Slashdot Mirror
Consumer Revolt Spurred Via the Internet
sas-dot writes "UK's newspaper Independent outlines the brewing consumer revolt being fomented on the web. 'Consumer militancy' is becoming ever more common, as individuals join forces on the internet to fight back against the state and big business. Businesses from banks to soccer clubs have been the target of these groups, in each case facing the fury of consumers who feel they have been wronged. For example, 'A mass revolt has left the high street banks facing thousands of claims from customers seeking to claw back some of the £4.75bn levied annually on charges for overdrafts and bounced cheques. More than one million forms demanding refunds have been downloaded from a number of consumer websites. The banks are settling out of court, often paying £1,000 a time.' Are these kinds of organized 'advocate mobs' going to be the future of internet activism?"
Using the word "mob" to describe disgruntled consumers who've got together to demand their rights is just just another way for corporations and their apologists to cast these protestors in a bad light. The use of insults and defamatory terms is an old tactic. It's good that wronged consumers are using the web and related available technology to fight the corporations. In the past, protesting consumers were pretty much isolated. The corporation would have a gang of lawyers and coordinating tactics, while the complaining consumer was on his own - even if there were a whole bunch of other consumers in the same situation, chances are they would never learn of each others' existence. The only way to disseminate such info was through the media - newspapers, TV and radio, etc - organizations that are owned by corporations and so have a vested interest in keeping these matters quiet. But now, the decentralized nature of the web and the existence of many sites that are willing to discuss these matters means the average consumer now has a decent chance to fight back. These cases will become more and more commonplace. We now have a chance of winnning battles that we should rightfully win in any case. No wonder they want to call us "mobs".
You actually worried about your cabbage picking job that much?
What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
Well, if you bring it like that, it is certainly insightful. I've just spend 1 minute reading the rant on empty pizzaboxes and over-rented video's and it somehow is rated 'insightful'. Bye bye, Slashdot!
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