Luminosity makes apps that it says will help make your brain stronger. The Federal Trade Commission begs to differ. It is instructive to compare this case to other products backed by shoddy science (or no science) but that are allowed to be sold. We’ve posted before about homeopathy in this regard. Some companies get away with it because they carefully avoid making any specific claims for what their product does. You can’t be accused of a deceptive claim about your product if you don’t make any claim at all. But isn’t telling your customers what the product does kind of a basic requirement of the ethics of commerce? Luminosity is to be commended, then, we suppose, for at least boldly making claims (which, um, it couldn’t support). >>>
LINK: Lumosity Has to Pay $2 Million for Lying About Its Bullshit Brain Games (by Kate Knibbs for Gizmodo)
Lumosity, which created a brain game powerhouse by telling people it could make them smarter, is paying for its lies. Lumos Labs will pay the Federal Trade Commission $2 million for deceptive trade practices.
“Lumosity preyed on consumers’ fears about age-related cognitive decline, suggesting their games could stave off memory loss, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s disease,” FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich said in a statement. “But Lumosity simply did not have the science to back up its ads.”….
What do you think?
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