Editing Consumer Reports (section)

== Advocacy and campaigns ==
{{POV|date=July 2022}}
[[File:Consumer Reports - Consumers Want to Know.ogv|right|thumb|''Consumers Want to Know'', a 1960 documentary on Consumer Reports]]
Consumer Reports has hundreds of thousands of online advocates who take action and write letters to policymakers about the issues its advocates take on. This group continues to grow as Consumer Reports expands its reach, with 6 million paid members who have access to online tools like a car recall tracker and personalized content. An additional base of online members join for free and received guidance on a range of products (e.g. gas grills, washing machines) at no charge. CR has also launched several advocacy websites, including HearUsNow.org, which helps consumers with telecommunications policy matters. In March 2005, CR campaign PrescriptionforChange.org released "[[Drugs I Need]]", an animated short with a song from the [[Austin Lounge Lizards]], that was featured by ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[JibJab]], [[BoingBoing]], and hundreds of blogs. On [[Earth Day]] 2005, CR launched GreenerChoices.org, a web-based initiative meant to "inform, engage, and empower consumers about environmentally friendly products and practices".

Consumer Reports was a sponsor of the Safe Patient Project,<ref>{{cite web |title=Safe Patient Project |url=https://safepatientproject.org/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129145745/https://safepatientproject.org/ |archive-date=January 29, 2019}}</ref> whose goal was to help consumers find the best quality of health care by promoting the public disclosure of [[hospital-acquired infection]] rates and medical errors. The US [[Centers for Disease Control]] states that about 2 million patients annually (about 1 in 20) will acquire an infection while being treated in a hospital for an unrelated health care problem, resulting in 99,000 deaths and as much as $45 billion in excess hospital costs.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/healthDis.html |title=CDC - 121 This page has moved - Infection Control in Healthcare Settings |access-date=2019-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016005542/http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/healthDis.html |archive-date=2011-10-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The campaign has worked in every state calling for legislation requiring hospitals to disclose infection rates to the public. The Safe Patient Project also works on medical devices, prescription drugs, and physician accountability.

GreenerChoices.org offers an "accessible, reliable, and practical source of information on buying 'greener' products that have minimal environmental impact and meet personal needs". The site contains many articles about different products, rating them on how "green" they are. It also focuses on electronics and [[appliance recycling]] and reuse, as well as conservation and global warming prevention.

Funding for Consumer Reports has recently been provided by [[Public Interest Research Group|USPIRG Education Fund]], the Kentucky Equal Justice Center and the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network among other advocacy organizations.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=FloorSeattle |first1=1012 First AvenueFifth |last2=Washington 98104-1008 |date=2022-05-29 |title=A new report from U.S. PIRG Education Fund asks, are your groceries safe? |url=https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2022/05/a-new-report-from-u-s-pirg-education-fund-asks-are-your-groceries-safe/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=Food Safety News |language=en-US}}</ref>

In recent years, the organization has been vocal on key issues, including championing [[consumer choice]] and industry competition in the debate against the Sprint T-Mobile merger,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/05/01/sprint-t-mobile-anti-competitive-merger-consumer-reports-editorials-debates/34451953/|title=Hang up on Sprint and T-Mobile: Consumer Reports|work=[[USA Today]] |access-date=2018-05-17|language=en}}</ref> advocating for consumer preference to leave net neutrality protections in place,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://hellogiggles.com/news/fcc-net-neutrality-rollback-trump/|title=What is net neutrality? Trump-era regulations could ruin the internet for you|work=HelloGiggles|access-date=2018-05-17|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-false-promise-behind-the-fccs-net-neutrality-repeal-plan/2017/12/12/06471386-dec9-11e7-89e8-edec16379010_story.html|title=Opinion {{!}} The false promise behind the FCC's net neutrality repeal plan|last=Rich|first=Jessica|date=December 12, 2017 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=2018-05-17|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref> exposing how data is used to engage in racial discrimination when determining consumer pricing offers,<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/beyond-facebook-its-high-time-for-stronger-privacy-laws/|title=The Facebook Debacle Makes it Clear: The US Needs Stronger Privacy Laws|magazine=Wired|access-date=2018-05-17|language=en-US}}</ref> and advocating for stronger privacy laws in the wake of the [[Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal|Cambridge Analytica data scandal]].<ref name=":0" />