Current Events in January 2019

In yet another blending of technology and health care, Microsoft and Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has announced a partnership that officials say will improve health outcomes and lower costs.

It follows Amazon’s anticipated moves into the space later this year. The e-commerce giant recently purchased online pharmacy PillPack and is working with Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan Chase on healthcare initiatives.

Walgreens and Microsoft say their tie-up will be aimed at developing new ways to more efficiently deliver health care. The companies will use Microsoft Azure, Microsoft's cloud and AI platform, investments in health care, and increase retail offerings to WBA's customer base.

The goal, they say, is to make health care delivery more personal, affordable and accessible for consumers.

"Improving health outcomes while lowering the cost of care is a complex challenge that requires broad collaboration and strong partnership between the health care and tech industries," said Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft.

Stefano Pessina, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of WBA, said the partnership with Microsoft will increase health options for consumers, eventually transforming WBA’s retail outlets into “neighborhood health destinations.”

Digital health corners

The two companies have committed to invest in research and development to achieve their goals, exploring the potential to set up joint innovation centers in major markets. This year, Walgreens will pilot up to 12 store-in-store "digital health corners" aimed at the merchandising and sale of select health care-related hardware and devices.

How it will impact consumers in the short run is yet to be seen, but it is hardly the first combining of two non-competing industries in health care. Last year, the Justice Department cleared the merger of CVS Health and Aetna, combining a health benefits provider with a pharmacy retailer.

When the merger was announced in December 2017, it was presented as a way to streamline basic health care services and lower costs. Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini suggested CVS retail locations would become something similar to the Genius Bar at Apple, with customers able to walk into a store and get help.

The Walgreens-Microsoft deal appears to be mostly aimed at integrating a higher level of technology into the health care system. For starters, Walgreens will enroll more than 380,000 employees for the Microsoft 365 cloud apps product. It will also transfer most of its information technology work to Microsoft’s Azure cloud.

Shermag is recalling about 2,956 Shermag Harrison convertible 4-in-1 cribs.

The hardware on the cribs can become loose and detach, allowing the sides of the crib to widen, creating a hazardous gap in which infants and toddlers can become wedged or trapped, posing risks of suffocation and strangulation.

Hardware failures can also lead to the crib to collapse as sides may detach.

No injuries have been reported.

The following product, sold exclusively at Toys’ R Us Canada from January 2015, to September 2016, is being recalled:

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should immediately stop using it and contact Shermag to receive a refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Shermag at (800) 567-3419, Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (ET).

Lawmakers and a member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are calling for an emergency investigation into cell phone carriers’ practice of selling user location data, but there’s one important person who doesn’t seem keen on participating: the leader of the FCC.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will not be participating in an emergency briefing into the matter led by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, his staff told Democrats in the committee on Monday. His staff blamed the government shutdown as the reason.

Then again, cracking down on the data and cell phone industries aren’t exactly things that Pai has previously shown an interest in. Pai is a former attorney for Verizon and last year famously voted to gut net neutrality rules, a stance that was celebrated by the industry.

Carriers under pressure over location tracking

Verizon and other major carriers are now in the hot seat over the revelation that cell phone companies sell location data to third-parties, who then sell the data to people who may not have consumers’ best interests at heart. A recent investigation by Motherboard revealed that bounty hunters can easily find a person’s cell phone for as little as $200.

The Motherboard investigation sparked a major outcry. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. said that the data-tracking puts law enforcement and domestic abuse victims at risk, among many other people.

In a statement to Gizmodo, the FCC promised that its investigation into the issue would resume once the shutdown is over. The FCC said that the staff working on the issue “are currently on furlough.”

“Of course, when the Commission is able to resume normal operations, the investigation will continue,” the FCC’s statement says.

A new survey of consumers shows a declining level of confidence in their short-term financial outlook.

According to Bankrate’s Financial Outlook Survey, 55 percent of consumers who were questioned don’t expect their financial situation to improve in 2019. This includes 12 percent who think their situation will be worse and 44 percent who think it will stay the same.

It follows a December Bankrate survey that found six in 10 employees received neither a raise in their current job nor a better paying job last year, a sizable increase from 2017.

The survey was taken during the time of the current government shutdown, which could have some effect on the outcome. Mark Hamrick, Bankrate’s senior financial analyst, says a shutdown of the federal government can have a big impact on consumer confidence.

“If you think about, first of all, just that in general, the erosion of confidence in institutions and then you think about essential developments in recent years with respect to government shutdowns, the divisive nature of national politics and the lack of the ability on the part of elected leaders to forge productive and constructive solutions to major problems — it is understandable why people may feel that way,” Hamrick said.

The current government shutdown is now the longest on record. President Trump is demanding that legislation funding the government include some money for starting construction of a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Democrats in Congress have refused to consider such a proposal.

Not the only factor

But the stalemate in Washington is not the only factor that appears to be providing a drag on confidence. While employment prospects remain positive, consumers say the rise in interest rates is causing economic hardship, suggesting that many are carrying credit card balances that get more expensive every time the Fed raises interest rates.

But it turns out not everyone is pessimistic about the economic future. Millennials are markedly more optimistic about the economy.

Nearly 60 percent of young adults in the millennial generation predict their financial fortunes will improve in 2019. Economists say that’s surprising considering how much student loan debt this generation is carrying.

Millennials are not the only ones going into the new year with an increased degree of optimism. Nearly half -- 44 percent -- of survey respondents think 2019 will be a better year financially. More than half think they’ll earn more money this year and nearly 40 percent think they can reduce their debt.

Going forward, Netflix subscribers will have to pay a little more for the streaming service.

The company announced Tuesday that, effective immediately, its basic plan will cost $9, up from $8; its HD standard plan (Netflix’s most popular plan) will cost $13, up from $11; and its 4K premium plan will cost $16, up from $14.

Netflix said existing subscribers will see the new pricing reflected on their bills “over the next few months.”

“We change pricing from time to time as we continue investing in great entertainment and improving the overall Netflix experience,” the company said in a statement.

Netflix has not yet returned a request for additional comment from ConsumerAffairs.

Offsetting content cost

The new monthly prices equate to an increase of 13 percent to 18 percent -- the biggest jump in Netflix’s history.

The higher subscription costs are intended to help Netflix grow its lineup of original content, as well as help the company dig itself out the debt it’s acquired while striving to compete with Amazon, Disney, and AT&T.

Netflix has raised its prices for U.S. subscribers four times, most recently in late 2017. However, this is the first rate increase that will impact all subscribers at once. News of the most recent subscription price hikes caused Netflix shares to rise about 6 percent in morning trading Tuesday.

NBC has announced that it plans to launch a free, ad-supported streaming service for customers who pay for cable in early 2020.

The service will include 1,500 hours of NBC-TV shows, such as Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation, and “hundreds of hours” of Universal movies, the company announced Monday. For those who don’t subscribe to a pay-TV service, the service will cost $12 each month as an ad-free, standalone service.

The launch of NBC’s streaming service is “contingent on striking deals with the largest pay-TV providers, which it hasn’t yet done,” CNBC reported, citing a source with knowledge of the company’s plans.

“Still, the product will be free for customers of those providers, so NBC doesn’t plan on any challenges when it comes to inking those agreements,” the news outlet said.

Banking on ad revenue

The service will be free to Comcast Cable and Sky pay-TV subscribers. However, NBC will air between three and five minutes of ads per hour, said NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke.

“We think we can get around $5 a month from people who would use a free service,” Burke told the Hollywood Reporter.

“One of the interesting things about this that makes it different and innovative is that we’ll have a big emphasis on free-to-consumer,” Burke said. “We want to create a platform that has significant scale and can scale quickly. The best way to do that, is make it free to consumers and leverage the fact that NBCUniversal’s sister company is a cable company and now owns Sky.”

Prior to the announcement, Disney and AT&T’s Warner Media both said they will launch video-streaming services of their own at the end of 2019. CBS already offers ad-supported streaming for sports and news, as well as a subscription streaming service called CBS All Access. Fox News launched its Fox Nation subscription service toward the end of last year.

Unemployment is low and job opportunities are increasing, so it probably isn’t surprising that more people would consider moving to another location to take a better job.

New research from staffing firm Robert Half shows 62 percent of employees answering a survey said they would consider moving to pursue a job opportunity. And if they could move to a city that is more affordable than their current location, so much the better.

Real estate broker Redfin has surveyed the country and compiled a list of the ten most desirable neighborhoods which are also affordable. That’s an important qualifier, since “desirable” and “affordable” don’t usually appear in the same sentence.

Redfin’s Hottest Affordable Neighborhoods report narrows down the most popular neighborhoods that are also affordable for the average homebuyer. To do that, it incorporates a price cap of $294,000, the national median home price.

Some surprising locations

That price point won’t buy much in the nation’s most expensive housing markets on the West Coast, but it will buy a nice home in some surprising locations.

Since the housing market recovered, many first-time buyers have preferred urban neighborhoods. But as those properties have gotten more expensive, Redfin agent Rebecca Hall says suburban areas -- such as those found in the Baltimore metro -- are heating up.

"They're moving to areas that don't feel as dense; they have more of a neighborhood feel and that's really appealing to homebuyers,” Hall said. “You can get larger single-family homes rather than the row houses Baltimore is known for, and they're less expensive. Some of these pockets are also known for desirable charter schools."

The top 10

Here’s Redfin’s list of the top 10 desirable and affordable neighborhoods in the U.S.:

1. McKinley Park, Chicago, IL

Median sale price: $270,000

Median sale price for metro area: $230,000

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 97.9%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 35.1%

2. East Mount Airy, Philadelphia, PA

Median sale price: $200,000

Median sale price for metro area: $199,000

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 98%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 28.1%

3. Parkville, Baltimore, MD

Median sale price: $204,900

Median sale price for metro area: $270,000

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 98.2%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 24%

4. Hamilton, Baltimore, MD

Median sale price: $159,500

Median sale price for metro area: $270,000

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 98.5%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 31.6%

5. Fircrest, Vancouver, WA (Portland, OR metro area)

Median sale price: $282,500

Median sale price for metro area: $385,000

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 100.1%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 20%

6. Bustleton, Philadelphia, PA

Median sale price: $248,250

Median sale price for metro area: $199,000

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 98.1%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 29.4%

7. Linthicum, Baltimore, MD

Median sale price: $271,000

Median sale price for metro area: $270,000

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 99.4%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 37%

8. Lowell, Boston, MA

Median sale price: $249,250

Median sale price for metro area: $471,100

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 102.5%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 38.9%

9. Fox Chase, Philadelphia, PA

Median sale price: $219,000

Median sale price for metro area: $199,000

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 98.4%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 30.2%

10. Beacon Hill, San Antonio, TX

Median sale price: $213,264

Median sale price for metro area: $220,000

Average sale-to-list price ratio: 98.5%

Percentage of homes that sold above list price: 46.2%

Volkswagen announced Monday at the Detroit Auto Show that it will be investing $800 million in its factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee to build a new electric vehicle at the plant.

Reports surfaced last year that the company was scouting U.S. locations at which to potentially build an electric car factory to support the MEB platform, but no decisions had been made. Now, the company has confirmed that it will expand at its current location in Chattanooga, Electrek reports.

“The US is one of the most important locations for us, and producing electric cars in Chattanooga is a key part of our growth strategy in North America,” said Volkswagen Chief Executive Herbert Diess.

“The management team lead by Scott Keogh is committed to continuing to increase our market share in the coming years. Together with our ongoing investments and this increase in local production, we are strengthening the foundation for sustainable growth of the Volkswagen brand in the US.”

Production to begin in 2022

The German automaker said electric vehicle production at the Tennessee plant would begin in 2022. The first EV to be produced will be an all-electric crossover based I.D. CROZZ Concept. After that, the automaker will start producing the I.D. BUZZ electric microbus.

The automaker’s investment will create 1,000 new jobs at the Chattanooga factory.

“We could not be prouder to build the future of mobility here in the U.S,” Scott Keogh, CEO and president of Volkswagen Group of America, said. “We’re known as ‘the people’s car’ for a reason, and our EVs will build on that tradition.” In addition, the Chattanooga plant will continue to produce the Atlas and the Passat.”

The company claimed in November that it’s planning for the capacity to produce “15 million full-electric cars” and that it will have “much lower” prices than rival Tesla.

Preparing for more electric vehicles

The announcement of Volkswagen’s new factory follows a series of moves by the automaker that were intended to pave the way for electric vehicles.

In late 2017, one of the company’s subsidiaries made a commitment to creating more electric vehicle charging stations. The company -- Electrify America -- said that it planned on installing 2,800 electric vehicle recharge stations in the U.S. by June of 2019. Officials said the stations would be located primarily in residential and workplace locations to make them more convenient for consumers.

Volkswagen isn’t the only company preparing for big changes in the automotive industry. Executives from several major automakers spoke about the future of the industry at this week’s Detroit Auto Show.

The Detroit Auto Show kicked off this week with lots of shiny new products, but there was an overhang of concern about the future of the auto industry. Change is in the air.

Just in the last year, we have seen auto sales begin to level off, Volkswagen announce that it is getting out of the diesel business in favor of electrics, and Ford and GM retire most of their sedans in favor of trucks and SUVs.

Ford CEO Jim Hackett says his company has undergone a restructuring to make it more efficient, and those efforts have paid off, even as it raised costs in the short run.

“To Alan Mulally's [Hackett’s predecessor] credit we built an underbody in the best-selling product in history, the F-150, that will meet fuel standards in the future that are more onerous,” Hackett said in an interview with CNBC. We’re the only [carmaker] that has that future-proofing. But the cost of that was in the product early.”

Hackett said 2018 was largely spent thinking about and designing changes to Ford’s line-up, and 2019 will be about implementing them. Ford announced in 2018 that it is phasing out its line of sedans to focus on its popular trucks and SUVs.

Vehicles of the year

Meanwhile, the North American Car, Utility, and Truck of the Year awards were presented to the Genesis G70, Hyundai Kona, and Ram 1500. The vehicles were selected by a panel of journalists from print, online, radio, and broadcast media across the U.S. and Canada.

"The Genesis G70 doesn't just go toe-to-toe with segment mainstays like the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class – it beats them all in driver engagement while positively slaying them on value for the dollar," said Chris Paukert, vice president of the awards program and executive editor of Roadshow by CNET. "No longer just a value play, it's the real deal."

The Ram 1500 emerged as the winner in the truck category, edging out two trucks from GM -- the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500.

Debut

GM used the Detroit show to unveil its new Cadillac XT6, a luxury SUV that uses the same frame as the Buick Enclave but adds Cadillac style. In addition to the upgraded trim, the XT6 has an air ionizer for the cabin, along with heated and ventilated front seats.

Ford introduced the Shelby GT500, calling it the “most powerful street-legal Mustang ever.” Ford said the new consumer version of the car is on par with the version of the Mustang used by NASCAR.

While there is an ongoing debate surrounding organic and non-organic foods, genetically modified (GM) foods have also entered into the equation.

While many consumers have varying opinions on GM foods, a new study revealed that those who oppose the trend might think they know the most about the topic, but they really know the least.

“This result is perverse, but is consistent with previous research on the psychology of extremism,” said lead author Phil Fernbach. “Extreme views often stem from people feeling they understand complex topics better than they actually do.”

Gaining understanding

To gauge the public understanding of GM foods, researchers had over 2,000 adults from across the United States and Europe participate in their study.

The participants first completed a survey that covered their own personal opinions of GM foods, which revealed that over 90 percent of the group were against them, despite previous research proving their safe consumption. Following the survey, participants were given true or false questions to test how much they actually know and understand about the science behind GM foods.

The researchers found that the participants scored lowest on the test portion of the experiment when they had the strongest opposition to GM foods. This finding proved troublesome to the scientists because they fear those who aren’t informed may never seek out correct information in similar situations moving forward.

“Our findings suggest that changing people's’ minds first requires them to appreciate what they don’t know,” said researcher Nicholas Light. “Without this first step, educational interventions might not work very well to bring people in line with the scientific consensus.”

The researchers followed this study up with the same experiment, but they focused the questions on different subject matters.

The group has explored both gene therapy and climate change, and they found almost identical results with the gene therapy experiment -- those who were the most opposed to it knew less about it. However, climate change presented itself as a more political issue, and regardless of what people knew about it, their opinions were swayed by how they identify politically.

Moving forward, the researchers want to focus their experiments on issues like homeopathic medicine, vaccinations, and nuclear power.

Consistent findings

A few years back, the University of Florida conducted a study that explored consumers’ attitudes about food safety. It showed that the majority of consumers are generally concerned about food safety -- though they may not have all the information right.

While the survey touched on fresh fruits and veggies versus canned fruits and veggies, it also explored consumers’ beliefs on genetically modified foods. Less than half of those polled saw GM foods as a concern, though the researchers think more widespread education should be provided so consumers can get a more complete understanding of these products.

“There has never been a single case of harm to an animal or human eating an estimated three trillion meals in the last 17 years, since genetically engineered food became available in the marketplace,” said researcher Kevin Folta. “The survey says that we need to be doing more in communicating the science to the public.”

La Cie d'Investissements Côté Inc. is recalling Bio Busti brand Pecorino Stagionato cheese.

The product may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

There are no reported illnesses associated with the consumption of this product.

The following product, sold from Marchés Tau locations described below, is being recalled:

• Brand Name: Bio Busti
• Common Name: Pecorino Stagionato cheese- with raw milk
• Size: Various
• Code(s) on Product: L18180540 0203046
• UPC: None
• Additional Info: Sold from Marchés Tau located at:
  • 1325 Boul. Michèle-Bohec, Blainville, Quebec from January 4 to January 14, 2019, inclusive.
  • 7373 Boul. Langelier, Saint-Léonard, Quebec from January 8 to January 14, 2019, inclusive.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should discard it or return it to the store where purchased.

Consumers with questions may contact the company by email at reception@marchestau.com.

With no end in sight for the government shutdown, it’s all hands on deck. Congressional leaders are pushing for relief, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has its hands tied in trying to deal with routine inspections, and other agencies -- like the IRS -- are doing their best just to keep up with commitments to consumers.

One consumer segment greatly impacted is the travel industry. Airports, national parks, and others are taking a $100 million hit per day and the traveller is feeling the brunt.

While the flying public depends on pilots and air traffic controllers to get them up and down safely, consumers are powerless to do much regarding the shutdown’s impact on travel.

But the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), for one, has apparently had its fill. The association filed a lawsuit in United States District Court on behalf of its members who have not been paid for their work since the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) appropriations lapsed in late December.

"Every moment of every hour of every day, the skies of the United States are overseen by the hardworking employees of the United States Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA")," wrote the association in its complaint.

"Each day, the FAA's Air Traffic Controllers are responsible for ensuring the safe routing of tens of thousands of flights, often working lengthy, grueling overtime shifts to do so. In fact, plaintiffs' job is so demanding and requires such rare skills that the FAA struggles to maintain a full complement of certified Air Traffic Controllers, even under normal circumstances."

Consider the fasten seatbelt sign officially turned on

In trying to make a point, the association tells the story of Amanda Fuchs of Orlando, Florida --  a single mom employed as an air traffic controller and one of the plaintiff’s in the case. In Fuchs’ particular situation, she has two things to fret over. One is not being able to afford needed physical therapy in light of upcoming pelvic surgery. Another is not being able to attend her grandmother’s funeral that came in the middle of the shutdown.

"Others have been unable to afford crucial medical care for immediate family members, while yet another plaintiff will be unable to provide payments owed to a former spouse that could result in a violation of a court order and the subsequent loss of his required security clearance. Several of the individual plaintiffs will not be able to make loan repayments to Thrift Savings Plans, which may result in penalties," wrote the association.

The plight of air traffic controllers doesn’t seem lost on anyone -- not even Hollywood actors. One such star -- Zach Braff -- drew attention to the situation on Twitter.

"The job of an Air Traffic Controller is extraordinarily stressful. One mistake can be catastrophic. They shouldn’t be having sleepless nights about how to pay their bills. They shouldn’t be anxious. We are treating kings and queens like pawns," Braff tweeted.

The NATCA estimates that close to 3,000 of its FAA employees are furloughed and not being paid. It’s reported that air traffic controllers will continue to work, but support staff, maintenance staff, and technicians have all been sent home without pay.

There have been lawsuits, educational programs, and new prescribing directives in recent years, but the death toll from opioid abuse continues to climb.

The National Safety Council has released sobering statistics that show Americans’ chances of dying from an opioid overdose are now greater than being killed in an auto accident. The odds of dying from an overdose are now one in 96. The chance you’ll die in a traffic accident is one in 103.

"We've made significant strides in overall longevity in the United States, but we are dying from things typically called accidents at rates we haven't seen in half a century," said Ken Kolosh, manager of statistics at the National Safety Council. "We cannot be complacent about 466 lives lost every day. This new analysis reinforces that we must consistently prioritize safety at work, at home, and on the road to prevent these dire outcomes."

Children at risk

Last month, a study published in JAMA showed opioid overdose death rates among children and adolescents in the U.S. rose dramatically in the past two decades. Between 1999 and 2016, nearly 9,000 youths died of opioid poisoning, either from accidental ingestion, from intentional poisoning, or from using their parents’ prescription painkillers.

The deaths were attributable to either prescription or illegal opioids, and about 40 percent of the deaths occurred at home, the researchers found. Most of the deaths -- nearly 81 percent -- were unintentional.

In one of the few areas where Republicans and Democrats in Washington have found common ground, Congress passed and the president signed legislation last fall to increase funding for opioid addiction treatment.

Falling down is a growing threat

In addition to opioid overdose and auto accidents, the National Safety Council reports that falls are also a lethal threat and are now the third leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. The lifetime odds of dying from an accidental fall are now one in 114, an increase from one in 119 just a year ago.

Older adults are particularly vulnerable to serious injury from falling down. A 2016 study, published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine found that more than 50 percent of seniors treated in an emergency room because of a fall either had additional falls, had to be hospitalized, or died within six months.

The National Safety Council reports that preventable injuries are the third leading cause of death in the U.S., behind only heart disease and cancer. And of the top three causes of death, preventable injuries was the only category to experience an increase in 2017.

Going forward, General Motors will make Cadillac its “lead electric vehicle brand.”

The automaker announced on Friday that the first model will feature GM’s new battery electric vehicle architecture, which will lay the foundation for a “family of profitable EVs.” GM said its gearing up to position Cadillac as a luxury rival to the current segment leader, Tesla.

“Cadillac will be GM's lead electric vehicle brand and will introduce the first model from the company's all-new battery electric vehicle architecture, GM's foundation for an advanced family of profitable EVs,” the company said in an update for investors released on Friday.

“The flexible platform will provide a broad array of body styles and will be offered in front-wheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel configurations. Its most critical components — including the battery cells — are being designed for maximum usability across all programs. The battery system will also be adjustable, based on vehicle and customer requirements.”

The Detroit-based automaker previously sold an ELR hybrid coupe priced at $75,0000 -- $35,000 more than the Volt. To stay competitive, GM’s upcoming electric models will need to be affordably priced.

The company hasn’t elaborated on its Friday announcement or said when the Cadillac EV will be built, whether it will be a crossover or sedan, or where it will be assembled.

Over the next 15 months, GM will be gradually phasing out the $7,500 federal EV tax credit after having recently reached sales of 200,000 electrified units. Tesla hit the same sales milestone last summer.

Just days after AT&T was hit with criticism from competitors regarding its “5G E” marketing strategy, Sprint’s President of Business Jan Geldmacher has commented on the controversial strategy.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance at CES 2019, Geldmacher emphasized that the updated “5G E” icon on some Samsung and LG smartphones isn’t real 5G.

“They [AT&T] call it 5G, but we believe it’s not 5G,” he said. “We roll out the real 5G. It’s based on our 2.5 gigahertz spectrum. It’s based on our massive mine of technology, and it’s compliant with the 5G [rules], which we have agreed to.”

AT&T updated the logo to indicate that those devices had received some speed-boosting upgrades. The “E” is intended to stand for “evolution.” However, critics of the marketing strategy argue that some consumers may believe their phone is capable of connecting to 5G networks even though it’s still using 4G connections.

Misleading consumers

Last week, Sprint’s CTO Dr. John Saw expressed similar sentiments regarding the carrier’s “5G E” marketing move.

"AT&T is blatantly misleading consumers -- 5GE is not real 5G," Saw told Engadget. Sprint said it would market “real 5G that is standards-based” during the first half of this year.

T-Mobile took to social media to voice its thoughts on the matter. In a video, the carrier showed an iPhone being updated with a “9G” logo written on a sticky note and placed over an LTE connectivity icon.

Verizon, meanwhile, published full-page ads on major newspapers including The New York Times and Wall Street Journal that alluded to AT&T's fake 5G service.

"The potential to over-hype and under-deliver on the 5G promise is a temptation that the wireless industry must resist," Verizon's CTO Kyle Malady wrote in the ad.

Confusing terms "risk alienating the very people we want most to join in developing and harnessing this exciting new technology,” Malady said. "We're calling on the broad wireless industry to commit to labeling something 5G only if new device hardware is connecting to the network using new radio technology to deliver new capabilities.”

It seems researchers have lately been trying to tell us something. We’re spending way too much time on social media.

The latest warning comes from Texas State University where researchers have found a link between negative social media activity and major depressive disorder (MDD) in millennials. Their findings are published in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Research.

The study focused on a group of millennials who used social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. It found that young people who were diagnosed with MDD tested higher for social media addiction.

This group of millennials, many of whom came of age with social media, tended to compare themselves to their peers who were obviously better off than they were. This group was bothered more than others by being tagged in unflattering pictures on social media.

They were also less likely to post pictures of themselves with other people. They also had fewer followers.

Not all bad

Krista Howard, co-author of the study and a member of the Department of Psychology at Texas State, is quick to say that social media isn’t all bad. She says it can have many positive benefits, including showing people they have social support.

“The key is for individuals to develop an awareness of how they currently use social media and to determine what changes could be made in their social media use to reduce the behaviors associated with psychological distress,” Howard said.

Another academic study, released last week, also points to the negative effects of too much social media. Researchers at Michigan State linked too much social media to bad decision-making.

Their study rated participants on their dependence on social media and then had them take a test that measured their decision-making skills. Invariably, those who spent the most time on social media made the worst decisions.

Feeling excluded

Last fall, researchers at the University at Buffalo published their findings that showed social media use can create feelings of being excluded. It occurs, the researchers found, when a person sees their friends on social media engaged in an activity that didn’t include them.

Howard says it just gets back to limiting social media use. In addition to spending less time looking at Facebook or Instagram, she suggests unfollowing individuals or groups that are the cause of distress and limiting online social comparisons.