#consumer alert

[odinsblog]

🗣️ This is for all new internet connected cars

A new study has found that your car likely knows more about you than your mom. That is disconcerting, but what’s even more so is what is being done with your information. It’s all about the Benjamins. Our private information is being collected and sold.

The Mozilla Foundation, a non-profit that studies internet and privacy issues, studied 25 car manufacturers. And it found every manufacturer sold in America poses a greater risk to your privacy than any device, app or social media platform.

Our cars are rolling computers, many of which are connected to the internet collecting information about how you drive and where. New cars also have microphones and sensors that give you safety features like automatic braking and drowsy driver detection. Those systems are also providing information. Got GPS or satellite radio? Then your car likely knows your habits, musical and political preferences.

Did you download your car’s app which gives you access to even more features? Well that also gives your car access to your phone and all the information on it.

The study found that of the 25 car brands, 84% say they sell your personal data.

And what they collect is astounding.

One example the study sites is KIA’s privacy policy. It indicates the company collects information about your sexual activity. I initially didn’t believe it until I pulled KIA’s privacy policy and read it. And it’s right there in black and white. It says it collects information about your “ethnicity, religious, philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation, sex life, or political opinions.

And it says it can keep your info for “as long as is necessary for the legitimate business purpose set out in this privacy notice.”

Translation: Nissan can keep your information as long as they want to. And more than half of the manufacturers (56%) say they will share your information with law enforcement if asked.

(continue reading) more ↵

[onenettvchannel]

CONSUMER ALERT EXCLUSIVE: Wise Users in the PH demand accountability over Visa Prepaid Debit Card distribution woes [#OneNETnewsInvestigates]

(Written by Candace Flynn / East Coast Correspondent of Disney XD News)

MAKATI, METRO MANILA -- Global fintech and forex platform 'Wise' unveils its own Visa prepaid debit card under the branch affiliation of 'Wise Pilipinas Incorporated' (WPi) from last year ago in mid-May of 2024. The card lets Filipino customers to hold, receive and spend money internationally without the need for foreign transaction fees and exchange rate mark-ups. Wise users in general occasionally send or receive international payments as freelancers working abroad, while others focus solely on transferring money from their personal bank accounts to their primary account.

Founded in January 2011, 'Kristo Kaarmann' and 'Taavet Hinrikus' started off their journey as a peer-to-peer money transfer service, allowing users to exchange currencies at the real, mid-market rate in their main headquarters in the United Kingdom (UK). Today, it expanded worldwide in Estonia, the United States of America, Canada, Singapore, Brazil, etc.

We tested ourselves in Dumaguete City alone to order a Visa prepaid debit card on Wise in-app costs PHP156.80 (or nearly U$D3 bucks in the U.S.) last February 21st, 2025. It was discovered that 'Intervolve Express Services' (IES) failed to deliver our mailed Visa debit card package on time, taking more than 2 weeks despite our payment. After 2 attempts, and even after re-ordering the physical prepaid debit card, the situation proved to be a total letdown and felt like a scam. On Saturday early morning at 12:35am (April 12th, 2025 -- Makati local time), OneNETnews formally requested a potential full refund, which has since been credited back to the main account.

The investigation of 'Wise Pilipinas Inc.' on why was failing to deliver the physical Visa prepaid debit cards from IES to be potentially delivered in Negros Oriental. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the officials of Wise are working closely with 'Intervolve Express Services' to explain the worst delays, even though the home address is certainly correct to expedite the issues and ensure faster and more reliable delivery of the Wise Visa prepaid debit cards to customers in this said area and beyond.

In a phone call Friday night to OneNETnews on April 11th, Wise received a public apology for the Philippine users who were not receiving the Visa prepaid debit cards in the advertised physical card price and supposed delivery timelines with worst promises and excuses for the main delivery courier.

Wise, the global fintech and forex platform, has taken steps to address the ongoing delays, roughly ahead of the Holy Week holiday (except for DHL) in delivering Visa prepaid debit card distributions to paid customers in this country.

FILE SCREENSHOT COURTESY for REPRESENTATION: Wise BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna

SOURCE: https://newsroom.wise.com/en-CAS/237706-wise-launches-in-the-philippines-offering-filipinos-an-easy-and-affordable-way-to-receive-and-spend-money-globally

-- OneNETnews Online Publication Team

[thestevenwickblog]

Before you donate, it’s crucial to verify the legitimacy of any charitable organization. Check if the charity is registered with the Maryland Secretary of State’s Public Registry.

[rodspurethoughts]

Immediate Recall Alert: Reser’s Fine Foods Announces Voluntary Recall of Hill Country Fare Mustard Potato Salad

In a decisive action prioritizing consumer safety, Reser’s Fine Foods has issued a voluntary recall for one of its popular products, the Hill Country Fare Mustard Potato Salad, available in 48 oz (3LB) containers. This recall specifically targets products with a Use By Date of JUL/26/24. The reason behind this precautionary step is the discovery of potential contamination from pieces of hard…

[tmdrechny]

Time to start shopping for the holidays!

[toni-onone]

🎙️PSA👂🏾Some Kia and Hyundai cars 😳sold in the United States over the last decade can be stolen easily 🤨

https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/taking-action/consumer-alert-kia-and-hyundai-cars-at-risk-of-being-stolen-due-to-tiktok-trend/#:~:text=Affected%20vehicles%20include%202017%2D2020,to%20consumers%20with%20affected%20vehicles. Those cute and easy to get cars are also unfortunately easy to steal. How you ask? I’m glad you asked. They don’t come with certain security features that are supposed to come…

[amazingdeadfish]

Day Six: Alternate Universe

[manomeansshark]

I dropped my phone earlier this week and the screen shattered to bits

[cassiebones]

"The Puritans claimed that if you attended the theater, you would not be able to tell the difference between what was fiction and what was real. A man might look at a boy actor dressed in the clothes of a woman and think him an actual woman. A person who witnessed a murder onstage might leave the theater with bloodlust and repeat the act, this time in a tavern with a real knife. A morally upright woman might leave a performance depicting infidelity and become a strumpet. Theater also stole time away that people could be using to worship God.

Emilia understood the true motivation: a play might make it's viewers think. And when people thought, instead of blindly following the Gospel, they escaped from your control."

- By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult (2024)

(pages 178 - 179)

[tightjeansjavi]

updating my theme is literally just me frantically trying to find a color palette that matches the vibe I’m trying to convey 😭

Anyway, new theme! 🔮✨🌞🌛

[lunarlillieuwu]

Anybody else notice that the Tarot Card you receive for an ending in Book of Hours shows which Hour specifically endorses the History you’ve written

[onenettvchannel]

CONSUMER ALERT: BAN Toxics warns against buying Roblox toys with Possible Lead Content [#OneNETnewsEXCLUSIVE]

QUEZON, METRO MANILA -- Toxic watchdog group 'BAN Toxics' recently issued a warning to parents and children, as well with teens for the Filipinos against buying toys, inspired by the popular American free-to-play online game "Roblox" due to the presence of toxic lead and other harmful chemicals.

In a recent market monitoring, the said watchdog group purchased and tested the mini-action figure toy from an ambulant vendor in 'Quezon City, Metro Manila'. The sample was analyzed using a "Vanta C Series HH XRF Analyzer", which revealed toxic lead levels of up to 1,460 parts per million (ppm), along with other hazardous chemicals such as antimony, arsenic, bromine, chromium and mercury. The toy likewise failed to meet the existing product labeling standards mandated by the Republic Act #10620 or the 'Toy and Game Safety Labeling Act of 2013'.

Cite from the R.A. #10620 mandates toy manufacturers to comply with the labeling requirements stated on the toy packaging, which include – License to Operate (LTO) number issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), age grading, cautionary statements/warnings, instructional literature, manufacturer's markings with the complete name and address of the local company, and the item model/stock keeping unit (SKU) number.

Thony Dizon, who is a Toxics Campaigner of BAN Toxics stated: "Parents should take extra care in buying this toy that has harmful chemicals such as lead which is a known brain-damaging toxin", he said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheet on lead poisoning says, "Lead can affect children's brain development, resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioral changes such as reduced attention span and increased anti-social behavior and reduced educational attainment". This may be at risk for not being moderated for your child -- or worse, an adulthood would put you on hold in real life.

Under DENR Administrative Order (DAO) #24-2013, or the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds, the use of lead in the production and sale of toys and school supplies is strictly prohibited.

As referred to a previous media conference back in late-November 2024, BAN Toxics released an exclusive study, highlighting the public health and environmental risks of toxic plastic toys, during the event titled "Not Suitable for Children: Toxic Chemicals in Plastic Toys Sold in Bangladesh and the Philippines".

It was found that 62.64% out of 161 toys sampled showed chemical levels exceeding safety standards in both countries, posing serious health risks to children and their families, regardless of knock-offs or licenses. Dizon needs to address the gaps in regulations on toy safety & chemicals and call for stricter enforcement to protect Filipino consumers, especially children and teens from these illicit hazardous products.

"A concerted effort by regulatory agencies, local government units, and the consuming public should be initiated to raise awareness on safe toys for kids and prevent the unlawful sale of unregistered and unnotified children's products in the country", the group stressed.

BAN Toxics urges regulatory agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), to conduct post-market surveillance and eventually confiscate unlabeled and unnotified Toys and Child Care Articles (TCCA) in the market.

It is unclear if "Roblox" was theoretically licensed to the Philippines without having permission to market the toys from the inspired American free-to-play online game. Video game developer 'Roblox Corporation' has yet to reach out for a comment.

P.S. EDITOR's NOTE (from Rhayniel): KreekCraft, if you're reading this… This is really important. The toy merchandise of Roblox in the Philippines was completely unlicensed and it needs to be sorted.

PHOTO COURTESY: BAN Toxics via PR BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna

-- OneNETnews Online Publication Team

[pininyx]

x-men 97 magneto…

[bardandbear]

Maybe this is just me, an old jaded DA fan that was around in the Before Times when people I feel were significantly more unhinged, but people saying 'this is a bad take / bad writing' and variations thereupon is not harassment. Repeatedly @ ing someone with that kind of message might be, but so would repeatedly spamming anyone with any message - the spam is the harassment. Stepping over the line into personal threats? Also harassment since it's aimed at a person.

The meanest thing I've seen anyone say about certain DA devs personally in the last week is for them to shut up. I haven't even seen anyone saying they should be fired, which definitely absolutely used to happen back in ye olde fandom. None of the messages of negativity I've seen have been directed AT the devs either. If they are choosing to go and seek that negativity, that's not the same as harassment.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe there is some out there, but the overwhelming majority of what I've seen is simply people being negative. Which is not, again, harassment, PARTICULARLY in self contained spaces designed to be for fan discussion. I went looking for it even, and I found more discussion of this so called harassment (including suggested block lists with 'receipts') than actual 'harassment' (negative commentary).

The advice given to most authors is to not seek out areas of potential critique designed for fans (eg goodreads). There has been countless drama that has come from authors sending their fans after people who write negative reviews of their work. Sending the fans after someone for an opinion they are entitled to have? ACTUAL harassment. NEGATIVE OPINIONS ABOUT YOUR WORK ARE NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK. I cannot believe that the conversation has degraded this far it's actually insane.

[elfieafterdark]

M-Mercymorn? Heh, More like... Mercy-MOM!!! EHHHEHEHhehehehhhhhh...

I have severe mental health issues 😜

[cappycodeart]

Warming up my creative brain and doing some more live2d practice! Made an attempt to see how QUICKLY I can put something together. Y'kno... in case I... decide to use this power for something in the future...