Keeping the public safe in the digital age

Since its founding in 1936, Consumer Reports has been a tireless advocate for the American public. And it is a healthy spirit of innovation that now drives the Yonkers, New York–based nonprofit to continue with its scrupulous product testing, dogged investigative journalism, and unwavering consumer advocacy.



“Our mission is unchanging, but the marketplace is dynamic,” says Consumer Reports president and CEO Marta Tellado. “Consumer protections and rights haven’t kept up with the pace of technological change. We believe that you don’t need to make a trade-off. You can design with consumer safety in mind.”



Two recent innovations highlight Consumer Reports’s commitment to improving consumer safety and security in the face of rapid technological advancement. First, is the advanced, one-of-a-kind automobile test loop, built in Connecticut, which will yield even more data for the organization’s authoritative car reviews. And an app called Permission Slip simplifies the process of instructing companies to stop selling personal data—or delete it completely. 



The ability to nimbly adapt in fulfilling its still-vital mission has earned Consumer Reports a spot on Fast Company ’s list of the world’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024.



MAKING ROADS SAFER



Consumer Reports has long been associated with its in-depth car reviews. But the spate of new technologies—particularly, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)—led the organization on a huge upgrade project to better test and assess the latest generation of automobiles. The result is the new ADAS Loop automotive testing facility in East Haddam, Connecticut. 







On the 1.5-mile loop, amidst the sprawling multi-lane tracks, technicians can simulate real-life driving situations—like forks in the road, sudden lane changes, distracted pedestrians, and stalled vehicles—to gain a better understanding of how well driver-assist features work in a particular scenario. Through this kind of rigorous testing—and changing its vehicle scoring system to reward automakers whose cars perform well in key safety areas—Consumer Reports is making roads safer for drivers and pedestrians.



TAKING BACK YOUR DATA



Our voracious online habits have led to huge amounts of personal data that is harvested and even put up for sale. In 2018, California passed its Consumer Privacy Act, which gave its residents the right to access, delete, and opt out of the sale of their personal information. But a subsequent Consumer Reports investigation uncovered several companies that refused to play by the rules. One example of lax compliance was a number of companies that made their opt-out process needlessly difficult and confusing. 



“If there’s a failure in the marketplace, or a failure in government, that’s when we step in and say, ‘What can we do to unlock the power of consumers and rebalance that marketplace?’” Tellado says. “That’s how Permission Slip was born.”



Permission Slip gives consumers a quick and easy way to take control of their online data. This means no more having to click through multiple online pages filled with bewildering and purposely vague opt-out instructions. When the (free) app launched in 2023, overwhelming demand crashed company servers. Countless consumers have since used the app to send 2 million requests to stop selling their data.



“In order for us to do what we do, we have to keep pace and sometimes get ahead of innovation,” Tellado says. “That’s what innovation is about: You have an ambition that is beyond what you can see.”