The Consumerist is published by Consumer Media LLC (“CML”), a Delaware limited liability company, and wholly-owned subsidiary of Consumers Union of United States, Inc. (“CU”). CML is a not-for-profit company and takes no outside advertising. The Consumerist empowers consumers by informing and entertaining them about the top consumer issues of the day. It is a leading online resource for consumer-driven advice about everything from inadequate customer service to onerous cell-phone contracts to ever-shrinking (and ever-more-expensive) grocery products. To accomplish this mission, the Consumerist relies in large part on its reputation and the reputation of CU for independence, integrity, and impartiality. This No Commercial Use policy is intended to preserve this reputation, and to protect their rights as publishers and information providers.

The policy is as follows:

Published information assists consumers to make informed choices and decisions about consumer products, services and other consumer matters. Such information may not be used by others in advertising or to promote a company’s product or service. In addition, this policy precludes any commercial use of any of CML’s published information in any form, or of the names of Consumers Union®, Consumer Media, Consumer Reports®, The Consumerist, consumerist.com or any other of CU or CML’s publications or services without CU or CML’s express written permission.

Unauthorized use of CML’s material may violate multiple legal rights of CML. All of CML’s products are fully protected under the United States Copyright Laws, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101 et seq., and unauthorized copying of, or quoting from, CML materials without express written permission is strictly prohibited. Under §397 of the New York State General Business Law, the use of the names or published results of a nonprofit testing organization, such as CML or CU, without express written consent for advertising or trade purposes is strictly prohibited.

If CML learns that this policy has been violated, it will take all steps necessary to prevent the misuse of its names or of any of its materials, including legal action where appropriate.