Latest news and perspectives on California Prop 65
January 10, 2019, The National Law Review (Squire Patton Boggs)
The latest news and perspectives on California’s Proposition 65 (Prop 65) track the passage of the newly-amended Clear and Reasonable Warnings regulations under Prop 65, which took effect on August 30, 2018. Significantly, plaintiffs have started to target companies whom they believe to not be in compliance with the newly-amended regulations.

Complaints about electric scooters, hoverboards and segways on the road prompt police to issue prosecution warning
January 8, 2019, Elystandard.co.uk
A warning has been issued by police to users of electric scooters, hoverboards and segways to remind them that they should not be used on roads or pavements. Police say that in legal terms, electric scooters, go-peds, mini motors, hoverboards and segways “may be considered as motor vehicles”.

Best Practices in Product Safety
November 30, 2018, In Compliance
An effective product safety management program can help to reduce accidents, reduce recalls, reduce insurance premiums, increase the safety and quality of products, provide a more defensible product and company in the event of litigation, and minimize the chance of punitive damages. With that said, why are so many manufacturers being sued and fined by government safety agencies? Why are so many products being recalled, including products by well-known and respected manufacturers?

Lead water study shows many schools have far too much
January 9, 2019, NBC News
Many schools across the country have too much lead in their tap water, but most are not even testing for it, according to new research. There’s no coherent policy for lead testing, and half of all U.S. students go to schools in states that do not even bother to have programs for testing drinking water for lead, the study found. The study concludes that there could be millions of kids getting lead in the water they drink at school, the report from the Harvard School of Public Health and the Robert Wood Foundation found.

Forecast for U.S. Federal and International Chemical Regulatory Policy 2019: UNITED STATES CHEMICAL FORECAST
January 9, 2019, The National Law Review (Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.)
What a difference a year makes! What these new currents will mean for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in general and the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) in particular is subject to much speculation: will aggressive oversight by the new Democratic House majority stymie Administration initiatives?

Amazon video educates sellers while promoting safe products for consumers
January, 2019, You Tube
It doesn’t take long to provide an important service to society. In this 5 minute video Amazon walks its selling partners through the benefits of understanding product safety while complying with local and federal laws. The more informed these companies are, the less risk they take in having a business and consumer problem down the road. The video ultimately benefits consumers everywhere who shop for their products at the e-commerce giant’s internet mall.

Baker asked to veto bill by chemical industry
January 8, 2019, Greenfield Recorder
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is facing mounting pressure to sign a bill that would ban the use of certain toxic flame retardant chemicals in many products as industry groups lobby hard for the Republican to veto the bill. Sen. Cynthia Creem and Rep. Marjorie Decker brought together environmental advocates and firefighters on Tuesday to press publicly for the governor to sign the bill, which would ban the use of 11 flame retardant chemicals in children’s products, household furniture and bedding.

This Airpods case is also a fidget spinner
January 8, 2019, The Verge
The fidget spinner was supposed to be comfortably resting in its grave back in 2017, but a company has just made the first spinning case for AirPods. The ZenPod is made by Air Vinyl, a company known for making AirPod cases. It’s a leather case with a polycarbonate frame and, yes, a built-in anodized aluminum spinner with steel bearings.

Opinion: Member States should stop turning a blind eye to product safety
January 7, 2019, The Parliament
Product safety is a matter of life and death. Too many Member States are turning a blind eye to the import of unsafe products into Europe – favouring profit over the protection of European consumers.
The failure of market surveillance in Europe, along with Member States’ inability to properly enforce safety legislation specifically designed to protect their citizens, is a scandal.

BBB Column: Use these tips for tech toy safety
January 7, 2019, Post Register
The Better Business Bureau’s Children’s Advertising Review Unit is finding toys that may collect personal information (e.g. name, email address) from children. Unfortunately, this may be done without parents knowing it’s happening. These connected toys aren’t inherently bad; in fact, they can be highly educational and fun as long as parents are well-informed and choose wisely. But if you choose the wrong toy, there can be consequences. Your Better Business Bureau urges responsible parents to consider these tips when buying a smart toy for their child.

Consumer Reports Parent Company Settles Privacy Lawsuit
December 18, 2018, Westchester Magazine
The publisher of Consumer Reports, the prominent nonprofit dedicated to providing unbiased consumer product reviews, has settled a class-action lawsuit, paying $16.375 million.
Don Ruppel, a resident of St. Charles, MI, sued Consumers Union of Yonkers in 2016 for selling his and other subscribers’ personal information — including data like address, age, ethnicity, gender, income, name, political affiliation, and religion — to “list brokers,” middleman companies that buy subscriber list data and then resell it to third parties for advertising purposes, either in whole or by specific demographic.

Electronics and product compliance: the perils of complex supply chains
December 20, 2018, Burges Salmon LLP
It is an alarming scenario for any consumer product manufacturer seeking to manage a complex international supply chain: a minor supplier changes a material used in a single component, neglects to pass on that information, and inadvertently introduces a restricted substance into your consumer product which is then put on the market in multiple jurisdictions.

What you need to know about the Britax jogging stroller settlement
December 18, 2018, Consumer Reports
Britax, the maker of BOB jogging strollers, recently agreed to address a front wheel issue that has led to dozens of injuries, though the settlement doesn’t involve a recall as federal regulators and consumer advocates had urged. The problem involves nearly 500,000 BOB jogging strollers manufactured between January 1, 2009 and September 30, 2015, as well as an unknown number of strollers imported from 1997 to 2009.

High levels of carcinogenic chemicals found in everyday consumer products
December 19, 2018, Phys.org
High levels of the carcinogenic chemical cadmium can still be found in everyday household products like second-hand plastic toys, drinking glasses, alcoholic beverage bottles, ceramics and artists’ paints, according to new research by the University of Plymouth. Writing in Science of the Total Environment, scientists also suggest it is unintentionally finding its way into glass and other items through the recycling process.

FDA warns about safety risks of teething necklaces, bracelets to relieve teething pain or to provide sensory stimulation
December 20, 2018, Food and Drug Administration
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration alerted parents, caregivers and health care providers to the safety risks that jewelry used for relieving teething pain pose for children. The agency warned that they should not be used to relieve teething pain in children or to provide sensory stimulation to persons with special needs, such as autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Test of connected toys shows parents should be cautious
December 19, 2018, Consumer Reports
When children unwrap holiday gifts these days, they may find internet-connected robots and talking teddy bears alongside classic board games or Lego sets. These digital products can be fun and even educational, but they also present some privacy and security risks you don’t find in old-fashioned toys. “Any product with a WiFi or Bluetooth connection potentially can get hacked, whether it’s meant for children or adults,” says Robert Richter, who leads privacy and security testing at Consumer Reports.

Consumer Protection bill 2018 to provide protection to consumers
December 20, 2018, CanIndia
The Consumer Protection Bill, 2018 which was passed in Lok Sabha on Thursday will provide protection of the interests of consumers and establish authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumer’s dispute. The Bill replaces the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, enforces consumer rights and provides a mechanism for redressal of complaints regarding defect in goods and deficiency in services.

How do you know a product is safe?
December 18, 2018, Choice
An Australian pediatrician and director of an injury surveillance agency addresses the question of product safety: “It would probably surprise most Australians to realise that of the many thousands of products available on the market, most have no voluntary safety standards and only 42 have mandatory safety standards – where sections of the voluntary standard have been enforced in legislation. So how can we rely on a product to be safe to use?”

Toys ‘R’ Us wins approval to sell Asian operations for $760 million
December 18, 2018, Retail Touchpoints
Toys ‘R’ Us has won approval in bankruptcy court to sell the majority stake of its Asian operations, which includes more than 450 stores in 10 markets, to a joint venture that includes Fung Retailing for $760 million. The retailer is planning to expand its Asia business next year with 68 additional stores (approximately 50 in China) with a focus on building smaller shops.

Statement of Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle on Fiscal Year 2019 Operating Plan
October 10, 2018, cpsc.gov
Acting Chair Buerkle opened up the hearing on the Fiscal Year 2019 Operating plan stating that “we have just welcomed our fifth Commissioner. A new group of Commissioners, but one with the same mission of keeping consumers safe from unreasonable risks of injury or death. I reject any hint or suggestion that safety is in jeopardy because there is a new majority. We are still the Consumer Product Safety Commission. We still have the same responsibilities to carry out, the same laws and regulations to enforce. As with any change in any administration, it is reasonable to expect that there will be different ideas, approaches, and policies. How we accomplish things may change, but the goal of safety remains the same.”

Statement of Commissioner Elliot F. Kaye on the Passage of the Fiscal Year 2019 Operating Plan
October 16, 2018, cpsc.gov
Commissioner Kaye explains his rationale for not supporting the Fiscal Year 2019 Operating Plan in its final form, “because it fell short in a few key areas. As I considered the draft Operating Plan, I tried to work within the framework as presented to the Commission and offered amendments” with specific goals.

Statement of Commissioner Peter A. Feldman on Fiscal Year 2019 Operating Plan
October 10, 2018, cpsc.gov
A statement from newly-appointed Commissioner Feldman, filling the 5th Commissioner position, begins with this comment: “Today is my third day on the job, and we have wasted no time getting down to business.  I am pleased to be voting today on an Operating Plan that sets out clear priorities for the agency, among other things, to focus resources on the highest-priority consumer product safety risks, and to emphasize collaboration, education, and outreach by engaging all stakeholders.  I am impressed with the work staff has done in putting together this document, and also with how my colleagues have worked together to reach bipartisan consensus reflecting the priorities of all five Commissioners.”

CPSC Agency Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2018
November 8, 2018, cpsc.gov
The purpose of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Agency Financial Report (AFR) is to assist Congress, the President, and the American people in assessing the agency’s stewardship of the resources it is provided. This annual report is required by legislation and complies with the requirements of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Manufacturers, Retailers, and CPSC Reporting Penalties
December 13, 2018, The National Law Review (Schiff-Hardin)
On October 5, 2018, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that it had negotiated a $3.85 million civil penalty with Costco Wholesale Corporation over an alleged failure to report product hazards involving an electronic trash can, which CPSC alleged violated the Consumer Product Safety Act. Then, on November 26, the other shoe dropped. The actual manufacturer of the trash can, EKO Development Ltd., along with a U.S. affiliate, EKO USA, LLC, agreed to pay a penalty of … $1 million – almost four times less. At times, a retailer can feel “caught in the middle” in this situation, as the manufacturer is the expert on the product and the retailer believes that the manufacturer should be taking ownership of the situation and filing any required CPSC reports.

New York sues Target and Walmart for selling toy jewelry kits high in lead
December 13, 2018, ABC News
New York State is suing the Target Corporation, Walmart Inc., and importer LaRose Industries, for allegedly selling a toy jewelry kit containing lead levels up to 10 times higher than the federal limit, state Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood’s office announced on Thursday. In statements both Walmart and Target said that they removed the items from shelves as soon as they learned of the allegations.

Holiday nightmare: How to avoid deadly Christmas tree fires
December 7, 2018, WRTA Radio
Christmas trees can be deadly. That’s the urgent advisory from consumer safety experts who warn that it only takes a small ignition source to set a festive home ablaze. A tree without enough water is essentially flammable kindling, fueling what can become a devastating catastrophe. Several people die from tree fires each year, according to newly-released data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which looked at rates between 2013 and 2015.

Toy slime warning after nearly HALF of products tested positive for toxic chemicals
December 13, 2018, The Mirror
Almost half of children’s toy slimes failed EU safety tests for the presence of a potentially harmful chemical. Which? Magazine tested 13 products from a range of high street and online retailers and found five failed the EU safety standard limit for boron in toys, while another product classified as a putty also failed. Boron is found in borax, a common ingredient in slime that helps to create its stickiness. The EU safety limit is 300mg/kg for slime and 1200mg/kg for putty.

Hidden Dangers in Dust
December 11, 2018, hon.ch
An antibacterial called triclosan is common in dust and could result in dust-dwelling bacteria becoming antibiotic-resistant, researchers report. “There is this conventional wisdom that says everything that’s in dust is dead, but that’s not actually the case. There are things living in there,” said study leader Erica Hartmann, an assistant professor of environmental engineering at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Study finds toxic substances in all 12 carpets tested
December 13, 2018, clickondetroit (NBC 4)
A new study revealed carpets can be dangerous due to toxic substances. The study found 44 toxic substances in all 12 of the carpets tested. Carpet is the most common flooring sold in the United States. It holds a 60 percent share of the U.S. flooring market with 11 billion square feet sold per year. A new report from the Ecology Center reveals 12 different carpets were tested from the nation’s six largest manufacturers and all 12 tested positive for toxic substances.

CPSC, Britax Settle Lawsuit Involving BOB Jogging Strollers
November 20, 2018, cpsc.gov
“The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that it settled an administrative lawsuit against Britax Child Safety, Inc., of Fort Mill, South Carolina. The lawsuit, filed in February 2018, involves certain single- and double-occupant BOB jogging strollers, imported from 1997 through September 2015, by Britax and B.O.B. Trailers, Inc. (“strollers”). The consent agreement was approved by a vote of 3-2. The consent agreement resolves charges in the Complaint that the strollers contain a defect and present a substantial product hazard because the quick release on the front wheel of the strollers can fail to secure the front wheel to the fork, allowing the front wheel to detach suddenly during use,” according to a statement issued on November 20, 2018.

Dissenting opinion of Commissioners Robert S. Adler and Elliot F. Kaye on the matter of Britax Child Safety, Inc.
November 20, 2018, cpsc.gov
“On November 9, 2018, by a vote of 3-2, the Commission voted to accept the proffered settlement. Although we commend the parties for reaching agreement after what appears to be a lengthy and exhaustive negotiation, we respectfully and reluctantly dissent from approving the agreement. In any negotiation each party must compromise to reach an agreement. We have no problem with appropriate compromises, and we are well aware of the maxim that we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” according to a statement on the CPSC website dated November 20, 2019.

Dissenting Opinion of Commissioner Robert S. Adler and Commissioner Elliot F. Kaye Regarding the Civil Penalty Settlement with EKO Development, LTD. And EKO USA, LLC
November 19, 2018, cpsc.gov
On November 19, 2018, the Commission voted 3-2 to provisionally accept a settlement with EKO Development, Ltd. and EKO USA, LLC (collectively, EKO) to pay a civil penalty of $1 million to resolve CPSC staff allegations that EKO knowingly failed to report a defect with its motion sensor trash cans.  We cannot support this settlement agreement because we believe the size of the proposed penalty is too small and does not adequately reflect the seriousness of EKO’s violation.

State audit finds UB worst of five SUNY campuses in securing hazardous chemicals
December 4, 2018, wbfo.org
The University at Buffalo and auditors for New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli are in a fight over claimed bad security for hazardous materials, much worse than at Stony Brook and five other SUNY campuses. The audit suggests a pervasive problem at UB, from no accurate list of employees with access to dangerous chemicals to lack of information about what hazardous chemicals were around. Checking Stony Brook, Plattsburgh, New Paltz, Polytechnic Institute, Oneonta and Cobleskill, the auditors say nothing was found as bad as UB’s situation.

Cell phones could be a source of toxic chemicals, suggests study
December 4, 2018.  news-medical.net
In a study published in Environment International, scientists from the University of Toronto  found that levels of several toxic chemicals on the cell phones of Canadian women aged 18-44 were related to levels of those chemicals in their bodies and on their hands. It is the first study to identify handheld electronic devices as a potential source of exposure to organophosphate esters, chemicals often used either as flame retardants or plasticizers that make materials such as polyvinyl chloride more flexible and durable.

The irrational consumer: Decision making based on feelings rather than facts
December 3, 2018, phys.org (Society for Risk Analysis)
Angela Bearth, Ph.D., ETH Zurich, revisited work previously done on intuitive toxicology in her presentation, “Intuitive toxicology revisited: People’s understanding of toxicological principles and implications for the risk perception of chemicals.” Bearth related consumers‘ knowledge about toxicological principles to their risk perceptions and preferences for a variety of consumer products (e.g., cleaning products, medicines, foods). The study confirms that consumers have very limited knowledge regarding the processes undertaken to ensure the safety of consumer products. An area of particular concern was misconceptions held regarding man-made versus natural chemicals

NFPA, CPSC Issue Holiday Fire Safety Reminders
December 7, 2018, ohsoline.com
The winter holiday season is underway, and while Christmas trees, candles, and twinkling lights are festive, they contribute to an increased number of home fires during December. The National Fire Protection Association and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have issued timely fire safety reminders to help protect yourself and your home during the festivities. According to NFPA, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 800 home fires per year between 2012 and 2016 that started with decorations (excluding Christmas trees), and said fires caused an annual average of two civilian deaths, 34 civilian injuries, and $11 million in direct property damage.

Smart home privacy: Are high-tech appliances spying on your routines?
December 8, 2018, The Star
You may find it handy to turn on your sitting room’s radiator from your car or start the slow cooker from your office desk. But consumer protection agencies are urging fans of smart home tech to consider what kind of personal details they’re giving away in the manufacturer’s data protection policies before they go and purchase a smart appliance.

Every other industry has a safety label.  Now tech does too.
December 7, 2018. Fastcompany.com
Think of the Trustable Technology Mark as an “organic” sticker for connected devices. When you buy a smart toaster, you don’t know how much of your data it’s beaming up to cloud or whether its lax security has allowed it to become part of a bot network (which happened in 2016). How are you supposed to know which smart lightbulb you can trust? Enter the Trustable Technology Mark.

At J&J Consumer, packaging is a team sport
December 3, 2018, Packworld.com
Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (JJCI) is a subsidiary of New Brunswick, NJ-based Johnson & Johnson, whose other two businesses are pharmaceuticals and medical devices. What an editor learned from this $13.6 billion consumer juggernaut is that more than anything else  packaging has become a team sport that brings all functions together to deliver a rich experience to consumers.

Kimberly-Clark seeks Supreme Court review in “flushable” wipes case
December 2, 2018, JDSupra (Morrison-Foerster)
On September 6, 2018, Kimberly-Clark and affiliates filed a petition for writ of certiorari in Kimberly-Clark, et al. v. Davidson, No. 18-304, following a decision in the Ninth Circuit denying Kimberly-Clark’s motion to dismiss.  As the authors noted in previous posts, the Ninth Circuit had resolved a circuit split and held that a previously deceived consumer may have standing to seek an injunction against false advertising or labeling if he or she sufficiently alleges intent to repurchase the product in the future. In Kimberly-Clark’s petition, the companies ask the Supreme Court to resolve the issue of whether a consumer, who after using a product and determining that a representation concerning that product is allegedly misleading, can plausibly allege a “real and immediate threat” that she will be deceived by the same representation in the future so as to establish standing to seek an injunction.

Federal Trade Commission oversight and the need for online consumer privacy legislation
November 30, 3018, American Enterprise Institute
This week’s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) oversight hearing — held by the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security — demonstrated a welcome sense of bipartisanship in Congress around a crucial and growing issue: online consumer privacy legislation. The hearing was punctuated by ranking member Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s (D-CT) impassioned call for increased scrutiny of Silicon Valley platforms and focused on important questions of whether the FTC’s authority and resources must be strengthened. FTC Chairman Joseph Simons’ testimony discussed the need for three additions to the FTC’s authority: the ability to levy civil penalties, jurisdiction over nonprofits and common carriers, and Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking authority.

Foresight is 20/20: How to prepare for the California consumer Privacy Act now
October 28, 2018, CMS Wire
Personal data is currency in today’s digital economy. More and more organizations operate via business models that monetize individual information. And up until recently, few regulations existed on how organizations could collect and use that data. Enter the California Consumer Privacy Act. California, of all the states in the US, has long set the national precedent for consumer protection in the digital era. Now with the CaCPA, state legislators are setting the stage for a fundamental realignment of how companies doing business in the state (and by extension, the US as a whole) interact with customer data.

Attorney General Cracks Down On Unsafe Toys And Children’s Products
November 27, 2018, Northern Public Radio
The Illinois Attorney General’s office just released its 11th annual Safe Shopping Guide on its website. It details the many toys and kid’s products that have been recalled due to safety issues.
Spokeswoman Eileen Boyce says common problems include choking hazards and lead paint, but other issues also crop up. “Every year we see dangerous children’s sleepwear and clothing that can become flammable, or present laceration or choking hazards,” Boyce said. “We also see regularly high chairs that pose fall hazards.”

Toy Association Combats Toy Hunting Season and Promotes Commitment to Safety
November 27, 2018, Toy Association
Armed with real facts about the safety of all toys sold in the U.S. and the hundreds of rigorous federal safety tests and standards in place to protect children at play, The Toy Association was on the ground this November to contest erroneous claims made by W.A.T.C.H (World Against Toys Causing Harm) and U.S. PIRG (Public Interest Research Group). The Association also provides support and counsel to member companies targeted by these groups.

California adds soluble nickel to Prop 65
November 27, 2018, Chemicals Processing
The State of California now has over 900 chemical substances for which warning and labeling is required under Proposition 65 (Prop 65). Recently added to this list are soluble nickel compounds. Given the potential ubiquity of the substance, this could have big implications. On October 11, 2018, OEHHA’s Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (DARTIC), as the “state’s qualified experts,” determined that soluble nickel compounds were shown to cause reproductive toxicity based on developmental and male reproductive endpoints. The listing of nickel (soluble compounds) means warning requirements will apply in one year, or as of October 26, 2019.

Best practices in product safety management
November 30, 2018, In Compliance (Kenneth Ross)
An effective product safety management program can help to reduce accidents, reduce recalls, reduce insurance premiums, increase the safety and quality of products, provide a more defensible product and company in the event of litigation, and minimize the chance of punitive damages. And the techniques have been well-developed for decades. With that said, why are so many manufacturers being sued and fined by government safety agencies? Why are so many products being recalled, including products by well-known and respected manufacturers? Why are legislative bodies here and around the world enacting sometimes oppressive legislation to force manufacturers to do a better job of providing a safe product?

The Consumer IoT’s Boon for the Insurance Industry
November 28, 2018, Tech News World
Smart home and consumer Internet of Things solutions promise significant opportunities for the insurance industry in terms of reducing costs, alleviating risks, deepening customer engagement, and creating new services and revenue streams. There are many barriers ahead to overcome, but given the tremendous upside, insurance companies have begun attacking these challenges with a multi-tiered strategy. The currency of these opportunities is data, and the level of integration required to realize the insurtech vision and enhance aspects of the insurance business is a huge undertaking. It requires collecting massive amounts of unstructured data from a variety of connected sources.

The global testing inspection and certification tic for consumer products market by 2025
November 26, 2018, The West Chronicle
The 2018-2025 market research report on Global “Testing, Inspection, And Certification TIC For Consumer Products Market” is a detailed study and analysis of the market by industry professionals with domain knowledge. Testing, Inspection, And Certification TIC For Consumer Products Market provides detailed information on the market, and confident in meeting investors needs and expectations. Testing, Inspection, And Certification TIC For Consumer Products Market report offers data about the industry, expert opinions, holistic view of the industry from a global standpoint, individual regions and their development, technology, supplies, capacity, production, profit, price, competition, and the latest developments across the globe. Top Manufacturers of Testing, Inspection, And Certification TIC For Consumer Products Market covers TUV-SUD, Intertek Group plc, Contract Laboratory, UKAS, AI, Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre, SGS, Chemical Inspection and Regulation Service Limited, TUV Rheinland, UL, and many more.

The smart baby technologies that are raising today’s children
November 29, 2018, BBC
Elliott is one of a growing number of millennials introducing smart baby technology into their lives as parents. Millennials are, after all, the generation most accustomed to feedback and data on every aspect of daily routine. Consumers use apps and wearables to track their fitness, sleep cycles, diets and work habits. For many, tracking their children’s health is a natural next step.In the past few years, a number of manufacturers have recognised the potential to equip babies with wearables and other smart products. There is a market: according to Australian social research firm McCrindle, each week more than 2.5 million members of so-called ‘Generation Alpha’ are born globally. The group, whose oldest members were born in 2010 (the same year that the iPad and Instagram launched), will encompass nearly two billion people by the time the generation officially ends in 2025.

Opinion: The Meaning of ‘Made in China’ Is Changing
November 30, 2018, Caixinglobal.com
Even more important than the fact that Japanese consumers underrate, in fact distrust, Chinese products is the fact that Chinese consumers do not trust them, either. This seems to result from the number of health and safety issues with Chinese products in China itself over the years even more than the feeling among Chinese that they are still a developing nation. But attitudes  and the quality of Chinese products are changing, which raises the question of why quality has improved so much in China. The answer is: because Chinese consumers are so demanding. One reason they are so demanding is that, as incomes have risen, they now expect good quality when once they would have been satisfied if something simply worked. However, that is not the only reason.

Opinion: The importance of building ethics into artificial intelligence
August 18, 2017, Mashable.com
A crucial step toward building a secure and thriving AI industry is collectively defining what ethical AI means for people developing the technology – and people using it. At Sage, we define ethical AI as the creation of intelligent machines that work and react like humans, built with the ability to autonomously conduct, support or manage business activity across disciplines in a responsible and accountable way. At its core, AI is the creation of intelligent machines that think, work and learn like humans. AI should not be a replacement for standard business rules or procedures. That’s why we believe all AI-driven technology used in the workplace should embody and advance the interests of an individual company, its staff and its consumer base.