FTC report highlights continuing threat of identity theft to millions – National Consumers League

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March 3, 2015

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The release of the Federal Trade Commission’s annual Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book once again highlights the harm that identity thieves are inflicting on millions of American consumers. For the 15th consecutive year, complaints about identity theft topped the Commission’s annual list of top scams.

“Identity theft, and the data breaches that fuel it, must be a top concern not only of regulators at the FTC, but policymakers throughout Washington and beyond,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “The message from 332,000 identity theft complaints to the FTC is clear: more needs to be done to protect consumers from this fraud.”

The Data Book identified tax-related identity theft as a top source of identity theft complaints to the FTC. While there is no fool-proof way to prevent tax ID theft, NCL has published a step-by-step guide to spotting and recovering from this fraud.

According to Javelin Strategy & Research, nearly 1 in 3 data breach victims will also experience identity fraud.  As information on tens of millions of consumers affected by data breaches continues to fall in to the hands of cybercriminals, it is likely that millions more consumers will suffer from identity fraud.

For policymakers, the need for reform should be clear. Ensuring that companies collecting consumers’ data protect it critical to bringing down rates identity fraud. However, without leadership from Washington, businesses and other entities that amass vast troves of consumer data will have little incentive to put data security ahead of profits.

Unfortunately, real reforms to improve data security have languished in Congress while hackers and other cyber-crooks have had a field day at consumers’ expense.  That’s why NCL has called on policymakers to adopt NCL’s Congressional Data Security Agenda. The agenda calls for reforms that:

  • Create a national data breach notification standard, while protecting strong state laws like California’s;
  • Require data holders to abide by reasonable data security requirements;
  • Clarify and strengthen the FTC’s data security authority;
  • Promote robust cyber-insurance underwriting standards;
  • Increase federal civil and criminal penalties for malicious hacking; and
  • Strengthen international anti-cybercrime partnerships.

“While the 300,000-plus identity theft complaints may seem like a huge number, it is just a drop in the bucket given the fact that most ID theft victims don’t report the crime, if they’re even aware of it,” said NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud John Breyault. “While consumers can take steps to mitigate their risk of ID theft, they can’t prevent it entirely. That’s why we need leaders in Washington to help make sure that the companies that profit from consumers’ data protect it to the greatest extent possible.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL Statement on White House Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights discussion draft – National Consumers League

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March 2, 2015

Contact: Ben Klein, NCL Communications (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League today expressed its hope that the White House’s proposal for a Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights will be just the beginning for a negotiation to enshrine strong consumer privacy protections in law. Unfortunately, should the proposal released last week be passed, it would in many ways actually weaken existing privacy and data security protections.

The following statement is attributable to John Breyault, NCL Vice President, Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud:

“The President has rightfully made protecting the privacy and security of consumers’ personal data a top priority of his Administration. Unfortunately, the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights released on Friday fails to create a robust framework for consumer privacy and data security protection. Instead, it relies on industry-created codes of conduct without effective enforcement mechanisms. What’s worse, it would preempt laws in nineteen states, many stronger that the proposed standard, that provide data security protections for their citizens. We hope that this draft proposal will serve as the starting point, not a high water mark discussions about how to better protect consumers’ privacy and data security in the digital age.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

National Consumers League, FDA, National Alliance for Hispanic Health partner to distribute medication adherence radio PSAs in Spanish – National Consumers League

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February 26, 2015

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC—Thanks to a partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Consumers League (NCL) has created a new Spanish-language radio public service announcement (PSA) to encourage consumers to take their medications as directed. The new PSAs are the latest tool released by NCL’s Script Your Future campaign and features the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (the Alliance). Script Your Future is a multi-media public awareness campaign, coordinated by NCL, the nation’s pioneering consumer group, to educate consumers and key health stakeholders on the importance of taking medication as directed.

“Poor medication adherence is a huge public health problem, resulting in 125,000 deaths per year, not to mention hospitalization and costs to our health care system of $300 billion annually,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the NCL. “We are pleased that this partnership with the FDA and the Alliance has enabled us to reach Hispanic communities with these crucial patient messages about the importance of improving one’s personal adherence and working with their health care professionals to better manage chronic conditions.”

The new Spanish radio PSA features the voice of Dr. Jane Delgado, president and CEO of the Alliance reminding patients with chronic conditions of the importance of taking medications as prescribed and refers listeners to the Script Your Future website and the Su Familia helpline for more information. The Script Your Future website now also features information on medication adherence, along with resources and tools for patients with chronic conditions, all in Spanish.

“The National Alliance for Hispanic Health is proud to partner with NCL and FDA to raise awareness in the Hispanic community about the importance of taking your medicines in the recommended way,” said Dr. Delgado. “Helping people take their medicines as directed will benefit individuals, our families, our communities, and our healthcare system as a whole.  Working with NCL and its Script Your Future program is a natural fit for our Su Familia helpline, which offers Hispanic consumers free, reliable and confidential health information so they can make informed decisions about their health.”

“Making sure patients have the information they need to fully understand their medicines and the importance of taking them as prescribed is critical to ensuring healthier futures for Americans as well as our health care system,” said Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, which supports the partnership with NCL. “We are pleased these messages will now be able to reach people through the Spanish-language radio stations in their communities.”

For more information, visit ScriptYourFuture.org. To access the PSA, click here.

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Script Your Future, launched in 2011, is a three-year national public awareness campaign about medication adherence coordinated by the National Consumers League (NCL), a private, non-profit membership organization founded in 1899. NCL’s mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information about the Script Your Futurecampaign, visit www.ScriptYourFuture.org. For more information on NCL, please visit www.nclnet.org.

Consumer group issues taxpayer warning against ID thieves filing illegitimate returns – National Consumers League

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February 24, 2015

Contact: Ben Klein, NCL Communications (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – With Tax Day quickly approaching, the National Consumers League (NCL), is warning consumers to be on the lookout for tax identity fraud and offering tips on recovering from this scam. According to the Treasury Department, 1.6 million Americans fell victim to tax ID theft in the first half of 2013 alone. The Government Accountability Office estimates that identity thieves stole $5.2 billion in 2013 as a result of this fraud.

“While most Americans dread Tax Day, fraudsters increasingly are cashing in with lucrative tax identity fraud scams,” said John Breyault, NCL vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud. “What makes this scam particularly pernicious is the ease with which fraudsters can steal personal information, file a false tax claim, and then turn the fraudulent refund into untraceable cash before the consumer realizes they have been a victim of a scam.”

Consumers receive W-2 forms from their employer by the end of January, but often wait to file their taxes closer to Tax Day on April 15. Since the IRS aims to process refunds quickly, fraudulent claims often go undetected. NCL, the nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy group, has published a new guide at Fraud.org to help consumers identify this scam and give advice about how to avoid becoming a victim.

NCL’s analysis of the top scams reported to the Fraud.org database in 2014 revealed a spike in “Phantom Debt Collector” scams. Cases in which a fraudster impersonates an IRS agent make up a significant portion of these scams. Tax related identity theft scams made up nearly a third of the identity theft complaints to the FTC in 2014.

“There is no foolproof way to avoid becoming a victim of tax identity fraud, but there are steps consumers can take to better protect themselves,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL executive director. “The best thing consumers can do is file their taxes as early as possible to ensure the IRS receives the legitimate tax return before the scammers send in a fraudulent return. Also, consumers need to be increasingly vigilant to protect their personal information. Consumers should frequently change their passwords and refrain from sending sensitive information such as Social Security Numbers or bank account information over email or text message.”

Tips for Consumers

  • File your taxes as early as possible during tax season. Scammers depend on the fact that many taxpayers wait until late in tax-filing season to file. Filing early reduces the risk that a tax ID thief will be able to use your personal information to file fraudulently ahead of you.
  • Check your annual Social Security Administration earnings statement carefully. If there are earnings listed that you don’t recognize, someone else could be using your identity to obtain employment.
  • Review your credit report for any suspicious activity.
  • Never give out personal information, such as your SSN, date of birth, or bank account information in response to unsolicited emails, postal mail, over the phone or via text message, social media or other platform.

For more information about how to spot and avoid this scam, and what to do if you believe you’ve fallen victim, visit www.Fraud.org.

NCL thanks Intuit Tax and Financial Center for the unrestricted educational grant that helped make this consumer guide available at Fraud.org.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Statement regarding Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster’s announcement on Ticketmaster agreement – National Consumers League

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February 12, 2015

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL), America’s oldest consumer group, applauds Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster for working to improve Ticketmaster’s disclosure of nontransferable, restricted tickets. This form of ticketing, called paperless or credit-card-entry tickets by the live event industry, requires consumers to buy tickets with a credit or debit card and then use that same card and photo ID to gain entry to the event.

“With restricted tickets, live event fans are often unaware that the tickets they are purchasing are tied to their credit card and are nontransferable. NCL believes consumers should always have the choice of transferable tickets, but General Koster’s efforts help ensure that fans are at least aware, before making a purchase, that their tickets are nontransferable.  No consumer should face losing 100 percent of their hard earned money because their plans changed and they cannot resell or even give away their tickets.

An additional concern, not addressed in the agreement with Ticketmaster, is the impact that paperless ticketing has on unbanked and underbanked consumers. According to the Federal Reserve, 34.4 million U.S. households have no or limited access to traditional banking services, such as debit or credit cards. By requiring a credit or debit card as proof of purchase, paperless ticketing can lock millions of unbanked and underbanked out of the live event marketplace.

NCL advises consumers to always read the fine print before purchasing tickets online as part of our Consumer Guide to Buying Tickets Online.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL praises outgoing FDA Commissioner Hamburg – National Consumers League

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February 5, 2015

Contact: NCL Communications, Ben Klein (202) 835-3323, benk@nclnet.org

Washington, DC– The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s pioneer consumer advocacy organization, thanks Dr. Margaret Hamburg for her service to the Food and Drug Administration as Commissioner.

“Dr. Hamburg’s leadership at the FDA will be sorely missed,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of NCL. “Under her leadership, the FDA implemented key food safety provisions, stood up for broad access to contraception for women,  advancing the safety of medical devices, and speeding up safe and effective drug treatments and devices. Dr. Hamburg was particularly effective at convening and including diverse voices to best serve American consumers.”

In 2011, NCL honored Hamburg with the Trumpeter Award. NCL noted that Hamburg is  “one of the most powerful and influential voices in public health, working to protect the safety of the food supply, provide access to safe and effective medical products, and find innovative ways to prevent illness and promote health.” Hamburg served as the health commissioner in New York City, the youngest person to serve in that role,  and earned praise for her effective programs that battled tuberculosis, slowed the spread of AIDS, and boosted childhood immunization rates.

Hamburg was confirmed as FDA Commissioner by the U.S. Senate in 2009; she is among the longest-serving FDA commissioners the modern era. NCL salutes her for her legacy as FDA Commissioner and for her friendship and support for NCL’s medication adherence program, Script Your Future.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Anthem Data Breach Increases Identity Fraud Risk for Tens of Millions of Consumers – National Consumers League

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February 5, 2015

Consumer group offers tips for affected customers and employees and calls for urgently-needed data security reform in Washington 

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League is warning consumers that the data breach at Anthem, Inc. is likely to raise the risk of identity fraud for tens of millions of current and former Anthem customers and employees. According to published reports, the breach compromised as many as 80 million records, including sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, postal addresses, email addresses, employment and income data.

Criminals can use these pieces of personal information to commit a range of identity crimes in another consumer’s name. Such fraud can include opening lines of credit, filing fraudulent tax returns, and obtaining medical care or government documents to name only a few possible uses of this compromised data. While only a small percentage of compromised records are typically used to commit fraud, given the reported size of the Anthem breach, a significant number of consumers may fall victim to identity crime as a result of this breach.

“It is highly likely that the personal information compromised at Anthem has already or will soon appear for sale on cybercrime black markets,” said John Breyault, NCL Vice President, Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud. “As Anthem and investigators work to get to the bottom of this breach, it is important that consumers understand the possible consequences of this breach for their personal identity fraud risk.”

The Anthem data breach once again highlights the urgent need for businesses that collect and store ever-greater amounts of consumer information to do more to protect that sensitive data. According to the Online Trust Alliance, more than 90% of data breaches that occurred in the first half of 2014 could have easily been prevented. While many businesses and other organizations have taken steps to improve their cyber defenses, it is clear what is being done is insufficient to stem to growing tide of cybercrime.

Leadership from Capitol Hill on this issue is urgently needed. As President Obama made clear in his State of the Union address, “I urge this Congress to finally pass the legislation we need to better meet the evolving threat of cyber attacks, combat identity theft, and protect our children’s information. ”Through the #DataInsecurity Project, NCL is working to hold Congressional leaders to account for following through on the President’s call to protect the millions of consumers who fall victim to cybercrime every year. A recent Javelin Strategy & Research survey commissioned by NCL found an overwhelming majority (72%) of identity fraud victims believe that existing federal data security requirements are insufficient to protect their data.

“At what point do we say enough is enough?” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director. “Businesses are making billions of dollars off of consumers’ data, but too many of them are not taking the steps needed to protect that data. The Anthem breach is another battle lost in the war against cybercrime. It is time for Washington to step up and institute reforms that finally help businesses get religion when it comes to data security.”

As federal policymakers debate data security reform, consumers should take steps to mitigate their risk of data breach-fueled identity fraud. NCL is offering the following tips to customers affected by the Anthem data breach:

  1. Anthem customers and employees should beware of phishing emails that may seek to trick them in to clicking on suspicious links or attachments. These emails can look very convincing and may reference the Anthem breach in some way. Clicking on the links or opening an attachment contained in the email can install malware that may be used to obtain additional sensitive personal information such as bank account or credit card numbers, usernames and passwords. Current and former Anthem customers and employees should be aware that Anthem has stated it will contact them via mail to notify them about further information related to the breach. More information is available from Anthem at www.AnthemFacts.com or by phone at (877) 263-7995.
  2. Monitor your credit report and dispute suspicious activity. Consumers can download a free copy of their credit report from each of the three major credit-reporting bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax) at www.annualcreditreport.com.
  3. If you suspect identity fraud has occurred, it is important to act quickly. Call one of the three credit reporting bureaus and request an initial fraud alert. This will place alerts on your report at all three credit-reporting bureaus. Once the alert is in place, the credit reporting bureaus will contact you when someone attempts to open credit in your name.
  4. If you confirm that you have been a victim of identity fraud, contact the Federal Trade Commission to create and Identity Theft Affidavit. This affidavit can be used to file a police report with your local police department. Together, these two documents form an Identity Theft Report, which is crucial to beginning the process of recovering from identity fraud. More information on spotting, reporting and recovering from identity fraud is available at Consumer.gov. The FTC also has a useful consumer checklist that includes information and required documentation for creating the Identity Theft Affidavit and police report available online.
  5. Do not reply to suspicious emails, as this may lead to additional social engineering attacks. Instead, the safest course of action is to simply delete the email. Consumers can also forward them to the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team at phishing-report@us-cert.gov.
  6. Update your passwords on sensitive accounts, such as e-mail, social media and online bank and credit card accounts. Do not use the same username and password combination across multiple accounts. If stronger security measures such as multi-factor authentication are offered, enable them.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Vaccine perception study finds Americans wary, misinformed about vaccine benefits – National Consumers League

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February 5, 2015

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC—The National Consumers League (NCL) is asking parents to look at the overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe and effective and get their kids vaccinated. With increasing numbers of parents foregoing the measles and other vaccinations, experts are concerned this behavior is putting whole communities at risk.

“This generation of parents has never experienced the panic—and often heartbreak—caused by outbreaks of diphtheria, polio, small pox, tetanus and influenza that earlier generations of parents suffered before vaccines were discovered,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL’s executive director. “History books are filled with harrowing accounts of parents losing multiple children to these diseases, illnesses that today have been all but eradicated. Let us never return to those dark days and thank modern science and medicine that our children can lead healthy, long, and happy lives.”

NCL, the nation’s pioneering consumer advocacy group, conducted a survey that sadly reveals a deep distrust in the effectiveness and safety of vaccines.  

According to a national Harris Poll conducted in 2013:

  • 76% of those surveyed agreed with the statement: More research is needed on the safety of vaccines and the risk they pose.
  • 61% agreed that: Pharmaceutical companies minimize vaccine risks.
  • 45% agree that: The national media minimizes vaccine risks.
  • 45% agree that: Vaccines are just a way for pharmaceutical companies to make money.
  • 33% agree that: “I think vaccinations can cause autism.”

Not only are children who are not vaccinated made unnecessarily susceptible to diseases that vaccines could otherwise prevent, but children who cannot be vaccinated due to health concerns or because they are too young, are also put at risk due to the decreased strength of herd immunity. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that children that do not receive the measles vaccine are 35 times more likely to contract measles than children who are vaccinated.

“Parents who choose not to vaccinate their children are misinformed and are endangering the larger community,” said Greenberg. “The evidence that vaccines cause autism has been thoroughly debunked, and the study has been retracted after it was found to contain falsified research. There is no credible link from vaccines to autism, they are not poisonous, and they can save children from life threatening diseases. Those are the facts.”

The effects of the anti-vaccination movement have been manifested in the increasing numbers of measles diagnoses. In 2000, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared measles eliminated. In 2014, the CDC confirmed 644 cases in 27 states, and just one month into 2015, there have already been 102 confirmed cases in 14 states. If the current rate of diagnoses is maintained throughout the year, 2015’s total measles diagnoses will nearly double 2014 numbers.

“Americans are confused about vaccines, plain and simple,” said Rebecca Burkholder, NCL vice president for health policy. “For over a generation, we have lived virtually free from many of these diseases due to the very effectiveness of the vaccines that have stamped them out. We have lost perspective on how deadly they can be. Now, we are dealing with a group of Americans who don’t appreciate the severity of these illnesses, are exercising personal choice to abstain from vaccinating, and are enabling these deadly diseases to start to infiltrate our communities once again.”

NCL’s survey revealed that adults do not view measles as a severe disease, despite the fact that for centuries, before a vaccine was invented, measles killed up to 500 children a year and hospitalized an estimated 48,000 more. When asked to rank diseases for severity, measles (6.9/10) ranked near the bottom, with mumps (6.9/10), the flu (6.4/10), and chicken pox (6.4/10). Comparatively, meningitis (8.5/10) and polio (8.4/10) ranked at the top.

Although most survey respondents (87%) say they support mandatory vaccination of school-aged children in theory, 64 percent of adults say parents should have the final say about whether or not to vaccinate. Experts fear it is this misguided personal choice that is dramatically threatening our nation’s health. 

“We must not allow anti-vaccination rhetoric to undermine a critically important method for keeping children safe from illness or disease. A century ago, parents lived in fear of losing a child to typhoid, polio, measles, or small pox. Today, thanks to modern science, we should no longer need to worry about these grave threats to our children’s safety,” said Greenberg. “Absent a religious belief or health concern, it is every parent’s moral responsibility to ensure their children are vaccinated.”

The national survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive among 1,756 U.S. adult Americans, of whom 993 are parents of children under 18, in August – September 2013.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Letter: NCL asks FTC for workshop dedicated to data breaches – National Consumers League

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February 5, 2015

The Honorable Edith Ramirez
Chairwoman
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20580

Dear Chairwoman Ramirez:

On behalf of the National Consumers League, America’s pioneering consumer and worker advocacy organization, I would like to commend you for the leadership that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shown in protecting the security of consumers’ data. 

As you are aware, however, data breaches continue to affect tens of millions of consumers every year. Negative impacts of these breaches can range from the simple inconvenience of replacing compromised credit cards, to an increased risk of identity theft, to the disclosure of sensitive corporate intellectual property. More remains to be done to safeguard the security of Americans’ personal information. As President Obama made clear in his State of the Union speech “[n]o foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets, or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids.” Congress has held numerous hearings, including one today in the Senate Energy & Commerce Committee, that seek solutions to this data security crisis.

Through more than fifty enforcement actions, the FTC has held the caretakers of consumers’ sensitive personal information to account when they fail to adequately protect that data. Since you assumed the chairwomanship in 2013, the FTC has organized several workshops aimed at examining privacy and security implications of emerging technologies such as the “Internet of Things,”[1] mobile devices,[2] and “Big Data.”[3] These important events have done much to build a record of public input that has helped inform the FTC’s work and the actions of businesses and other organizations throughout the country.

Given the success of past FTC workshops and the scope of the data breach problem, we strongly urge the Commission to consider organizing a workshop focused solely on the issue of data beaches. Specifically, we would like this workshop to convene cybersecurity experts, leaders from the consumer advocacy and law enforcement communities and representatives from the retail, banking, credit rating and technology sectors. The goal of such a workshop should be to create a record that the Commission can use to understand how well existing voluntary guidelines, self-regulatory regimes and cybersecurity technologies are working to protect consumer data. The event would also assist the Commission to develop guidance for businesses and other entities on how comply with Section 5 of the FTC Act by better protecting their customers’ data.

I look forward to continuing to work with the FTC as it moves forward on its important data security agenda. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at your convenience. 

Kind regards,

Sally Greenberg
Executive Director
National Consumers League 

cc: The Honorable Julie Brill
The Honorable Terrell McSweeny
The Honorable Maureen K. Ohlhausen
The Honorable John Thune
The Honorable Joshua D. Wright

[1] Federal Trade Commission. “FTC Seeks Input on Privacy and Security Implications of the Internet of Things,” Press Release. April 17, 2013. Online: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2013/04/ftc-seeks-input-privacy-and-security-implications-internet-things

[2] Federal Trade Commission. “FTC to Host Public Forum on Threats to Mobile Devices on June 4,” Press Release. February 22, 2013. Online: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2013/02/ftc-host-public-forum-threats-mobile-devices-june-4

[3] Federal Trade Commission. “FTC to Examine Effects of Big Data on Low Income and Underserved Consumers at September Workshop,” Press Release. April 11, 2014. Online: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/04/ftc-examine-effects-big-data-low-income-underserved-consumers

Group condemns defeat of child labor tobacco bill in VA – National Consumers League

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February 4, 2015

Contact: Ben Klein, National Consumers League, benk@nclnet.org, (202) 835-3323

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL) is deeply disappointed in the defeat of a Virginia State Legislature bill that would have been the first of its kind to protect children from working in dangerous tobacco fields. “This takes us back a century ago when children in America were working in mines, factories, and mills. The reactionary forces fought protections for kids back then, just as they are doing today,” said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League (NCL) and co-chair of the Child Labor Coalition (CLC), which NCL co-founded 25 years ago. “It’s just as intolerable to expose kids to these toxics today as it was in 1915.” 

The bill (HB 1906), introduced last month by Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington), was defeated yesterday in the Republican-controlled Committee on Commerce and Labor. HB 1906 would have made it illegal for children, other than the members of a farmer’s own family, from harvesting tobacco. Recent reports of children being sickened by acute nicotine poisoning in tobacco fields battling nausea, headaches, vomiting, and dizziness have sparked a national movement to ban this practice.

“It is our obligation to protect our most vulnerable workers. It is very disappointing to see Virginia lawmakers cave to big tobacco interests and defeat this common-sense child labor protection,” said Reid Maki, Director, Child Labor Issues at NCL and Coordinator, Child Labor Coalition. “We will continue to ask lawmakers at both the federal and state levels to ban child labor in U.S. tobacco fields.”

Lopez’s bill would have prohibited farmers from hiring anyone under 18 to work in direct contact with tobacco leaves. HB 1906 would have been the first legislation of its kind in a state that harvests tobacco. In Virginia, it would preempt some of the outdated Fair Labor Standards Act provisions that allow children as young as 12 to work unlimited hours on farms performing the dangerous work.

“Young children should not be working in direct contact with tobacco. They are especially vulnerable to nicotine poisoning due to their size and stage of development. Indeed, a recent report from the surgeon general suggests that nicotine exposure during adolescence may have lasting negative consequences,” said Del. Lopez in a press release.

For more on this issue, click here.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.