Defective Products and Privacy Laws

Abstract

The following paper will address the implication of defective products on public and on the legal system. It will look at types of defective products and will cover warranties that serve to protect the public against the adverse effects of defective products. It will also cover privacy laws and the differences and similarities between them.

Invasion of privacy is an offense that is a violation of a person’s rights. In the US, there are laws to protect the public from such violations.

The four types of invasion of privacy are appropriation, intrusion, public disclosure, and false light ("SPLC").

Appropriation is non-consensual advertising using an individual’s name, image or resemblance, or identity ("SPLC").

Intrusion happens when information is obtained by entering an individual’s private space either physically (unauthorized entry into the person’s home) and electronically (unauthorized surveillance) ("SPLC").

Public Disclosure occurs when factual and private information about an individual of a highly offensive and intimate nature is made public ("SPLC").

False light occurs when highly offensive and false information is published about an individual ("SPLC").

Appropriation, public disclosure, and false light are all violations that occur at the time of publication while intrusion occurs at the time that privacy is invaded.

The difference between public disclosure and false light is that public disclosure involves factual information whereas false light involves false information.

All four types of invasion of privacy are non-consensual.

Lemon laws are included in each state’s legislation for consumers. The legislation specifies the conditions, how, and terms and situations, in which a product can be sold ("Lemon Law Information").

Lemon laws were implemented to safeguard the everyday consumer from being sold faulty or defective items such as motor vehicles. The specifications of lemon laws vary from state-to-state ("Lemon Law Information").

A vehicle that has an excessive amount of problems that require constant maintenance to render it operational is called a lemon ("Lemon Law Information").

General warranties are given by the company to show that it stands by and supports its product. A warranty lets the customer know that a company is committed to correcting a problem if it arises.

Implied warranties are non-verbal and undocumented promises, created by state law, to a customer from the seller. An implied warranty promises that a product will perform as it is supposed to and that at the time of purchase,