Editor’s Note: Information about federal standards policy can be found here.
From: Morning Consult
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In March, CR announced “the first phase of a collaborative effort to create a new standard that safeguards consumers’ security and privacy,” stating its “hope [that] industry will use that standard when building and designing products such as connected devices, software, and mobile apps.” According to CR, the goal of the initiative, dubbed “The Digital Standard,” is to help consumers “understand which digital products do the most to protect their privacy and security, and give them the most control over their personal data.” CR will eventually use the standard in its product testing, which the publication says “will help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions.”
Those who don’t think this is a significant development may not be familiar with CR’s history. Since its founding some 80 years ago, CR has repeatedly exercised an outsized influence on the market for products it rates. Companies have soared on the basis of CR’s rave reviews, and failed, or had to substantially modify their products, in the face of bad ratings in areas such as automotive safety, food and baby equipment, among others. As CR puts it, “[w]hen consumers vote with their wallets and their clicks, we’ve seen that companies pay attention.” In fact, on many occasions ratings or reviews by CR have led directly to new government regulation.
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