About - Innovation at Consumer Reports (original) (raw)
We work to build a fair and just marketplace for all
CR has been an independent non-profit from day one, all the way back to 1936. We are on consumers’ side, plain and simple. We believe the market works best when companies compete to better serve consumers. For that to work, consumers need meaningful choices, and modern tools to enable and inform those choices. We use the power of code and data to increase transparency, exercise rights, and increase our power in the marketplace.
2024
Launched AskCR Beta, helping consumers make more informed choices
2023
Enabling consumer data privacy through Permission Slip
2022
Drove transparency in broadband pricing
2021
Helped consumers use new rights to privacy
2020
Developed standards to assess the privacy and security of connected products
2019
Rolling back robocalls
2013
Protecting kids from arsenic
1999
Exposing dangers of pesticides
1981
Setting carseat standards
1974
Fighting for safer drinking water
1968
Getting seat belts installed in every car
1958
Exposing radioactive food linked to nuclear bomb testing
1955
Warning about the cancer threat of cigarettes
1946
Revealing the risks of sleeping pills
1936
CR lists 100 dangerous drugs and cosmetics with arsenic, lead, and more
Consumer Reports was founded in the 1930s, in response to the distorting effects of advertising and a lack of trustworthy information.
We’ve been innovating for consumers ever since.
What We Do
CR empowers and informs consumers, incentivizes corporations to act responsibly, and helps policymakers prioritize the rights and interests of consumers to shape a truly consumer-driven marketplace.
And, because software has radically transformed the marketplace and consumers’ lives, we started the CR Innovation Lab — to design, prototype and scale new solutions to the problems facing consumers today.
Transparency
How can we build a digital marketplace that puts buyers and sellers on a fair footing?
Consumer Rights
What tools are needed to help consumers navigate the digital marketplace with confidence?
Consumer Power
What rules, protocols and standards are needed to restore power to consumers?
Innovators at CR
Lorrie Cranor
Director, CyLab Security and Privacy Institute
Carnegie Mellon University
Anamitra Deb
Managing Director of Responsible Tech
Omidyar Network
Sandy Pentland
Professor, Director of Connection Science and Human Dynamics
MIT
Jenny Toomey
International Program Director, Technology & Society
Ford Foundation
Latanya Sweeney
Professor of Government and Technology in Residence
Harvard University
Danny Weitzner
Founding Director
MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative
Doron Weber
Vice President, Programs
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
IoT Design Fellow, Summer 2023
Yi-Shyuan Chiang
Ph.D Candidate, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
IoT Design Fellow, Summer 2023
Wentao Guo
Ph.D.Student, University of Maryland
Siegel PiTech Impact Fellow, Summer 2023
Fengyang Lin
Ph.D Student, Cornell University
Siegel PiTech Impact Fellow, Summer 2023
Tuan-he Lee
Ph.D Student, Cornell University
Stanford AI Fellow, Summer 2023
Ria Calcagno
Political Science, Stanford University
Danny Y. Huang
Assistant Professor
Center for Cyber Security New York University
Danny Y. Huang is an Assistant Professor at New York University's Center for Cyber Security. He studies the security and privacy risks of real-world consumer-facing technologies.
Franziska Roesner
Assistant Professor
Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington
Kasia Chmielinski
Affiliate
Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University
Affiliate, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University; co-founder Data Nutrition Project; Digital Lab Fellow 2020-2021
Daniel Dubois
Associate Research Scientist
Khoury College C&IS, Northeastern University
Associate Research Scientist, Khoury College C&IS, Northeastern University; Digital Lab Fellow 2020-2021
Roya Ensafi
Assistant Professor
Computer Science and Engineering, University of Michigan
Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University of Michigan. Digital Lab Fellow 2020-2021
Julien Gamba
PhD Student
Data Scientist, Cisco Systems
PhD Student, researcher at IMDEA Networks Institute. Digital Lab Fellow 2020 - 2021.
Arunesh Mathur
Doctoral candidate
Computer Science, Princeton / CITP
Doctoral candidate in Computer Science, Princeton / CITP. Digital Lab Fellow 2020-2021
Tara Claesgens
Tara Claesgens is a customer support specialist for the Innovation Lab. She is passionate about making Permission Slip as accessible and useful to its users as possible!
Leah Hunter
Director
CR Innovation Lab
Leah Hunter, Director of CR’s Innovation Lab, oversees operations and drives strategic partnerships that accelerate the development and scaling of new products and services in the consumers’ interest. Prior to joining CR, Leah served as Vice President at Time Warner's Global Media Group and led an impact consultancy with a national portfolio of clients. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Reel Works Youth Filmmaking.
Ginny Fahs
Director, Product R&D
CR Innovation Lab
Ginny Fahs is Director of Product R&D in CR’s Innovation Lab, where she leads a team pioneering new ways for consumers to take control of their data and digital lives.
John Szinger
Lead Engineer
CR Innovation Lab
John Szinger is Lead Engineer at the Consumer Reports Innovation Lab. He has a background in building software applications in R&D and in the digital media industry. John has a long held interest in consumer digital rights.
Daniella Raposo
Manager of Programs & Partnerships
CR Innovation Lab
Daniella builds an open-source technologist community and creates opportunities for experts to build with CR. With expertise in program management, partnerships, and human-centered design, she focuses on fostering community and driving innovation at the intersection of technology and social impact.
Innovation Partners
Contact us
Got an idea for a research project? Want to help us advocate for a fairer future? Or just want to ask a question?