Behind the Scenes

CR began fighting unwanted robocalls in 2015. In recent years, we have seen an explosion of these calls, in part because scammers are using technology that makes these calls difficult to block. “Robocalls often target the most vulnerable populations, including the elderly,” says Maureen Mahoney, a CR policy analyst.

CR is urging the Federal Communications Commission to require new technology that will help end harmful “spoofed” robocalls—phone numbers that mimic legitimate numbers. Our journalists are highlighting the problem to help consumers reduce the risk of getting scammed. Recently, more than 100,000 of you signed our petition to get anti-spoofing technology implemented ASAP. These efforts are just one way your support is put to work for consumers.

Last year, with financial help from many of you, CR launched “What the Fee?!” to expose and eliminate hidden fees. Many of you shared stories about all types of confusing fees and even provided copies of cable bills to help us build evidence of this costly practice. Thank you for your early support. Here’s an update!

Surprise charges on services—from fees on airline and concert tickets to cellular bills—frustrate consumers at every turn. The “fee economy” has been sneaking up on us over the last decade by industries trying to extract more value from us, making it impossible to comparison shop and exercise choice. For example, airline ancillary revenue (largely fees) has quadrupled since 2010. In 2017, the number of hotels charging resort fees in major metropolitan areas shot up by 70 percent in six months.

But the fees that clearly bother consumers the most are those on our cable bills. What exactly are “HD Technology,” “Broadcast TV,” and “Regional Sports” fees, anyway? That’s why we delivered close to 115,000 petition signatures last year to Comcast, the giant internet and cable provider, calling on it to come clean on the issue. In the coming year, we will work with consumers to call out more companies publicly to pressure them to stop masking price increases with hidden fees. CR is also arming consumers with information and tools to understand, challenge, and avoid additional fees. Finally, we are working with policymakers to act to stop the “worst of the worst” fees. For example, CR supporters recently generated 6,600 comments to the Federal Trade Commission about frustrating fees on online event tickets! For more information and to help out, go to WhatTheFee.com. 

CR is able to add new products to its testing list because of your support. We began testing several new home products recently based on what members and people on our Consumer Reports Insights Panel told us they wanted to see. We introduced testing, ratings, and reviews of sheets, pillows, and air mattresses, all due to high interest from participants, and as a complement to our highly popular mattress testing. If you would like to be on our panel, go to CR.org/panel.
 

Consumer Reports is calling on automakers to make life-saving systems such as forward collision warning (FCW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB) standard on every new vehicle that’s sold. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) issued a new report that found a big drop in police-reported front-to-rear crashes in General Motors vehicles with FCW and AEB when compared with the same cars without those systems. The crashes dropped 43 percent, and injuries in the same type of crashes fell 64 percent. “These types of results make it clear why we advocate for safety systems to be standard in all new cars,” says Jake Fisher, director of auto testing. “More vehicles each year are getting them, but we know more crashes could be prevented if automakers stepped up the pace.”

Twenty automakers, including GM, have agreed to make AEB standard on almost all new passenger vehicles by September 2022. “We urge all manufacturers to agree to the principle of ‘Safety for All,’” says William Wallace, CR senior policy analyst. “If there’s a proven safety feature, it should be on all new cars without delay. Consumers shouldn’t be forced to wait years or pay extra for safety technologies.”
 

James Dickerson joined CR in January 2017 as its first chief scientific officer. He is responsible for scientific and technical oversight with a focus on evaluating products, interpreting scientific data, and safety research. He also oversees the technical rigor of CR’s testing protocol development. Prior to joining CR, he served as the assistant director of the Department of Energy’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Why did you join CR?
It is important to me to empower consumers with thorough, objective information about products, goods, and services so that they can make truly informed decisions that benefit their lives. I have strived to illuminate the power of science throughout my career (particularly, science education and science management). Empowering people is what CR is all about. So, the opportunity to work for an organization with this at its heart was very exciting.

What does it mean for CR to have its first chief scientific officer, and what does it mean for the consumer?
CR maintains the highest standards regarding research and testing rigor, thoroughness, and objectivity. Now with the chief scientific officer position, the organization can ensure that it maintains that rigor and objectivity while using the most contemporary scientific approaches and research philosophies. Further, CR has a single spokesperson who can convey information and advocate on behalf of consumers regarding issues in the marketplace and in society. My goal is to provide people with a clear, concise explanation of the science that is at the core of the consumer experience (ranging from furniture tip-overs and batteries to the science of food safety and product care).

What is the biggest challenge you face?
One of the biggest challenges I face is also one of the most exciting things. My job involves such a broad array of subject matter, endeavors, and people that each day is wholly unique and different. No two days are identical. This means that I could spend a morning shooting a video segment for “Consumer 101” (CR’s Saturday morning television show on NBC) and the afternoon analyzing the protocol for a new product testing project. The following day could involve reviewing copy for an article for CR magazine on sunscreens, working with CR advocates to alert the public about a product safety issue such as intrinsic stability of clothing storage units, and speaking to news media outlets about a food safety threat such as a salmonella outbreak. The diversity of topics and endeavors keeps me on my toes!

What do you enjoy most about your job?
As I said before, I have a terrific opportunity to interact with a wide variety of organizations and people who can impact consumers for the better, such as scientists, mathematicians, manufacturers, policymakers, and journalists. Our work together helps to make a marketplace that is safer and more transparent for everyone.

Why are contributions from donors important to your work?
Many of CR’s investigations, particularly on issues of food safety or product safety, can be particularly expensive, requiring extremely large sample sizes (in the case of food safety) or specialized equipment and techniques (true in both food and product safety projects). Generous support from donors can provide us the freedom to investigate emerging potential safety concerns quickly, such as the presence of dangerous heavy metals in baby food. The ability to be nimble in response to these potential hazards is invaluable, and contributions from donors allow us to do just that.