Consumer Education Foundation

Programs: Online empowerment: grant to consumer watchdog. The cef provides ongoing support for the work of consumer watchdog, a california-based non-profit charitable organization, to develop new models of public participation that encourage americans to become more directly and deeply involved in public processes and democratic institutions. The organization has continuously developed and expanded a model online citizen participation program that during 2016 engaged in recruitment, training, legislative advocacy, grassroots campaigning, and public education. Consumer watchdog reported the following activities funded by the cef grant:a. Educating and activating civic participation online. Consumer watchdog has developed its consumerwatchdog. Org web portal into a nationally-recognized site for online educational and e-advocacy activities related to pocketbook consumer issues. The consumer watchdog web site and its associated content is viewed by users throughout the united states who read reports, blog posts, news releases and other informational articles; submitted complaints about a variety of issues and corporate practices; and utilized the sites online action tools to voice their opinion about key consumer issues. Through its online activities, the project educates the public about corporate and political accountability efforts and provides tools for citizens to get involved in important public debates concerning corporate and political reform issues. The cef grant has enabled the organization to expand and improve its accessibility to the public, news media and policymakers, and to assist the organization in pioneering new models of online activity. In 2016, consumer watchdog expanded its reach into online social media including instagram, twitter, facebook, instagram and youtube in order to expose a broader audience to consumer watchdogs work. It also began to build a modernized, faster, and mobile-friendly website, consumer watchdog 3. 0, for deployment in 2017, which will include a streaming consumer watchdog tv channel. Consumer watchdog also expanded the scope and audience of its capitalwatchdog. Org web site, which reviews and analyzes the functions and activities of california state government. Capitol watchdog e-newsletters, blogs and special reports provide in-depth coverage of public policy issues. Also in 2016, consumer watchdog initiated a new online advocacy platform geared toward engaging citizens through their mobile devices. The program seeks to give citizens the opportunity to efficiently weigh in with their elected representatives on topics ranging from airline passenger rights, to a moratorium on building fossil-fuel powered energy plants, to protecting health insurance reforms. B. Enhancing digital privacy. Consumer watchdog focused on using its online tools to discuss the burgeoning issue area of online privacy and the increasing commercial use of personal data. During 2016, consumer watchdogs privacy protection efforts included petitions to state and federal agencies to strengthen privacy protections online and in new commercial applications such as autonomous vehicles. C. Autonomous vehicles. Consumer watchdog has been a leading critic of the testing and deployment of driverless vehicles without proper regulation of the vehicles safety, security and privacy protections. During 2016, consumer watchdog published information and analyses on these issues, challenging instances of illegal testing of the vehicles on public streets and reviewing and submitting comments on draft regulations proposed by the california department of motor vehicles. Grantee: consumer watchdogamount: $300,000 address: 2701 ocean park blvd. #112, santa monica, ca 90405contact: carmen balber, executive director

consumer legislation project in 2016, cef continued to investigate the problems consumers face in the modern commercial marketplace. A forthcoming report will examine the current state of consumer protection law in the united states and propose reforms to reflect the vast changes in the marketplace that have occurred in the decades since consumer protection laws were last comprehensively updated. These changes include the advent of the internet, the prevalence of sophisticated technology in consumer products and services, and the dramatic shift to electronic and mobile commerce. The report will assess the extent to which state and federal laws and remedies, particularly as interpreted and applied by the courts, have failed to keep up with these developments. In addition to suggesting a series of substantive consumer protection reforms, the report will analyze the current procedural mechanisms by which consumer rights may be vindicated, such as class actions, and propose changes to enhance the practical rights of consumers to jointly litigate against corporate wrongdoers, and to restore public confidence in the class action system.