Current Events in February 2020

With the advent of wearable fitness trackers, many consumers have taken to counting how many steps they take on a daily basis. The common thinking is that having more steps shows more activity, which can help consumers stay active and lose weight. 

While more activity certainly can promote better health, researchers say that even those who achieve the “gold standard” of 10,000 steps per day may not lose weight from doing it. In fact, a study conducted at Brigham Young University (BYU) suggests that getting up to 15,000 steps per day may not be enough on its own to encourage weight loss.

"Exercise alone is not always the most effective way to lose weight," said lead author Bruce Bailey, professor of exercise science at BYU. "If you track steps, it might have a benefit in increasing physical activity, but our study showed it won't translate into maintaining weight or preventing weight gain."

Weight gain despite activity

To come to their conclusions, the researchers studied 120 freshmen students throughout their first six months at BYU while they engaged in a step-counting experiment. Over the course of 24 weeks, three different groups walked either 10,000, 12,500, or 15,000 steps for six days a week. The researchers also tracked participants’ weight and eating habits. 

The findings showed that the group that walked 15,000 steps per day still experienced weight gain over the study period. While the researchers focused on college students, the findings show that there are many factors that go into losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

When analyzing the overall benefits of taking more steps, the researchers found that the group that took the most steps per day was able to increase their overall physical activity by over one hour per day -- a factor that the study authors say can “have other emotional and health benefits.”

"The biggest benefit of step recommendations is getting people out of a sedentary lifestyle. Even though it won't prevent weight gain on its own, more steps is always better for you," Bailey said.

The full study has been published in the Journal of Obesity.

A new study conducted by researchers from Ohio State University explored how vocabulary specific to certain topics, such as science or politics, can affect consumers’ reading process and their general interest levels. 

The study revealed that the use of subject-specific jargon in an online article is an all but surefire way for consumers to completely lose interest in the subject matter -- even if definitions of the words are provided. 

“The use of difficult, specialized words are a signal that tells people that they don’t belong,” said researcher HIllary Shulman. “You can tell them what the terms mean, but it doesn’t matter. They already feel like this message isn’t for them.” 

Choosing words carefully

To get a better understanding of what kinds of terminology could turn consumers off from a piece of writing, the researchers had 650 participants involved in the study. 

Shulman and her team had the participants read three online paragraphs, each on a different trend in science. Half of the participants had readings that were in layman’s terms, while the other half read paragraphs that were heavy with scientific vocabulary. 

To test another variable, the researchers allowed half of the group reading the more specialized version of the text to also read definitions of the words that could be tripping them up. Participants weren’t required to read the definitions, but the option was available to them if they chose it. 

Following the readings, the participants then reflected on their experience with the passages, including their feelings on the topic and what information they were able to take away from the reading. 

The researchers learned that those who read the passages with the more specialized vocabulary not only showed less interest in the subject area, but they also reported poorer reading experiences overall. The opposite was true of those who read the no-frills version of the text, as these readers felt more knowledgeable about the topic and expressed greater interest. 

“Exposure to jargon led people to report things like ‘I’m not really good at science’ ‘I’m not interested in learning about science,’ and ‘I’m not well qualified to participate in science discussions,’” said Shulman. “What we found is that giving people definitions didn’t matter at all -- it had no effect on how difficult they thought the reading was.” 

Beyond science

Though this study focused on consumers’ responses to a science-based text, Shulman and her team have conducted similar studies with politics-focused readings, which have yielded similar results. 

“We have found that when you use colloquial language when talking to people about issues like immigration policy, they report more interest in politics, more ability to understand political information, and more confidence in their political opinions,” Shulman explained. 

The bottom line, according to Shulman, is that texts need to be accessible to the general public if experts want consumers to be interested in the subject, feel knowledgeable, and continue to engage with them in the future. 

“We can get citizens to engage with complex political and scientific issues if we communicate to them in language that they understand,” said Shulman. 

Cars on U.S. highways are getting safer, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is singling out 64 models for its 2020 top safety honors.

This year, vehicles must meet new criteria to qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK or TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards. They must have a “good” rating in each of IHSS’ six crashworthiness evaluations, and there’s also a new emphasis on protecting pedestrians in addition to vehicle occupants.

The “plus” is awarded to models that come exclusively with good or acceptable headlights, making it easier for consumers to find properly equipped vehicles. Of the 64 award winners, 23 qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK+.

“The headlight ratings that have been part of our awards criteria in recent years have pushed automakers to pay more attention to this essential equipment,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “However, finding vehicles with the right headlights can be a challenge for consumers. We wanted to reward automakers that have removed this obstacle.”

Headlights

Headlights get a strong emphasis since good visibility is critical to avoiding nighttime accidents. Six of the models that drove off with a “plus” designation  — the Genesis G70, Honda Insight, Hyundai Nexo, Lexus NX, Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid and Tesla Model 3 — aren’t sold with anything other than good-rated headlights. 

IIHS explains how it determines a vehicle’s overall safety rating in the video below.

Mazda and Hyundai stand out

In this year’s rankings, Mazda and Hyundai stand out. Mazda earned the most TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards with five — for the Mazda 3 sedan, Mazda 3 hatchback, Mazda 6, CX-3, and CX-5. The CX-9 collected a TOP SAFETY PICK award.

"We are proud to be the top 2020 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award recipient. It's a big accomplishment and stems from our commitment to our owners," said Mazda President Jeff Guyton. "Always keeping our customers in mind, Mazda is dedicated to providing the most advanced safety technologies, giving our customers a more enjoyable and confident driving experience."

Hyundai, meanwhile, collected the most overall winners since the company includes the Genesis and Kia brands in addition to Hyundai. Fourteen models earned a TOP SAFETY PICK award and three others collected a TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation.

"Hyundai and its engineering teams continue to make vehicles even safer by prioritizing cutting-edge safety,” said Andy Freels, president, Hyundai America Technical Center. 

Freels points to Hyundai safety features like is forward collision-avoidance assist and blind-spot collision warning as major steps in enhancing vehicle safety.

No minivans or pickups qualify for this year’s list. IIHS says that could change if automakers decide to make mid-year production changes and nominate the vehicle for testing.

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 429,686 model year 2006-2011 Elantras and model year 2007-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles.

Moisture may enter the Anti-lock Brake (ABS) Module and result in an electrical short.

An electrical short within the ABS Module may cause an engine compartment fire, even when the car is turned off, increasing the risk of an injury.

What to do

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install a relay in the vehicle's main junction box to prevent the risk of an ABS short-circuit while the car is turned off -- free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin April 3, 2020.

Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at (855) 371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 188.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 2,518 model year 2018-2019 E63 AMG 4MATICs, E63S AMG 4MATIC Wagons, S63 AMG Cabrio 4MATICs, S63 AMG Coupe 4MATICs & S63 AMG 4MATICs, and model year 2019 G63 AMG 4MATICs, AMG GT63 4MATICs and AMG GT63S 4MATICs with 4.0L 8-cylinder gasoline turbocharged engines.

The oil feed line to the turbocharger may leak.

An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil feed line to the turbocharger free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin March 27, 2020.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.

Ford Motor Company is recalling about 217,000 model year 2013-18 Ford Flex, Ford Taurus Police Interceptor Sedan, Ford Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKT vehicles.

Vehicles exposed to frequent full rear-suspension articulation (jounce and rebound) may experience a fractured rear suspension toe link.

A rear toe link fracture while the vehicle is being driven increases the risk of a crash.

The automaker says it is not aware of any reports of accidents or injuries to date.

What to do

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left- and right-hand rear suspension toe links with new forged toe links.

Owners may contact Ford at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S04.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is stepping up its antitrust investigation of five major technology companies.

The agency has ordered Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, to turn over documents and other information regarding their acquisitions of other companies.

In other words, the government wants to know how these big companies got so big and whether they crossed any antitrust lines. The time period under investigation is 2010 to 2019.

The FTC is basing the probe on an obscure section of the FTC act which gives the agency a lot of latitude to conduct investigations that don’t actually have a specific law enforcement purpose. The FTC says it is trying to better understand large technology companies’ acquisition activity.

Reason for acquisitions

At issue is whether the acquisition of these smaller companies -- such as Facebook’s purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp -- were designed to support a company’s main mission or were intended to remove potential competitors from the field.

The FTC probe is the latest move by officials in Washington to scrutinize Big Tech, which has troubled policymakers over issues like user privacy and the scope of their power. Some in Congress have called for breaking up both Facebook and Alphabet.

“Digital technology companies are a big part of the economy and our daily lives,” said FTC Chairman Joe Simons. “This initiative will enable the Commission to take a closer look at acquisitions in this important sector, and also to evaluate whether the federal agencies are getting adequate notice of transactions that might harm competition. This will help us continue to keep tech markets open and competitive, for the benefit of consumers.”

Justice Department probe

In July, the U.S. Justice Department announced a broad antitrust investigation of major tech companies to review how they achieved their market power and if they engaged in practices that “have reduced competition, stifled innovation, or otherwise harmed consumers.”

At the time, the Justice Department did not name any specific company included in its probe, but it was generally assumed that Facebook, Google, Amazon, Twitter, and Apple could be on the shortlist. That review is believed to still be underway.

That same month the FTC informed Facebook that it was the subject of an antitrust investigation. 

In this second phase of the FTC investigation, the named companies are required to identify their corporate acquisitions that were not reported to the FTC and Justice Department as required by law.

The orders also require companies to provide information and documents on their corporate acquisition strategies, voting and board appointment agreements, agreements to hire key personnel from other companies, and post-employment covenants not to compete.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and experts are predicting that consumers will be spending more than they ever have before this year. 

In its annual lead-up to the holiday, the National Retail Federation (NRF) worked with Prosper Insights & Analytics to survey over 7,000 adults. The results suggest that consumers will be spending $27.4 billion on Valentine's Day this year -- coming out to an average of $196.31 per person. That tops last year’s record of $20.7 billion. NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay says that a strong economy is the driving force behind those numbers.

“Valentine’s Day is a sentimental tradition, but gift-giving can be driven by the economy. Consumers spent freely during the 2019 winter holidays and they appear ready to do the same in the new year,” Shay said. 

“The same strong employment numbers and higher wages that boosted holiday sales should make it easier to spend a little extra to say ‘I love you’ this year and to spread the gift-giving beyond just your significant other.”

Spending on loved ones

While experts say that consumers will be splurging to buy friends, co-workers, and pets something special for the holiday, the survey shows that just over half of all spending (52 percent) will be targeted toward spouses and significant others. The average amount spent is predicted to come in at $101.21 this year. 

In addition to those loved ones, consumers are projected to spend an average of $30.19 on family members, $14.69 on friends, $14.45 on children’s classmates and teachers, $12.96 on co-workers, $12.21 on pets, and $10.61 on others not fitting within those categories.

“We’ve always heard of puppy love, but pets are definitely seeing a larger share of Valentine’s Day spending,” said Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategy at Prosper Insights. “Husbands and wives don’t need to be worried if their spouses are buying a Valentine’s Day gift for someone else – most likely it’s greeting cards for their children’s class at school, flowers for a family member or maybe a treat for the family dog.”

Overall, consumers are projected to spend $5.8 billion on jewelry for the holiday, $4.3 billion on an evening out, $2.9 billion on clothing, $2.4 billion candy, $2.3 billion on flowers, $2 billion on gift cards, $1.3 billion on greeting cards. 

Still looking for the right gift for your loved one? ConsumerAffairs has published 20 of the best Valentine’s gift ideas for consumers of all different tastes. You can check it out by visiting our site here.

U.S. security officials say they have cold, hard evidence that Chinese tech firm Huawei has backdoor access to mobile-phone networks. They allege that no one, no matter where they live, is out of Huawei’s reach.

"We have evidence that Huawei has the capability secretly to access sensitive and personal information in systems it maintains and sells around the world," U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said in a new Wall Street Journal report.

The push for and against Huawei

The White House and Congress have been at odds over Huawei. While lawmakers tried to limit Huawei’s U.S. footprint, the Trump administration reversed its original concerns and wanted Congress to back off a bit. However, just last month, the administration appeared to change its tune and put heat on European nations to leave Huawei out of any and all of their tech plans.

But Europe didn’t heed Trump’s advice, and both the United Kingdom and Germany moved forward with Huawei, albeit with some restrictions.

That move got the goat of Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), so he introduced a bill that would bar the United States from sharing intelligence with any country that permits Huawei to operate inside its networks.

“Huawei is a Trojan Horse for the Chinese Communist Party to spy on and infiltrate other nations. Our allies must choose: Adopt Huawei and lose access to U.S. intelligence, or remain our trusted partner,” Banks said in a statement.

Over at the Senate, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) started the anti-Huawei ball rolling as well. 

"The United States shouldn't be sharing valuable intelligence information with countries that allow an intelligence-gathering arm of the Chinese Communist Party to operate freely within their borders,” Cotton wrote. “I urge our allies around the world to carefully consider the consequences of dealing with Huawei to their national interests."

Is Huawei a bad actor?

The biggest issue U.S. officials have had with Huawei is their claim that it can clandestinely access mobile and computer networks via networking gear that it sells to telcos. U.S. officials told the Journal that Huawei’s antics have been on their radar since 2009. Despite that knowledge, the officials the Journal spoke to "declined to say whether the US has observed Huawei using this access."

As expected, Huawei said prove it. “If they believe there’s a backdoor, they should offer evidence to prove it,” Liang Hua, Huawei’s chairman, said at last year’s World Economic Forum.

Are U.S. consumers out of harm’s way?

In ConsumerAffairs’ research on the who, what, and where of this case, we found a multitude of telcos that use Huawei equipment. FierceWireless’s latest report counted as many as 200,000 consumers across the U.S. as mostly getting their service from small and regional telcos that use Huawei equipment. Those telcos serve customers in Western Kentucky, Western Tennessee, Western Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, Western Kansas, Northeast Colorado, Montana, Utah, Idaho, and Northwest Dakota

“Why are so many smaller U.S. wireless companies working with Huawei, even after a 2012 government report warned that equipment from Huawei and ZTE could be used by the Chinese government for espionage?” asked FierceWireless’ Tom Dano. “That’s simple: Huawei equipment is apparently good and cheap.”

“It’s hard not to link all the current noise over Chinese threats to national security back to Trump’s brewing trade war with the country,” Dano said. “It seems clear that (the larger telco) companies like ZTE and Qualcomm are probably being used as chess pieces in a broader game.”

“And if that’s the case, (smaller, regional telco) companies like United TelCom, Viaero, and NE Colorado Cellular might need to prepare themselves to enter a chessboard where they will probably serve as pawns, not queens.”

On the heels of a LendingTree study that found a majority of Americans entered the year feeling financial stress, another survey points to consumers’ growing financial angst.

In an analysis of Federal Reserve Data, OnlineLoans reports that 10 percent of respondents think they are losing ground financially. Nearly half of consumers who say it’s difficult to get by say they’re doing worse than their parents were at that age.

The flip side of that, however, is that an overwhelming majority -- 75 percent -- say they’re living comfortably or doing okay. That flies in the face of the LendingTree study, issued last week, which found that 60 percent of people are carrying a debt load that causes them stress.

The credit card squeeze

But the latest study doesn’t focus on income; it notes that some high-income households struggle due to spending. And there’s a single factor that plays an outsized role in both studies -- credit card debt.

“Even though the current U.S. economic climate is quite strong, Americans still struggle to afford their standard of living, and many are not prepared for an unforeseen emergency,” the authors write. “Seventeen percent of Americans said they couldn't pay some bills this month. And the biggest culprit was the credit card bill, which 7 percent of the survey pool – including 4 percent of those living comfortably – pointed to as a major concern.”

Outstanding credit card debt passed the $1 trillion mark a year ago and is beginning to catch up with student loan debt. While most consumer interest rates have fallen since then, credit card interest rates have not.

Balance transfers

An often-overlooked tool in reducing this debt is applying for a balance transfer card with an introductory low-to-no interest rate. Until the end of February, Navy Federal Credit Union is offering its nine million members an introductory rate of 1.99 percent on new purchases and transferred balances.

Justin Zeidman, manager of credit card products for Navy Federal, says what makes the firm’s offer attractive to debt-strapped consumers is the fact there is no balance transfer fee that is charged by most balance transfer cards.

“A lot of people look at a 0 percent APR on a balance transfer and assume that it’s free,” Zeidman told ConsumerAffairs. “In reality, if you’re transferring a $5,000 balance to a card with a 4 percent balance transfer fee it’s costing you $200 just to move the money.”

Zeidman says it’s also important to read the fine print and see what the rate adjusts to once the introductory period is over. Chances are good that there will be a balance remaining on the card once the introductory period expires, so the rate you pay after that is important. But paying off as much of your balance as possible at a rock bottom rate can have a profound psychological effect.

“Seeing your interest charges rack up at a much smaller pace creates a greater sense in the consumer’s mind of being able to get out of debt, to see that light at the end of the tunnel,” Zeidman said.

ConsumerAffairs has checked out some other balance transfer credit card offers here.

A new study conducted by researchers from Penn State found yet another way social media can come into play for prospective job candidates. 

The findings revealed that employers are not only looking at social media before hiring a new employee, but posts that appear too opinionated or self-absorbed could cost consumers a job. 

“In 2018, 70 percent of employers reported looking at social media sites to help them evaluate potential employees, and almost that many -- 60 percent -- eliminated candidates on the basis of negative content,” said researcher Michael Tews. “It’s important for job candidates to be aware of how they portray themselves in social media.” 

Posts to avoid

The researchers had nearly 500 hiring managers participate in the study. Each of them evaluated a job candidate’s responses to an in-person interview; afterwards, they reviewed the hypothetical candidate’s social media posts. 

When it came time to look over candidates’ social media, the participants were shown one of 16 different social media profiles. The profiles showed a wide variety of posts, with the primary focus being on alcohol and drug use, strong opinions, and self-absorption. Ultimately, the researchers found that hiring managers were more likely to reject job candidates based on their social media presence, particularly when taking into consideration those three categories. 

While posts with alcohol or drug use cost some candidates a job, this proved to be the most acceptable posting category for job prospects. Though Tews explained that the posts involved in this study were “benign” when it came to substance use, he also mentioned that hiring managers may “perceive the content as relatively normal.” 

When it came to being perceived as self-absorbed or opinionated, potential job candidates were often dismissed. 

Tews explained that posting opinions that could be “divisive” may make prospective employees seem “more argumentative and less cooperative,” whereas those posting solely about themselves could be perceived as “less likely to sacrifice for the benefit of other employees and the organization.” 

Social media as networking

Though many consumers on the job hunt may be worried about everything they’ve ever posted, Tews is of the mindset that social media can be used for the greater good, especially when it comes to the job market. 

While he believes that job candidates should certainly do a once-over of their online profiles before going to an interview, he also believes that employers should be clearer about what posts are and aren’t acceptable for their corporation to make the process easier on applicants.  

“From the employer perspective, hiring managers should be trained on how best to use social networking content in making selection decisions,” said Tews. “To maximize the benefit of using social networking content for selection purposes, organizations should set guidelines for what content is relevant and should be examined, specify what content is irrelevant and potentially discriminatory and develop standardized rating systems to make the evaluation process more objective.” 

Suffering from a stroke can leave consumers in a fragile physical state long after the initial experience is over. Weakness, numbness, and fatigue are just a few common post-stroke symptoms, but researchers say that a positive outlook can help improve outcomes and encourage a quicker recovery.

A team presenting a study at the Nursing Symposium of the American Stroke Association says that high levels of optimism after a stroke can help reduce inflammation, as well as stroke severity and physical disability.

"Our results suggest that optimistic people have a better disease outcome, thus boosting morale may be an ideal way to improve mental health and recovery after a stroke," said study first author Dr. Yun-Ju Lai.

Mental health and recovery

The researchers based their study on an analysis of data taken from a collection of cases linked to neurological diseases. In one of the psychological tests given to patients, doctors found that those who were more optimistic following a stroke had much lower levels of certain inflammatory markers within their bodies.

Inflammation is perhaps one of the biggest factors affecting recovery in stroke patients. High levels of it can negatively affect the brain and impede the body from healing itself. The researchers say that their findings support the notion that mental health can be a target for health care professionals who want to improve patient outcomes.

"Patients and their families should know the importance of a positive environment that could benefit the patient," Lai said. "Mental health does affect recovery after a stroke."

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 106,857 model year Audi 2000-2001 TT Roadsters, model year 2000 TT Coupes, model year 1999 A8s, model year 1998-2000 A6s, and model year 1999-2000 A4s with Non-Azide Driver airbag Inflators (NADI) that do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant.

Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, possibly causing the airbag to deploy improperly in a crash.

As a result, the airbag may not properly protect the occupant, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

What to do

VW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver front airbag inflator with an alternative inflator when the parts become available free of charge.

Owner notifications are expected to begin March 27, 2020.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at (800) 253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69AE.