I’m at the Skeptic Track room -- about to watch Prof. Barbara Drescher, Richard Saunders, Dr Rachael Dunlop, Donna Mugavero and Tom Merritt talk about skepticism, scams and consumerism! Apparently there are a lot of Australians following the Live Stream, which you can find at http://www.skeptrack.org/watch-live.
This is about the fifth panel of the day, and there’s been an interesting addition throughout the day of little ‘Skeptoid’ essays in between the panels. This was an idea I proposed to Prof Drescher and there’s been a great response in terms of both panelists willing to take part and the audience attending. Perhaps this has become more of a focus for skeptics in recent times; certainly the Skeptic Zone podcast has investigated consumer claims and consumer protection often in the past.
“There’s a lot of research on decision making,” Prof Drescher begins, talking about how there are differences in the way we value money and the ways people are influenced. There’ll be a variety of demonstrations from other panelists as well as questions.
The first demonstration involves how one might manage to choose what to do with one’s money and different value people put on it. Essentially, it’s still the same $20 you’ve lost, but having a ticket value of $20 means more than the actual loss of a note. Then it’s a scenario that involves saving money and how far one would exert effort -- depending on the differences that’s larger -- it’s a matter of persona, relativity and the level of value people have in items. Bargain-hunting, the psychology behind how people add up percentages -- the tricks behind the stores in order to sell items. ‘People often don’t think how things add up!’
Dr Dunlop talks about ‘red flags’ in regards to alternative medicine products and how cures for illnesses and testimonials work against the consumer. ‘If it’s for entertainment purposes only… might be a good indication that it’s a scam!’ She shows an example of a cartoon regarding science vs pseudoscience -- there’s some illustrations of odd products, such as ‘vega testing’ (a machine with dials and flashing lights!!). Words like ‘frequency’, ‘infra-red technology’, ‘beta-hydroxy’, ‘pentapeptide’ and even ‘quantum’!
She’s talked previously about hair analysis (last year at Dragon*Con), which you can find details on her site: ‘The Random Print-Out Allergy Machine’, as she puts it (although I don’t remember the fruit bat from Guam turning into a waiter last year…). For those who have attended both D*C and TAM8, you’d probably recognise it.
She also already showed the Choice video that she used, this was:
There is, I should point out, no link to the presentation that Richard Saunders made next -- the Power Balance Bracelets. Mind, I think there is a key ingredient involved in both. He does the same presentation that he’s done for the Skeptic Zone, using the three tests and the carnival tricks that they are employing -- including a bit of audience participation regarding flexibility.
Tom Merritt -- words, warrants and warranties -- how they appear at consumer electronic stores and how people can be fooled into thinking that some technology is better than another. Topics like ‘speed’ and how it isn’t a differentiating factor for some items. Claims involve research and finding what the actual reviewers are looking at and why they make the comments they do. Responding to spam just leads to more spam; you can get rid of viruses without falling for claims about ‘we’ve detected malware!’ Warranties? ‘Don’t buy them, there’s almost never a reason why to do so. You’re gambling and you’re not doing a good gamble -- choose service plans, not warranties.’
Prof Drescher asks about the ethical lines in advertising, to Donna Mugavero -- she talks of how she has been selective of new clients due to her set of ethics and not taken projects that she knew are going to be problematic. She’s worked with agencies where they will not take on unethical products, with an agreement of the panel of what is wrongful in advertising: ‘you do know it where you see it’. Taking on projects that will take on concept that will look good -- while companies like the ones that Dr Dunlop talked about are ‘outing themselves from the very beginning… a lack of sophistication overall.’ What is interesting, I thought, is that despite that lack of sophistication -- people still choose them!!
Dr Pamela Gay talks of the personal pet peeve of how people won’t buy houses near power lines but buy magnetic bracelets -- “it’ll either kill you, heal you or do nothing -- it won’t do all three!”
In addition to red flags -- the ‘person with the lab coats’ -- ‘They’re people selling cons!’ 
Donna Mugavero is asked about photoshopping and ‘what’s okay and what’s not okay’ -- she talks of a client in particular where they discussed photoshopping students and the use of their photos in reports, the removal of blemishes but not weight. ‘It depends on what the photo is being used for.’
Dr Gay talks about FDA jurisdiction and why there seems to be contradictions in regards to what’s being sold -- ‘people are going to fall for claims for all crazy shit, especially with issues with the health care in this country.’
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