Behind the Scenes

A new CR analysis of five years of testing data from the Department of Agriculture looked at 450 pesticides on fruits and vegetables. We found that levels in some produce exceed what CR experts consider safe—CR does not recommend eating less produce but suggests ways to minimize risks. For starters, always wash your produce with running water for 15 to 20 seconds. Charlotte Vallaeys, CR's senior policy analyst who led the study, also recommends "buying organic when possible, to reduce your pesticide exposure and protect the environment and farmworkers." Recognizing that organic is not always available and may cost more, CR developed ratings for 35 fruits and vegetables to help consumers identify the lowest-risk and most affordable options.

The good news for consumers: We found that almost half the nonorganic fruits and vegetables pose little risk. But about 20 percent—items such as fresh green beans, peaches, and potatoes—received our worst scores, so in those cases it is best to choose organic. To protect consumers, CR recommends that the highest-risk pesticides be banned and that a federal system be introduced to identify banned pesticides on imported produce to keep it out of the food supply. To advance the success of the organic program, Brian Ronholm, CR's director of food policy, says, "The USDA should help farmers transition to organic, which will make organic options more widely available." ABC's "Good Morning America" and other media reported CR's findings. Thanks to you and other members, CR is able to conduct in-depth analysis and reporting on data like this to help inform all consumers. Thank you!

Recently, CR analyzed the misinformation policies of the country's biggest social media platforms. We focused on the most dangerous types of falsehoods, including misinformation on the coronavirus and on how to vote. Although the companies say they want to limit dangerous falsehoods while also protecting free speech, CR found that the platforms' rules on misinformation vary widely. In fact, the policies are often "confusing, unclear, or contradictory," according to Bill Fitzgerald, a privacy and technology researcher in CR's Digital Lab. That makes it hard to know what to expect on each platform or where to go for important information. It also makes it difficult to demand that companies enforce their rules fairly when their rules are hard to access and understand.

Most of the platforms do not have a blanket rule against posting false material, but they do ban certain kinds of misinformation. Some allow specific types of false claims. Others may evaluate false posts based on details such as the level of danger posed. In July, hundreds of advertisers pulled ads from Facebook after widespread outcry against lax policies toward hate speech and misinformation. In recent months, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube have thrown dangerous conspiracy theorists off their platforms. We will continue holding these platforms accountable with the help of consumers to do more to keep misinformation off their platforms.

More than 400 CR members from California assisted in monitoring the implementation of the California Consumer Privacy Act, which went into effect in January, with enforcement beginning July 1. Californians now have the right to access, delete, and stop the sale of their information. We asked members to investigate at least one company by trying to opt out of the sale of their information. In preliminary results, most consumers—about two-thirds—were able to find the "Do Not Sell" link on the company's home page, and less than a quarter of those reported that it was difficult or very difficult to find the link. But at least 42 participants found that they were asked to accept cookies in their browsers, suggesting that some companies are, by default, pressing consumers to opt in to the tracking (and sale) of their data. We're planning to share the final results with the California attorney general soon to make sure consumers can easily exercise their data rights.

Did you know that our experts share the best deals on our top-rated products every month in a simple month-by-month format? Log on as a member and go to CR.org/timetobuy.

Sharee Taylor joined CR in April. Prior to that she was chief partnerships officer at More in Common, an international initiative focused on combating issues of polarization and social fracturing in the U.S., Germany, France, and the U.K. Previously, she was the national director of strategic partnerships at International Justice Mission, an anti-slavery organization. Sharee has also worked for a number of companies and nonprofits in public policy, strategy, and organizational management roles. She started her career as a corporate attorney with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

Why did you come to CR at this time?
I was impressed with CR's legacy of independence and mission-driven focus on consumers, and its bold and inclusive commitment to partnership and innovation.

This is a new position for CR. What are your priorities?
Stakeholder engagement—CR's new strategic plan provides an ambitious road map for my team and CR as a whole. Specifically, we'll be focusing on our marketplace change strategies—safety, digital rights, financial fairness, and sustainability. One of my main priorities will be to step back and look at our overall engagement with different stakeholders, including nonprofit organizations, trade associations, and funders. And I'll be thinking through how to work with these partners to effectively engage with businesses so that we can help corporations put consumers' interest first—whether in the design of their products, or in their data practices or purchase terms. CR has such deep talent and world class data and research—we want to effectively support and align with our partners, particularly organizations that serve a more diverse consumer audience, so that we can build a more fair and just marketplace for consumers.

Why is this work important for consumers?
This work is critical for consumers because it is a time of such rapid innovation. Consumers are overwhelmed by the dizzying array of information coming at them. CR's legacy as a trusted source of information and its ability to bring together partners across different sectors puts us in a unique position to empower consumers with the information they need in new ways. In doing so, together, we can build a marketplace that is truly consumer-driven. 

What are you most excited about?
I am excited about the opportunity for new partnerships. I am inspired by CR's commitment to reaching and serving new and diverse audiences, and I really believe that it is with and through these partnerships that some of the most impactful work for a fair and just marketplace will be done.

Sounds like you'll be busy! But what do you like to do in your spare time?
My husband and I have two young boys (9 and 7). We are a very active family, so hiking, biking, and tennis are some of the things I enjoy doing with them. In the quieter moments, reading and cooking.

Finally, if CR members want to learn more about and take action on consumer issues, what should they do?
We would be thrilled to have CR members join our mobilization and advocacy efforts! Members can go to advocacy.consumerreports.org to learn more about the issues we work on, such as food safety, energy, digital privacy, and more. You can go to action.consumerreports.org to take action. Thank you!