Archive for category: Consumers and Corporations

• 

  Data Aggregation, Credit Scoring, and Privacy

  By Andrew Mamo, Consumers and Corporations, Privacy and National Security February 13, 2012 8:55 pm

  There are two distinct problems with data aggregation as a window into character. The first is that the accuracy of profiles built on data aggregation is questionable. The deeper problem is that even with greater accuracy, data is necessarily incomplete.

   
• 

  Cause for Optimism on Google’s Privacy Policy?

  By Andrew Mamo, Consumers and Corporations, Privacy and National Security February 5, 2012 11:50 pm

  There are clear tradeoffs involved in Google’s new privacy policy, but what does it suggest for the growing problem of data privacy more generally? Despite the seeming novelty of privacy problems in the age of the Internet, we can learn a few lessons by turning to privacy problems at the beginning of the information age.

   
• 

  Judge Refuses to Protect Occupy Protesters Camping in NY Park

  Consumers and Corporations, First Amendment, Issue Areas, Poverty and Economic Justice November 21, 2011 10:30 am

  On November 15th, New York Supreme Court Judge Michael D. Stallman denied an application by Occupy Wall Street protesters for a temporary restraining order preventing police from removing them from Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan. Judge Stallman found that the First Amendment does not extend to the protesters’ practice of camping in the park overnight.

   
• 

  Deconstructing the Emergence and Effect of Super PACs

  By Alex Trepp, Consumers and Corporations, First Amendment, Issue Areas, Voting and Elections September 29, 2011 9:12 am

  Stephen Colbert has increased the visibility of super PACs with Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow. And if Colbert’s goal is to initiate discussion about super PAC impact, he may satisfy his goals. But if Colbert wants to reform this new vehicle for political spending, the legal system is an unlikely [...]

   
• 

  New Wal-Mart Initiative Does Nothing to Address Harm Alleged in Dukes

  Consumers and Corporations, Labor and Employment, Sex Equality September 26, 2011 3:31 pm

  Wal-Mart announced last Wednesday its plans to source a total of $20 billion dollars worth of products from women-owned businesses in the United States over the next five years. This ‘woman-friendly’ initiative comes just months after the Supreme Court’s June 2011 ruling in the nearly decade-long battle for class certification for nearly 1.5 million women currently and formerly employed by Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart’s “women-friendly” initiative does nothing to address the concerns presented by the “women of Wal-Mart.”

   
• 

  CR-CL News Round-up

  Consumers and Corporations, Courts, First Amendment, Human Rights, Issue Areas, LGBTQ Rights, Privacy and National Security, Race and Immigration September 13, 2011 7:10 pm

  A round-up of some of the top stories in civil rights and civil liberties news.

   
• 

  Too Big to Sue: Supreme Court Dismisses Class Action Suit Against Wal-Mart

  By Daniel Nazar, Consumers and Corporations, Courts, Issue Areas, Sex Equality June 20, 2011 5:06 pm

  The saga of Wal-Mart v. Dukes, the largest class-action discrimination lawsuit in history, came to a close todaywhen the Supreme Court ruled that the lawsuit could not proceed. The suit, brought on behalf of 1.6 million female Wal-Mart employees who faced discrimination in hiring or promotions, was dismissed because it [...]

   

• In a 5-4 decision, SCOTUS rules that corporations can block consumers’ class-action lawsuits.

  Consumers and Corporations, Courts, Issue Areas April 27, 2011 9:09 pm

  In what will surely be seen as a sweeping win for corporations and a a major abrogation of the class-action lawsuit, the Supreme Court ruled today that corporations can force unhappy customers to settle disputes in binding arbitration. The case arose from a class-action litigation brought on behalf of California [...]