Commentary

Elliott Advocacy is a nonprofit organization that mediates cases between consumers and businesses. These are commentary articles that detail our efforts and provide educational information for consumers.

government wants to know

The government wants to know everything about your last trip

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Marilyn Kaufman didn’t realize she was inviting an observer into her living room when she signed up for a lower car insurance rate. To secure a discount, her insurance company required her to keep a driving-tracker app active on her phone all the time. It monitored her braking and acceleration, but it also followed her while she walked her dog or sat at her kitchen table. 

Expedia claims it has the secret to cheap flights. But is it promoting a dangerous—and self-serving—myth?

You can’t hack airfares, but airlines are hacking you

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To understand how absurd the idea of airfare hacking is, imagine this: Your car is running on empty. Instead of filling the tank right away, you wait until Sunday because you heard that the prices will dip a few cents lower at midnight. You circle the block, burning more gas all the while, waiting for the digital display to reset.