Consumer News: First the fire, then the insurance vacuum

Consumers may see the earliest results in emergency response

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• A new federal strategy could bring air taxis, medical transport aircraft and cargo drones into everyday use, with the Department of Transportation laying out a national roadmap to safely integrate advanced air mobility into U.S. airspace.

• Consumers may see the earliest benefits in emergency response, healthcare access and faster deliveries, especially in rural and underserved areas where short-range automated aircraft could fill transportation gaps.

• Safety, community input and gradual rollout are central to the plan, with federal agencies coordinating with states, local governments and industry to introduce the technology in phases rather than all at once.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has unveiled a new national strategy that could change how Americans travel, receive emergency care and get goods delivered not on highways, but in the air just above them.

Transportation Secretary SeanDuffy has announced the nations first Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Strategy, a roadmap designed to bring highly automated aircraft including electric air taxis and cargo drones safely into everyday use across the country.

These advanced air mobility vehicles will benefit the American people, Duffy said, noting they could transform travel, emergency response and access to healthcare. We have a bold strategy to unlock the future of our skies and unleash this next chapter of aviation safely and efficiently.

What is advanced air mobility?

Advanced air mobility refers to a new generation of aircraft that typically fly below 5,000 feet and rely heavily on automation. Unlike traditional airplanes, these vehicles are designed for short trips such as flying patients to hospitals, delivering time-sensitive cargo or transporting passengers across congested cities or remote rural areas.

Federal officials say AAM could help close transportation gaps in underserved communities, speed up first-responder response times and reduce congestion on roads, all while maintaining strict safety standards.

The strategy lays out 40 recommendations across six key areas, including airspace management, infrastructure, security, workforce training and community engagement. A companion implementation plan outlines how federal agencies will work with state governments, local communities and private companies to gradually introduce these aircraft.

Importantly for consumers, the plan emphasizes public acceptance and local planning signaling that new air services wont simply appear overnight without input from the communities below them.

Economic impact and jobs

Todays aviation industry already supports about $1.8 trillion in economic activity and accounts for roughly 4% of U.S. GDP. Federal officials say advanced air mobility could add new jobs, boost domestic manufacturing and keep the U.S. competitive as other countries race to develop similar technologies.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said the strategy reflects a commitment to innovation while protecting the public interest.

From electric aircraft to AI-powered air traffic systems, this strategy reflects Americas commitment to lead in next-gen aerospace innovation, Carr said. The FCC looks forward to continued collaboration with DOT to make this important vision a reality.

What consumers may notice first

While flying taxis grabbing commuters from rooftops may still be years away, consumers are more likely to see early AAM uses in medical transport, cargo delivery and regional travel. Rural communities could see faster access to hospitals, while businesses may use automated aircraft to move goods more efficiently.

Federal officials stress that widespread deployment will only happen once safety, infrastructure and regulatory requirements are fully met a process expected to unfold in stages over the coming years.

For now, the new strategy signals that the federal government is preparing for a future where the sky just above American neighborhoods becomes a new transportation frontier one designed, officials say, with safety and public benefit at the forefront.

A new study suggests high-fat foods in moderation may be healthy

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Whats behind the study: Dementia cases are rising worldwide, and with no cure available, researchers are looking closely at everyday lifestyle factorslike dietthat might lower risk. Dairy foods have produced mixed results in past research, especially when it comes to fat content.

• What the researchers wanted to know: Does eating high-fat dairy (like full-fat cheese or cream) affect dementia risk differently than low-fat dairy?

• How the study was done: Swedish researchers tracked nearly 28,000 adults for about 25 years, comparing detailed dairy intake at midlife with later diagnoses of dementia, Alzheimers disease, and vascular dementia.

Spreads of high-fat cheeses are favorites at holiday parties, but as long as you keep calories under control, indulging in a bit of brie on a cracker may support your cognitive health.

For years, nutrition advice has tended to favor low-fat dairy products, especially for heart health. But a large new study from Sweden suggests that when it comes to brain health, some high-fat dairy foods may deserve a second look.

Researchers analyzing data from the long-running Malm Diet and Cancer cohort found that people who regularly ate high-fat cheese and high-fat cream had a lower risk of developing dementia over the next two decades compared with those who ate little or none.

The study followed 27,670 adults, mostly in their late 50s at the start, for a median of 25 years. During that time, more than 3,200 participants developed dementia, allowing researchers to compare long-term outcomes across different eating habits.

The standout findings

Two dairy products stood out:

• High-fat cheese: People who ate at least 50 grams a day (about two slices) had a 13% lower risk of dementia overall. The reduction was even stronger nearly 30% lower risk for vascular dementia, which is linked to blood vessel problems in the brain.

• High-fat cream: Those who consumed at least 20 grams per day had a 16% lower risk of dementia, with lower risks seen for both Alzheimers disease and vascular dementia.

By contrast, low-fat cheese, low-fat cream, milk, yogurt, and butter showed no clear link to dementia risk, positive or negative.

Genetics may matter

The researchers also looked at APOE 4, a genetic variant that raises the risk of Alzheimers disease. Interestingly, the protective link between high-fat cheese and Alzheimers disease was seen only in people who did not carry this gene variant. That suggests genetics may influence how diet affects brain health.

The study didnt test mechanisms directly, but scientists have some theories. Cheese and cream contain fat-soluble vitamins, bioactive peptides, and fermented compounds that may support brain health or reduce inflammation. The food matrix how nutrients interact within whole foods may matter more than fat content alone.

Despite the intriguing results, experts urge caution:

• This was an observational study, meaning it can show associations but cannot prove cause and effect.

• Eating more high-fat dairy doesnt guarantee protection from dementia.

• Other lifestyle factorssuch as physical activity, education, smoking, and overall dietstill play major roles in brain health.

The takeaway for consumers

If you enjoy cheese or a splash of cream in your coffee, this study offers some reassurance that moderate intake of certain high-fat dairy foods is not linked to higher dementia risk, and may even be protective. However, its not a green light to overhaul dietary guidelines just yet.

For now, experts recommend focusing on a balanced, varied diet, paying attention to overall eating patterns rather than single superfoods. As researchers continue to untangle how diet and genetics interact, studies like this help refine, rather than replace, nutrition advice.

The China-based social media company faced a Congressional ban in the US

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• TikTok has signed binding agreements to sell a controlling stake in its U.S. business to a consortium of investors including Oracle, Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi-based MGX forming a new U.S. joint venture to run the platforms American operations.

• The new company, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, will be majority-American owned, with U.S. data storage, content moderation and algorithm security overseen domestically to satisfy national security requirements and avoid a U.S. ban.

• ByteDance will retain a minority stake under U.S. law, with the transaction expected to close by January 22, 2026, ending years of regulatory uncertainty and legislative pressure.

TikTok, the massively popular short-video platform used by more than 170 million Americans, has signed binding agreements to divest a controlling share of its U.S. business to a consortium of predominantly American and allied investors, according to various media reports.

The deal, announced internally to employees Thursday and expected to be completed by January 22, 2026, creates a new entity TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC that will operate TikToks U.S. platform under heightened oversight of data security, content moderation and algorithm governance.

The reported deal would secure TikToks presence in the U.S. after Congress passed legislation to ban it unless its China-based owner relinquished control.

New ownership structure

Under the terms of the agreement:

• A group led by Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX will collectively hold roughly 50 % of the new U.S. ventures equity.

• ByteDance, TikToks Beijing-based parent company, will retain a 19.9 % stake the cap permitted under U.S. foreign-ownership restrictions while existing ByteDance investors will hold about 30.1 %.

A majority-American board of directors will govern the U.S. entity, and Oracle is set to serve as a trusted security partner responsible for storing U.S. user data on local infrastructure.

Addressing national security concerns

The restructuring directly responds to bipartisan U.S. concerns that TikToks Chinese ownership could pose risks to national security and user privacy arguments that have propelled legislative and regulatory action for years. Under a 2024 law, commonly known as the divest-or-ban requirement, TikTok faced a potential nationwide prohibition unless it severed control by its foreign parent company.

As part of the new arrangement, TikToks recommendation algorithm will be retrained on U.S. user data to further insulate it from foreign influence a major sticking point throughout negotiations.

The finalized deal closes a chapter of uncertainty for TikTok in the U.S., where the app has been intermittently threatened with removal since national security concerns first bubbled into public view more than five years ago. Previous presidential administrations and Congress have repeatedly pushed for divestiture, leading to multiple deadline extensions and intense negotiation between Washington and Beijing.

The FTC charged the company misled consumers by promising free delivery services

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Instacart will pay $60 million in consumer refunds to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the grocery delivery company used deceptive practices that raised the cost of shopping.

• The FTC says Instacart misled shoppers about free delivery, satisfaction guarantees, and automatic enrollment into its Instacart+ subscription program.

• A proposed court order would bar the company from deceptive pricing and subscription tactics and require clearer disclosures and express consumer consent.

The Federal Trade Commission has announced that grocery delivery provider Instacart has agreed to pay $60 million in refunds to consumers as part of a settlement resolving allegations that the company engaged in widespread deceptive practices.

According to the FTC, those practices harmed shoppers and increased the overall cost of grocery delivery for Americans.

Under the proposed settlement, Instacart must also stop the misleading conduct identified by the agency. Consumers who were charged for Instacart+ memberships without their express, informed consent will be eligible for refunds.

Instacart misled consumers by advertising free delivery services, and then charging consumers to have groceries delivered, and failing to disclose to consumers who signed up for a free trial that they would be automatically enrolled into its subscription program, said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTCs Bureau of Consumer Protection. He added that the agency is closely monitoring online delivery services to ensure companies compete transparently on price and delivery terms.

As of now, the FTC has not yet provided detailed specifics about how affected consumers will receive their refunds in the Instacart settlement. The agency typically releases that information including the refund distribution process and whether consumers need to file a claim only after the court approves the final order and the refund program is established.

Not so free

The FTC alleges that Instacart falsely advertised free delivery on first orders, even though consumers were still required to pay mandatory service fees. Those fees, which can add up to 15% to the cost of an order, were not clearly disclosed to shoppers, according to the agency.

Regulators also took issue with Instacarts claims of a 100% satisfaction guarantee. The FTC says the language suggested consumers would receive full refunds if they were dissatisfied, but in practice, customers who experienced late deliveries or poor service were often offered only small credits for future orders rather than refunds. In addition, the FTC alleges that Instacart obscured refund options within its self-service menu, leading many consumers to believe credits were their only option.

Another major focus of the complaint was Instacarts handling of its Instacart+ subscription program. The FTC alleges that the company failed to clearly disclose that consumers who signed up for a free trial would be automatically charged at the end of the trial period. The agency also says Instacart did not adequately explain its restrictive refund policies, resulting in hundreds of thousands of consumers being charged membership fees without receiving benefits or refunds.

As part of the proposed settlement order, Instacart would be prohibited from misrepresenting delivery costs and satisfaction guarantees. The company would also be required to clearly and conspicuously disclose subscription terms and obtain express informed consent before enrolling consumers in programs that involve automatic charges unless customers actively opt out.

The FTC approved the stipulated final order by a 20 vote and filed it in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. If approved and signed by a federal judge, the order will carry the force of law.

You cant unspend this year, but you can copy Gen Z for next year

• Use AI to set spending caps. Split your budget by category and add rules like no gifts over $40

• Add hard-stop banking alerts. Turn on every-transaction notifications and a holiday spending cap

• Shop on a schedule. Plan your buy windows and stick to 12 purchase days to avoid impulse spending

If your December routine often includes a weekly why did I even buy that? panic, youre not alone. Holiday overspending has a way of sneaking in through dozens of small purchases. But new data suggests that one group is actually getting better at dodging the overspend trap and it just might surprise you, its Gen Z.

TD Banks 2025 Merry Money Survey found that 88% of Gen Z respondents are considering ways to limit holiday overspending. And the modern twist is that more than half (51%) of Gen Z budgeters are using AI to help build that holiday budget.

So, what are the lessons we can take away from Gen Zers? The bottom line is you dont need to be born between 1997-2007 or an AI power user to copy what theyre doing.

The Gen Z holiday spending playbook you can steal

1.Use AI to plan the budget, not to shop smarter

AI is great for helping you plan and coming up with a shopping list full of gift ideas that are within your budget. Consider these prompts that Gen Z is taking full advantage of:

• Make me a holiday budget for 12 people with a $600 cap, including stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and wrapping.
• Then ask for a budget breakdown with what percent should go for gifts, food, travel, etc.
• Example: If my holiday budget is $1,000, tell me what percent (and dollar amount) should go to gifts vs. food vs. travel vs. donations.

Then take the output and put it somewhere like your notes app, a spreadsheet, or your banking apps budgeting tool. The point is not the AI specifically, but getting an actual number you will follow.

Pro tip: If you want AI to actually help you savemoney, tell it your specific rules. Examples include: No gifts over $40. Two gifts max per kid. Include three backup gift ideas under $25.

2.Set hard stops with alerts

Lets face it, most budgets fail because they dont have enough 'tough love' built into them. To that end, its time to use some techy options that most banking and credit card apps have built into them.

Consider setting up these automatic tripwires:

• Set a spending alert on your card for every purchase over, say, $50.
• Set a monthly cap alert for your total holiday category.
• Turn on notifications for every transaction for the month of December so you can better track your spending.

3.Time your shopping like Gen Z

The survey found young shoppers are intentionally planning around big deal days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

That doesnt mean you should buy everything on Black Friday next year. It means you should decide when youll buy each category:

• Tech and appliances: you can often find deals before Black Friday and in the last week before Christmas.
• Toys: buy them earlier than you think, starting in late October, keep in mind that the hot toys of the season tend to vanish come December.
• Stocking stuffers: great deals can be found last-minute.
• Gift cards: only from secure displays and only when you know youll use them soon.

Pro tip: If youre the type who keeps browsing just to check, youre paying the scrolling tax. Consider having just two planned purchase days and stop shopping in between those days.

4.Copy the set aside money all year trick

The survey also reported that Gen Z is more likely to stash money earmarked for the holidays throughout the year.

While it may be a little too late for 2025, you can easily set this up for next December:

• Open a separate savings bucket labeled Holiday.
• Auto-transfer a small amount daily or weekly.

Even a few bucks a day will become a significant amount of money come next holiday season. Money you can use for gifts, travel, and decorations. Plus, youll completely avoid that January credit card bill moment of panic.