Only people living at the same address can share Prime benefits

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Invitee program ends October 1, 2025 Prime members can no longer share free shipping benefits with people at different addresses.

• Amazon Family takes over Only individuals living at the same primary address can continue sharing benefits such as two-day shipping, Prime Video, Prime Reading, and more.

• Discounted standalone offer Affected invitees (who dont live with the account holder) are encouraged to subscribe separately at a promotional rate of $14.99 for their first year.

In a major shift to tighten access to Prime perks, Amazon has announced that it will terminate its long-running Prime Invitee program a benefit that allowed Prime members to share free shipping with friends or family living at different addresses. This change goes into effect October 1, 2025.

Under the incoming Amazon Family structure formerly known as Amazon Household Prime benefits can now only be shared with individuals residing at the same primary address. That includes one additional adult, up to four teens, provided they were added before April7,2025, and up to four child profiles within the household.

To ease the transition for those impacted by the change, Amazon said it will offer a promotional Prime membership for $14.99 for the first year. After that, the standard rates of $14.99 per month or $139 annually apply. This offer is available now through December 31, 2025.

Strategic move to boost subscriptions

This policy shift is widely seen as an effort by Amazon to drive additional Prime subscriptionsespecially relevant after the company reportedly fell short of Prime Day signup goals, despite record new member activity during the promotional events 25-day stretch.

The announcement has sparked frustration among some subscribers who say that the ability to share shipping benefits was a core reason they retained their membership. Some took to social media platforms to express their intentions to cancel their subscriptions.

People with a strong sense of purpose stay mentally sharp

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• New UC Davis research links sense of purpose to lower dementia risk.

• Adults with strong purpose in life were 28% less likely to develop cognitive decline.

• Findings suggest purpose may protect the brain even in those with genetic risk factors.

For years, research into the so-called Blue Zones, regions of the world where people live unusually long lives, has suggested that a strong sense of purpose is tied to longevity. Now, scientists at University of California Davis have found that purpose may offer another critical advantage: protecting the brain from dementia.

The new study, published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, tracked more than 13,000 adults aged 45 and older for up to 15 years. Researchers discovered that those who reported a greater sense of purpose were about 28% less likely to develop cognitive impairment, including both mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

Our findings show that having a sense of purpose helps the brain stay resilient with age, said Dr. Aliza Wingo, senior author and professor in the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

The protective effect held true across racial and ethnic groups and remained significant even when accounting for education level, depression, and the APOE4 genea well-known genetic risk factor for Alzheimers disease.

Purpose appeared to delay the onset of decline as well. On average, adults with higher levels of purpose experienced symptoms about 1.4 months later over an eight-year period than those with lower levels. While modest, researchers emphasized the finding is meaningful when compared to pharmaceutical treatments.

While medications like lecanemab and donanemab can modestly delay symptoms of cognitive impairment in Alzheimers disease, they come with risks and costs, said lead author Nicholas Howard, a UC Davis public health researcher. Purpose in life is free, safe and accessible. Its something people can build through relationships, goals and meaningful activities.

Where do you get it?

Participants werent asked about specific sources of purpose, but past research shows older adults find meaning in many ways, whether through relationships, volunteering, spirituality, hobbies, caregiving, or personal goals. In Japanese culture, the concept is often described as ikigai, or a reason for being.

To assess purpose, researchers used a seven-item survey from the Ryff Measures of Psychological Well-being. Participants responded to statements such as I have a sense of direction and purpose in my life on a scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Their cognitive health was then tracked every two years using telephone-based tests.

The studys large, nationally representative sample is a strength, but researchers caution that the findings show an association rather than direct proof that purpose causes lower dementia risk. Still, the results add weight to a growing body of evidence that psychological well-being influences brain health.

Whats exciting about this study is that people may be able to think themselves into better health, said Dr. Thomas Wingo, co-author and neurologist at UC Davis Health. Purpose in life is something we can nurture. Its never too early or too late to start thinking about what gives your life meaning.

The ruling will hurt companies that are paid multi-million dollar fees to feature Google on their sites

• Federal judge blocks Google from paying to be the default search engine on devices and browsers

• Company must share its data with rivals but avoids harsher remedies like selling Chrome

• Ruling follows years-long monopoly case brought by the Justice Department

A federal judge on Tuesday barred Google from paying to be the exclusive search engine on devices and web browsers, saying the move was necessary to open the market to competitors, according to press reports.

The order, from U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta, also requires Google to share its massive trove of search data with rivals to help them improve their services. The decision aims to chip away at Googles overwhelming dominance in search, where it controls about 90 percent of the market.

However, Mehta stopped short of imposing more severe measures sought by the Justice Department, such as forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser. He also said Google could still pay for some distribution of its products to avoid harming partners like device makers and carriers.

Five years of litigation

The ruling stems from a five-year case that began when the Trump administrations Justice Department accused Google of illegally monopolizing the search market through deals with companies such as Apple. Mehta agreed last year that Google had broken antitrust laws and then held a separate trial to determine remedies.

Google is expected to appeal the order, and the company is asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to pause the remedies while the case moves forward. Any financial effects are unlikely to be felt immediately.

The remedies trial highlighted the shifting search market, including the rise of artificial intelligence. Witnesses from AI companies testified that they struggled to gain visibility because partners feared upsetting Google. An Apple executive testified that Google searches through Safari had recently declined for the first time in 20 years, and that Apple may soon add AI options such as ChatGPT or Perplexity to its browser.

What you need to know

• Judge Amit Mehta barred Google from making exclusive default search deals and ordered it to share data with competitors.

• The Justice Department sought harsher remedies, including breaking up parts of Google, but the judge declined.

• The case is ongoing, with Google appealing the order and AI alternatives waiting in the wings.

The California bill would ban cookware coated with 'forever chemicals'

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs