Underneath All Are the Contracts
Ralph Nader explains the problem with standard form contracts and introduces faircontracts.org.
Latest News
Supreme Court Rules CFPB Funding Structure is Constitutional
On May 16, 2024, the Supreme Court released its decision in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau vs. Community Financial Services Association of America, a case that questioned the constitutionality of the funding structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). In a 7-2 decision, the Court—in an opinion authored by Justice Clarence Thomas—roundly rejected CFSAA’s arguments…
Supreme Court Rules Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Can Be Fired by President
In June 2020, the Supreme Court released its opinion in the case of Seila Law vs. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which questioned whether the leadership structure of the CFPB was constitutional. In a 5-4 decision along ideological lines, the Court—in an opinion authored by Chief Justice Roberts—ruled that the restrictions placed on the President’s…
Adobe Faces Backlash For Changing its Terms of Service
Adobe, the corporation that makes widely used creative software like Photoshop, unveiled earlier this year an update to the fine print of its Terms of Service that angered many creators who rely on their platform. The added language was vague and expansive but appeared to indicate that Adobe had granted itself permission to access any…
Amtrak’s Anti-Consumer Forced Arbitration Clause Persist Despite Efforts of Public Citizen, Congress
Despite repeated efforts, Amtrak continues to require passengers to agree to an arbitration process to resolve claims against the rail service. Amtrak added the Arbitration Agreement to the terms and conditions of its passenger tickets in 2019. The terms of the agreement state that it is “intended to be as broad as legally permissible, and,…
CFPB Takes Step Towards Creating Database of Corporate Crime
Citizen Works has long advocated for a corporate crime database as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce corporate abuse and ensure transparency for consumers. On June 3rd, 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule that takes a step towards that goal. The new rule creates a publicly available registry that tracks enforcement…
Amtrak Sued for its Arbitration Provision
Public Citizen filed a lawsuit against Amtrak challenging the legality of imposing an arbitration provision on its riders as a condition of passage. The arbitration provision, introduced in 2019, states that it “is intended to be as broad as legally possible” applying to “all claims, disputes, or controversies, past, present, or future” for any rider….
The Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (FAIR Act) to Re-Open Courthouse Doors
Visitors of this website are likely familiar with the power and pervasiveness of forced arbitration clauses. Employers and businesses routinely put clauses into the fine-print of boilerplate contracts that deprive consumers and employees of their right to go to court and instead force their claims to be decided in a secret arbitration proceeding. Often class…
The New York Times Pays Attention to the Fine Print
The New York Times Pays Attention to the Fine Print The New York Times‘ editorial board asked: “If no one reads the terms and conditions, how can they continue to be the legal backbone of the internet?” See “How Silicon Valley Puts the ‘Con’ in Consent” here.
Before Being Filmed, Read the Fine Print!
Before Being Filmed, Read the Fine Print! The New York Times ran a piece on August 19, 2018 entitled “Sacha Baron Cohen Pranked Me, Can I Sue? Yes. Win? Not So Much,” about the difficulty in winning a lawsuit for those who have already signed away their legal rights in advance through a fine print…
Top student loan ripoff investigator quits CFPB; says bureau suppressed report about unfair account fees
The federal official in charge of handling complaints against the student loan industry resigned in fury on Monday, leveling a series of accusations against his agency — including suppression of a report showing lenders were ripping off college students with “legally dubious account fees.” The step was not a surprise. Seth Frotman, who was student loan…