The hottest Corporate Accountability Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics
Popular Rationalism β€’ 1803 implied HN points β€’ 11 Oct 24
  1. A court ruled that Merck can lie about vaccine data and not face legal consequences, which many find troubling. This means that companies can manipulate important health information without being punished.
  2. The FDA is criticized for allowing Merck to use misleading data for years while still approving its vaccines. This raises questions about whether the FDA is really protecting public health.
  3. The ruling sets a worrying example because it may reduce public trust in vaccines and pharmaceutical companies. People might feel less safe knowing that companies can distort facts without repercussions.
The Chris Hedges Report β€’ 719 implied HN points β€’ 05 Dec 24
  1. The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was recently killed, sparking questions about possible motives related to healthcare policies and insurance denials.
  2. In the U.S., healthcare spending is highest among wealthy countries, but health outcomes are among the worst, with many people facing financial ruin due to medical bills.
  3. The business practices of health insurance companies are criticized for prioritizing profits over patient care, which can lead to unnecessary suffering and death.
Men Yell at Me β€’ 663 implied HN points β€’ 12 Feb 25
  1. A woman at Meta faced years of sexual harassment and retaliation after reporting it. Even though she excelled at her job, she suffered for speaking out.
  2. Her lawsuit highlights how women can be treated unfairly in the workplace, especially in tech. Despite contributing significantly, she was denied promotions to protect her male coworkers.
  3. The case shows the challenges of maintaining safety and ethics in tech environments. She worked to improve a product but was punished for trying to address serious issues like harassment.
HEALTH CARE un-covered β€’ 499 implied HN points β€’ 20 May 24
  1. Private equity firms are not the only problem in healthcare. Insurers, especially those owned by Wall Street, are also making big profits and taking over more doctor practices.
  2. A lot of attention is on private equity's role in healthcare, but insurance companies like UnitedHealth are also growing and may pose an even bigger issue. They have control over many doctors and healthcare facilities.
  3. There's a new effort from the DOJ to look into how much power insurers have in the healthcare market. This could bring more focus on the actions of insurance companies, not just private equity.
The Column β€’ 1100 implied HN points β€’ 13 Feb 23
  1. MSNBC and other Sunday morning news shows are not covering the Ohio chemical train derailment from a political standpoint
  2. The corporate media has covered the derailment as straight news, but with little critique of government and railway claims
  3. The lack of political scrutiny on the Ohio derailment highlights a trend of de-politicization in media coverage of environmental disasters
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:
The Klonickles β€’ 412 implied HN points β€’ 03 Mar 23
  1. The economic downturn has impacted the soft power of technology civil society and projects aimed at improving technology and social welfare.
  2. In the last five years, tech companies voluntarily engaged in initiatives for transparency and accountability, which were more significant than perceived.
  3. Despite the progress made, this voluntary cooperation is not enough, and there is a need for regulations to enforce continued efforts by tech companies.
Callaway Climate Insights β€’ 176 implied HN points β€’ 18 Jan 24
  1. Some CEOs are willing to accept lower returns on investment to make progress in fighting climate change.
  2. The focus on sustainability in business includes decarbonization and energy efficiency.
  3. Climate investing is more about long-term impact and sustainability than just financial returns.
HEALTH CARE un-covered β€’ 479 implied HN points β€’ 24 Feb 23
  1. The CEOs of Cigna and CVS made a staggering $632 million while many Americans struggle with medical debt. This highlights a big gap between executive pay and the financial struggles of everyday people.
  2. One of the main issues is that many in the U.S. have extremely high deductibles, which means they take on a lot of out-of-pocket expenses before getting any help from insurance.
  3. There is a huge disparity in pay between these executives and their employees, with ratios reaching as high as 458 to 1. This raises questions about how fairly companies value their workers compared to top management.
Diane Francis β€’ 439 implied HN points β€’ 29 Apr 21
  1. The Sackler family played a major role in the opioid crisis by aggressively marketing addictive drugs like OxyContin, causing immense suffering.
  2. Despite the damage caused, the Sacklers faced little real punishment, and many believe that white-collar crimes should have consequences similar to street crimes.
  3. Recent lawsuits and proposed laws aim to hold the Sacklers accountable and ensure that they cannot escape legal repercussions for their actions.
Fight to Repair β€’ 0 implied HN points β€’ 21 Jul 22
  1. Groups are urging the EPA to investigate Deere for violating the Clean Air Act by restricting access to emissions systems for repairs, impacting farmers and repair professionals.
  2. Deere's practices of limiting repair options can result in higher costs for farmers, class action lawsuits, and long wait times for service.
  3. Under federal law, the EPA has the authority to take action against manufacturers failing to comply with emissions standards, so there's growing pressure for Deere to be held accountable.