The downside of Disney+; Costco crackdown: CBC's Marketplace cheat sheet

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Does signing up for Disney+ waive your rights to sue the entertainment company — ever?

Does signing up for Disney's popular streaming service mean you agree to never sue the entertainment giant over anything, ever?

That is what Disney argues in a wrongful death lawsuit involving a 42-year-old New York doctor. Her family claims she had a fatal allergic reaction after eating at an Irish pub in Walt Disney World last October.

Disney is asking a Florida court to dismiss the lawsuit brought against it by Jeffrey Piccolo, the husband of Kanokporn Tangsuan, a family medicine specialist based in Long Island. 

The company argues Piccolo had agreed to settle any lawsuits against Disney out of court through the arbitration process when he signed up for a one-month trial of Disney+ in 2019 and acknowledged that he had reviewed the fine print. 

"The Terms of Use, which were provided with the Subscriber Agreement, include a binding arbitration clause," the company wrote in its motion. "The first page of the Subscriber Agreement states, in all capital letters, that 'any dispute between You and Us, Except for Small Claims, is subject to a class action waiver and must be resolved by individual binding arbitration.' "

Disney also notes in its response that Piccolo agreed to a similar arbitration provision when he created an account on Disney's website and app ahead of the ill-fated theme park visit.

But Piccolo's lawyer, in a response filed earlier this month, argued that it was "absurd" to believe that the more than 150 million subscribers to Disney+ have waived all rights to sue the company and its affiliates in perpetuity — even if their case has nothing to do with the popular streaming service. Read more

Borrow your friend's Costco membership? 

Password-sharing types, beware: Costco is cracking down on people who borrow membership cards from friends and family by testing a new membership-scanning system in several Canadian markets.

The scanners, which were announced last week, are set up at Costco warehouse entrances in Ottawa, Edmonton, Regina and B.C.'s Lower Mainland, a company representative confirmed to CBC News.

The new system will be expanded to other stores. The representative couldn't confirm whether it would extend to all Costco locations in Canada.

Members will have to scan their digital or physical membership passes to enter the store. If your membership card doesn't have a photo, you need to be prepared to show photo ID, says the company's website.

Guests are still allowed, but only if they're accompanied by someone who holds a valid Costco membership. There will be attendants at the door.

Costco has 108 locations across Canada, according to its website, with a presence in every province except Prince Edward Island. Read more

It took PHAC nearly a year to link plant-based milk Listeria cases

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) says it was only after multiple Listeria cases emerged in Ontario in June that it recognized a broader outbreak that had started back in August 2023.

Questions have swirled around why it took nearly a year for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to announce a national recall of several Silk and Great Value plant-based milk products on July 8.

The federal agency says it became aware of two genetically related cases of listeriosis — the illness caused by Listeria bacteria — in September 2023, but knew of no common food exposure.

PHAC spokesperson Anna Maddison says it was only when several cases in Ontario were reported in June 2024 and a provincial investigation was launched that the connection was made.

There have been three deaths in Ontario linked to the outbreak, which has also infected individuals in Quebec, Nova Scotia and Alberta. Read more

What else is going on?

Grieving families are struggling to find funeral services in B.C. 
One Prince Rupert widow said she was at a loss when her husband died, with the nearest funeral home more than 140 kilometres away.

Ford and Mazda have issued 'do not drive' warnings for older vehicles with faulty Takata airbags
Nearly 232,000 vehicles are included. Check to see if yours is one of them.

Air Canada pilots are preparing for a possible strike amid an ongoing labour dispute
The earliest possible job action would be Sept. 17. 

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