via PopStrip.Com
October 9, 2012
October 5, 2012
eBays New Underhanded User Policy
via PublicCitizen
New eBay User Policy Is Underhanded, Conflicts With Company’s Commitment to Openness, Letter and Petition Say
Company Should Remove New Forced Arbitration and Anti-Class Action Clauses From User Agreement
Oct. 5, 2012
Contact: Jake Parent (202) 588-7779; Angela Bradbery (202) 588-7741; For broadcast media, Barbara Holzer (202) 588-7716
WASHINGTON, D.C. – eBay Inc. should remove from its terms of service new language that forces users to give up their right to go to court and prevents people from banding together in class actions, Public Citizen President Robert Weissman said in a letter sent today to the San Jose, Calif.,-based company.
The forced arbitration and anti-class action clauses that eBay recently added to its terms of service disproportionately favor the company in disputes, Weissman said. Most eBay users accept the take-it-or-leave-it contract language without reviewing it, and most don’t understand that the forced arbitration clause means they will be shut out of court if they are harmed by company misconduct, particularly when large numbers of users each suffer small-dollar losses.
Worse, the only way people can opt out of eBay’s new forced arbitration clause is by signing and sending a letter by traditional snail-mail – a strange requirement for a company whose entire business platform is online, the letter said.
“To put it charitably, eBay’s requirement that opt-outs be submitted through traditional mail raises questions about the sincerity of its commitment to permitting users to protect themselves,” Weissman said.
On Sept. 15, eBay emailed users notifying them about unilateral changes eBay made to its terms of use on Aug. 21. These changes include an Agreement to Arbitrate, which forces users to accept binding arbitration as their exclusive means to resolve disputes with eBay and permits them to pursue claims against eBay on an individualized basis only, unless they opt out by Nov. 9.
Public Citizen is launching a petition drive to inform users of the new terms of service language as well as gather their support against it. As part of this launch, Public Citizen will help facilitate the opt-out process by providing a form that can be easily filled out online and then printed for sending.
Public Citizen calls on eBay to remove the forced arbitration and anti-class action language from the terms of service immediately.
If the company refuses to remove the forced arbitration language, it should at least eliminate the anti-class action provisions, because they make it virtually impossible for users to recover money lost in low-dollar disputes. The company also should provide an online opt-out option.
Public Citizen also asks eBay to forward to users a message from Public Citizen explaining why users should exercise their opt-out rights.
“Companies that respect and value their consumers don’t trick them into giving up their rights.” Weissman said. Adding, “eBay should drop its plans to keep aggrieved users from banding together and bringing their claims in court.”
To read the letter and petition, visit http://pubc.it/eBayArb.
New eBay User Policy Is Underhanded, Conflicts With Company’s Commitment to Openness, Letter and Petition Say
Company Should Remove New Forced Arbitration and Anti-Class Action Clauses From User Agreement
Oct. 5, 2012
Contact: Jake Parent (202) 588-7779; Angela Bradbery (202) 588-7741; For broadcast media, Barbara Holzer (202) 588-7716
WASHINGTON, D.C. – eBay Inc. should remove from its terms of service new language that forces users to give up their right to go to court and prevents people from banding together in class actions, Public Citizen President Robert Weissman said in a letter sent today to the San Jose, Calif.,-based company.
The forced arbitration and anti-class action clauses that eBay recently added to its terms of service disproportionately favor the company in disputes, Weissman said. Most eBay users accept the take-it-or-leave-it contract language without reviewing it, and most don’t understand that the forced arbitration clause means they will be shut out of court if they are harmed by company misconduct, particularly when large numbers of users each suffer small-dollar losses.
Worse, the only way people can opt out of eBay’s new forced arbitration clause is by signing and sending a letter by traditional snail-mail – a strange requirement for a company whose entire business platform is online, the letter said.
“To put it charitably, eBay’s requirement that opt-outs be submitted through traditional mail raises questions about the sincerity of its commitment to permitting users to protect themselves,” Weissman said.
On Sept. 15, eBay emailed users notifying them about unilateral changes eBay made to its terms of use on Aug. 21. These changes include an Agreement to Arbitrate, which forces users to accept binding arbitration as their exclusive means to resolve disputes with eBay and permits them to pursue claims against eBay on an individualized basis only, unless they opt out by Nov. 9.
Public Citizen is launching a petition drive to inform users of the new terms of service language as well as gather their support against it. As part of this launch, Public Citizen will help facilitate the opt-out process by providing a form that can be easily filled out online and then printed for sending.
Public Citizen calls on eBay to remove the forced arbitration and anti-class action language from the terms of service immediately.
If the company refuses to remove the forced arbitration language, it should at least eliminate the anti-class action provisions, because they make it virtually impossible for users to recover money lost in low-dollar disputes. The company also should provide an online opt-out option.
Public Citizen also asks eBay to forward to users a message from Public Citizen explaining why users should exercise their opt-out rights.
“Companies that respect and value their consumers don’t trick them into giving up their rights.” Weissman said. Adding, “eBay should drop its plans to keep aggrieved users from banding together and bringing their claims in court.”
To read the letter and petition, visit http://pubc.it/eBayArb.
October 4, 2012
Today is the last day to see American Autumn at The Quad in NYC
Friends, please re-post this across all relavant networks.
Today is the final day of our one-week run at The Quad in NYC. We have had some great press (see below). For today's shows, 50% of all ticket sales directly benefit the following groups:
Free Speech TV (1PM show), The Bradley Manning Support Network (3:15PM show), Move To Amend Coalition (5:30PM show), WBAI radio (7:30PM).
The final show of the run, at 9:30 tonight, benefits Occupywallst.org
In NYC? Come on out to a show. Schedule:
http://www.occudoc.org/#!screenings/c1sko
Quad Cinema
34 W. 13th st (between 5th and 6th)
NYC
“(American Autumn) is calm and smart, offsetting its stridency with discussion, music, even humor, while issuing a call to arms." -- New York Times
“… this necessary and informative documentary looks at the faces behind the Occupy Wall Street movement… it is an effective, and heartfelt, clarion call.” -- New York Daily News
"American Autumn" impresses most where many docs disappoint, expanding its scope without short-changing the wider subjects it covers.” - Variety
“This is not amateur hour. This is a movie as well made as any Hollywood blockbuster.”- MichaelMoore.com
and I even take pride in that the ultra conservative NY POST hates the film:
It’s a time capsule from a strange moment — like “Hair” without the groovy music." ... "This film can’t be taken seriously by any serious person."
http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/american_autumn_an_occu_doc_half_2p7lLVbjrVuMv9U2RcWYZP?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=Movies
Today is the final day of our one-week run at The Quad in NYC. We have had some great press (see below). For today's shows, 50% of all ticket sales directly benefit the following groups:
Free Speech TV (1PM show), The Bradley Manning Support Network (3:15PM show), Move To Amend Coalition (5:30PM show), WBAI radio (7:30PM).
The final show of the run, at 9:30 tonight, benefits Occupywallst.org
In NYC? Come on out to a show. Schedule:
http://www.occudoc.org/#!screenings/c1sko
Quad Cinema
34 W. 13th st (between 5th and 6th)
NYC
“(American Autumn) is calm and smart, offsetting its stridency with discussion, music, even humor, while issuing a call to arms." -- New York Times
“… this necessary and informative documentary looks at the faces behind the Occupy Wall Street movement… it is an effective, and heartfelt, clarion call.” -- New York Daily News
"American Autumn" impresses most where many docs disappoint, expanding its scope without short-changing the wider subjects it covers.” - Variety
“This is not amateur hour. This is a movie as well made as any Hollywood blockbuster.”- MichaelMoore.com
and I even take pride in that the ultra conservative NY POST hates the film:
It’s a time capsule from a strange moment — like “Hair” without the groovy music." ... "This film can’t be taken seriously by any serious person."
http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/american_autumn_an_occu_doc_half_2p7lLVbjrVuMv9U2RcWYZP?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=Movies
Chris Hedges: Pick Your Poison
Obama or Romney = Austerity
VOTE JILL STEIN!
I disagree with Chris Hedges that electoral politics are not a viable means to power.
October 2, 2012
October 1, 2012
My interview with MoveToAmend co-founder David Cobb
I sit down with David Cobb, co-founder of MoveToAmend.org and 2004 Green Party presidential candidate.
DONATE: http://bit.ly/7OwKc2
BLOG: http://punkpatriot.blogspot.com
FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/1OtiqI
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/punkpatriot
STORE: http://punkpatriot.etsy.com
Music by North Hampton Massachusetts noisepunk band, ZEBU!
http://ubez.tumblr.com
Zebu on Bandcamp
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