Ideas Archives
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Your ideas
Every popular conversation starts with a great idea. So if you’ve spotted a consumer issue you think’s worthy of debate, share it with the community.
Every popular conversation starts with a great idea. So if you’ve spotted a consumer issue you think’s worthy of debate, share it with the community.
Share your idea
Do LED lightbulbs last the claimed 25000 hours
I’ve heard back from the team and they have tested lifetime of the bulbs and found no problems. They have said that there might be issues with wiring and sent this link over.
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/light-bulbs/article/how-to-fix-common-led-problems
A Convo asking if other people have had this problem is certainly a possibility.
We’re going to ask our Home Research Team about this – thanks for the suggestion.
I suggest having a Convo to discuss what is in the latest issue of Which? magazine
We are currently talking to colleagues across the organisation about what convos to have in the membership topic area. High on the list is somewhere to discuss things like the magazine. I want to make sure we have in place the right people to reply to comments.
Why can’t manufacturers make the tags with serial/model numbers easier to read? Too often they are small print and placed e.g. low down where elderly struggle to see them.
Thanks for your suggestion. There is also a problem generally about small print literally being too small print. We'll definitely consider this for a Which? Conversation post.
Hidden insurance costs
Printed Copy or online
Should we be told?
good advice there from Abby: definitely don’t click on a link that arrives unsolicited in your email. If you’re worried, go to the Spotify website yourself and log in to your account and change your password if you’re concerned. We’ve got advice on how to create a secure password here https://computing.which.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/360000818025-How-to-create-secure-passwords
If there has been a breach, you do indeed have the right to be notified. GDPR, the EU’s data laws, says that companies have to notify the breach within 72 hours of discovering it.
However, just 72 hours after discovering a breach, it’s unlikely a company will know enough to be able to tell you for sure if your account is one of the ones that’s been compromised, nor how the breach is happened: that’s why you often see news stories where the number of people hit is revised up or downwards, sometimes quite dramatically. It’s good that they have to notify as soon as possible, but the downside is that they probably don’t know the full extent themselves.
As far as I know there aren’t any specific rights to be told exactly what happened, but companies will usually tell you a version of what they do know: it’s good for them to be as transparent as possible.
I’ve had a quick look and I can’t see any reports of a breach at Spotify, so while I can’t be absolutely sure without seeing the email you got, I am reasonably confident that it’s a phishing scam and you were right to be suspicious.
First and foremost we would recommend not following that link. It is best to go straight to Spotify in case this is a scam.
Assuming this is not a scam I’ve asked our tech team for their opinion on if you have the right to know what the unusual activity is.
design standards that take account of female characteristics
That was a fascinating article and sparked a lot of conversation here.
LED bulb failures
I’ve heard back from the team and they have tested lifetime of the bulbs and found no problems. They have said that there might be issues with wiring and sent this link over.
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/light-bulbs/article/how-to-fix-common-led-problems
A Convo asking if other people have had this problem is certainly a possibility.
We’re going to ask our Home Research Team about this – thanks for the suggestion.
There doesn’t seem to be much consumer information on earplugs. BIG problem because recreational noise is a real problem. AND earplugs for occupational noise distort music. Yet GOOD solutions exist.
Ethical hackers do they exist?
Huge overcharge for Canadian ETA
I went to renew my Canadian ETA and saw what I thought was the Government web site. I competed the details then – too late – I saw the fee of £130 on my credit card for 2 renewals. Would have been 2 x$7=£8.20 on the real site Foolish of me and the only excuse I have is that it was late at night and I was not concentrating. I hope by publicity others will be warned of this!
These scams are becoming more and more sophisticated, so don't blame yourself. Do report it though.
https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/l/reporting-scams
Investigating the Credit reference agencies
We’ve recently covered Credit reference agencies as a news piece which you might find interesting.
https://www.which.co.uk/news/2018/10/credit-scoring-are-you-in-the-dark/
With regards to a piece of jewellery
Discussion on the fairness and accuracy of Credit reports. Large businesses can negatively effect your credit report without your knowledge.