Building a Better World, Together

In recent decades, hundreds of children have been killed, and tens of thousands more seriously injured, when furniture, appliances, or televisions toppled over onto them. Tragically, many of these tip-over incidents could have been prevented.

But a new federal law passed in December, known as the STURDY Act, will help reduce tip-overs by ensuring that furniture is built to be more stable. And CR—working with other consumer groups, industry representatives, and parents of tip-over victims— played a key role in getting the new law passed.

Begun over a decade ago, CR’s crusade against tip-overs gained momentum in 2017 when we started conducting stability tests on dressers. That research revealed that the voluntary testing standard then in place was inadequate, and we called on the furniture industry and regulators to strengthen that standard and make it mandatory. Our tests also showed it was possible to design more stable furniture that is also affordable—undercutting the objection that rigorous, mandatory testing standards would make that furniture too pricey for many consumers.

Years of advocacy followed, including the founding of Parents Against Tip-overs (PAT)—parents who have bravely shared their heartbreaking stories.

Starting in mid-2023, all new dressers will have to undergo rigorous "real-world" tests, such as having multiple drawers open at the same time. CR is urging retailers to stop selling dressers that haven’t cleared the new standards, and encourages parents to anchor all furniture in their homes.

What’s at stake: Many Americans believe that the federal law known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, guarantees blanket privacy protection for any personal information related to our health.

In fact, HIPAA applies to only certain types of entities, including healthcare providers and insurance companies, while many others are free to sell health data gleaned from their apps and websites to advertisers and marketers.

What CR is doing about it: CR has been shining a light on this problem for years, crying foul on such practices by companies’ apps that track workouts, menstrual periods, user’s mental health, and DNA testing, among others. In 2020 we reported that GoodRx, which provides coupons for prescription drugs, was sending personal health information about its users to Google, Facebook, and other technology and marketing companies.

GoodRx pledged to tighten its privacy protections, but CR’s work now appears likely to have a broader reach: In February, citing CR’s report, the Federal Trade Commission formally accused GoodRx of violating federal law and fined it $1.5 million. If courts uphold the action, experts say, it could change the way all tech companies handle health information. "With this case, the FTC is saying that sharing out data without your consent is simply not allowed," says Justin Brookman, CR director of technology policy.

What you can do: In the meantime, read "Guess What? HIPAA Isn’t a Medical Privacy Law" for info on understanding when your personal health data is protected, and when it is not.

Recent CR testing found concerning amounts of lead and cadmium in several popular brands of dark chocolate. These heavy metals are linked to a host of health problems in children and adults. Sign our petition and join CR in calling on the manufacturers of these brands—Trader Joe’s, Hershey’s, Mondelez, and Theo—to commit to reducing the level of toxins in their products and to report back to the public on their progress. And read our report, "Lead and Cadmium Could Be in Your Dark Chocolate," to learn more, including which dark chocolate brands appear to be safer.