and software security issues.
==Controversies==

===Court cases up to the early 2000s===
In a major antitrust case brought by the US Department of Justice, ''U.S. v. Microsoft Corp.,'' 253 F.3d 34 (D.C. Cir. 2001),<ref>[https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/253/34/576095/ "U.S. v. Microsoft Corp., 253 F.3d 34 (D.C. Cir. 2001)"] - law.justia.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Microsoft argued that there was no barrier to entry in the market they were in. A central issue at that time was whether Microsoft could bundle the web browser Internet Explorer with the Microsoft Windows operating system. The District Court stated the following in the court case: "The District Court condemned a number of provisions in Microsoft's agreements licensing Windows to OEMs, because it found that Microsoft's imposition of those provisions (like many of Microsoft's other actions at issue in this case) serves to reduce usage share of Netscape's browser and, hence, protect Microsoft's operating system monopoly."

The court specifically identified three main license restrictions for [[Original Equipment Manufacturers]] (OEMs) that were considered problematic:

#The prohibition upon the removal of desktop icons, folders, and Start menu entries
#The prohibition for modifying the initial boot sequence
#The prohibition of otherwise altering the appearance of the Windows desktop

The case was eventually settled,<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/file/503541/dl "Final judgment of US v. Microsoft"] - justice.gov - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/373/1199/474311/ "Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Ex Rel., Appellant, v. Microsoft Corporation"] - law.justia.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> and did not result in a company breakup.<ref>[https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/long-antitrust-saga-ends-for-microsoft/ "Long antitrust saga ends for Microsoft"] - seattletimes.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>

Section III.H of the Consent Decree<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/atr/microsoft-consent-decree-compliance-advisory-august-1-2003-us-v-microsoft "Microsoft Consent Decree Compliance Advisory - August 1, 2003 : U.S. V. Microsoft"] - justice.gov - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> required Microsoft to "allow end users and OEMs to enable or remove access to all middleware products, including web browsers, e-mail clients, and media players through a readily accessible, centralized mechanism." End users and OEMs should be able "to specify a non-Microsoft middleware product as the default middleware product to be launched in place of the corresponding Microsoft middleware product."

In the case ''United States v. Microsoft Corp.,'' 87 F. Supp. 2d 30 (D.D.C. 2000),<ref>[https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp2/87/30/2307082/ "United States v. Microsoft Corp., 87 F. Supp. 2d 30 (D.D.C. 2000)"] - law.justia.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Microsoft's conduct taken as a whole was described as a "deliberate assault upon entrepreneurial efforts that, could well have enabled the introduction of competition into the market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems". Further, "Microsoft's anti-competitive actions trammeled the competitive process through which the computer software industry generally stimulates innovation and conduces to the optimum benefit of consumers."

===Windows===
====Forced Updates====
Beginning with [[Windows]] 10, end users can no longer selectively choose updates. Instead, updates are automatically scheduled when a computer is inactive, or before the system is shut down.<ref>[https://www.crn.com/news/applications-os/300077576/did-microsoft-just-backtrack-on-forced-updates-for-windows-10 "Did Microsoft Just Backtrack On Forced Updates For Windows 10?"] - crn.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> This has also led to some systems being rendered unusable because of bugged updates that cannot be avoided.<ref>[https://www.tomsguide.com/news/windows-10-update-is-bricking-pcs-uninstall-this-right-now "Windows 10 update is 'breaking' PCs — what to do now"] - tomsguide.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-update-bricked-my-bios-thought-to-be/a1f0ebc7-d20d-459f-9956-72a3f98ca432 "Windows update bricked my bios ?? Thought to be impossible ?"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29 </ref> Some users have resorted to disabling updates in Window's registry editor,<ref>[https://www.minitool.com/backup-tips/how-to-stop-win10-update.html "How to Stop Windows 10 Update Permanently – 7 Ways"] - minitool.com - accessed 2025-01-29
</ref> though this prevents them from receiving security updates, which can make their systems vulnerable to attacks.

====Resetting preferences during updates====
During some Windows updates, the preferences users have set on applications that they have installed, will end up being reset to their default settings.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/n1hoz0/windows_please_stop_changing_my_settings_with/ "Windows: PLEASE STOP CHANGING MY SETTINGS WITH UPDATES"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-updated-and-reset-all-of-my-settings/529ffb03-edd4-4be2-9412-50e3271fa8fe "Windows 10 updated and reset all of my settings and preferences."] - answers.microsoft.com - 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://www.minitool.com/news/windows-settings-are-reset-after-reboot.html "Windows Settings Are Reset After Reboot? Best Fixes Here!"] - minitool.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Users have reported this to go as far as resetting permissions for apps,<ref name=":1">[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-update-reset-my-computer-settings/e58bcee8-f4c9-40ef-a452-1dc5db7c45d9 "Windows 10 Update Reset my Computer Settings."] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/y0ksm0/why_are_my_settings_changed_after_every_update/ "Why are my settings changed after every update?"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/why-do-updates-remove-personalization-settings/0f1badb2-7486-4d31-b687-39913795aa8f "Why do Updates Remove Personalization Settings"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> which can be extremely risky for insecure software. 

===Edge===
[[Microsoft Edge]] is a [[Chromium]]-based [[web browser]] that comes preinstalled with Windows 10 and later. It is the successor to [[Internet Explorer]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year started - Year Ended
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
|-
|Inability to delete
|2018 – Present
|During major updates for Windows, users have been reporting their installations of Edge being reinstalled to their devices without their consent.<ref>[https://www.windowscentral.com/how-prevent-microsoft-edge-chromium-installing-automatically-windows-10 "How to prevent new Microsoft Edge from installing automatically on Windows 10"] - windowscentral.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>
|No change
|
|-
|Importing content from other browsers without consent
|2020 – ?
|Users have reported on frequent occasions that Edge has imported user data from browsers such as Chrome and Firefox without first requesting consent from the user.<ref>[https://www.komando.com/news/microsoft-edge-caught-importing-data/ "Microsoft caught importing data before you give the OK"] - komando.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>
|Unknown if it still occurs
|
|-
|Resetting primary browser
|2017 – Present
|Windows has frequently been resetting the default browser to Edge<ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/default-browser-keeps-changing-to-edge/25e2939d-4674-40ab-b05a-6161e2297976 "Default Browser Keeps Changing to Edge"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> without consent.<ref name=":1" /> While there are methods to disable this,<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/15zbjar/default_browser_keeps_changing_to_microsoft_edge/ "Default browser keeps changing to Microsoft Edge after every PC restart. Win 11, tried everything"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> it is tedious to achieve, especially for users who are not tech-savvy.
|Continues to happen
|
|}

===Windows 11===

====TPM 2.0 chip requirements====
While reasonably circumventable,<ref>[https://www.starwindsoftware.com/blog/bypass-tpm-and-install-windows-11-on-unsupported-hardware/ "Bypass TPM and Install Windows 11 on Unsupported Hardware"] - starwindsoftware.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Microsoft's decision to lock down Windows 11 to computers with Trusted Platform Module 2.0 chips (TPMs) has forced the hands of both consumers and companies alike to dispose of hardware that would otherwise be perfectly acceptable to use.<ref>[https://securityonline.info/windows-11s-tpm-2-0-free-software-foundation-fights-forced-upgrades-and-e-waste/ "Windows 11’s TPM 2.0: Free Software Foundation Fights Forced Upgrades and E-Waste"] - securityonline.info - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> This has also caused Microsoft to frequently remind Windows 10 users to upgrade their hardware to be compatible with Windows 11,<ref>[https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-revives-pop-ups-in-windows-10-to-push-windows-11-upgrades "Microsoft Revives Pop-Ups in Windows 10 to Push Windows 11 Upgrades"] - pcmag.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-embarrasses-itself-with-windows-10-pop-up-that-hogs-the-desktop-urging-an-upgrade-to-windows-11-then-promptly-crashes "Microsoft embarrasses itself with Windows 10 pop-up that hogs the desktop urging an upgrade to Windows 11 – then promptly crashes"] - techradar.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> which has caused many users frequent agitation.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoft/comments/19dvs9k/any_way_to_disable_the_upgrade_to_windows_11_ads/ "Any way to disable the "upgrade to Windows 11" ads?"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>

====Recall====
In 2024, Microsoft unveiled Recall,<ref name=":0">[https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-reveals-ai-powered-recall-feature-to-transform-windows-11s-searchability-while-confirming-hardware-requirements "Microsoft reveals AI-powered ‘Recall’ feature to transform Windows 11’s searchability, while confirming hardware requirements"] - techradar.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> marketed as a way to search through what you have done on your computer by recording your screen. This sparked controversy,<ref>[https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsofts-controversial-recall-feature-for-windows-11-could-already-be-in-legal-hot-water "Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature for Windows 11 could already be in legal hot water"] - techradar.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> especially among security experts<ref>[https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Privacy-and-security-risks-surrounding-Microsoft-Recall "Privacy and security risks surrounding Microsoft Recall"] - techtarget.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> who worried about the security of screenshots,<ref>[https://news.sky.com/story/microsoft-ai-feature-investigated-by-uk-watchdog-over-screenshots-13141171 "Microsoft AI feature investigated by UK watchdog over screenshots"] - news.sky.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> since it could easily document private information like social-security numbers, bank-account information, and passwords, as well as user browsing behavior. A Python script was developed, called "TotalRecall", that collects the screenshots and descriptions of these recordings,<ref>[https://github.com/xaitax/TotalRecall "TotalRecall - a 'privacy nightmare'?"] - github.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> proving the danger of Recall.<ref name=":0" /> This feature was delayed after backlash from users.<ref>[https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/06/microsoft-recall-delayed-after-privacy-and-security-concerns "Microsoft Recall delayed after privacy and security concerns"] - malwarebytes.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>

===Microsoft account dark patterns when installing Windows===
[[File:MSInstall.png|thumb|An image of a Windows 10 installation, to illustrate the effort required to make an account unattached to a Microsoft account.]]
Numerous [[dark patterns]] have been implemented in the form of vague language and a confusing user interface, which hides the option to create an account without a Microsoft account under sub-menus and small text. The dark patterns in the Windows installation menu have been in place since Windows 10 was launched in 2015, and continue into the Windows 11 installation process.

===Removal of games===
In early September 2016, Microsoft shut down Xbox Live Indie Games,<ref>[https://www.polygon.com/2015/9/9/9297959/xbox-live-indie-games-shutting-down "After seven years, Xbox Live Indie Games is closing down for good"] - polygon.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> and in late July 2024, Microsoft shut down its storefront for Xbox 360 games.<ref>[https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/08/17/xbox-360-store-will-close-july-2024/ "The Xbox 360 Store Will Close July 2024, But You Can Keep Playing Your Favorite Games"] - news.xbox.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> These shutdowns have made it impossible to obtain new copies of, or in some cases, even play, hundreds of games.

==Office 365 Suite issues==
''Main article: [[Microsoft Office 365]]''

The Office 365 program has been facing a number of issues in recent years, with allegations of forced upsell and forced implementation of OneDrive

===Minecraft account migration===
''Main article: [[Minecraft account migration]]''

Following Microsoft's acquisition of Minecraft, they have started forcing account migration to users who already had a Mojang account to a Microsoft account. The company gave users a grace period for account migration, after which users would have to purchase Minecraft again if the Mojang account was not migrated.<ref>https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/19633473939981-I-Missed-My-Chance-to-Migrate-What-Happens-to-My-Account</ref>

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Artificial intelligence companies]]
[[Category:Business software companies]]
[[Category:Cloud computing providers]]
[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Computer systems companies]]
[[Category:Defense companies]]
[[Category:Electronics companies]]
[[Category:Mobile phone manufacturers]]
[[Category:Software companies]]
[[Category:Web service providers]]

Minecraft account migration

2025-01-30T11:59:44Z

HeavenPiercerYama: added citation

{{StubNotice}}

==General==
Minecraft's developer, Mojang, was bought by Microsoft in 2014.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29204518 "Microsoft pays $2.5bn for Minecraft maker Mojang"] - bbc.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> At the time of the acquisition, the computer based version of Minecraft edition was known as "Minecraft Java Edition". Before the acquisition and at least through the end of 2019, customers who wanted to purchase Minecraft Java Edition would do so by creating a Mojang account and buying the game under that account's name.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20191219131419/https://my.minecraft.net/en-us/login/ "Archived Minecraft Website from December 19, 2019 showing Mojang Accounts were the exclusive method of signing in"] - archive.org - non-functional as of 2025-01-29, please someone else test this archive</ref> Minecraft Java Edition owners would then play the game by signing into the game's launcher with their Mojang Account.

Mojang announced on October 21, 2020 that Minecraft Java Edition players will need to migrate their Mojang account to a Microsoft account.<ref name=":0">[https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/java-edition-moving-house "Java Edition is moving house"] - minecraft.net - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Those who migrated their Mojang accounts to Microsoft accounts would maintain access to their username, cosmetics, player worlds, and earn an exclusive cosmetic cape.<ref name=":0" />

Mojang's staff wrote wrote the following about the account migration: <blockquote>"Now just to be clear, migrating from Mojang to Microsoft accounts is ''mandatory''. If you don’t make the move, in several months you won’t be able to log in anymore – which means you won’t be able to play either."<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Account migration started in waves or "batches" sometime in early 2021.<ref name=":0" /> Initially, account migration was voluntary, and users with Mojang accounts could play Minecraft Java Edition without needing to migrate their accounts. On February 2, 2022, Mojang announced that on March 10, 2022 the voluntary migration period would end and that Mojang account users would be unable to play Minecraft Java Edition without migrating their account. On May 8, 2023, Mojang announced that Mojang account owners would have until September 19, 2023 to migrate to a Microsoft account or permanently lose the capacity to migrate their account. Following this September 19, 2023 deadline, Mojang gave Mojang account owners who missed the deadline a three month grace period through December 18, 2023 to migrate their account.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20231210202436/https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/19615552270221 "Post-Migration Process FAQ"] - help.minecraft.net - archived 2023-12-10</ref> Mojang account owners who exercised their option under this three-month grace period would not have access to the cosmetics associated with their Mojang account or the certainty that they would enjoy the username associated with their Mojang account under their Microsoft account. After December 18, 2023, Mojang account owners who had purchased Minecraft Java Edition from Mojang would need to purchase Minecraft under a Microsoft account in order to play the game.

On a page titled "I Missed My Chance to Migrate. What Happens to My Account?" on the official Minecraft Help Center, Mojang explains: <blockquote>"To continue playing Minecraft, you will have to buy Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition using a Microsoft account.<ref>https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/19633473939981-I-Missed-My-Chance-to-Migrate-What-Happens-to-My-Account</ref> </blockquote>

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Incidents]]

Microsoft

2025-01-30T11:59:00Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Added two small sections to link to existing articles

{{incomplete}}
{{ToneWarning}}
----{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Microsoft
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1975
| Industry = Information Technology
| Official Website = https://www.microsoft.com/
| Logo = Microsoft logo.png
}}
'''[[Wikipedia:Microsoft|Microsoft Corporation]]''' is a large American technology company founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. Initially focused on developing BASIC interpreters, the company rose to prominence through its MS-DOS and Windows operating systems, which became fundamental to the personal computer revolution. Under successive CEOs Steve Ballmer and Satya Nadella, Microsoft expanded beyond operating systems into diverse technology sectors, including cloud computing, gaming, and hardware. Notable acquisitions include Skype, LinkedIn, and GitHub. Microsoft's recent acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion made it the third-largest gaming company globally.

As one of the Big Five American tech companies, Microsoft maintains market dominance in PC operating systems and office software, while offering a wide range of products and services, including the Azure cloud platform, Xbox gaming consoles, Surface computers, and enterprise solutions. The company has faced criticism for monopolistic practices and software security issues.
==Controversies==

===Court cases up to the early 2000s===
In a major antitrust case brought by the US Department of Justice, ''U.S. v. Microsoft Corp.,'' 253 F.3d 34 (D.C. Cir. 2001),<ref>[https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/253/34/576095/ "U.S. v. Microsoft Corp., 253 F.3d 34 (D.C. Cir. 2001)"] - law.justia.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Microsoft argued that there was no barrier to entry in the market they were in. A central issue at that time was whether Microsoft could bundle the web browser Internet Explorer with the Microsoft Windows operating system. The District Court stated the following in the court case: "The District Court condemned a number of provisions in Microsoft's agreements licensing Windows to OEMs, because it found that Microsoft's imposition of those provisions (like many of Microsoft's other actions at issue in this case) serves to reduce usage share of Netscape's browser and, hence, protect Microsoft's operating system monopoly."

The court specifically identified three main license restrictions for [[Original Equipment Manufacturers]] (OEMs) that were considered problematic:

#The prohibition upon the removal of desktop icons, folders, and Start menu entries
#The prohibition for modifying the initial boot sequence
#The prohibition of otherwise altering the appearance of the Windows desktop

The case was eventually settled,<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/file/503541/dl "Final judgment of US v. Microsoft"] - justice.gov - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/373/1199/474311/ "Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Ex Rel., Appellant, v. Microsoft Corporation"] - law.justia.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> and did not result in a company breakup.<ref>[https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/long-antitrust-saga-ends-for-microsoft/ "Long antitrust saga ends for Microsoft"] - seattletimes.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>

Section III.H of the Consent Decree<ref>[https://www.justice.gov/atr/microsoft-consent-decree-compliance-advisory-august-1-2003-us-v-microsoft "Microsoft Consent Decree Compliance Advisory - August 1, 2003 : U.S. V. Microsoft"] - justice.gov - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> required Microsoft to "allow end users and OEMs to enable or remove access to all middleware products, including web browsers, e-mail clients, and media players through a readily accessible, centralized mechanism." End users and OEMs should be able "to specify a non-Microsoft middleware product as the default middleware product to be launched in place of the corresponding Microsoft middleware product."

In the case ''United States v. Microsoft Corp.,'' 87 F. Supp. 2d 30 (D.D.C. 2000),<ref>[https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp2/87/30/2307082/ "United States v. Microsoft Corp., 87 F. Supp. 2d 30 (D.D.C. 2000)"] - law.justia.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Microsoft's conduct taken as a whole was described as a "deliberate assault upon entrepreneurial efforts that, could well have enabled the introduction of competition into the market for Intel-compatible PC operating systems". Further, "Microsoft's anti-competitive actions trammeled the competitive process through which the computer software industry generally stimulates innovation and conduces to the optimum benefit of consumers."

===Windows===
====Forced Updates====
Beginning with [[Windows]] 10, end users can no longer selectively choose updates. Instead, updates are automatically scheduled when a computer is inactive, or before the system is shut down.<ref>[https://www.crn.com/news/applications-os/300077576/did-microsoft-just-backtrack-on-forced-updates-for-windows-10 "Did Microsoft Just Backtrack On Forced Updates For Windows 10?"] - crn.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> This has also led to some systems being rendered unusable because of bugged updates that cannot be avoided.<ref>[https://www.tomsguide.com/news/windows-10-update-is-bricking-pcs-uninstall-this-right-now "Windows 10 update is 'breaking' PCs — what to do now"] - tomsguide.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-update-bricked-my-bios-thought-to-be/a1f0ebc7-d20d-459f-9956-72a3f98ca432 "Windows update bricked my bios ?? Thought to be impossible ?"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29 </ref> Some users have resorted to disabling updates in Window's registry editor,<ref>[https://www.minitool.com/backup-tips/how-to-stop-win10-update.html "How to Stop Windows 10 Update Permanently – 7 Ways"] - minitool.com - accessed 2025-01-29
</ref> though this prevents them from receiving security updates, which can make their systems vulnerable to attacks.

====Resetting preferences during updates====
During some Windows updates, the preferences users have set on applications that they have installed, will end up being reset to their default settings.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/n1hoz0/windows_please_stop_changing_my_settings_with/ "Windows: PLEASE STOP CHANGING MY SETTINGS WITH UPDATES"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-updated-and-reset-all-of-my-settings/529ffb03-edd4-4be2-9412-50e3271fa8fe "Windows 10 updated and reset all of my settings and preferences."] - answers.microsoft.com - 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://www.minitool.com/news/windows-settings-are-reset-after-reboot.html "Windows Settings Are Reset After Reboot? Best Fixes Here!"] - minitool.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Users have reported this to go as far as resetting permissions for apps,<ref name=":1">[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-update-reset-my-computer-settings/e58bcee8-f4c9-40ef-a452-1dc5db7c45d9 "Windows 10 Update Reset my Computer Settings."] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/y0ksm0/why_are_my_settings_changed_after_every_update/ "Why are my settings changed after every update?"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/why-do-updates-remove-personalization-settings/0f1badb2-7486-4d31-b687-39913795aa8f "Why do Updates Remove Personalization Settings"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> which can be extremely risky for insecure software. 

===Edge===
[[Microsoft Edge]] is a [[Chromium]]-based [[web browser]] that comes preinstalled with Windows 10 and later. It is the successor to [[Internet Explorer]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year started - Year Ended
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
|-
|Inability to delete
|2018 – Present
|During major updates for Windows, users have been reporting their installations of Edge being reinstalled to their devices without their consent.<ref>[https://www.windowscentral.com/how-prevent-microsoft-edge-chromium-installing-automatically-windows-10 "How to prevent new Microsoft Edge from installing automatically on Windows 10"] - windowscentral.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>
|No change
|
|-
|Importing content from other browsers without consent
|2020 – ?
|Users have reported on frequent occasions that Edge has imported user data from browsers such as Chrome and Firefox without first requesting consent from the user.<ref>[https://www.komando.com/news/microsoft-edge-caught-importing-data/ "Microsoft caught importing data before you give the OK"] - komando.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>
|Unknown if it still occurs
|
|-
|Resetting primary browser
|2017 – Present
|Windows has frequently been resetting the default browser to Edge<ref>[https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/default-browser-keeps-changing-to-edge/25e2939d-4674-40ab-b05a-6161e2297976 "Default Browser Keeps Changing to Edge"] - answers.microsoft.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> without consent.<ref name=":1" /> While there are methods to disable this,<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/15zbjar/default_browser_keeps_changing_to_microsoft_edge/ "Default browser keeps changing to Microsoft Edge after every PC restart. Win 11, tried everything"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> it is tedious to achieve, especially for users who are not tech-savvy.
|Continues to happen
|
|}

===Windows 11===

====TPM 2.0 chip requirements====
While reasonably circumventable,<ref>[https://www.starwindsoftware.com/blog/bypass-tpm-and-install-windows-11-on-unsupported-hardware/ "Bypass TPM and Install Windows 11 on Unsupported Hardware"] - starwindsoftware.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> Microsoft's decision to lock down Windows 11 to computers with Trusted Platform Module 2.0 chips (TPMs) has forced the hands of both consumers and companies alike to dispose of hardware that would otherwise be perfectly acceptable to use.<ref>[https://securityonline.info/windows-11s-tpm-2-0-free-software-foundation-fights-forced-upgrades-and-e-waste/ "Windows 11’s TPM 2.0: Free Software Foundation Fights Forced Upgrades and E-Waste"] - securityonline.info - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> This has also caused Microsoft to frequently remind Windows 10 users to upgrade their hardware to be compatible with Windows 11,<ref>[https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-revives-pop-ups-in-windows-10-to-push-windows-11-upgrades "Microsoft Revives Pop-Ups in Windows 10 to Push Windows 11 Upgrades"] - pcmag.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref><ref>[https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-embarrasses-itself-with-windows-10-pop-up-that-hogs-the-desktop-urging-an-upgrade-to-windows-11-then-promptly-crashes "Microsoft embarrasses itself with Windows 10 pop-up that hogs the desktop urging an upgrade to Windows 11 – then promptly crashes"] - techradar.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> which has caused many users frequent agitation.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoft/comments/19dvs9k/any_way_to_disable_the_upgrade_to_windows_11_ads/ "Any way to disable the "upgrade to Windows 11" ads?"] - reddit.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>

====Recall====
In 2024, Microsoft unveiled Recall,<ref name=":0">[https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-reveals-ai-powered-recall-feature-to-transform-windows-11s-searchability-while-confirming-hardware-requirements "Microsoft reveals AI-powered ‘Recall’ feature to transform Windows 11’s searchability, while confirming hardware requirements"] - techradar.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> marketed as a way to search through what you have done on your computer by recording your screen. This sparked controversy,<ref>[https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsofts-controversial-recall-feature-for-windows-11-could-already-be-in-legal-hot-water "Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature for Windows 11 could already be in legal hot water"] - techradar.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> especially among security experts<ref>[https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/Privacy-and-security-risks-surrounding-Microsoft-Recall "Privacy and security risks surrounding Microsoft Recall"] - techtarget.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> who worried about the security of screenshots,<ref>[https://news.sky.com/story/microsoft-ai-feature-investigated-by-uk-watchdog-over-screenshots-13141171 "Microsoft AI feature investigated by UK watchdog over screenshots"] - news.sky.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> since it could easily document private information like social-security numbers, bank-account information, and passwords, as well as user browsing behavior. A Python script was developed, called "TotalRecall", that collects the screenshots and descriptions of these recordings,<ref>[https://github.com/xaitax/TotalRecall "TotalRecall - a 'privacy nightmare'?"] - github.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> proving the danger of Recall.<ref name=":0" /> This feature was delayed after backlash from users.<ref>[https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/06/microsoft-recall-delayed-after-privacy-and-security-concerns "Microsoft Recall delayed after privacy and security concerns"] - malwarebytes.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref>

===Microsoft account dark patterns when installing Windows===
[[File:MSInstall.png|thumb|An image of a Windows 10 installation, to illustrate the effort required to make an account unattached to a Microsoft account.]]
Numerous [[dark patterns]] have been implemented in the form of vague language and a confusing user interface, which hides the option to create an account without a Microsoft account under sub-menus and small text. The dark patterns in the Windows installation menu have been in place since Windows 10 was launched in 2015, and continue into the Windows 11 installation process.

===Removal of games===
In early September 2016, Microsoft shut down Xbox Live Indie Games,<ref>[https://www.polygon.com/2015/9/9/9297959/xbox-live-indie-games-shutting-down "After seven years, Xbox Live Indie Games is closing down for good"] - polygon.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> and in late July 2024, Microsoft shut down its storefront for Xbox 360 games.<ref>[https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/08/17/xbox-360-store-will-close-july-2024/ "The Xbox 360 Store Will Close July 2024, But You Can Keep Playing Your Favorite Games"] - news.xbox.com - accessed 2025-01-29</ref> These shutdowns have made it impossible to obtain new copies of, or in some cases, even play, hundreds of games.

==Office 365 Suite issues==
''Main article: [[Microsoft Office 365]]
The Office 365 program has been facing a number of issues in recent years, with allegations of forced upsell and forced implementation of OneDrive

===Minecraft account migration===
''Main article: [[Minecraft account migration]]''

Following Microsoft's acquisition of Minecraft, they have started forcing account migration to users who already had a Mojang account to a Microsoft account. The company gave users a grace period for account migration, after which users would have to purchase Minecraft again if the Mojang account was not migrated.<ref>https://help.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/19633473939981-I-Missed-My-Chance-to-Migrate-What-Happens-to-My-Account</ref>

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Artificial intelligence companies]]
[[Category:Business software companies]]
[[Category:Cloud computing providers]]
[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Computer systems companies]]
[[Category:Defense companies]]
[[Category:Electronics companies]]
[[Category:Mobile phone manufacturers]]
[[Category:Software companies]]
[[Category:Web service providers]]

Tesla

2025-01-30T11:46:28Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Changed formatting and added section for resale policies

{{Incomplete}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Tesla
| Type = Public
| Founded = 2003
| Industry = Automotive
| Official Website = https://tesla.com/
| Logo = Tesla.png
}}

'''[[Wikipedia:Tesla, Inc.|Tesla, Inc.]]''' (formerly '''Tesla Motors''') is a company founded by [[Martin Eberhard]] and [[Marc Tarpenning]] in 2003. In 2008, it was funded and taken over by [[Elon Musk]], when both original founders left their positions.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/money/Tesla-Motors</ref><ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2022/09/29/tesla-a-history-of-innovation-and-headaches/?sh=279647518735</ref>
=Controversies=
After the company was bought by Elon Musk it has been involved in a number of controversies such as requiring subscriptions or requiring a Tesla technician to fix 2012's Model S,<ref>https://www.slotcar-today.com/problems/tesla/model-s/2012</ref> With cases such as the continued denial of adding [[Apple Carplay]] or [[Android Auto]] to their vehicles, putting an expiry date on their cars, and making a $100,000 utility vehicle whose warranty is void by a car wash.

==Artificially disabling functionality==
Tesla was early in holding functionality hostage that the car owner had already bought and paid for, when Tesla decided to "offer an acceleration boost" that made the car accelerate faster once the "acceleration boost" software change was bought.<ref>https://www.autoevolution.com/news/refreshed-tesla-model-3-gets-acceleration-boost-in-certain-markets-us-still-waiting-243025.html</ref><ref>https://www.teslaoracle.com/2024/11/22/tesla-starts-offering-acceleration-boost-for-the-model-3-highland-long-range-variant/</ref>

Tesla advertised how good and useful it was that their Tesla Model 3 cars had a hardware radar installed. A few years later Tesla would no longer include the radar hardware in their Tesla Model 3 cars they build from then on. However Tesla kept including the radar hardware in their more expensive Model S (and maybe also Model X?) cars. Shortly thereafter Tesla released a forced Over The Air (OTA) software update that disabled the radar hardware in all older Tesla Model 3 cars as well.<ref>https://www.edge-ai-vision.com/2024/01/teslas-relationship-with-radar/</ref><ref>https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-disables-radar-model-3-model-y-service-visits/</ref><ref>https://insideevs.com/news/658439/elon-musk-overruled-tesla-autopilot-engineers-radar-removal/</ref> One consequence of disabling the already bought radar was that the older cars now also had a forced Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC) following distance interval reduced from 1-7 to 2-7. Another consequence was that those cars now also had a lot worse ability to be aware of traffic around them which made their autopilot decisions much worse, such as panic braking for no apparent reason.<ref>https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/unfortunate-new-panic-braking-behavior-from-tacc.331045/</ref>

Tesla regularly removes car features that everyone takes for granted nowadays eg. their Ultrasonic Sensors (parking sensors) presumably to save Tesla money,<ref>https://www.tesla.com/support/transitioning-tesla-vision</ref> most of these changes are done silently with no public or media announcements.Tesla also has removed their hardware rain sensors for similar reasons and similar consequences.<ref>https://www.torquenews.com/14335/are-softening-tesla-model-y-sales-europe-really-due-119-sensor-removal</ref>

==Wrongful legal threats==
Tesla once sent a legal threat to a Swedish car repair company called "[[Grufman Bil AB]]" to take down a YouTube video that they had posted that showed them smashing a car component that was supposed to hold up a wheel with a big hammer, showing how that component was made of metal that was a lot weaker than one could reasonably expect. Grufman Bil decided to quickly take down that video and when someone asked them why, Grufman Bil said "because it's not worth getting sued over," which indicates that Tesla was possibly threatening to sue people who show important car defects.

'''Note:''' Someone who remembers this incident in greater detail and can give sources and proof etc, should modify this paragraph I've written so it's much more clear and trustworthy etc. Someone who has the skills of being a reporter should ask Grufman Bil AB about this and try to find the original YouTube video as evidence of my claim etc. I understand that the legal fight would not be worth it to a small car repair company but it's important to the overall society to be aware of that Tesla does things like this. Tesla's argument for why Grufman Bil must take down that video was that "It hurts Tesla as a company financially if people can see that video" IIRC. But the counter argument would be that a car part that uses too weak metal is a danger to Tesla car owners and that they can be hurt physically if such weaknesses are hidden by Tesla. So someone please improve this paragraph because I think it's important that big companies should not get away with bullying smaller companies like this, and succeeding in hiding important weaknesses in their cars from their buyers.

==Resale restrictions==
Tesla has recently started disallowing resale of vehicles if done within a period of a year, charging fines up to $50 000 for engaging in the practice.<ref>https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/tesla-cybertruck-owner-cannot-sell-ev-parking-space-1235638981/</ref> This is done without regard for situation that may necessitate resale, and appears to be in line with the practice being put forth by other companies <ref>https://fordauthority.com/2022/01/2022-ford-f-150-lightning-will-come-with-one-year-no-sale-provision/</ref>

==See also==

*[[:Category:Tesla]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Car manufacturers]]
[[Category:Battery electric vehicle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Sports car manufacturers]]
[[Category:Electric motor manufacturers]]
[[Category:Electric vehicle battery manufacturers]]
[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]

Samsung

2025-01-30T11:13:44Z

HeavenPiercerYama: removed category completely

[[wikipedia:Samsung|'''Samsung Group''']] is a multinational conglomerate founded in 1938. Their product portfolio ranges from consumer electronics to heavy equipment. The company is best known to consumers for their electronics such as televisions and mobile phones, as well as their home appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Samsung Group
| Type = Private
| Founded = 1938
| Industry = Conglomerate
| Official Website = https://samsung.com/
| Logo = Samsung Black icon.png
}}

==Consumer-protection profile==
====Repairability====
Concerns have been raised about Samsung's business practices regarding serviceability, which have been criticized by trade organizations such as iFixit, and Repair.org<ref name=":0">https://www.ifixit.com/News/96162/were-ending-our-samsung-collaboration</ref> as well as industry professionals such as Jesse Cruz the owner of VCC Board Repairs,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/@VCCBoardRepairs</ref> and Former technicians from Samsung's Independent Genuine Service Program, including ADRDaniel owner of Advanced Device Repair.<ref name=":1">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ITmGXHSmL0&t=53s<nowiki/>- Louis reads Samsung Authorized independent service technicians' complaint about Samsung in an email from ADRdaniel</ref><ref name=":2">https://www.youtube.com/@ADRdaniel</ref>[[File:Alternate model numbers 2.png|Alternate model numbers on samsungparts.com self service parts store.<ref>https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a</ref>|thumb|363x363px]]
*The majority of Samsung Phones have components glued in place, making disassembly and reassembly difficult.<ref>https://www.ifixit.com/News/44164/what-you-should-know-before-you-fix-samsung-phones</ref><ref>https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/12/ifixit_samsung_galaxy_s21_ultra/</ref>
*Samsung has imposed strict conditions on Authorized repair vendors, such as requiring technicians to fully dismantle devices,<ref>https://www.404media.co/samsung-requires-independent-repair-shops-to-share-customer-data-snitch-on-people-who-use-aftermarket-parts-leaked-contract-shows/</ref> and submit handwritten letters if they encounter non-genuine parts during repairs.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/samsung/2024/5/23/24163372/samsung-repair-snitch-aftermarket-parts</ref>
*Genuine self-repair smartphone displays available through Samsung's self-service parts store<ref name=":3">https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a#</ref> are two times more expensive (Samsung Genuine Part: $370.95<ref name=":3" /> Mobilesentrix: $182.02'''<ref name=":4">https://www.mobilesentrix.com/oled-assembly-without-frame-compatible-for-samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-service-pack-all-colors</ref>''') than identical, new parts from third parties such as Mobilesentrix, who have '''allegedly''' purchased from Samsung's own manufacturing or service partners having 95% of the global market share of OLED display manufacturing<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">https://www.ifixit.com/News/16303/samsung-iphone-x-oled-screens-too-expensive</ref> "These 'service packs' from Mobilesentrix are without a doubt new OEM Samsung displays" according to a Former Samsung authorized technician<ref name=":2" /> "With no viable aftermarket parts and few refurbished screens to compete with, alongside control of the pricing and supply, Samsung has few reasons to make replacements affordable for phones it and its shareholders want people to keep buying new."<ref name=":5" />
**Samsung's self-service repair part selection for their flagship models (such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, for example) [[:File:No product photos.png|provide no photos]], detailed descriptions or distinction between tools<ref>https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33544a</ref> for these models services or parts<ref>https://samsungparts.com/products/gh59-15734a</ref> for said model.
***Samsung's genuine-parts store lists exactly 100 sub models of Galaxy S24, using their alternate, longer, and more confusing model numbers in their part-compatibility charts. These numbers specify carrier, region, sub-region, and color distinctions, which are unnecessary for buyers of self-service parts.<ref>https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a</ref> An equally comprehensive list of all models (in the table below) from all regions lists only nine distinct models with their legible 7-digit part numbers.<ref>https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s24_ultra-12771.php</ref> for the display replacement in question the part is universal to all sub models.<ref name=":4" />
{| class="wikitable"
|SM-S928B, SM-S928B/DS, SM-S928U, SM-S928U1, SM-S928W, SM-S928N, SM-S9280, SM-S928E, SM-S928E/DS
|}
====Bootloader unlocking====
Unlocking the bootloader of an android device is a way users can take back control of their own device by allowing more customization, better performance, enhancing privacy, allowing choice in what software runs unrestricted or preloaded on the devices.<ref>https://www.androidauthority.com/unique-android-launcher-3477698/ minmal andriod launchers for preformance.</ref> Many Samsung mobile devices outside the US and Canada can have their bootloader unlocked by various means, but this essential feature comes with many restrictions:<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/androidroot/comments/1g2xhd9/unlock_bootloader_for_newer_samsung_devices_in/</ref>

*When the bootloader is unlocked, Samsung devices have their KNOX fuse tripped, which voids the warranty and restricts access to apps such as: Secure Folder, Samsung Pay, Samsung Pass and Samsung Health. These restrictions apply even after relocking the bootloader, meaning that gaining control over your own device requires you to give away some of the functionality you paid for and possibly hurting its aftermarket value.<ref>https://docs.samsungknox.com/admin/fundamentals/whitepaper/samsung-knox-for-android/core-platform-security/root-of-trust/#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20the%20Knox,feature%20like%20SELinux%20is%20disabled</ref>
*In some instances, Samsung has sold devices capable of bootloader unlocking, but further restricted it with an update. This happened with the Galaxy Tab A 2019 (SM-T290), which had an update to its bootloader that restricted both the ability to flash new firmware and to downgrade to an older, working firmware,<ref>https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/gtowifi/install/#special-requirements</ref><ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/LineageOS/comments/119nz5t/bootloader_version_not_compatible_with/jabng43/?context=3</ref> therefore restricting users to the sluggish One UI which runs notoriously bad on this device.<ref>https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/756811/Why+is+my+device+so+slow</ref><ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/17v87gh/how_can_i_speed_up_samsung_galaxy_tab_a_2019/</ref>
*
'''Category: Home appliances'''
*According to iFixit's documentation of Samsung repair, schematic diagrams and service parts were cited in their survey, in collaboration with PIRG<ref>https://pirg.org/campaigns/right-to-repair/</ref> and Repair.org,<ref>https://www.repair.org/restricting-access</ref> of professional repair technicians as "difficult to find service documentation"<ref name=":6">New article from ifixit

https://www.ifixit.com/News/71693/appliance-repair-pros-struggle-to-find-lg-and-samsung-documentation

The investigation by US PIRG, iFixit and Repair.org https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FTC-2022-0061-0033

Which is sourced from the below letter to the united states FTC

https://valkyrie.cdn.ifixit.com/media/2023/01/30193712/Repair-Coalition-Letter-for-FTC-Energy-Guide-Ruling-ANPR-R611004.pdf</ref>
*Repair.org surveyed repair professionals who were able to acquire service manuals from manufactures including Samsung: "Even when they get access to those manuals, technicians sometimes don’t find the information they need. Repair manuals are often lacking fault codes and schematic diagrams needed to complete repairs."<ref name=":6" />

==References==

[[Category:Mobile phone manufacturers]]
[[Category:Samsung]]

[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]
<references />

Samsung

2025-01-30T11:12:47Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Removed improper category placement

[[wikipedia:Samsung|'''Samsung Group''']] is a multinational conglomerate founded in 1938. Their product portfolio ranges from consumer electronics to heavy equipment. The company is best known to consumers for their electronics such as televisions and mobile phones, as well as their home appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Samsung Group
| Type = Private
| Founded = 1938
| Industry = Conglomerate
| Official Website = https://samsung.com/
| Logo = Samsung Black icon.png
}}

==Consumer-protection profile==
====Repairability====
Concerns have been raised about Samsung's business practices regarding serviceability, which have been criticized by trade organizations such as iFixit, and Repair.org<ref name=":0">https://www.ifixit.com/News/96162/were-ending-our-samsung-collaboration</ref> as well as industry professionals such as Jesse Cruz the owner of VCC Board Repairs,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/@VCCBoardRepairs</ref> and Former technicians from Samsung's Independent Genuine Service Program, including ADRDaniel owner of Advanced Device Repair.<ref name=":1">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ITmGXHSmL0&t=53s<nowiki/>- Louis reads Samsung Authorized independent service technicians' complaint about Samsung in an email from ADRdaniel</ref><ref name=":2">https://www.youtube.com/@ADRdaniel</ref>[[File:Alternate model numbers 2.png|Alternate model numbers on samsungparts.com self service parts store.<ref>https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a</ref>|thumb|363x363px]]
*The majority of Samsung Phones have components glued in place, making disassembly and reassembly difficult.<ref>https://www.ifixit.com/News/44164/what-you-should-know-before-you-fix-samsung-phones</ref><ref>https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/12/ifixit_samsung_galaxy_s21_ultra/</ref>
*Samsung has imposed strict conditions on Authorized repair vendors, such as requiring technicians to fully dismantle devices,<ref>https://www.404media.co/samsung-requires-independent-repair-shops-to-share-customer-data-snitch-on-people-who-use-aftermarket-parts-leaked-contract-shows/</ref> and submit handwritten letters if they encounter non-genuine parts during repairs.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/samsung/2024/5/23/24163372/samsung-repair-snitch-aftermarket-parts</ref>
*Genuine self-repair smartphone displays available through Samsung's self-service parts store<ref name=":3">https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a#</ref> are two times more expensive (Samsung Genuine Part: $370.95<ref name=":3" /> Mobilesentrix: $182.02'''<ref name=":4">https://www.mobilesentrix.com/oled-assembly-without-frame-compatible-for-samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-service-pack-all-colors</ref>''') than identical, new parts from third parties such as Mobilesentrix, who have '''allegedly''' purchased from Samsung's own manufacturing or service partners having 95% of the global market share of OLED display manufacturing<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">https://www.ifixit.com/News/16303/samsung-iphone-x-oled-screens-too-expensive</ref> "These 'service packs' from Mobilesentrix are without a doubt new OEM Samsung displays" according to a Former Samsung authorized technician<ref name=":2" /> "With no viable aftermarket parts and few refurbished screens to compete with, alongside control of the pricing and supply, Samsung has few reasons to make replacements affordable for phones it and its shareholders want people to keep buying new."<ref name=":5" />
**Samsung's self-service repair part selection for their flagship models (such as the Galaxy S24 Ultra, for example) [[:File:No product photos.png|provide no photos]], detailed descriptions or distinction between tools<ref>https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33544a</ref> for these models services or parts<ref>https://samsungparts.com/products/gh59-15734a</ref> for said model.
***Samsung's genuine-parts store lists exactly 100 sub models of Galaxy S24, using their alternate, longer, and more confusing model numbers in their part-compatibility charts. These numbers specify carrier, region, sub-region, and color distinctions, which are unnecessary for buyers of self-service parts.<ref>https://samsungparts.com/products/gh82-33385a</ref> An equally comprehensive list of all models (in the table below) from all regions lists only nine distinct models with their legible 7-digit part numbers.<ref>https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_s24_ultra-12771.php</ref> for the display replacement in question the part is universal to all sub models.<ref name=":4" />
{| class="wikitable"
|SM-S928B, SM-S928B/DS, SM-S928U, SM-S928U1, SM-S928W, SM-S928N, SM-S9280, SM-S928E, SM-S928E/DS
|}
====Bootloader unlocking====
Unlocking the bootloader of an android device is a way users can take back control of their own device by allowing more customization, better performance, enhancing privacy, allowing choice in what software runs unrestricted or preloaded on the devices.<ref>https://www.androidauthority.com/unique-android-launcher-3477698/ minmal andriod launchers for preformance.</ref> Many Samsung mobile devices outside the US and Canada can have their bootloader unlocked by various means, but this essential feature comes with many restrictions:<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/androidroot/comments/1g2xhd9/unlock_bootloader_for_newer_samsung_devices_in/</ref>

*When the bootloader is unlocked, Samsung devices have their KNOX fuse tripped, which voids the warranty and restricts access to apps such as: Secure Folder, Samsung Pay, Samsung Pass and Samsung Health. These restrictions apply even after relocking the bootloader, meaning that gaining control over your own device requires you to give away some of the functionality you paid for and possibly hurting its aftermarket value.<ref>https://docs.samsungknox.com/admin/fundamentals/whitepaper/samsung-knox-for-android/core-platform-security/root-of-trust/#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20the%20Knox,feature%20like%20SELinux%20is%20disabled</ref>
*In some instances, Samsung has sold devices capable of bootloader unlocking, but further restricted it with an update. This happened with the Galaxy Tab A 2019 (SM-T290), which had an update to its bootloader that restricted both the ability to flash new firmware and to downgrade to an older, working firmware,<ref>https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/gtowifi/install/#special-requirements</ref><ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/LineageOS/comments/119nz5t/bootloader_version_not_compatible_with/jabng43/?context=3</ref> therefore restricting users to the sluggish One UI which runs notoriously bad on this device.<ref>https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/756811/Why+is+my+device+so+slow</ref><ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/17v87gh/how_can_i_speed_up_samsung_galaxy_tab_a_2019/</ref>
*
'''Category: Home appliances'''
*According to iFixit's documentation of Samsung repair, schematic diagrams and service parts were cited in their survey, in collaboration with PIRG<ref>https://pirg.org/campaigns/right-to-repair/</ref> and Repair.org,<ref>https://www.repair.org/restricting-access</ref> of professional repair technicians as "difficult to find service documentation"<ref name=":6">New article from ifixit

https://www.ifixit.com/News/71693/appliance-repair-pros-struggle-to-find-lg-and-samsung-documentation

The investigation by US PIRG, iFixit and Repair.org https://www.regulations.gov/comment/FTC-2022-0061-0033

Which is sourced from the below letter to the united states FTC

https://valkyrie.cdn.ifixit.com/media/2023/01/30193712/Repair-Coalition-Letter-for-FTC-Energy-Guide-Ruling-ANPR-R611004.pdf</ref>
*Repair.org surveyed repair professionals who were able to acquire service manuals from manufactures including Samsung: "Even when they get access to those manuals, technicians sometimes don’t find the information they need. Repair manuals are often lacking fault codes and schematic diagrams needed to complete repairs."<ref name=":6" />

==References==

[[Category:Mobile phone manufacturers]]
[[Category:Samsung]]
[[Category:Smartphones]]

[[Category:Articles in need of additional work]]
<references />

Xiaomi

2025-01-30T11:07:44Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Created rough page for Xiaomi Corporation

Xiaomi is a China-based manufacturer and designer of consumer electronics and software. As of 2021 it is the second largest phone manufacturer in the world<ref>https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/xiaomi-overtakes-apple-as-the-worlds-number-two-smartphone-maker/</ref>
{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Xiaomi
| Type = Public
| Founded = 2010
| Industry = Technology
| Official Website = https://www.mi.com/us/
| Logo = Xiaomi logo (2021-).png
}}

=Relevance=
The company has implemented a number of DRM practices and has failed to comply with the GPL license.

==Kernel disclosure issues==
''Main Article: [[Xiaomi's disclosure of kernel sources]]''

Although Xiaomi's devices run on an operating system based on the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux Linux] kernel, which is licensed under [https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.en.html GPLv2], the company does not disclose all of their operating system source code on GitHub, as required by GPL terms.

==Unlocking restrictions==
''Main article: [[Xiaomi Phone unlock requirements and procedure]]''

Phones manufactured come with an unlockable bootloader, however the unlocking process is heavily restricted

=References=
<references />

File:Xiaomi logo (2021-).png

2025-01-30T11:06:51Z

HeavenPiercerYama: The company logo of Xiaomi as of 2021

== Summary ==
The company logo of Xiaomi as of 2021

Printer tracking dots

2025-01-30T10:38:51Z

HeavenPiercerYama: added citation

Tracking dots, also known as printer steganography or machine identification codes (MICs), are an often-overlooked yet serious privacy concern. These tiny, nearly invisible markings are added by many color laser printers to every page they print.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printer_tracking_dots</ref> While originally intended as an anti-counterfeiting measure, they have significant implications for privacy, surveillance, and personal freedoms. <ref>https://www.eff.org/issues/printers</ref>

===Relation to anti-consumer practices===

====1. Lack of Transparency====
One of the most alarming aspects of tracking dots is that they are implemented without the knowledge or consent of users. Manufacturers do not clearly disclose this functionality, leaving individuals unaware that their printed documents contain hidden identifying information.

====2. Privacy Violation====
These dots encode details such as the printer’s serial number and the exact date and time of printing. This means that documents can be traced back to the specific printer—and potentially the individual—who created them. In an era of increasing digital surveillance, this constitutes a severe breach of privacy.

====3. Potential for Abuse====
Although originally intended to help law enforcement track counterfeiters, these dots can be exploited for less noble purposes. Authoritarian regimes, corporations, or malicious actors could use them to identify whistleblowers, activists, journalists, or dissidents. Such a system creates risks for those who rely on anonymity for safety.

====4. Unregulated and Unaccountable Implementation====
There is no public oversight or legal requirement for manufacturers to implement tracking dots, yet they are present in many common printer models. The lack of regulation means users have no recourse to disable this feature.

===How Tracking Dots Work<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20180305181029/https://w2.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/</ref>===
Tracking dots are typically arranged in a barely visible yellow pattern on each printed page. These dots encode:

*The printer’s serial number
*The exact time and date of printing
*Possibly other identifying information

=References=

<references />

=See Also=

[https://www.eff.org/pages/list-printers-which-do-or-do-not-display-tracking-dots Page specifying which printers partake in this practice]

[https://web.archive.org/web/20180305181029/https://w2.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/ Guide to decode printer dot patterns]

HP

2025-01-30T10:33:47Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

{{StubNotice}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = HP Inc.
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1939
| Industry = Information Technology
| Official Website = https://hp.com/
| Logo = HP.png
}}

'''[[Wikipedia:HP Inc.|HP Inc.]]''' is an American multinational information technology company, originally founded in 1939 by Bill Hewlett and David Packard as Hewlett-Packard.

==HP sub-brands==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Sub-brand<ref>https://brandcentral.hp.com/us/en/elements/sub-brands.html</ref>
!Description
!Created/Acquired
|-
|OMEN
|High-end focused laptops and desktops lineup, former VoodooPC
|2013
|-
|[[HyperX]]
|High-end gaming peripherals
|2021
|-
|Z by HP
|Professional workstations and laptops
|2009
|-
|HP Wolf Security
|Security service to lock in and add anti-virus to HP laptops for remote offices<ref>https://www.hp.com/us-en/security/endpoint-security-solutions.html</ref>
|2021
|-
|HP Anyware
|Service to create a seamless experience for teams to interact with their digital workspaces from virtually anywhere
|2021
|-
|Fitstation by HP
|Partnership to create personalized tech products like footwear, in 2024 HP took the Fitstation insole platform off the market.<ref>https://www.voxelmatters.com/hp-silently-took-the-fitstation-insole-platform-off-the-market/</ref>
|2017
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> HP Anyware acquired in 2021 alongisde [[Teradici]].<ref>https://www.hp.com/us-en/newsroom/press-releases/2021/hp-inc-to-acquire-teradici.html</ref>

==Controversies==

===HP Instant Ink===
HP Instant Ink refers to a subscription service for certain printers in which recipients may receive a set amount of HP Ink Cartridges each month. It has recently come into controversy for changing into a program with various limiting features in 2024. .

''Go to the main article about this topic: [[HP Instant Ink]].''

===HP Dynamic Security===
HP Dynamic Security refers to a system in some HP printers to restrict the use of aftermarket ink cartridges, ensuring only original cartridges can be used.

''Go to the main article about this topic: [[HP Dynamic Security]]''

[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Computer systems companies]]
[[Category:Display technology companies]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies]]
[[Category:Netbook manufacturers]]
[[Category:Software companies]]

= References =
<references />

Brilliant

2025-01-30T10:28:26Z

HeavenPiercerYama: fixed an oopsie

{{Incomplete}}{{ToneWarning}}{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Brilliant
| Type = Private
| Founded = 2012
| Industry = Online education
| Official Website = https://brilliant.org
| Logo = Brilliant logo.png
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Brilliant_(website)|Brilliant]]''' (also known as '''Brilliant.org''') is a website and app by '''Brilliant Worldwide, Inc.''' providing online courses. Despite the “.org”, Brilliant is a for-profit corporation backed by venture capitalists. Brilliant is most known for its advertisements on [[YouTube]], in which presenters who are known for their evidence-based points of view, for scrutinizing and refuting pseudoscience and scams, promote Brilliant.





[[File:Brilliant_content_team.png|thumb|An example of the content on the website. ]]

Brilliant functions similarly to mathematics textbook, but with buttons to click through to get to the next paragraph, and quizzes between paragraphs. Some of the illustrations have interactivity, in a lot of cases a slider that can be dragged around. These interactive elements make Brilliant appear to offer more than a traditional textbook.

[[File:Brilliant_slider.png|thumb|The slider in the picture seems to provide no real challenge in solving it, merely needing to be displaced to solve the puzzle. ]]

Brilliant never promotes itself as being appropriate to a particular audience studying for a particular goal. Courses on Brilliant introduce basic concepts of each subject, but with no independent validation or accreditation for their efficacy.

==Terms of use==

The [[terms of service]] for Brilliant say:<ref>[https://brilliant.org/terms-of-use/ Terms of use]</ref><blockquote>Brilliant reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify or replace any of the terms or conditions of this Agreement at any time. It is User's responsibility to check this Agreement periodically for changes. User's continued use of the Service following the posting of any changes to this Agreement constitutes acceptance of those changes.</blockquote>Even if the consumer has paid for a full year of service, therefore, Brilliant can change its terms and conditions [[Post-purchase EULA modification|after the sale]]. Continuing to use the service that the consumer has paid for under the previous terms of service automatically constitutes acceptance of changes.

===Access===
Brilliant may cancel access to the service that the consumer has paid for at any time without offering a refund:<blockquote>Brilliant may change, suspend or discontinue the Services, including the availability of any feature, database or content, at any time. Brilliant may also impose limits on certain features and services or restrict User's access to parts or all of the Services without notice or liability.</blockquote>If the law grants the consumer rights that are illegally denied by the terms of use, the consumer is locked out from accessing the service:<blockquote>User also certifies that User is legally permitted to use the Service and takes full responsibility for the selection and use of the Service. This Agreement is void where prohibited by law, and the right to access the Service is revoked in such jurisdictions.</blockquote>

===Billing and payment===
The price advertised by Brilliant may not be the actual price a customer would be required to pay. The actual price has undisclosed additional taxes added:<blockquote>All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes (e.g. sales, use, or value-added tax), unless otherwise stated, and User is solely responsible for the payment of any such taxes that may be imposed on your use of the Service.</blockquote>If a customer cancels his payment card to prevent further charges, Brilliant may go directly to the card issuer to request confidential records of any new card belonging to the consumer:<blockquote>User authorizes Brilliant to obtain updated or replacement expiration dates and card numbers for User's credit or debit card as provided by User's credit or debit card issuer.</blockquote>To reitirate, Brilliant may cancel access to the service that the consumer has payed for at any time without offering a refund:<blockquote>Except as expressly provided in the “Refunds” section below, all fees are final and nonrefundable (including in the event any features or functions of any service that User has subscribed to are changed, modified, diminished or removed), except as otherwise required by applicable law.</blockquote>

===Automatic renewal===
Brilliant automatically renews user subscriptions without active user acceptance. Thus, customers who have lost interest in the service and have otherwise forgotten about it may be caught by surprise when they receive a charge at the start of a new subscription cycle. The annual subscription cycle also tacitly assumes that users want to use the service uninterrupted for a full year, which ignores use-cases where customers may want only to study at a particular time of the year.

When Brilliant lowers its prices, existing customers will still be charged the previous higher prices on renewal, though they are protected from price increases by the same policy:<blockquote>User's subscription to the Service will continue indefinitely until cancelled by User (via the cancellation mechanisms provided on the Site). After User's initial subscription period, and again after any subsequent subscription period, User's subscription will automatically continue for an additional equivalent period, at the price User agreed to when subscribing.</blockquote>By using the service, the user is automatically opted in to the automatic renewal, and there is no option to not agree to it:<blockquote>User agrees that User's account will be subject to this automatic renewal feature.</blockquote>Subscription itself authorizes Brilliant to periodically charge customers' credit cards on automatically renewal, again including undisclosed additional taxes:<blockquote>By subscribing, User authorizes Brilliant to charge User's credit card, debit card or other payment method at such time and again at the beginning of any subsequent subscription period, including any sales or similar taxes imposed on User's subscription payments.</blockquote>

===Refunds===
Brilliant may grant refunds to customers at its sole discretion:<blockquote>All payments To Brilliant for the Services are nonrefundable. There are no refunds or credits for partially used subscription periods. However, Brilliant may grant refunds or credits on a case-by-case basis at Brilliant’s sole discretion. Brilliant’s grant of a refund or credit in one instance does not obligate Brilliant to provide a refund or credit in the future, under any circumstances.</blockquote>

===Promotions===
The seven-day free trial is a [[Click-to-cancel#Free-to-pay|free-to-pay]] scheme: a one-year paid subscription with a seven-day cancellation period:<blockquote>Brilliant may offer promotions, such as free trials, discounts, or other special offers, to users from time to time (collectively, “Promotions”). Promotions may be subject to specific terms, including a defined period during which the Promotion must be redeemed and utilized (each, a “Promotion Period”). Unless otherwise stated, any use of a Promotion will automatically convert into a paid subscription for the Services upon the expiration of the Promotional Period. Users are responsible for canceling their subscription before the end of the Promotional Period to avoid incurring any charges (or, in the case of a discount Promotion, to avoid additional charges). Failure to cancel within the Promotional Period will result in the applicable subscription fee being charged to the payment method provided at the time of sign-up or as updated by User.</blockquote>

===Site content===
Brilliant may only appear in YouTube videos with the express permission of Brilliant, which suggests that only those paid by the company to say pre-approved messages are allowed to display its product.<blockquote>Reproducing, copying or distributing any content, materials or design elements on the Site for any purpose is strictly prohibited without the express prior written permission of Brilliant.</blockquote>

===Termination===
Brilliant may cancel access to the service that a customer has paid for at any time, without explanation:<blockquote>Brilliant may terminate User's access to all or any part of the Service at any time, with or without cause, effective upon notice thereof to User (provided that, if Brilliant determines there may be an immediate threat to Brilliant, it may terminate such access without notice).</blockquote>

===Forced arbitration===
Local consumer rights may not apply to the agreement. According to the terms of service, with respect to their agreement with Brilliant, customers are governed by the laws of Pennsylvania, but not to its courts, instead agreeing to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts in California.<blockquote>This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Pennsylvania, as if made within Pennsylvania between two residents thereof, and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and Federal courts located in San Francisco, California.</blockquote>Customers forgo the right for legal action, instead being subject to [[forced arbitration]] by a private company:<blockquote>Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, (but without limiting either party's right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief immediately, at any time, in any court of competent jurisdiction), any disputes arising with respect to this Agreement shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service, Inc. ("JAMS"). The arbitrator shall be selected by joint agreement of the parties. In the event the parties cannot agree on an arbitrator within thirty (30) days of the initiating party providing the other party with written notice that it plans to seek arbitration, the parties shall each select an arbitrator affiliated with JAMS, which arbitrators shall jointly select a third such arbitrator to resolve the dispute. The written decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on the parties and enforceable in any court. The arbitration proceeding shall take place in San Francisco, California, using the English language.</blockquote>

==References==

[[Category:Online companies]]
<references />

Brilliant

2025-01-30T10:26:32Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Added a comment in response to last edit

{{Incomplete}}{{ToneWarning}}{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Brilliant
| Type = Private
| Founded = 2012
| Industry = Online education
| Official Website = https://brilliant.org
| Logo = Brilliant logo.png
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Brilliant_(website)|Brilliant]]''' (also known as '''Brilliant.org''') is a website and app by '''Brilliant Worldwide, Inc.''' providing online courses. Despite the “.org”, Brilliant is a for-profit corporation backed by venture capitalists. Brilliant is most known for its advertisements on [[YouTube]], in which presenters who are known for their evidence-based points of view, for scrutinizing and refuting pseudoscience and scams, promote Brilliant.



<!-- I understand the point of the image but I also don't consider it to be bad for a "content team" member to be doing a science experiment, as this does not prove Brilliant doesn't use scientifically sourced information. The content in the picture is an extremely easy experiment anyone can do. If you have evidence that they don't source information through scientific sources, please post it on the wiki --!>

[[File:Brilliant_content_team.png|thumb|An example of the content on the website. ]]

Brilliant functions similarly to mathematics textbook, but with buttons to click through to get to the next paragraph, and quizzes between paragraphs. Some of the illustrations have interactivity, in a lot of cases a slider that can be dragged around. These interactive elements make Brilliant appear to offer more than a traditional textbook.

[[File:Brilliant_slider.png|thumb|The slider in the picture seems to provide no real challenge in solving it, merely needing to be displaced to solve the puzzle. ]]

Brilliant never promotes itself as being appropriate to a particular audience studying for a particular goal. Courses on Brilliant introduce basic concepts of each subject, but with no independent validation or accreditation for their efficacy.

==Terms of use==

The [[terms of service]] for Brilliant say:<ref>[https://brilliant.org/terms-of-use/ Terms of use]</ref><blockquote>Brilliant reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify or replace any of the terms or conditions of this Agreement at any time. It is User's responsibility to check this Agreement periodically for changes. User's continued use of the Service following the posting of any changes to this Agreement constitutes acceptance of those changes.</blockquote>Even if the consumer has paid for a full year of service, therefore, Brilliant can change its terms and conditions [[Post-purchase EULA modification|after the sale]]. Continuing to use the service that the consumer has paid for under the previous terms of service automatically constitutes acceptance of changes.

===Access===
Brilliant may cancel access to the service that the consumer has paid for at any time without offering a refund:<blockquote>Brilliant may change, suspend or discontinue the Services, including the availability of any feature, database or content, at any time. Brilliant may also impose limits on certain features and services or restrict User's access to parts or all of the Services without notice or liability.</blockquote>If the law grants the consumer rights that are illegally denied by the terms of use, the consumer is locked out from accessing the service:<blockquote>User also certifies that User is legally permitted to use the Service and takes full responsibility for the selection and use of the Service. This Agreement is void where prohibited by law, and the right to access the Service is revoked in such jurisdictions.</blockquote>

===Billing and payment===
The price advertised by Brilliant may not be the actual price a customer would be required to pay. The actual price has undisclosed additional taxes added:<blockquote>All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes (e.g. sales, use, or value-added tax), unless otherwise stated, and User is solely responsible for the payment of any such taxes that may be imposed on your use of the Service.</blockquote>If a customer cancels his payment card to prevent further charges, Brilliant may go directly to the card issuer to request confidential records of any new card belonging to the consumer:<blockquote>User authorizes Brilliant to obtain updated or replacement expiration dates and card numbers for User's credit or debit card as provided by User's credit or debit card issuer.</blockquote>To reitirate, Brilliant may cancel access to the service that the consumer has payed for at any time without offering a refund:<blockquote>Except as expressly provided in the “Refunds” section below, all fees are final and nonrefundable (including in the event any features or functions of any service that User has subscribed to are changed, modified, diminished or removed), except as otherwise required by applicable law.</blockquote>

===Automatic renewal===
Brilliant automatically renews user subscriptions without active user acceptance. Thus, customers who have lost interest in the service and have otherwise forgotten about it may be caught by surprise when they receive a charge at the start of a new subscription cycle. The annual subscription cycle also tacitly assumes that users want to use the service uninterrupted for a full year, which ignores use-cases where customers may want only to study at a particular time of the year.

When Brilliant lowers its prices, existing customers will still be charged the previous higher prices on renewal, though they are protected from price increases by the same policy:<blockquote>User's subscription to the Service will continue indefinitely until cancelled by User (via the cancellation mechanisms provided on the Site). After User's initial subscription period, and again after any subsequent subscription period, User's subscription will automatically continue for an additional equivalent period, at the price User agreed to when subscribing.</blockquote>By using the service, the user is automatically opted in to the automatic renewal, and there is no option to not agree to it:<blockquote>User agrees that User's account will be subject to this automatic renewal feature.</blockquote>Subscription itself authorizes Brilliant to periodically charge customers' credit cards on automatically renewal, again including undisclosed additional taxes:<blockquote>By subscribing, User authorizes Brilliant to charge User's credit card, debit card or other payment method at such time and again at the beginning of any subsequent subscription period, including any sales or similar taxes imposed on User's subscription payments.</blockquote>

===Refunds===
Brilliant may grant refunds to customers at its sole discretion:<blockquote>All payments To Brilliant for the Services are nonrefundable. There are no refunds or credits for partially used subscription periods. However, Brilliant may grant refunds or credits on a case-by-case basis at Brilliant’s sole discretion. Brilliant’s grant of a refund or credit in one instance does not obligate Brilliant to provide a refund or credit in the future, under any circumstances.</blockquote>

===Promotions===
The seven-day free trial is a [[Click-to-cancel#Free-to-pay|free-to-pay]] scheme: a one-year paid subscription with a seven-day cancellation period:<blockquote>Brilliant may offer promotions, such as free trials, discounts, or other special offers, to users from time to time (collectively, “Promotions”). Promotions may be subject to specific terms, including a defined period during which the Promotion must be redeemed and utilized (each, a “Promotion Period”). Unless otherwise stated, any use of a Promotion will automatically convert into a paid subscription for the Services upon the expiration of the Promotional Period. Users are responsible for canceling their subscription before the end of the Promotional Period to avoid incurring any charges (or, in the case of a discount Promotion, to avoid additional charges). Failure to cancel within the Promotional Period will result in the applicable subscription fee being charged to the payment method provided at the time of sign-up or as updated by User.</blockquote>

===Site content===
Brilliant may only appear in YouTube videos with the express permission of Brilliant, which suggests that only those paid by the company to say pre-approved messages are allowed to display its product.<blockquote>Reproducing, copying or distributing any content, materials or design elements on the Site for any purpose is strictly prohibited without the express prior written permission of Brilliant.</blockquote>

===Termination===
Brilliant may cancel access to the service that a customer has paid for at any time, without explanation:<blockquote>Brilliant may terminate User's access to all or any part of the Service at any time, with or without cause, effective upon notice thereof to User (provided that, if Brilliant determines there may be an immediate threat to Brilliant, it may terminate such access without notice).</blockquote>

===Forced arbitration===
Local consumer rights may not apply to the agreement. According to the terms of service, with respect to their agreement with Brilliant, customers are governed by the laws of Pennsylvania, but not to its courts, instead agreeing to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts in California.<blockquote>This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Pennsylvania, as if made within Pennsylvania between two residents thereof, and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and Federal courts located in San Francisco, California.</blockquote>Customers forgo the right for legal action, instead being subject to [[forced arbitration]] by a private company:<blockquote>Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, (but without limiting either party's right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief immediately, at any time, in any court of competent jurisdiction), any disputes arising with respect to this Agreement shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service, Inc. ("JAMS"). The arbitrator shall be selected by joint agreement of the parties. In the event the parties cannot agree on an arbitrator within thirty (30) days of the initiating party providing the other party with written notice that it plans to seek arbitration, the parties shall each select an arbitrator affiliated with JAMS, which arbitrators shall jointly select a third such arbitrator to resolve the dispute. The written decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on the parties and enforceable in any court. The arbitration proceeding shall take place in San Francisco, California, using the English language.</blockquote>

==References==

[[Category:Online companies]]
<references />

Printer tracking dots

2025-01-30T10:21:02Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Formatting

Tracking dots, also known as printer steganography or machine identification codes (MICs), are an often-overlooked yet serious privacy concern. These tiny, nearly invisible markings are added by many color laser printers to every page they print.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printer_tracking_dots</ref> While originally intended as an anti-counterfeiting measure, they have significant implications for privacy, surveillance, and personal freedoms. <ref>https://www.eff.org/issues/printers</ref>

===Relation to anti-consumer practices===

====1. Lack of Transparency====
One of the most alarming aspects of tracking dots is that they are implemented without the knowledge or consent of users. Manufacturers do not clearly disclose this functionality, leaving individuals unaware that their printed documents contain hidden identifying information.

====2. Privacy Violation====
These dots encode details such as the printer’s serial number and the exact date and time of printing. This means that documents can be traced back to the specific printer—and potentially the individual—who created them. In an era of increasing digital surveillance, this constitutes a severe breach of privacy.

====3. Potential for Abuse====
Although originally intended to help law enforcement track counterfeiters, these dots can be exploited for less noble purposes. Authoritarian regimes, corporations, or malicious actors could use them to identify whistleblowers, activists, journalists, or dissidents. Such a system creates risks for those who rely on anonymity for safety.

====4. Unregulated and Unaccountable Implementation====
There is no public oversight or legal requirement for manufacturers to implement tracking dots, yet they are present in many common printer models. The lack of regulation means users have no recourse to disable this feature.

===How Tracking Dots Work===
Tracking dots are typically arranged in a barely visible yellow pattern on each printed page. These dots encode:

*The printer’s serial number
*The exact time and date of printing
*Possibly other identifying information

=References=

<references />

=See Also=

[https://www.eff.org/pages/list-printers-which-do-or-do-not-display-tracking-dots Page specifying which printers partake in this practice]

[https://web.archive.org/web/20180305181029/https://w2.eff.org/Privacy/printers/docucolor/ Guide to decode printer dot patterns]

Brilliant

2025-01-30T06:49:23Z

HeavenPiercerYama: Tone change and added logo

{{Incomplete}}{{ToneWarning}}{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Brilliant
| Type = Private
| Founded = 2012
| Industry = Online education
| Official Website = https://brilliant.org
| Logo = Brilliant logo.png
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Brilliant_(website)|Brilliant]]''' (also known as '''Brilliant.org''') is a website and app by '''Brilliant Worldwide, Inc.''' providing online courses. Despite the “.org”, Brilliant is a for-profit corporation backed by venture capitalists. Brilliant is most known for its advertisements on [[YouTube]], in which presenters who are known for their evidence-based points of view, for scrutinizing and refuting pseudoscience and scams, promote Brilliant.

[[File:Brilliant_content_team.png|thumb|An example of the content on the website. ]]

Brilliant functions similarly to mathematics textbook, but with buttons to click through to get to the next paragraph, and quizzes between paragraphs. Some of the illustrations have interactivity, in a lot of cases a slider that can be dragged around. These interactive elements make Brilliant appear to offer more than a traditional textbook.

[[File:Brilliant_slider.png|thumb|The slider in the picture seems to provide no real challenge in solving it, merely needing to be displaced to solve the puzzle. ]]

Brilliant never promotes itself as being appropriate to a particular audience studying for a particular goal. Courses on Brilliant introduce basic concepts of each subject, but with no independent validation or accreditation for their efficacy.

==Terms of use==

The [[terms of service]] for Brilliant say:<ref>[https://brilliant.org/terms-of-use/ Terms of use]</ref><blockquote>Brilliant reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify or replace any of the terms or conditions of this Agreement at any time. It is User's responsibility to check this Agreement periodically for changes. User's continued use of the Service following the posting of any changes to this Agreement constitutes acceptance of those changes.</blockquote>Even if the consumer has paid for a full year of service, therefore, Brilliant can change its terms and conditions [[Post-purchase EULA modification|after the sale]]. Continuing to use the service that the consumer has paid for under the previous terms of service automatically constitutes acceptance of changes.

===Access===
Brilliant may cancel access to the service that the consumer has paid for at any time without offering a refund:<blockquote>Brilliant may change, suspend or discontinue the Services, including the availability of any feature, database or content, at any time. Brilliant may also impose limits on certain features and services or restrict User's access to parts or all of the Services without notice or liability.</blockquote>If the law grants the consumer rights that are illegally denied by the terms of use, the consumer is locked out from accessing the service:<blockquote>User also certifies that User is legally permitted to use the Service and takes full responsibility for the selection and use of the Service. This Agreement is void where prohibited by law, and the right to access the Service is revoked in such jurisdictions.</blockquote>

===Billing and payment===
The price advertised by Brilliant may not be the actual price a customer would be required to pay. The actual price has undisclosed additional taxes added:<blockquote>All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes (e.g. sales, use, or value-added tax), unless otherwise stated, and User is solely responsible for the payment of any such taxes that may be imposed on your use of the Service.</blockquote>If a customer cancels his payment card to prevent further charges, Brilliant may go directly to the card issuer to request confidential records of any new card belonging to the consumer:<blockquote>User authorizes Brilliant to obtain updated or replacement expiration dates and card numbers for User's credit or debit card as provided by User's credit or debit card issuer.</blockquote>To reitirate, Brilliant may cancel access to the service that the consumer has payed for at any time without offering a refund:<blockquote>Except as expressly provided in the “Refunds” section below, all fees are final and nonrefundable (including in the event any features or functions of any service that User has subscribed to are changed, modified, diminished or removed), except as otherwise required by applicable law.</blockquote>

===Automatic renewal===
Brilliant automatically renews user subscriptions without active user acceptance. Thus, customers who have lost interest in the service and have otherwise forgotten about it may be caught by surprise when they receive a charge at the start of a new subscription cycle. The annual subscription cycle also tacitly assumes that users want to use the service uninterrupted for a full year, which ignores use-cases where customers may want only to study at a particular time of the year.

When Brilliant lowers its prices, existing customers will still be charged the previous higher prices on renewal, though they are protected from price increases by the same policy:<blockquote>User's subscription to the Service will continue indefinitely until cancelled by User (via the cancellation mechanisms provided on the Site). After User's initial subscription period, and again after any subsequent subscription period, User's subscription will automatically continue for an additional equivalent period, at the price User agreed to when subscribing.</blockquote>By using the service, the user is automatically opted in to the automatic renewal, and there is no option to not agree to it:<blockquote>User agrees that User's account will be subject to this automatic renewal feature.</blockquote>Subscription itself authorizes Brilliant to periodically charge customers' credit cards on automatically renewal, again including undisclosed additional taxes:<blockquote>By subscribing, User authorizes Brilliant to charge User's credit card, debit card or other payment method at such time and again at the beginning of any subsequent subscription period, including any sales or similar taxes imposed on User's subscription payments.</blockquote>

===Refunds===
Brilliant may grant refunds to customers at its sole discretion:<blockquote>All payments To Brilliant for the Services are nonrefundable. There are no refunds or credits for partially used subscription periods. However, Brilliant may grant refunds or credits on a case-by-case basis at Brilliant’s sole discretion. Brilliant’s grant of a refund or credit in one instance does not obligate Brilliant to provide a refund or credit in the future, under any circumstances.</blockquote>

===Promotions===
The seven-day free trial is a [[Click-to-cancel#Free-to-pay|free-to-pay]] scheme: a one-year paid subscription with a seven-day cancellation period:<blockquote>Brilliant may offer promotions, such as free trials, discounts, or other special offers, to users from time to time (collectively, “Promotions”). Promotions may be subject to specific terms, including a defined period during which the Promotion must be redeemed and utilized (each, a “Promotion Period”). Unless otherwise stated, any use of a Promotion will automatically convert into a paid subscription for the Services upon the expiration of the Promotional Period. Users are responsible for canceling their subscription before the end of the Promotional Period to avoid incurring any charges (or, in the case of a discount Promotion, to avoid additional charges). Failure to cancel within the Promotional Period will result in the applicable subscription fee being charged to the payment method provided at the time of sign-up or as updated by User.</blockquote>

===Site content===
Brilliant may only appear in YouTube videos with the express permission of Brilliant, which suggests that only those paid by the company to say pre-approved messages are allowed to display its product.<blockquote>Reproducing, copying or distributing any content, materials or design elements on the Site for any purpose is strictly prohibited without the express prior written permission of Brilliant.</blockquote>

===Termination===
Brilliant may cancel access to the service that a customer has paid for at any time, without explanation:<blockquote>Brilliant may terminate User's access to all or any part of the Service at any time, with or without cause, effective upon notice thereof to User (provided that, if Brilliant determines there may be an immediate threat to Brilliant, it may terminate such access without notice).</blockquote>

===Forced arbitration===
Local consumer rights may not apply to the agreement. According to the terms of service, with respect to their agreement with Brilliant, customers are governed by the laws of Pennsylvania, but not to its courts, instead agreeing to submit to the jurisdiction of the courts in California.<blockquote>This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Pennsylvania, as if made within Pennsylvania between two residents thereof, and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and Federal courts located in San Francisco, California.</blockquote>Customers forgo the right for legal action, instead being subject to [[forced arbitration]] by a private company:<blockquote>Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, (but without limiting either party's right to seek injunctive or other equitable relief immediately, at any time, in any court of competent jurisdiction), any disputes arising with respect to this Agreement shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service, Inc. ("JAMS"). The arbitrator shall be selected by joint agreement of the parties. In the event the parties cannot agree on an arbitrator within thirty (30) days of the initiating party providing the other party with written notice that it plans to seek arbitration, the parties shall each select an arbitrator affiliated with JAMS, which arbitrators shall jointly select a third such arbitrator to resolve the dispute. The written decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on the parties and enforceable in any court. The arbitration proceeding shall take place in San Francisco, California, using the English language.</blockquote>

==References==

[[Category:Online companies]]
<references />

File:Brilliant logo.png

2025-01-30T06:48:55Z

HeavenPiercerYama: The logo of Brilliant, an American company focused on education.

== Summary ==
The logo of Brilliant, an American company focused on education.